Details, details, details! It is the details that make all the difference in my opinion. Here are more shots of my work in Chicago. There is a shot of the headboard pillow that I designed for the French bed - it is ironic...that design is my most requested pillow. And to think I designed it years ago when I had neck surgery and I had to wear a neck brace for almost 5 months. I had to sleep in the brace and I had to sleep sitting up practically. So, I came up with this design to help me sleep actually. My friends saw it and it just sort of took off from there.
The French Toddler Bed is my favorite! This solid iron piece with all original paint, is just to die for! I have had a lot of beautiful French youth beds before, but this one takes the cake. I had a very sturdy platform made so a big adult would be able to really use it and sit on it. The seat cushion and pillows are of humble fabrics and my simple design. I designed it so that it may be used in the center of a room and sat on from either side. Or, it may go against a wall with pillows backed up against the wall on which to lean. If I had room in my apartment, it would be there right now.
A detail shot of my little French chair (set of four) that I painted and had covered in silk. The bulap and ticking pillow is sold separately, but I thought how fun to put the two textures together. Sort of like wearing socks with ballet slippers. Not really done, but still interesting, and makes one stop and think a moment.
Those little tiny bags are housing my business cards. It is funny how that all came about. Way back when, like in 1998, when I first started my little antique booth in San Antonio, Texas, I use to print up my own cards with my little home printer. The ink and quality weren't so great and I found that if you touched the card a lot, the ink would eventually smear. So, I found these little bags to put them in to leave in my booth. Well, one day I finally could afford to have them printed professionally and no longer needed the little bags. Well, good grief, you'd think the world was coming to an end when my customers expressed their disappointment that my cards were no longer in the little bags! Little did I know that the ladies who visited my booth (I never worked in the booth, so I never heard their comments) complained loudly to the mall owner "what happened to the little bags!!!" The next time I went in to stock my space, I was quickly told by the employees that I had better get those little bags back! So, now that I am "big time" in Chicago (as a friend likes to say), my business cards are still very humbly housed in little bags. A nice reminder, actually, of my very humble beginnings.
Finally, yes, those are very old (1868) pages that I gleefully ripped out of an old book and shoved in places around the space. Why? Oh, I don't know, I just felt like it. Besides, I do freak out quite a few people when I will take something "so old!" and rip it to shreds. I like the texture. I like paper. Actually, I love old paper. And I like the color. I have paper all over the space. Glued on walls, in the glass cabinet, hung from the rafters, and shoved in little cracks in the brick wall - look carefully, you can see it in other photos.
So, even though not apparent, there is a method to my madness. I can't explain the method, but I can demonstrate my madness quite well. I do love what I do and I hope what I do inspires you to do what you love as well.
Thank you so much for your interest.
from my house to your house,
Elizabeth
www.elizabethhouse.us
Chicago Space is no longer just a space - it is Elizabeth House!
As you can see, the space has transformed into what I saw all along in this crazy head of mine. I am always excited when what I "see" in my head becomes a reality. Now, if only the success and fortune I "see" in my head would become a reality....but I must say, my life in my head is pretty fun. This Chicago space houses all of my custom work, higher end European pieces and a vision that is hard to express in my store, located in St. Louis.
I painted everything you see painted, except the wonderful antique French bed...that is all original. The bedding I custom designed as well as the chairs and love seat. While working for 3 long, long days and nights on this, one can lose perspective and appreciation. I just wanted to get it done and back to my store. After much needed sleep and rest, I downloaded my photos and it wasn't until that very moment, looking at my computer screen did I really see what I accomplished. I get tired all over again just looking at the photo! But, I am happy. I am fulfilled. I am content. What more could I ask for? I am blessed - my gift to create was given to me...it doesn't belong to me. I am suppose to share it. I only get to borrow for now until I am called to do something different. My biggest blessing? Having friends like you who cheer me on.
Thank you so much for your encouragement, support, and well wishes. I will post more photos after this posting, as again, this dang site wouldn't let me do it on this posting.
Okay, I will answer some questions that people have been asking me:
Why expand to Chicago?
Well, I wanted to try another market. Now, I have no idea if my style or vision will take in Chicago, and if it doesn't then I will just move my inventory back to my St. Louis store. I also wanted to try a higher end market. As much as I love St. Louis, it is pretty dang hard to make a living here. The cost of me producing my custom bedding, furniture and so on is not cheap. I must price accordingly to cover my costs and to make a living. That is hard to do here.
Are you going to move to Chicago?
To be honest, I just don't know. At the moment, I have no plans. But, there is one single philosophy that I truly live by: I am open to any and all opportunities that may come my way. Now, I always do my best to weigh the effects of such opportunities, but I have finally decided that it is really okay not to have all the answers before moving forward.
Where do you get your stuff?
Ha! Wouldn't you like to know??? :-) Actually, I get it through hunting, contacts, and just plain ole work. I lived in Europe for 6 years, know the markets pretty well, and I have contacts to help ship my furniture.
Are you going to open a store in Chicago?
That is something I've thought about, but again, I have no plans at this time. For now, I just need to see if this even takes off. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. I will just adjust accordingly. I know absolutely no one in the Chicago area and it would be hard to start all over in a new place. But then again, I didn't know a single person here in St. Louis either.
How are you going to manage both St. Louis and Chicago?
Good question. Actually, the store in St. Louis is up and going. The space is in Chicago is located in an existing store, Vintage Pine, which is ran by the owners. They will handle my sales. I will need to keep it stocked. Now that would be a great problem to have: having to make numerous trips to Chicago to restock!
You design, consult, own a store, have a space in Chicago, do professional photography, and now you are a contributor to Romantic Homes magazine...shouldn't you just pick one avenue and just concentrate on that?
A good friend, whom I respect highly asked me this question. Believe me, I think about that very thing every single day. But you know what? I always come to the same conclusion: I just don't want to choose. I want to do it all. I really do. Now, actually doing it all is a whole different story. That I haven't figured out yet. But my interests and passions are sprinkled in many different areas: design, writing, photography, selling.....I have always, always been this way. I do wish I could change it. In fact, I actually envy those individuals who just knew in high school that they wanted to be a lawyer or a banker, or an engineer. I really had so, so many interests, so many passions, that I just could never, ever just pinpoint my interests down into a single profession. I always joked that I will have to live to be 150 to do all that I want to do.
When do you sleep?
Yes, I actually get this question more often than any other question. I do sleep, really. But, I live on less sleep than most. I always have. As I age though, I find that my energy level is dropping some, which bums me out. And about every other month, I have a "recharge" day. I can flop on the sofa, watch TV, nap, and snack with the best of them. I will do that for about 24 hours, no phone, no socializing. And then I am recharged and ready to go again!
So for now, I will try to post more photos of my Chicago space. Please share my blogsite with your friends. Out of all the goals that I may have, I have always had one goal that is at the top of the list: To inspire women to live their passion through my designs and my adventures. Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes me happier than when I get an email, phone call or letter from a total stranger telling me that my website, newsletter, blog, or magazine article inspired her. What an absolute honor to be in that position.
And what an honor to have you take time out of your day to see what else is going on with this little store owner.
from my house to your house,
Elizabeth
www.elizabethhouse.us
Elizabeth House meets Chicago!
Well, I finally took my own advice. Remember how I advised about Dream, Plan, then Do? Well, this Chicago venture has been in the planning stages for about a year and finally it was time to "just do it."
Elizabeth House has expanded and now housed in an upscale gallery called Vintage Pine, located in the Lincoln Park district. Very "warehousey" area of town, but yet, only two blocks from Crate and Barrel, Anne Taylor, Bed Bath and Beyond and more.
The address is 904 Blackhawk. The website for Vintage Pine is www.vintagepine.com. Now, the website is not representative of what they have to offer and they are working on updating the images. However, the site will give you directions and contact information should you find yourself in Chicago.
This first post of my Chicago adventure is about passion. Here you see the "before" shot of the space. It is very small, about 20 x 20. However, my very first space I ever had, located in Texas, was only 5' x 8' and little did I know that my "hobby" would someday turn into having a space in Chicago! But I digress. Back to passion. Those of you who know me know that I can "see" things very, very clearly way before it ever happens. I just knew this little space could be something special. And while my life may seem "glamorous" it really is anything but. These photos were taken about 10PM after a very long day of prepping, painting, taping, aging, and countless times up and down a ten foot ladder. I will say though, my passion for what I do and how I express myself, makes me feel glamorous, even in my paint clothes. Why? Because, in my opinion, there is nothing more beautiful than seeing someone in their element, doing what they do best, and loving every minute of it.
Look at very young children...how beautiful the little girl is who is so very content coloring in her coloring book and quietly humming as she does it. She does it so effortlessly, with confidence. She doesn't hesitate at which crayon to pluck from its box - she just knows which one. And when she is done, she confidently shows her art to her mother, who in turn, proudly posts it on the fridge with a special magnet. I guess I could say that you, special readers, are my special magnet to which I proudly post the results of something I planned for, dreamnt about, and then confidently hummed and navigated my vision into a reality. As we age, our "box of crayons" get more complicated. Criticism, examination, and doubt prevent us from just "plucking from our box of crayons" with confidence.
Thanks for letting my "post" my creation for you to see. And remember, we all get a box of crayons...we just need to remember to color our passion once in a while. Next posting will be my "after" photos!
from my house to your house,
Elizabeth
www.elizabethhouse.us
