A little bit of the past...

My decorating style is rather ecclectic.  I really like to use meaningful things to decorate my home...pictures from a vacation or an interesting item we picked up while traveling, for example.  Recently, I've added some things from the past.

My dad collects antiques and has had this little cast iron stove for many years.  I've always loved it.  My mother always hated it.  So, when we moved into this house and had room for it they gave it to me.  It was in rough, rusty condition at first, but my husband cleaned it up and polished it.  He began doing that without me knowing so I didn't get a chance to take a before picture of it.  Here are the after pictures though.  We are using it as a side table in our library.

Another little project I started last summer was to frame some old black and white family photos from both my family and my husband's.  I went to a local thrift store and bought a bunch of frames.  I think I spent around $12 total!  I brought them home and spray painted them black.  I framed the pictures and hung them in our guest room.  I think they turned out nice.

 

 

Frames before...

and after...



I love that the pictures are relatives...some we knew, some we didn't.  The frames are all very different.  Most were cheap plastic or metal frames, but when you spray paint them all the same color they really work well together.


What's your decorating style?  Do you have any interesting items that have a good story behind them?