To bring a barn sale to life, it takes a few months of your time, a lot of elbow grease, an exorbitant amount of energy, a good dose of creativity and an empty barn. Actually, we typically like to start with some objects left in the barn from the prior sale but due to a pair of matching stress cracks in both side walls, a repointing project of the inside stone walls which had been put off for some time, was finally brought to fruition. This entailed a full moving of all furniture to the center of the barn and a stowing of all smalls wherever we could find a place to stash them. Once that project was finished, which took close to the latter part of January and the better part of February we put the barn back together and scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed some more. The effort that it took to get the barn back together seriously caused us to question our decision to repoint! We are still breathing in stone dust!
As we were finishing up our cleaning efforts, orders that we placed at the International Home and Gift show in Atlanta back in January, began to arrive and product began to fill the barn.
We met tractor trailer after tractor trailer at the end of the driveway, transferred pallet loads to the back of pick up trucks, a Suburban and one appropriately named “Mule” and unpacked the merchandise. Sometimes a zealous unpacker, who shall remain nameless arrived. She, in no time, attacked the boxes with a vengeance and before they knew it, the treasures inside were stripped of their outer garments, “oohed and aahed” over and stacked in the barn to await pricing and their final placement.
The stacks became higher and higher…
as the empty surface space became sparse.
Vintage buying trips to our favorite haunts produced a plethora of beautiful finds that enriched the new “old” stuff.
There is nothing like the patina of objects from the past
and those objects of the past reinvented in new ways.
We packed the barn with a delightful assortment of our favorite lanterns to light the nights for the soon to be, outdoor entertaining season.
We gave new life to old pieces with sanding,
painting and waxing,
scraping and vacuuming.
Pieces were moved into place to be worked on in their new home. The moving is led by Ben and Christopher,
but all hands are on deck for the job. Maggie and Ben…you make a great team. The fact that you two are getting married in July could have something to do with your harmony in moving pieces. Your communication skills are highly in tune for you are not married yet and are not too familiar with each other. I moved quite a few items in the barn two weekends ago with the help of my hubby and three of my sons. Let’s just say that I felt like I was speaking a different language as I said, “right” and they moved left. I guess practice does make perfect and it does pay to have moving partners who are used to the ways of the “moving world.”
Our team hung,
measured,
latched,
Repaired and secured,
and priced into the wee hours of the night with appropriately named beverages.
My team of helpers, then left me alone so I could move all of the goodies into their “stories”
based on the “rooms” we had set up earlier. It really is a layering process with the “bones” moving in first. The bones are the big pieces that root the room and create the color palette. After the bones are placed, the smalls are moved in to create atmosphere and bring it all together.
Being three days away, the rooms are shaping up and the finishing touches are about to be added. Here is a sneak peak:
When you come to the upcoming sale, you might see a few changes from these photos, for I am one for constantly changing, taking away or adding to a room as I walk by.
We hope that you can enjoy the fruits of our efforts at one of our open days in the Barn. We kick things off with a Preview Luncheon in the barn and the courtyard…
this coming Wednesday April 13th from 11-2. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here. We promise to clear the snow from the courtyard for your outdoor Springtime enjoyment. Is this weather crazy or what?
“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. “~Doug Larson
We have been whistling here in the barn, even with hats, gloves and many layers on…and yesterday with shoes full of slush.
If you cannot make it to that event, than no worries at all, for the barn doors will be open the following days and times:
Friday April 15th, 10:00-5:00
Saturday April 16th, 9:00-6:00
Sunday April 17th, 10:00-4:00
Click here to learn more about our Spring Barn Sale.
A portion of the proceeds from the Preview Party and barn sale days will be donated to Designing 4 Hope.
In closing…we are looking forward to celebrating the sure to be arrival of what feels like Spring just in time for this weekend’s sale!
~Meg
