Adding Vintage Style into your Modern Home Decor

The trick to implementing some farmhouse decorating into your home is to find some favorite pieces that spark all kinds of inspiration. Utilizing some key vintage pieces into your home allows you to achieve an entire connection between the old, new and vintage aspirations within every room. Swap out those brand new throw pillows for some printed versions to kick off the new look you're going for. You can even stop with those same throw pillows and still feel like your interior has been thoroughly rejuvenated with vintage style. Some key farmhouse decor options to consider that require very little work to complete the appeal include a new couch, or accent tables; rustic kitchen decor, chic milk jugs as vases or even a vintage sign on the wall. Change out some old with an even older look.
Just a Touch or a Trending Takeover
With the previous said, you most certainly want to determine just how much time and money you want to invest into your new aspired look. Chances are, you'd rather do less work for less money, and that is the incredible thing about vintage style. You can recreate an entire new appeal with just a touch of accents and trending decor. There's no need to pain every wall, purchase all brand new furniture or hire a demolition team to kick off some home renovations. So, determine just how much time you want to spend; just a touch or a handful of trends. Either way, you get a new look for so much less than if you were trying to achieve other interior decorating themes.
The Key of Contrasts
Sometimes, less really is more, and vintage style home decor proves that to be true. A household full of vintage furniture, art pieces, rugs, curtains with no modern accents could come off tacky instead of tacky. The key to

achieving the vintage appeal to to take advantage of contrasting the new with the old. It's a surefire way to add the chic charm to the vintage modern theme without going too far back in history. Incorporate some old with the new; squares with rounds, rough with smooth, weathered against brand new, color against neutral... And well, you get the picture. Surrounding your contemporary kitchen table with vintage style chairs, or table top accents is an excellent example to get you sparked with some inspiration. Compliment your massive modern sleigh bed with two side accent tables that have the weathered look. Top the tables with elegant frames filled with love and laughter, and you're ready to dominate this old style of new trends.
There are so many ways for you to dip your hand into the gorgeous blend of chic modern style with vintage style home decor. As soon as you find those key pieces, determine how much time you want to put into your new interior ideas and discover ways to take advantage of the contrasts within your home, the rest will follow.

How to Make Your Antiques Shine

Whether you scored big at an antique mall, inherited a priceless piece from your grandmother, or purchased something from Pink Pig, incorporating antiques into your home decor can sometimes be challenging, especially if your design aesthetic tends to be modern. Here are a few ways that you can make your antiques the star of the show without compromising your style.
Think Outside the Box
There is no steadfast rule that says you have to use an item the way it was intended for. In fact, breaking away from the ordinary is one of the most effective ways to create an inspiring space. For example, an antique dresser can make a stunning sideboard in your dining room, and think of all of the extra storage!                                    

Make it Match
While sometimes the worn-down touches on an antique are part of its charm, other times, it’s the bones of the piece that are the prize. In this case, don’t be afraid to repaint, reupholster, or renovate the item so that it fits in flawlessly with your existing furniture.

Work Around It
After you have found the perfect location for your new find, it’s time to make sure it doesn’t look out of place. If you already have a shabby-chic or traditional home, this will not take much work. However, if you are working with a contemporary space, you will need to switch out some of your accessories to make the room more cohesive. Get new throw pillows adorned with flowers or find some antique vases to incorporate into the table’s centerpiece.
Finding amazing antiques is only part of the equation. Once you tweak them a little bit here and update a few things there, that's when they really steal the show.

4 Antique Shopping Rules To Live By

Antique Shopping..

When you are looking for a unique way to add charm and personality to your space, antiques are the way to go. Each one is flawless in its own right, and when placed correctly, will finish off your home decor with perfection. However, it’s not as black and white as it seems. When you are shopping for antiques, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind.
Don’t Go Crazy
While one or two antiques will bring warmth and style to your home, too many of them will make your home look like a museum instead of a showroom (which you do not want!). Your best bet is to stick to one major item from that past in each room (no more than three), and keep the rest of your decor more on the modern side.
Quality Matters
One of the best things about decorating with antiques is that they are usually made to last (which is why they are still around). Artisans from the past really knew how to make a product, and you can benefit from their skills. Specifically, you will want to search for items that are almost impossible to find (unless you want mass-produced) these days, like handcrafted pottery and hand-blown glass.
Buy for Now
If you find the antique of your dreams, but it needs a touch up here and a recreation there, you are better off to keep looking. Face it, unless you are especially handy or searching for a project, you will probably never get around to fixing it up, wasting a perfectly good antique.
Use Your Imagination
Most importantly, when shopping for antiques, remember that you do not have to take them for their face value. Some of the most extraordinary pieces are being used for something they were not intended for (think large, rustic vase as an umbrella stand, or vice versa).

Display your Tole Trays!

We love displaying these pretty hand-painted Tole Trays in the shop.  

Large Tole Tray

Tole is a French term -  Tole peinte du lac, which means painted tin.  John Hanbury of Wales began producing tin trays and as the demand grew where ship to Europe and America.

Different floral styles for different parts of the particular countries.. 

Pennsylvania has a very Dutch Art style with lots of tulips.  In the early days, most tinware was painted with a red background with yellow and green for accents.

Collectible or not .. we love these pretty hand-painted vintage Tole Trays as they make perfect display pieces all with a story to tell I'm sure!

As Seen In...

Seen in Veranda and Southern Living Magazines and now seen at the Pink Pig!

We love and will always continue to love the classic clothing line by Claridge + King.  Their feminine twist on a look inspired by menswear clothing and fabrics is worth a look.  Leave that old boyfriends white shirt behind  as their take on a  crisp white oxford is a classic staple in any women's wardrobe.

• Less boxy than his shirts
• Longer length
• Mother-of-pearl buttons
• Two-button rounded cuffs
• Packaged in their pewter-striped boudoir-sized pillow sham

Their Tailored Shirt Dress recently featured in Veranda Magazine.  Throw on your favorite scarf and you are good to go.  We love it!

Chambray Shirts... Reversible Leggings.... Fabulous Sweaters you can pair with your favorite jeans... I could go on and on about this fabulous line from two gals who definitely have classic, chic, practical and wearable down pat. 

Chambray Shirt

Patch Sweater

                              
View our collection of Claridge + King... a fabulous line we can't live without at Pink Pig to find more ideas on how to put this classic line in your wardrobe. 

Call Me!

It doesn't matter what version of the iPhone you currently have, you always need a stylish case to go with it. Luckily, Pink Pig found a great French designer- Evy Levy of Disco Noir  out there and we've decided to show you her take on stylish Lambskin Leather iPhone pouches.  We can assure you there's a case for all types of fashion lovers, so check out our chic selection and grab your favorite today.

Disco Noir wants you to protect your phone and do so stylishly. The French design house presents an envelope-style iPhone case sized to fit in a purse, but elegant enough to carry solo. Crafted of silky smooth lambskin, we bet you’ll choose to keep it in hand and on hand at all times. 

Mint Lambskin iPhone Case

Electric Blue Suede Case

Black Sea Case with Brazilian Bracelet

Chic iPhone Case Silver

Affordable and Chic, find more by this special designer at our shop in Essex, NY or online.www.pinkpigwestport.com

Hugs,
Debb

WNY8DZHSBMPR

9/11 I Will Never Forget

September 11th - My personal day of remembrance
I Will Never Forget

My memories of that day are so clear....

I remember sitting at my desk in Manhattan watching the news of the first plane that struck... We thought a small commuter plane had crashed into the Tower... I remember thinking in a split second this can't be right .... and then the news within seconds confirmed my fear..  

I Will Never Forget
That morning, we  had a new direct phone line to Cantor Fitzgerald placed on our phones.  I remember that ring and the voice on the other end saying "Hey What A Great Morning It Is"...
and me saying "Yes It Is".  Our phone lines then went silent and i remember thinking and thinking about those last seconds i spent on the phone with someone whose name i will never know...

I Will Never Forget

Those moments of running outside and seeing a large cloud covering the city as i looked down Park Avenue and still wondering is this really happening.  Looking around at a moment where people everywhere in shock running down the streets in fear thinking what do i do now.


To my friends and their families  whom i never had the chance to say goodbye to I Will Never Forget.  "Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief.
                                              We Will Never Forget

Garden Decor

Spring has sprung and you know what that means, time to get in the garden. Whether or not you were blessed with a green thumb there are many simple home decorating ideas that can spruce up the elegance of any garden.

Adding a statue or bust is one way to give the garden a little mystique. Statues add character to any outdoor space because they draw the eye and add something unique. Do you remember watching Secret Garden as a youngster? The beauty and elegance of that hidden garden came from the old, artfully distressed statues as well as the gorgeous flowering vines and trees. It’s a simple and effective way to add instant finesse to your outdoor space.

Of course, the allure of a statue loses its value in the evening if there isn’t proper lighting. One of the most personable ways to spice up your spices is to add the flickering of candlelight. Tin tea lite candle holders are perfectly simple and they still manage to glow in the garden. Any outdoor deck or veranda looks more inviting with the glow of a candle, and the tin holders cast unique shapes of light across the area.

The warmth of the candles can be added upon with the addition of incense coils. They can be hung from any structure and give the eye something intricate to look at while simultaneously giving the nose a pleasurable scent. Lavender is the perfect scent for a calming atmosphere.

Summer Wedding Catalog

Our Sweet Dreams Pillowcase set was selected to be featured in the Stylish Home Catalog which showcases Etsy sellers for home decor aficionados!

This 3^rd eCatalog is really a “primer” that explores how handmade and vintage can make your wedding that much more unique… uncommon… artful – anything but pedestrian! The Etsy Team - StylishHome went all out by not only presenting their own “wedding appropriate” offerings, but helped to discover so many other great things from the larger Etsy universe.
  Please download their catalog and look through the many great items they offer!
http://issuu.com/stylishhome/docs/stylishhome_wedding_catalog_issue_3

Pinterest Shows Vintage Style, Pink Pig Provides It

Have you heard of Pinterest? Odds are you have because millions of people are using this online pin board that allows you to gather pictures of your ideal wedding, dream home, and recipes you’d like to try. These are just a few ways people are using this social media.

The reason we bring it up is because many of the pictures are of unique, timeless, and beautiful things that reminds us of our own Pink Pig products. The pictures on our site have that Pinterest feel of eye pleasing and chic.

Pinterest has plenty of vintage style on display and Pink Pig is the place you can purchase products that match that style. For instance you can look up vintage bedrooms on Pinterest and discover pictures that users are updating every day.

Find something you like in a picture that you want to incorporate into your vintage bedroom and search for it on Pink Pig. Say you like a romantic duvet cover in picture on Pinterest, then you can search our site for romantic duvet covers you can  actually purchase for your bedroom.

Our products won’t be the same as the ones on the online pin board but that’s okay because we strive to offer unique and high quality products at a great value. Pinterest isn’t a catalog to purchase things; it’s more like Better Homes and Gardens magazine that allows you to generate ideas for your home.

Use the site to generate ideas on vintage style ranging from furniture to fashion and when you find something you want to incorporate into your life turn to us to purchase something similar and more often than not better.

When you leave Pinterest and come back to us we’ll have all the vintage products you’re looking for whether it is furniture like classic end tables or fashion like chic and trendy totes.

If you love Pinterest you’ll love our site or vice versa. Contact us to find vintage style products similar to ones you find on the online pin board. Our site also has plenty of attractive photos; you’re sure to see something that would look better in your home versus in just a picture.

Spring Fling Giveaway

We Dream In French

 We are really excited about the month of April. Spring has arrived and brought new growth for the Pink Pig as Sandy and I have launched a new and exciting bedding line called Reve Bedding. We're in the final stages of launching a new Spring and Summer product line that we're very excited about and we want you to share in our excitement. Catalogs as well as new products will be available in the coming weeks. We hope that you'll share in our vision  in making your home a bit softer and romantic this season.

Sweet Dreams Pillowcase Set

Linen Bedding

Linen Curtain Panels

Queen Bee Pillows

 Leave us a comment on this post to register for our Mother's Day pillow giveaway. We'll be giving away our new canvas Queen Bee pillow. The drawing will take place May 1st

With Much Thanks,
Debbie & Sandy

French Vintage Style Oui!

White, crisp, elegant, authentic, natural vintage!

It has occurred to us here at Pink Pig that many of our vintage interests often resemble the French county style of home furnishing. So we searched and found one of the finest, most romantic lines available anywhere! We currently carry the Cote Bastide line of linens, a small independent company in France which originated in 1990.

Cote Bastide Honeycomb TowelsCote Bastide Honeycomb Towels   and Cote Bastide Linen Kitchen Towel, as shown in the picture above can be ordered through our website below. Also in this fine imported line to satisfy the vintage lovers is   Cote Bastide Potpourri , a sweet romantic  lovely fragrance for your country home.

Perhaps the best description of these products comes from the company themselves, their words  say it so perfectly:

"All the bright-eyed excitement in a child's expression. The soft caress of a bath towel. The pleasant shock of cool water in the morning. Côté Bastide springs from these intimate emotions to transform them into a unique collection that changes everyday experiences into a sheer delight. Like the best enterprises, Côté Bastide comes straight from the heart with only one ambition - the revive for the benefit of contemporary tastes the objects, fragrances and sensations that filled the homes of yesteryear which are so lacking from our modern lives.

Côté Bastide distills the essence of enjoyment of life, its products are an evocation of quite mornings in the country, of travels of myriad memories, gentleness and freshness, and above all of Provence whose spirit and sunshine illuminate little cameos of life and lend Côté Bastide creations their special charm."

How could we resist? 

You can view these items as well as other French treasures at out website:  http://www.pinkpigwestport.com.

Questions or comments?  Contact us :  http://www.pinkpigwestport.com/pages/Contact-Us.html

vintage style

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How Your Home Decor Can Be Both Old and New

Does your home decor express who you are now or who you were ten years ago? Have you been wanting to replace the lamp in the hallway? Get some new throw pillows for the guest bedroom? Making small updates to your home each year to keep it in style can be easy and affordable. And the Pink Pig is here to help. 

According to this article on Yahoo, the top home decor trends for 2012 fall into three categories. The first is French Market. This casual, elegant look can be achieved by choosing classic furniture pieces, opting for natural fiber fabrics and incorporating organic wood elements. It's as though they skimmed the Pink Pig website and saw the hotel key rack and the cliffhouse day blanket and used them for inspiration.

The second category is Global Chic – the World Travelled. For this look, they suggest utilizing bright, exotic patterns, like on our sari patchwork ottoman.  Ethnic statues made from reclaimed wood, and wood accent tables like our grain sack table also contribute to this feel.

Finally, the less is more look is still in; Yahoo's article calls it "Clarity Contemporary" because clear elements are the focus. The pieces they suggest using to highlight this style are ceiling fixtures, dining and side tables, and table lamps. Our iron gate table and mercury glass lanterns fit this category well. 

It just goes to show that the old adage is true: everything old is new again.Contact us to find out how we can help make that true for your home's decor.