Snapshots into the Past with Movie Set Decor

I've been wanting to do this for a long time for you folks, but was recently reminded of it when Gloria of Home Decorating Room-by-Room asked me this question the other week: "When you look at classic movies, are you paying attention to the decor and accessories used in the background setting for inspiration?"

And the answer? Boy, do I! So much can be learned from watching movies with period-influenced decor in it. Once, I spotted one of my vintage lamps in a Bogey picture, confirming it was from the late 40s. Other times, I've spied the kind of upholstery fabric that should have originally been on a certain sort of chair. And every now and then, I'm able to draw some insights to why certain objects just look right together.

Today, I thought I'd share with you some of the films that have caught my eye because of their sets... Luscious backgrounds which provide atmosphere and interest to a lover of romantic decorating. And please forgive me if some of the images are a little crooked. The, er, camera person photographing the screen isn't always as steady as she'd like to be.

We'll start with one of my favorites... The Coen Brothers' Barton Fink...


This is the Hotel Earle... A once-beautiful but now worse-for-wear structure where the lead character, Barton Fink (played by John Turturro) stays as a resident. What I love about the lobby is its sense of warmth... from the smushy velvet chairs and the tall palms, to the fringed lampshades and the whirring fans...


I also love seeing the 40s deco chairs in color...


I'd be happy enough just to sit and read there in that chair. Of course, given the strange clientele of the Hotel Earle, I'd probably also get mugged or murdered... But even so, the grand movie-house feel of the lobby certainly does have its appeal.

Here's the hallway to Barton's room. Note the large patterned palm-frond wallpaper, art deco ceiling arches and deco wall sconces. Very symmetrical, very geometric... Very much of its time.


Now we move on to another film with decor that always gets my attention... The 1990s version of The Secret Garden. Our little heroine Mary's room is decorated in very heavy, very medievally-influenced themes...

The tapestries that cover the wall are reproductions of the Cluny mille-fleurs Unicorn tapestries...


These same type of tapestries are also used in the Harry Potter films, to decorate the Gryffindor common area. But in Harry, where they seem to convey a mystical feel, in The Secret Garden they seem to show a sort of ancient, austere strength. Ignore the angry little girl in the nightdress and just look at the carving on this bedpost...


Next, we have a film set I always wish I could have seen in color... The 40s film Arsenic and Old Lace starring Cary Grant...


No, that's not Cary Grant there, that's crazy uncle Teddy. But look at that globe shade lamp! See the elaborate tile fireplace! Note the Staffordshire dogs along the plate rail above.

Then we see the winding staircase and family portraits hung down it...


It says taste, some money, but yet it's not overly patterned-- probably the influence of more streamlined modern tastes taking over the late 1700s/early 1800s history of the place...

And here we get one more glimpse at the shelves-- lots of space for plates and collectibles here! What do you think it looked like in color?


Well, there's no lack of color in this last film set I wanted to show you. This is the 90s version of A Little Princess, and this is the exterior of Miss Minchin's School for Girls...


The movie does some very interesting things with the use of color. Things related to the school-- from the school exterior, to the uniforms, to the color of the hallways-- are all in varying shades of green. My theory is the green was intentionally used to imply money, jealousy and bitterness, because it shows up consistently in all of those situations...

It is also, as it would turn out, very beautiful...


This is the interior of Miss Minchin's, and that is Miss Minchin herself. Their surroundings are very lush, very plush, and very, very green, all balanced with dark woods...


Look at the sculpted wallpaper, and the torchiere on the right! Lots of textiles here, lots of layers. This opulence will then be contrasted later with the attic room where poor "orphaned" Sara ends up staying as a servant girl, with holes in the roof and little to eat.

(Yes, it is a crying film-- how did you guess?)

But dig this amazing art nouveau fireplace!...


And while green may mean all of the things discussed above, gold appears to be used in just the opposite way. When Sara's cold attic is transformed by the magic-wielding Indian servant across the street into an inviting richly-swathed boudoir, the green is exchanged for warm golds...


Lots of fabric is used, and this is one more example of how objects of kindness, hope, home, and love are showcased in the orange-gold tones. Sara's favorite doll wears a gold dress, and Sara wears gold when she leaves Miss Minchin's with her rediscovered father. The Indian servant who befriends her wears gold. And, of course, there's this beautiful room.

The sunflowers add to the sense of warmth and hope.

So, in looking at these movie sets, it just goes to show how much can be expressed through decorating, through well-chosen objects, and through color. What does your color palette and your choice of objects say about you?

Isn't it fun to wonder?

And that's a wrap!

• To check out last Treasure Box Wednesday and one teapot that hopefully won't be a crack-up, click here.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Teapots and Other Temptations

While I spent most of Memorial Day weekend with my fingers tap-tap-tapping over my word processor, eyes roving over the ol' novel manuscript, I did take time Saturday for a bit of thrifting. And so while this Treasure Box Wednesday is a short one, it's also rather sweet.

Sweet, perhaps, like this cute Humpty Dumpty teapot I found at the Salvation Army thrift store...


Regular readers know my fondness for Alice in Wonderland, and somehow this just seemed right. He looks a bit more mild-mannered that Alice's eggman, who if you'll recall had a certain attitude. But it still makes me smile.

At the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store I uncovered this tablecloth...


Pinks, greens, burgundies and grey-blue morning glories make it perfect for my diningroom.

At the same St. Vincent de Paul, I also uncovered this cute Depression-glass-green goblet covered in flowers...


And this nifty shell pink milk glass candy dish...

And while I remember, and since we have fewer thrifted goodies this week, I thought you all would appreciate seeing the little bit of decor I'd found in the Giant Eagle grocery store of all places!

Around St. Paddy's Day, we'd had some decorative holiday items there in the "Iggle." Not needing anything immediately, I waited until the items went on sale and nabbed my faves...

Like this cute tea canister...


And this framed print...

What I liked about it in particular was how much it looked like the images on my Victorian postcards for the holiday...


Well, that about puts the lid on this Treasure Box Wednesday!

• If you didn't get a chance to check out the fun interview I got to do over on Home Decorating Room-by-Room, click here.

• And if you'd missed Sunday's post on Tales from the Thrift Store Aisles, click here.

Have a thrifty, nifty week, my friends!

Tales from the Thrift Store Aisles

The interesting thing about the thrifting scene is that it absolutely abounds with stories. Stories of the items themselves, yes-- who things belonged to and when, and how they wended their way to the thrift store... But also tales of strangers' thrifting triumphs: how those items made it to new homes and the meaning they have for the new owners. These are moments we share with each other as we shop.

Of course, thrifting also shows some interesting angles on humanity. On competition, on getting along and on just plain ol' personal responsibility.

Today I'll share with you all just a few of my most memorable ones.

I think my favorite thrifting story comes from the Greensburg Goodwill... I'd gone there after my friend Kitty's wedding shower (because, hey, there was time and the temptation to just stop in was too strong). And as I wandered the housewares, one aisle over I heard a little exclamation of joy.

I came around the corner, and there was a young woman of about thirty, bouncing a bit on her heels over a stack of dishes. Her happiness was so explosive, I couldn't help but ask her, "Find something good?"

And that's when she relayed to me in a rush how this simple set of Corelle dishes were the exact same ones her grandmother had had, and which she'd always loved. She'd been looking for some for years, and here they were... and entire set. She was so excited, she had to call her husband on the cell phone and tell him. "I found them! There are at least place settings for eight!"

Her day was made. Later, I saw her carrying them in a large cardboard box, holding them tight and carting them from the store with a big smile on her face. I understood. It was the same way I felt when I first saw the pink gooseberry Pyrex bowls like my mother had used for mixing, for baking, for making meatballs...


I guess sometimes kitchenware becomes more than kitchenware. It becomes symbolic of places and people, times we want to remember and recapture. It's the reminder of meals loved, and food prepared with care.

Another time of merry thrifting involved watching a group of gals of about 25 at the Red White and Blue in Bellevue. They were getting themselves a whole new wardrobe of quirky items-- trying on tops and retro dresses, funky boots and wild scarves. Laughing and chattering away, it was like they were five year olds at play with an old trunk of grandma's goodies.

Me, I was looking at CDs and DVDs and had just found some unexpected treasures in the bunch. I'd turned to the person at my shoulder, thinking it was my shopping buddy, when I realized too late it was one of the girls from this group. "Oh, I'm sorry-- I thought you were my friend. I was going to show her what I found."

"Oh," she said. "Well, you can show me!"

By the time I was checking out, so were they. And this same gal was merrily brandishing a pair of bright pink sparkly shoes-- as if Dorothy's ruby slippers had gotten a makeover. "These are crazy," she said, "but I have to have them. It's like playing dress-up. I feel like I'm a kid again."

They left the store laughing and joking. It was nice to see that kind of enthusiasm over second-hand stuff.

My last story for today happened just this week, and I'm afraid it's more of a "What The-?!" and not as jovial as the other two tales.

This Tuesday I was on my lunch break, at the Salvation Army thrift store perusing the housewares and toys when suddenly I started to smell... HEAT. Electric heat. Fried heat. Like a light socket that's gone bad... wiring that's fritzed.

This wafted to the cashier and I at about the same time and we exchanged glances. Concerned about what I'd see, I peered down the aisle. The cashier said, "I smell something on fire," hoping someone would pipe up. And the customer, a middle-aged woman sitting on a couch nearby, shrugged a shoulder. "I tried out that toaster. It didn't work. I think it shorted out."

"Where is the toaster now?" the cashier asked, becoming increasingly panicked.

"Oh, I put it back," said the woman with a casual wave of the hand. She hooked a thumb behind her. "It's over there on the shelf with the other ones."


The cashier and I just gaped. So something shorted out and caught fire... so she put it back on the shelf with the other ones??? She didn't, oh, mention it to anyone? To prevent the place from burning down? To prevent someone from bumping it and getting burnt? Or the next person to test it from getting a bad shock?

The cashier ran over to find the offending object and remove it before more problems occurred And the customer?

She just sat there, playing around with something else in her hands, completely unconcerned.

It was one of those moments where I wondered about some folks' common sense. The thrift stores are great for finding memories, and making new ones... There's a lot less chance to do that when, oh... the building burns down....

Thrift safetly, folks!

• Before I go today, I'd wanted to let you all know about a nifty little interview I got to do with Gloria of Decorating Room-by-Room. She asked some really good questions, and I think you might get a kick out of the piece. I had an absolute blast answering them-- thanks so much, Gloria, for asking me. You can check that interview out by clicking here.

• Otherwise, if you missed Wednesday's post on my last weekend's trip to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, you can see that here.

• And one last order of business-- you might have noticed, The Thrift Shop Romantic blog is now available on Kindle readers, for folks who have a Kindle and wish to subscribe. Just click the button in the sidebar above, or click here. And even if you're not a Kindle customer, if you enjoy TSR and would care to give it a review for the Amazon folks, I'd be much obliged. (It's very weird seeing my blog on Amazon... Haven't quite gotten used to that yet.)

Okay, I think that's it for today. I hope you all have a super-duper Memorial Day weekend, that your barbeques are really cooking, and the memories are, er, memorable!

And PS- if you have a favorite thrifting or garage saling story you'd like to share with us this week, I'd love to hear it!

Grand Times at the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon

Friends, food, fun and more natural beauty than you could shake a pine branch at... Such was this last weekend as I road-tripped to meet Pennsylvania blogging buds, Kim, Bryan, Lisa, and Kathy.

I headed eastward... Kathy, west... Lisa, an hour-and-a-half behind a tractor, the poor dear... and we all met in the middle for a three-day weekend adventure. And folks, let me tell you-- you were not forgotten! So this Treasure Box Wednesday, journey with me to a charming B&B, and all the spring spirit of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

I'd never stayed at a B&B before, and it had all the vintage feel I could have hoped for...


The cute black and white toile room above was mine. And Denise, the lovely owner of the place, let me go ahead and explore. I'm afraid I didn't get a shot of Kathy's room, but this was another of the bedrooms...


There were a lot of antique and hand-tinted photos on the walls... This little vignette was in the upstairs stairway...


And this was a cheerful corner in one of the rooms. I love how the light is hitting that chair. Couldn't you just read there?


Because it was a B&B there was...B. Breakfast. Oh, was there B!

One morning breakfast entailed apple pancakes and fresh fruit. Another, this astounding scrambled egg, ham and crescent roll wrap that Kathy and I both spent more time lingering over and laughing how we were trying to savor every single bite.

B, I might add, also stands for "bad." Because we were both calorically bad and accepted a slice of this strawberry cake when we were offered.


It looks a bit nibbled on because, well, it was. Would you have said 'no'? I mean, really! But between this and Kim's terrific homemade pasta, soup and bread, I probably should have jogged the five hours home.

Anyway, Wellsboro, location of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, has a lot of shops with primitive decor, handcrafted jewelry, candies, books and other goodies. This was just one shop we investigated...


And then we met Kim and Bryan, our kind host and hostess, and headed off to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. Step inside with me!...


This is one of my favorite views... No, don't worry, there was a railing there!...


It reminds me of a backdrop for a Lord of the Rings set, in some ways. Just so much green depth!...


I understand it's gorgeous in autumn, too, as the trees go kaleidoscopic. Here... Let's take a look far below with our bird's eye view...


Oh, and here we have Bryan!...


We don't have photos of Kathy here because she's in the Witness Protection Program and it would be at risk of her life for me to share them with you. (Or just doesn't like having her picture on the web and made me promise I wouldn't post them... hm, I can't remember quite which. :)

Well, it's time to make the journey back up...


Later, we took a tour of the Wellsboro library, which had some very nice architectural elements. Like this Tiffany-styled stained-glass window...

And this carved cherub frieze...


And this statue of a lady...


Oh, wait-- that's Kim! She's sitting in one of her favorite reading spots there in the library. And who could blame her? Great lighting, lilacs and peaceful benches can be found.

Speaking of peace... I had to include a shot of Bryan and Kim's cat, Seamus, since he'd posed so nicely...


He became my buddy over the weekend. And Kathy's. And anyone who was new and interesting. I got smooched up a bit by him... Lovely fellow. (He's so friendly, he may think he's a dog.)

Well, folks, that winds up the weekend. And here, I must leave you as I wended my way home...

• If you missed Sunday's post on Popping Up at Rossi's Pop-up Flea Market, click here.

And I hope you all have a clear road ahead of you this week, too!

Popping Up at Rossi's Pop-up Flea Market

Rossi's Pop-Up Marketplace and Flea Market, located in North Versailles, is a wholly unique experience. The outdoor flea market also has an indoor marketplace, and the carnival-like atmosphere never ceases to raise an amused eyebrow and put a smile on my face.

The outdoor vendors offer a wide range of items...


Everything from the sorts of things you'd find at a family garage sale, to new items, produce, flowers, car parts, motorcycle gear and... well, just about anything.

As you stroll its aisles, you'll hear the announcer come over the PA system and tell you a little bit about some of the indoor vendors...

"Get your slushies today at the Slushy King... All kinds of flavors, folks. It's hot out there, so come on in and get one!"

Or:

"Brenda's Pastries is just about ready to pack up, friends. Strudels, breads, muffins and doughnuts... They're delicious! But when Brenda's gone for the day, they're gone, too, so don't miss out!"

And my personal favorite:

"Get your Shammies at ShammyWorld! All sizes, all the shammy cloths you could want at great prices. For all your shammy needs, it's ShammyWorld!"

I didn't know I had "shammy needs." But apparently, I've been missing out on a whole great big, beautiful world of shamification.

Inside the marketplace, the state fair feel continues. In addition to things like slushies, and pastries and shammies, you can buy... oh... bling. Or AVON products. Or craft items and antiques. There's a room of dollar store goodies in boxes on the floor. There's tacky pseudo Native American art... And tchotchkies from around the world. From sports memorabila and comic books to stand-up cardboard cut-outs of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, it's all here in one crazed Sergeant Pepper's album cover kind of jumble.

And because the place used to be a movie theater, the layout means that vendors have replaced the concession stand... Vendors line the theater halls... And vendors lurk behind doors down long hallways in dozens of rooms where the actual movies had been shown.

These theaters are still sloped, stadium style, where the seats once had been, and on the floor is art deco movie theater carpeting... It's a surreal detail that just adds to the experience. Vendors have taken advantage of this space by tiering their wares on these seating terraces, so a bit of climbing is in order to investigate everything.

Now you're probably wondering just what I found among the madness and mayhem. Well, one thing was actually for my friend Scoobie who collects cowboys...(heh, she wishes!) Er, rather, cowboy/Western things.


The print on the front is a Remington reproduction and she has a few of these sorts of bottles, but as luck would have it, she didn't have this one. This was a whopping $1.

Then in one of the movie theater rooms, I found a couple of goodies for myself. Based on its style, this tray looks like it might have been made in the 40s...


The roses are actually on fabric. It was pretty pricey-- $3. My most expensive purchase of the day!

And last I got this print, dated 1941, of a bleeding heart floral arrangement...

That was $2.

So, all-in-all, it was a lot of fun, a quirky way to spend a few hours, and for those folks in the area who haven't visited, just check it out once and see what you think.

And now you know... if you need a shammy cloth, Rossi's has you covered.

• For those who missed last Wednesday's Treasure Box post, and wanted to check that out, click here.

Otherwise, perhaps I'll see your smiling faces again this coming Wednesday.