Junk Mate

I was lucky enough to meet my soul mate, best friend and husband 21 years ago this month!

However I would have to wait another 18 years before I met my junk mate.

What’s a junk mate you might ask? Well here are a few important characteristics:

• A  junk mate is a friend who happens by a killer estate sale and calls to tell you about it  - so you don’t miss out!
• A junk mate will be at the thrift store, see something she knows you couldn’t live without and text you a photo to see if she should purchase it for you.
• A junk mate will convince you to spring for that item you are wavering on – knowing you’ll kick yourself later if you left the store without it.
• And a junk mate will tell you not to buy that second hand skirt because you already have a dozen that look just like it.

I met Corinne almost 3 years ago. Every Wednesday after my babysitter arrived, I would hightail it over to Village Thrift for a few hours of kid free shopping and relaxation. I’m not sure when I noticed her first  - but after a few months of my Wednesday ritual – I realized there was this hip chick ALWAYS shopping at the same day/time I was. I didn’t approach her for several months because I couldn’t figure out how to break the ice. Finally after almost a year I decided I was being a ninny and my trepidation was ridiculous – we obviously had a thrift store obsession in common if nothing else. So one Wednesday morning I idled up to her cart and blurted out the best junk mate pick-up line I could think of – “Hey that’s an awesome thing you found. What a score!”

Turns out Corinne & I had a few more things in common besides our favorite hobby. My oldest son and her daughter are only 6 months apart (and get along fabulously). We both love to decorate and re-decorate our houses (her house is insanely amazing). And we both like to wear black, which would really come in handy if I was a size 6.

So today I am going to share a few photos of her house. She has an amazing ability for display and presentation, mixing both modern and vintage. It’s hard to describe her unique style, but if I had to pick a moniker it would be Eclectic Wonderland. I also greatly admire that she isn’t afraid to incorporate her daughter’s toys and artwork seamlessly into the décor. See for yourself.

 I love parents who aren't afraid to let their kids and house get messy in the happy pursuit of creativity. Corinne generously frames and displays her daughter's art.

Both the living room (above) and dining room (below) harmoniously marry vintage and modern.

Corinne was lucky enough to be able to commission Art & Ghosts (http://artandghosts.typepad.com/) to create one of a kind art pieces using photos of her daughter.

I love the vintage tanker desk sprayed a cool metal pink! But I love even more the photo booth strips placed under the glass as a fun reminder of times past.

  These two photos are of her daughter's room. It has this enchanting woodland, fairytale feel with a pinch of kitsch throw in for good measure. 

 Last but not least a few photos that demonstrate Corinne's super power - displaying objects in a wonderful and eye-catching way.