Wow!  What a fun day going down memory lane choosing decorative items (loot) from so many adventures: from Round Top to road trips, always with friends.

I chose the walnut pie safe above as a functional storage piece for wine.  The size is perfect and doesn’t jut out into the traffic area, a very important objective in functional decor.

First comes the art!  I wanted something large as possible with lots of color to warm the bland wall, painted the same neutral as the trim throughout the Butler’s Pantry.  Luckily, I had a 30" x 40" canvas print of Rosehill Barn from Vines and Gables on hand.  So close were the vibrant colors to the original, I chose it, hands down!

Next I went looking for a fern stand to keep the wall from appearing so stark and symmetrical, also to integrate plants to filter the air, add life and color.  After a quick visit to my garden, I had the perfect fern and a green Italian pot from an attic in Georgia that fit the stand. I was on a roll!

Now for a rug - I went through closets and through a quilt rack I use for storing rugs, looking for a tribal Kilim, something soft and vintage that would pull colors from the painting. Found it!  I love how the reddish orange is duplicated and the rug even picks up the lavender in the barn.

To finish I began accessorizing the top surface, usually my favorite part of a re-do because this space has to be functional as well as attractive.  Looking around, the wine box from Pottery Barn was an instant yes!  I added a selection of Merlots (my favorite) and the bottles added to the theme.

Next, I chose part of a Corinthian column I’d found junking in the nineties and a moss ball that adds an organic touch.

All that was needed to finish the vignette was script - I found something given to me by my friend, Kelly Parent, from the heart and the garden. And just for fun, I added an antique finial I’d found in an old milking barn… a relic from my past and an anchor for my thoughts!