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Sunday, March 31, 2013

Enhance Your Decor With Country Primitive Antiques

What would someone do with a bunch of old farm equipment and antique toys? The options are endless. Country primitive antiques can add the perfect touch of true Americana to any home or office decor. By bringing in a piece of a simpler time to a modern space, people can find a sense of comfort and ease that cannot be found in modern day decor.



For decades, the Jetson-inspired, modern and sleek, designs have prevailed in the decorating industry. People were excited about the future and wanted to show that they were ahead of the times. Everything was about technology, moving faster, and bright shiny metal. Now, with people looking back to simpler times for some comfort, country primitive accents are gaining popularity when it comes to outfitting a space.

Just imagine a doctor's office in a non-urban area. Would patients find comfort in seeing bright red mixed with cold metal furniture, or would they rather see an old vintage wooden box that looks like it belongs on the farm? How about an old pole lamp? Bringing peace of mind to a patient while they wait for an appointment can do wonders for the patient's morale and can even help a business be the one that is chosen over another.



The same concept applies to a home. Decorating a space with country antiques can ease a family when relaxing during the holidays or on a Sunday afternoon. Instead of fancy electronics and cold modern furniture, mixing in some shabby-chic vintage housewares and toys can bring the ambiance of a simpler time. An old farm table, rustic tools, or even quirky old signs can bring that old world, country charm into a space. Clearing the mind and making the home a more comfortable and rustic place to be can do wonders for a person's happiness and overall quality of life.



Whether you are designing a new room, office, or overhauling an entire home, looking to country primitive antiques to help decorate your space is an idea to consider. Bringing the old world into the new world can give us all a sense of connection to the past that is comforting and soothing. With society spinning into faster times more than ever, it's important to remind ourselves of a simpler way of life. Decorating our spaces with well-worn, charming reminders of days gone by can be just the ticket to finding that inner peace and providing that place of quiet for our loved ones.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Metal Window Box Planters

If you are an avid gardener in search of a unique way to extend your horticultural experience to your living areas and happen to have access to a suitable window, then check out how metal window box planters can benefit you.  

These beautiful planters, made of wrought iron, have a very rustic, Mediterranean feeling about them.  They would fit very well in any type of garden, and would even be useful for an apartment dweller whose space to do outdoor gardening is limited, but has access to a window that opens on a porch or balcony.  In that case, a flower or herb filled window box could turn an otherwise inhospitable balcony into an inviting place to catch a breath of fresh air.  A cascade of petunias and oregano might even draw a few butterflies and would certainly enhance the window view.

This type of planter is very popular with avid gardeners because they provide a healthy environment for an annual’s root system and discourage root rot.  They are meant to be used with a liner of some type, typically a fibrous liner made of compressed fibers called coir.  However a new alternative is available called Moisture Mat Liner, made by Braun Manufacturing, a leader in horticulture products. This liner is sold by the foot, in five-foot wide rolls.  It still offers a superior environment for a plant’s roots, but it is much more efficient for water retention than the widely available fiber liners, and promises to be much more durable as well.  Durability has always been an issue with the usual coir liners, causing the gardener to have to seek out replacement liners annually that will fit the wrought iron baskets and boxes that are such a highly regarded and beautiful garden accessory.  This Moisture Max liner, available in a mossy green, promises to be a welcome improvement for lining this type of container

On a patio, these metal window box planters will help bring the beauty of your garden right up to your home’s eyes on the world and provide a lush addition to that patio’s décor.  Imagine how nice it would be to look out of your kitchen window this summer and see and smell the herbs you’ll be adding to tonight’s dinner.

No matter the size of your window, you should be able to find a metal window box planter that will be the perfect fit for your window.  They are available in a rainbow of colors and finishes, from rusty to vintage yellow and green. The sizes range from 30 inches long on up to 45 inches.

If you’re interested in finding out more about these lovely planters, please visit A Rustic Garden by clicking here.  If you like these planters, you will love the other products featured there, a unique marketplace for vintage home and garden gear, everything from iron trellises and gazebos to rugs and fountains..

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Finding the Right Vintage Iron Gate

One of the more unusual places in the world to get ideas for your garden is in Canterbury, England, at the site of the oldest church in that country, St. Martin's. In use since Roman times, the church has a graveyard next door with several fine examples of different styles of vintage iron gates that can be used as models. If you have time to stop inside, you will see more ornate ironwork that can provide inspiration.


Another area of the world to look to if you like European design is Spain. Salamanca may be famous for its doorknockers and Andalusia for its fabulous doors, but the entire country is a great place to experience wrought iron design in gates and doors. During a certain time period in the past, families that constructed homes would personalize the fence and gate design to match their own 'dynasty', leading to a plethora of styles and options that can be seen and replicated.


France is another place where wrought iron design is king. If a trip to the Eiffel Tower doesn't convince you of this, a lengthy stay in Paris, with its multitude of ornate iron gate work, balconies, balustrades, and railings, will certainly help you to gain some ideas for your own home.


If you'd like to stay closer to home to research design ideas for vintage iron gates, you might consider looking at Southern California and Mexico. Mexico and Southern California by extension are home to some of the most extensive wrought iron fence and gate work in the United States. As in Spain, many Latin families in Mexico and the United States personalize their wrought iron by choosing specific styles. Families don’t personalize the styles by allusion to a family crest or seal, however. Instead, they often represent the style of the area in Mexico from where that family came.

One of the reasons that families choose to use iron gates is that they are sturdy enough to use for security purposes, yet provide an open feeling that extends the yard from both the exterior and the interior perspective.


As you look for a design to make your own or get ideas to help yourself understand the range of options, it should be helpful to think about whether or not you would like a single panel or double panels for your gate. A single panel is versatile in that it can be configured to open swinging outward or inward, quite common for a walkway or entrance. It can also be configured to slide sideways on wheels when built as an opening to a driveway.

Double panels are frequently seen in both walkways and driveways. With double panels, both panels swing outward or inward and then close again and are fastened together with a latch or bolt. The only drawback with double panels is that when homeowners use them for walkways, guests or visitors that just drop in often have trouble with the bolting mechanism and therefore leave the gates ajar when they leave the house after a visit, while single panels are more likely to have self-closing mechanisms.

If you are looking for an iron gate or fencing, you might want to visit A Rustic Garden, by clicking here. A Rustic Garden is an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau, and strives to help you bring charming, vintage beauty to your home and garden.  If classic design and rustic beauty moves you, check us out.  You will not be disappointed.


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