Thrifted

Yesterday afternoon I went around the city to get some inspiration for work and to run some errands, also for work. I suddenly found myself outside a favorite charity shop (omg, how did that happen?) so I had to go inside of course.

Above's my loot. I love it but am unsure exactly what to do with it. I'm torn between painting the candlesticks white or all in one bright color, like apple green or yellow. The tin wall candle holders at the back will most definitely be white but any suggestions for the rest?

I'm in love with the apple! I'm not usually attracted to wooden objects (to many sauna style interiors growing up in Sweden in the 70's) but this is beautiful inside and out and so well made. It would be sacrilege to paint it but will I be able to stand the woodsiness of it? Will keep you posted!

Comments

[Judith]

Oh, do keep the apple the way it is - the grain of the wood is gorgeous and comes nowhere near furufrossa ;)

You could display it as the only non-white thing in a group and it would really stand out (in a good way).

[•lotta på solrum]

neeeej. måla absolut inte det vackra äpplet.
det var ju otroligt fint som det var.
grattis till fynden!

[Jany]

Hi Benita,
i'm totally with Judith: don't paint the apple, the wood grain makes it so beautiful.

Have a lovely weekend,

[Frida]

Tror att ljusstakarna blir kanonfina i någon knallig färg. Däremot kommer jag tvärt sluta läsda din blogg om du målar äpplet. ;o)

Sälj det till mig istället om det inte passar in någonstans!

Trevlig helg!

Ps. Det översta var nog ett ganska tomt hot för jag tror inte att jag skulle kunna hålla mig borta...

[Sissel]

håller med de andra: måla inte äpplet! ljusstakarna blir fina om du målar dem, men måla INTE äpplet.

[Kristin]

Måla inte äpplet, men måla ljusstakarna.

[Ellen*]

...og jeg er helt enig med alle over!:o)
Ellers: God helg!

[Lisa]

I say use the apple as a "salt pig" by your cooktop. It would just be lovely!

[Miakvack]

Alla fyra ljusstakarna vita och så äpplet omålat; jättesnyggt tillsammans tycker jag!

Väggljusstakarna skulle jag vilja ha svarta på en vit väg *mums*

[Katja]

Great finds! I love that apple just the way it is :)

[Account Deleted]

Lovely findings!

I would keep the apple as it is, let's see what you'll come up with!

[Bex]

Step away from the apple, Lady! ;) XXxx.

[quinn]

I couldn't paint the apple and destroy the beauty of the wood. But I love wood.

I think if I couldn't love it as it is, I would give it away.

[steph]

i think the candle sticks would be lovely in black!

[Carlos]

Sorry, don't do black, but I agree :)

[Tineke]

I like your lime green idea for the candlesticks. I wouldn't paint the apple though, the wood grain is too beautiful!

[April]

Since the rest of your house is white, and I think most (if not all) of your candles are white as well, I'd paint the candle sticks a bright color. Make 'em pop!

And leave the apple wooden! It's beautiful. You can always paint it later, but it'll be difficult to put it back to its wooden state if you change your mind. Also, with so little bare wood in your house I think it'll look nice (and not like what you saw in the 70s). Very warm without a bright color screaming for attention.

[Annapolitan]

My perspective is this: the world has plenty of wooden apples with a natural finish. There is no shortage of these apples. If you're going to look at that apple and always wonder what would it look like painted, then that tells me you're not enjoying it the way you want to.

So make it into what you love. You bought it for your house. You're the one going to be looking at it every day. It's YOUR apple! Paint it if you want to!

Myself, I would go for a bright Granny Smith apple green.

Also, if you love the woodgrain and want to preserve that but the color isn't really "you", then sand it and STAIN it another color. (Again, I vote for Granny Smith apple green, but it's not my apple, it's yours. And apples come in all sorts of colors, don't they?)

[Catherine]

I love the apple the way it is however I understand your dilemma - I don't like natural wood overly either. I love those tin candle sconces with the red pattern on them!! I want to shop where you shop!

[Erin Kleider]

I LOVE the apple. Its grain is truly beautiful! I don't really have any inspiration on the rest, but I agree about painting the candlesticks, especially in your less is more house. They will be so nice once it starts getting darker!

Erin :)

[Catherine]

Oh, I meant to say I vote yellow for the candlesticks! I am crazy over green but am feeling the love for yellow lately...

[mama ring]

is it too early to think about christmas? because i think the candlesticks would look great in red, or in that bright, vintage aqua-blue of some of your ornaments.

speaking of which . . . if you can't enjoy the apple as-is, it would make a great gift for one of the many people who are in love with the wood grain!

[Carlos]

It's not to early :) It's never to early in my book. As a matter of fact I was thinking in those lines...

[Suzy Migrin]

Maybe you could strip the apple and stain it with a green or yellow stain. That way the grain would still show but you'd have the lovely color you wanted.

[The Chatty Housewife]

The apple is so pretty! Don't change a thing. I would use it beside my bed for all those little odds and ends.

I love the candlesticks and if they were mine, I would paint them all different shades of turquoise and rub some edges off with sand paper.

[Sparrow's Nest]

I totally understand the issue you are having with the "woodiness" of the apple. It is lovely as it is...but, paint makes almost everything better. I know it's sacrilage to paint over wood in some people's eyes...but, I figure, it's mine and if I want it hot pink...then I will paint it hot pink. Just my thoughts!

[Sanna]

Step away from the Apple! Keep your hands in the air! Let Martin put it somewhere safe. It'd look brilliant with red candlesticks and then full of christmas candy.

Oooh, could you do a review of Martha Stewarts Homekeeping book? I want to know if it better than Home Comforts, if it's different and how and... well, the lot of it, really. Could you review like your top 3 cleaning/housekeeping/organizing books?

[rk]

Oh no, how can you paint them? The beautiful wood grain is so unusual! Maybe save them for a special gift? Put some candy inside the apple or something and give as a hostess gift with the candlesticks. Wah, don't paint those beautiful things! Maybe someone else can enjoy them?

[helen x]

Leave the apple, it's perfect the way it is. But paint the candle sticks! Any bright or pale color would be great. I'd pick bright yellow for one and pale gray for the others =)

[metscan]

I think that it is thrifty to avoid even thrift/charity shops. Visiting shops, one nearly always ends up buying something and that means spending money. Paint the apple white and find some practical use for it.

[Carlos]

Ok, hold your horses, I'm stepping away slowly...

About the review, I'll think about that one! They are both great in different ways...

[Chris]

What about painting just the stem or whole top of the apple white with more of a flat paint. It reminds me of the wood/ceramic pieces I see over here in the States. Just a thought.

[jja]

I would paint. I don't like wood colour...but that's just me. Nice findings!

[Monica]

I agree with Lisa!! Use the apple as a salt cellar

[HollyBecker]

I have the same apple, I thrifted it just a month before you found yours -- we must have been in synch!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/decor8/3823595383/

xo
Holly

P.S. I'm not painting mine. :)