Inspired! Antique Furniture of Quebec

I'm starting a new category for the blog called "Inspired!". I'll post regularly with images and info about things that are inspiring us hens at the moment.

Yesterday I found myself taking a look in some of the books that we have hanging around the shop. These books are a great inspiration for anyone looking to create custom pieces with that rustic old-world vibe. The images below are from the book Antique Furniture of Quebec by Michel Lessard. Here are some of the pretty things I've found, and some of the facts that I learned.

This pine carved armoire is framed with moulding, and has a sweet cutout base with a shell carving in the centre. According to the book this piece dates back to the late 18th Century. I think it it's the perfect blend of masculine shapes with more feminine details.

This piece is a stunner! Another pine armoire from late 18th Century Quebec, but this time the hand-carvings are much more detailed. The mix of geometric shapes and organic forms is beautiful. This piece has been stripped of its original paint.

Before the 70's in Quebec it was common for people to "revitalize" furniture by stripping it down to the wood and waxing and polishing it. Unfortunately the stripping methods were very hash and would destroy the wood surface and grain.



This armoire has hand-carved doors, and has been stripped on the outside. Even though the book says that stripping is bad, I kind of like the contrast between the bright red paint and the natural wood colour. What do you think?

Have you felt inspired by a special piece of furniture lately? Share your story with us in the comments, we'd love to hear from you!

NEW ORLEANS - THE DETAILS

At Henhouse, its all in the details and I was constantly stopped in my tracks when we were there to admire the abundant details in New Orleans.



This finish and colours found at The Laura Plantation remind me of the work we do or have done in our shop.
Our clawfoot bathtub off of our room in the garden district. I could daydream here all day....eat your hearts out ladies!!

NEW ORLEANS - THE FLAVOUR

This is the flavour of New Orlineans; Funky, charming, a little disheveled and a lot naugty!

These Mardi Gras beads are everywhere; trees, fences, gutters... Its a great reminder that people are able to let loose here, shimmy down the street, live life to the fullest and bond because of it. These are qualities I need more of!
Here is a great sampling of the music we saw at the Jazz Festival. "Lil Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers..."

NEW ORLEANS - THE DECREPIT

These are some of the areas that I fell in love with. Give me anything that looks like it needs to be fixed up and loved with a weatrhered patina and I'm all over it! This building in the French Quarter reminds me of some of the finishes that we try and emulate at Henhouse. Can you see the flood line?
Lafayette Cemetery. Quite eerie to see all the mausoleums above ground and crumbling...again LOVE the decrepit patina....
These homes are typical in the vast Garden district which really is acres and acres of old homes in various states of charming disrepair.

NEW ORLEANS - THE BEAUTY

After just coming back from New Orleans, I felt I just had to share with you the inspiring beauty and integrity of this city. After harsh flooding that covered 80% of this city it was astounding for my husband and I to see how much of it has come back to life in many pockets and also how evident Katrina and the aftermath still is.
Those people who are born here and those that gravitate to this city from elsewhere have tremendous pride in their roots and it is expressed through their homes, their music, their interaction with each other. There is pride of ownership, rich diverse cultural history and artistic flavour of the people and how they express themselves in their surroundings that we found infectious. I just loved the woodwork on these homes' front porches and the brave colours they chose to reflect their personality and the personality of this city.
I love the composition of the round drum and tall reeds. This sugar drum which was used to boil cane sugar in the early 1800s has been re-purposed as a sculptural water garden.
This picture reminds me of Italy or France, not that I have ever been to either of those places, but I glean from movies!! - Sappho

TA DA!

This room was posted on our blog a few weeks ago and not showing it quite complete, was titled "A Room of One's Own". These photographs taken today really show what an oasis this spot has become for the busy parents who needed and deserved a place to unwind. This family really embraces their children, so of coarse; kids are always welcomed for a cuddle on the chaise or a good family read on the large king sized bed. Room designed by Henhouse in collaboration with homeowners.

HAPPY EASTER

Happy Easter everyone. I thought I'd share with you my own little tribute to the Easter tradition; a table centre piece to delight my two little girls. When these felted bunnies arrived at the henhouse I just had to take one home and plant him in this vintage industrial ice tray along with found bird nests, painted rocks from the Annapolis Valley Sunday Market, a little Easter grass, and tealights. Voila! I think it looks quite festive don't you think? - Sappho

INSPIRING!

A fan of henhouse brought these in for us last week as a generous token and they were sooo delicious and cute, we had to share them with you, if not in person then at the very least visually!
Thanks E!

DECK YOUR HALLS!

Every year we have people ask us how we decorate our homes for the holidays. How do we use the stuff that we sell? When we shop at the gift show each January, (yes a whole year in advance!!!) we always look for things that are unique, natural, vintage or home spun in feeling and of coarse we can't resist a bit of sparkle. This year for my home I was taken with these very large red and white yarn spool ball ornaments. We carry a couple of different sizes but the ones that are over sized- almost Dr. Suess like really struck me and made me smile and get excited. I loved their home-spun feeling and I knew they would be perfect for my extra large sized wreath that I put up every year and in my planters.

What I have been doing for last many years is fill all 5 of my window boxes with cut birch branches and spruce boughs that I go out and find in the forest near our house. I then head over to Bloom Nurseries for their unique fillers like variegated boxwood, cedar boughs, eucalyptus, dogwood, magnolia, pepper berries and many other specialty branches. This year I had in my mind that these large yarn balls needed some extra bulk and height in the planter for my back entrance, so I found fallen birch logs in my forest outing and I dragged them home and cut them to size to fit the barrel by our back door. Once all the branches are in place I string my lights through them and add the bows or red star ornaments, lastly added my new addition of the red and white yarn balls.

It looks like a lot of effort but really its just a simple formula I've been using every year for my base and then I try to add something a little unexpected or different to make it all interesting and new. I hope I can inspire you as much as I have been inspired by a simple red and white yarn ball!
Sappho Griffin
henhouse co-owner