Pageturning for Inspiration: Inspiring Decorating Magazines

It's one of my favorite moments of a day... Where, coffee in hand, I perch myself in my cheerful vintage-French-style sitting room on a smushy sofa and leaf through a decorating magazine, waiting to see what fragrant, time-past worlds we'll find ourselves in this time.

To be honest, I don't have much more I can decorate here at Waterhouse. But going through the pages of places I haven't been and homes I won't get a chance to infiltrate in person, I savor other folks' visions and get ideas for a hundred houses more.

So I was wondering, what brings you all inspiration?

Romantic Country, Victorian Country Decorating, Old Home Interiors, Flea Market Style, Country Living, Cottage Living and a number of others have given me ideas that led to the rooms that make my own home.
I still read, and leaf, and wonder at wallpapers... and marvel at mantles...
I still hoard these ideas in little cubbyholes, wondering whether someday, these ideas will see the light of day for me in some unexpected way.
And I find myself wondering, do we ever stop decorating the homes in our mind? Planning the rooms that aren't ours, but could be... could be someone's... somewhere... someday?

My friend Scoobie laughs, because as I thrift, I spy things that aren't for me, but which I hope will find a happy home with someone else... A fine place on the wall. A noble nod above the newell post. I don't need them. But I can't help but think: someone, somewhere does.
All of those marvelous "Wouldn't it be beautiful if's?" out there. If you had a theme...? If you tried this or that...? If you only could afford...? If you happened to find...?

All the many, many combinations of what makes our worlds homey, or happy, or just simply "ours."

All of them came from that first spark of decorative inspiration.

So tell me-- what sparks your decorative imagination?

Treasure Box Wednesday: Pastels, Prints and Posies

A quick trip through one of my favorite local thrifting routes brought a few nice vintage surprises I wanted to share with you.

It was an early start, and one of the places closest to home wasn't going to be open yet. So I popped by Rossi's Pop-up Flea Market in North Versailles. Which presented a purchase of such pleasing proportions I could not pass...

I'm guessing the courting couple there in this 30s romantic print may be Romeo and Juliet-- before the downer ending. The landscape has a bit of Italian flair to me. What do you think?

At the L&L Fleatique, I got this pretty but watermarked print by Annie Benson Miller...
It was framed and extremely inexpensive because of the damage. Yet, I know I can either add a little bit of matte, or hang it with a vintage scarf dangling off one side, and the soft aesthetics of the piece won't be ruined a bit!

I just thought the imagery was charming, and the size of the piece is quite large.
Folks who read Sunday's post know I got a little haul on Hull pottery... With the two pieces on the left...
And lastly, the day was sweetened by an iridized pink candy dish. I love the creamy color to the pink. And as fall sets in, and gloom overcomes the Pittsburgh region, I tell you, I can use all the sparkle I can get.
Wishing you a week that is easy on the eyes, the nerves and the wallet, as we wave a fond farewell to the summer season.

When All Hull Breaks Loose: Collecting Hull Pottery

My first piece of Hull Pottery was a thrift store find that had some structural issues. I loved the style of it-- the matte finish, the soft pastels, the art deco/art nouveau styling-- but chips kept it from being drooled over by serious collectors.

It was a little number in the Wildflower pattern, from about 1946...
And in spite of its chips, its cheerful palette and overall look encouraged me to bring it home.

This last weekend I uncovered two more Hull Pottery pieces, and now the trio stands proudly on top of my china cabinet...
The haul of Hull inspired me to do a little digging in my Collectors Encyclopedia of Hull Pottery, by Brenda Roberts...
...And I thought I'd share with you what I learned.

While Hull Pottery began in 1905 as the A.E. Hull Pottery Company of China Street, Crooksville, Ohio, it had a convoluted history involving acquisitions-- like the Acme Pottery Company-- tiling manufacturing throughout the 20s, and even the management of the Shawnee Pottery Company in the 1937, before it evolved into the company we think of today.

It was the late 1930s and into the 1940s, where Hull began vases in the Iris, Potty, Tulip and Wildflower shapes, in the soft colors and gentle detailing so recognizable as Hull. (They're also known for those Red Ridinghood Cookie Jars and other novelty pieces you may see at antique malls and yard sales!).

The pottery continued through a flood in the 50s which caused a kiln to explode and the factory to catch fire. Then with rebuilding and restructuring, the company continued in various iterations during the 1950s, with serving ware and florist ware well into the 1970s. According to Wikipedia, it was in March, 1986 the Hull Pottery company ceased operations and closed the plant.

This is the small Iris patterned vase I picked up this weekend.
This was my particular favorite, a 1940s Tulip patterned Hull vase
The mark below, on the small vase says it's "Hull Fine Pottery" but I didn't find that mark in my book. Could it be knock-off Hull?...

I don't know the answer. I know there are supposed to be many Hull imitators out there-- particularly in the Red Riding Hood theme. But, honestly, even if it isn't original Hull, I still like the shape of the vase.
And if you like the look of Hull pieces, I suggest you be sure to shop around. Many pieces I see in my travels are in the $40 and up range (mostly UP), but it is possible to find nice pieces under $20-- though it takes time and patience. Unlike McCoy, Hull typically can't be found for thrifty prices!

All hail Hull! (And I'll see you Wednesday, for this coming week's Treasure Box post.)