Beyond The Picket Fence

Curated Summer Cottage Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Wed, 27 May 2026 22:09:39 +0000

What do you think about when you hear decor described as summer cottage vibe? I picture bright colors, mixed patterns, florals, and all things cheerful and sunny. Here are some of the curated summer cottage decor items I have recently sourced.

Let's start with the backdrop for this summer cottage flatlay, a wonderful, pieced vintage quilt.

The colors and vintage fabrics are lovely. In the lower right corner of this picture, you can barely see the red and white toile on the back side of the vintage quilt.

Fransiscan apple ware dishes sit in a round rattan tray. The vintage floral crewel was a happy surprise find. I was buying the piece for the light green, wood frame. When I got it home I felt something under the cheesy art print that was in the frame, I thought it might be the glass for the frame. Instead, I was thrilled to find this beautiful piece of handiwork. Good faux flowers, old books, and a sweet lemon dish are perfect cottage accessories.

a vintage tablecloth, green creamers, sunny yellow mirrors

You can better see the red toile here, colorful classics, and a unique vintage art piece with dried flowers and grasses incorporated in it.

A needlepoint, floral pillow, a vintage rose litho art piece, a paint by number poppy canvas, and a pineapple cutting board--so many fun items to bring some cottage style into the home.

I also hand-painted this mason jar of summer flowers on an old barnwood piece.

I so enjoy putting these curated collections together and am excited to share this collection at my upcoming pop-up shop.

Curated Vintage Summer Camp Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Wed, 20 May 2026 00:22:05 +0000

In my last post I shared the cabin decor that I have been curating for the June pop-up shop, "Summer Camp, Cottage, & Cabin". Today I am sharing the vintage CAMP decor that I have recently sourced. All three style categories--camp, cabin, and cottage are interchangeable, with subtle differences. I described cabin decor as being a little more rustic, cozy, and using more organic, natural materials.

Camp style tends to be more playful, nostalgic, and uses bright colors and patterns.

Let's start with the vintage, 100% wool "Golden Dawn" blanket sold in the 50's by JC Penney. It is definitely a classic!

The wool, hooked CAMP pillow is perfect for creating a cozy summer camp vibe and sits on a wood artist's portable supply box. I love the vintage stop, slow hand sign--it would be great on a wall or used as a tray to serve up drinks.

a blue, ceramic, refrigerator, water jug, a heavy, green speckled mug, and a Canoe Rentals sign I painted on an oar

A framed paint by number of a mountain lake and a small quilt (that I would use on a table) with plaid turtles lay on top of red and white pillow ticking that I will be using to make banners and pillows.

Cloth flags sit on top a vintage, red and black, aluminum, Kampkold cooler.

I made a hanging light with an oversized Edison bulb out of an old crawdad trap. The red check fabric will be used for banners and pillows and the green checked tablecloth is perfect for any summer camp picnic.

a child's wood, sailboat

The ORDER HERE sign reminds me of summer camp snack bars and the green and white camp stool makes a nice side table for a porch. I have a blue and white one also that you can see in the first picture I shared.

What do you love?

Curated Cabin Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Fri, 15 May 2026 15:36:02 +0000

The theme for my June POP-UP Shop is Summer Camp, Cottage, and Cabin and I have been busy sourcing vintage and unique home decor items for the shop. Here are some of the curated cabin decor items.

While cabin and camp decor are very similar, I see cabin decor as a little more rustic and cozy, more woodsy while camp decor is brighter and more playful.

On the floor acting as a backdrop for this cabin flatlay, are two duvet covers. The brown one with a southwest pattern will be used as fabric to cover something ( a bench, chairs, stools??). The fish pillows and duvet are reminiscent of vintage barkcloth and would be perfect for my cabin bunkroom. Only...I don't have a cabin.

This large brass hearth pot is a favorite find. It is stamped E, Miller Co. on the bottom with 1870 patent dates. Question--should I shine up the brass or leave it with the patina it has? TIP--a magnet will not stick to genuine brass. Hand carved, long handled spoons are perfect for stirring up soup in a large pot. And how about the vintage owl art?

A vintage, two-sided game board makes fun wall art.

Candlesticks, a wood duck, a cabin mug, and buffalo plaid salad utensils add a touch of rustic cabin style to any home.

a vintage paint by number, a leather box, and a barnwood mirror

cabin art and Big Foot art

I will have lots of gifts available for dads including this cast iron bear.

The vintage, stoneware, bean pot could be called cottage or cabin. I like the brown colors for a cabin. The vintage, old cabin whiskey bottle would be cute with cork lights in it. A clay candleholder and a bamboo basket incorporate organic textures.

a handpainted in Brazil, 1970's, Avon duck trinket box and a book about Lewis and Clark

I will be curating and sourcing cabin items for the next few weeks. What do you see that you love?

An Eclectic Tablescape for Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:47:00 +0000

I was sick a few weeks ago and I spent WAY too many hours on the couch watching English designers on Design Notes and Homeworthy on You Tube. I love the English cottages I saw--full of eclectic and delightful mixes of textiles, dishes, patterns, and colors. The talented homeowners are not afraid to live by the philosophy that more is more as they create cozy spaces with quirky and unique objects that they love.

Inspired by my decor show marathon, I created an eclectic tablescape full of curated, sunny and cheerful finds.

What I noticed in the shows I watched were tables styled with a variety of objects, stacks of plates and dishes setting out to be used, asymmetrical vignettes, and lots of color.

Let's start with the base or tablerunner. I sewed this one from a pair of cotton curtain panels from the thrift store.

Because the blue patterned piping on the edge was only on one side of each panel, I cut the washed panels in half and ironed under the cut side. I then topstitched along the edge so that the colorful piping would show.

I have both leaves in our table right now so the runner hit the table corners when I placed it lengthwise. I decided to run it widthwise, across the table for now.

I also sewed four cloth napkins and have enough fabric to sew four more or a couple pillows. I placed the napkins in a popsicle basket and put a funny wood frog on top as a hold down. We always and pretty much only use cloth napkins daily.

I've shared tablescapes and vignettes and centerpieces before and I always use a similar formula: Repeat colors, vary height, anchor or ground the space with something, use something natural like plants or wood. Everything in my tablescape is thrifted or from a garage sale except the mason jar that was given to me from a dear friend in 2000 when my son Mason, who passed at 6 days old, was born. It belonged to her grandma and says Perfect Mason on it. In the mason jar and a green pitcher are GOOD faux flowers--tulips and calla lilies.

I placed the flowers on a wood and metal cake stand for more height. I also put a little green wooden sofa on the cake stand. Why a sofa? Why not?

A stack of vintage, Stetson China plates in the green Rio pattern sit on one side of the cake stand. On the plates sits a blue and green pottery strainer with real lemons and a lime in them. A copper peppermill is not only a useful item, but it adds more height next to the plates and warm metal tones.

I love candlelight at the table. A pair of green candlesticks are sitting at an angle in front of the cake stand.

A shallow wood bowl holds vintage green dessert plates. A sky blue, handmade, footed, pottery mug holds faux shamrocks. I found the mug in a free pile on the side of the road.

This eclectic tablescape is cheerful and fun. It is just the hubby and I at home so the extra items (which really are minimal compared to the English tables) don't get in the way of our everyday meals. We will use the plates and other items when we want--nothing is too precious and all of it makes me smile and shouldn't our home spaces bring us joy?

Creating Centerpieces with Curated Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 01:40:00 +0000

Creating small vignettes or centerpieces with curated finds is one of my favorite things to do. These vignettes add color, personality, and life to a table, shelf, side table, or other small space. I put together three different, visually appealing, unique displays with recently sourced items.

All three vignettes are different, but share common elements: height, flowers for spring and summer, color, vintage, one-of-a-kind items, tablecloths or coverings, and something to corral and ground the objects.

The first one I am sharing started with this lovely, vintage, wool, mint green table runner (I have 6 matching placemats as well).

A round, tarnished, silver plated tray holds a fantastic, very vintage, metal wedding or funeral, flower container. The patina on it is so good. It holds faux tulips. A battery operated candle sits in a vintage, China, saucer.

I always buy art postcards when I find them and use them to write notes on or recipes. I cut up a couple Georgia O'Keeffe cards to put in a tryptic photo frame to add more of the bright pink and mint green color to the centerpiece.

The next centerpiece features yellows and greens and reds inspired by the vintage tablecloth.

I utilized a green fabric covered, wood box as my base. A lemon covered pitcher holds flowers and lemons. A small, oval, red box adds a touch of red to match the tablecloth.

The made in Italy bowl features lemons and red berries. A vintage red book incorporates more red color. Red cloth napkins would also be cute in this bowl.

The final vignette features a more eclectic mix of items. Large napkins with pinks and greens provided the fabric texture. A new wood tray with brass handles holds a variety of colorful items.

A blue, pour over, coffee carafe acts as a vase, holding blue and pink flowers. It sits on a pink (faded red) and green book. The books add height and color.

An old wood cheesebox with pink clover depicted on it holds a Haitian painting featuring flowers and pink colors and a wood, diamond, pool ball rack. The ball rack is funky and adds a touch more wood texture and visual interest.

A copper basket holds a candle. The copper reflects the light and protects the wood tray from wax drips.

These fun finds will be available at my next pop-up, date TBD. I would love to help you put together a centerpiece that you love.

Reclaimed Wood, Copper, and Antique Headboard Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:33:00 +0000

A dozen years ago I "collected" headboards and footboards for benches and chalkboards and other projects. I used many of them, but still had a few that I never upcycled. A week ago, I saw this antique headboard leaning against the workshop wall (actually, I think it is a footboard) in a new way.

I thought it would make a beautiful bar top.

We (we, as in hubby and myself as this was a joint project) cut the legs off of the footboard. We built a framework or base from reclaimed wood we had on hand.

I added thin wood panels on the side, using a brad nail gun.

A couple copper sheets that I had on hand were used for the front of the bar. We attached these onto a thin piece of plywood and then framed it out.

I love how the curved edge of the footboard shapes the bar and the lip created by the edging is perfect for a bar top.

The rectangular sections on the back part of the bar top work as a place for the bartender to set glasses and bottles while mixing.

There are two shelves behind the bar, one shorter for glassware and the lower shelf for bottles. I still need to add a bottle opener and towel hook to the back.

This bar (which would make a fun coffee bar too) will be available at my next pop-up, March 20th and 21st.

Spring Tablescape with New Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 00:01:00 +0000

Spring is just around the corner and I was ready to take down the last of my winter decor and replace it with fresh items. I put together a colorful, spring tablescape with recently curated items. These will be available at my March 20 & 21 pop-up shop, but I am enjoying them for a few weeks first. (Honestly, I am really enjoying that I cleared all of my recent finds off of the table so I could take pictures!)

I started with utilizing a pretty piece of vintage looking fabric as a table square. The colors are perfect for the new season.

This candle holder is old and made from gorgeous, aged wood. I styled it with pastel colored candles and a few faux flowers. This piece will be fun to change through the seasons with different colored candles and small items placed on the base.

I filled a wood trough with two battery operated, flower shaped candles and faux flowers tied with a ribbon. I may add a floral hankie or embroidered towel.

On the settee there are a couple more new finds for the shop--a spring pillow and a nice quilt with wonderful pastel colors.

I have both leaves in my table right now so I have the space for both of these "centerpieces". I like the varying heights between the two pieces, the candlelight in both, and the color and floral repetition.

I look forward to sharing all of these new items with you at the Spring Home pop-up shop.

Sunny and Cheerful Spring Vignette

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 01:32:00 +0000

There is just something about yellow and blue that cheers me up. It is sunny and fresh and perfect for spring and summer. This sweet vignette features recently sourced items for the pop-up shop. Keep reading for the details on these finds.

This dried flower art is absolutely gorgeous. It was created in Montana. I think the artist no longer makes these. The frame was painted light grey. I decided to paint it a dark blue to better emphasize the flowers.

A DebCo blue and white striped pitcher holds yellow daffodils. A vintage, signed, handmade, pottery canister features Japanese irises.

I am sure coffee tastes better in a vintage, Pflatzgraff, Rio Blue Striped mug and sugar and creamer set.

The bright yellow, Provence tablecloth ties the vignette together. All of these items will be available at my upcoming pop-up shop, March 20th and 21st.

Updated Side Table and Freshly Curated Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:47:00 +0000

A wonderful weekend of pop-up sales means I am hitting the trail sourcing new items for my next Spring Home pop-up, March 20 & 21. Let me start with sharing this little, homemade side table that I found. It clearly needed saving and updating, but had good bones.

I sanded it lightly and cleaned it thoroughly and then painted it with a warm brown, which was an oops can of paint. A couple coats of paint and clear coat and it is ready for a new home.

This table makes a great side table and can be used lengthwise or widthwise like in the picture. It would make a good plant stand too.

I styled the upcycled table with fresh, colorful finds to create an eclectic vignette for spring. Note the elements that help create an interesting and unique vignette: repeated colors and materials, varying heights, items arranged to form visual triangles, and unique, quirky objects.

Colorful dishes sit on a very old, handwoven fabric piece that I think was a pillow cover. I have it folded here, but I may stuff it to make a pillow. The colorful bird art, entitled Gossip Girls, is printed on wood.

The blue in the woven fabric pops with the vintage (made in the 90's), blue teapot and mugs. The mugs sit on a hand painted, crazed plate. The blues and pinks on the plate connects the woven piece and the mugs and helps to ground them.

Faux flowers in a woven "vase" repeat the vignette colors. The vase's texture and woven fabric texture create more cohesion.

And, what about these carved, wood ducks with ducks inside of each of them?

A greige quilt is draped on the chair with a vintage book and a blue creamer.

More old books sit on the bottom shelf with an old basket that holds wooden bobbins and a wool, woven placemat. A floral stitchery and a round mirror hang on the wall.

I love these fresh, funky finds and I am excited to offer them to my customers.

Warm Curated Brown and Earthy Home Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:51:00 +0000

In case you haven't heard, brown is back and I am loving it. Brown and other earthy tones are warm and help bring nature and an organic feel into our homes. Here are some recently curated, brown, earthy, home decor objects. Keep reading for the details!

Everything in the flat lay is sitting on a latte colored, wool camp blanket.

A vintage popsicle stick basket hods tan and dark orange candles. Brass wall pockets perfect for plants, knickknacks, and a brown canning jar incorporate warm color in a space.

an old tennis racket, brown and white cloth napkins, and handmade, earthenware, beer steins

vintage art and vintage, Vera Bradley cloth napkins

wool, brown tweed pillows, carved wood candlesticks, and vintage Hampshire Brown Royal plates

an antique, signed lithograph of a cottage and a vintage, brown Hall teapot

a hand-tinted-photograph in an antique frame and a metal candlestick with a great patina

So many wonderful finds that tell a story and that help to create warm and cozy vignettes in your home, what do you love?

Upcycled and Styled Bookshelf

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:07:00 +0000

When I find a solid piece of furniture at the thrift store for a good price, it is almost always a YES! Such was the case with this short, wood bookshelf that I am guessing came out of a church or school.

Why do I think it came from a school or church? Because as I sanded the cream paint, I discovered institutional green and pink underneath. I sand the paint just enough to create some grip for the paint, and then painted it with an oops can of green paint.

It took a couple coats of paint and a clear coat to upcycle this old shelf into a fresh piece ready for a new home.

I styled the shelf with some recently curated items that will be available at my upcoming pop-up shop.

A vintage plaid tablecloth and a vintage cottage creamer and Pottery Barn teapot are perfect for spring. A unique shaped jar holds a couple nests.

I love the green color that this handmade pottery vase is glazed with. It sits on a vintage, South Pacific, yellow and green bamboo pattern platter.

This bookshelf is a little tall for seat, but it would work in an entryway as a place to take off shoes, so I added a few pillows to it. Old books, a wood box, and copper pan incorporate texture and warmth to the bookshelf. The upcycled bookshelf and most of the styled decor will be available this weekend at the pop-up shop.

Red and Pink Curated Home Goods

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 19:26:00 +0000

red and pink, vintage, curated home decor

I have recently sourced lots of red and white napkins. I love the round, striped napkins and the red and white picnic checked ones too!

The ceramic, red and white, Terramoto striped vase or the red, speckled, enamel coffee pot add pattern and a bit of color to a space. The floral, needlepoint pillow is a fantastic granny chic accessory.

A vintage New York Franken wood fruit bowl holds more cloth napkins. We only use cloth napkins as a way to use less paper and I like them so much better. The enamel, bumper crop bowl with the lilies and a red background will look nice sitting on a coffee table with candy or old photos in it.

I arranged a faux floral centerpiece in a vintage green and pink sewing basket.

a vintage, round, floral needlepoint wall art and a miniature floral oil painting

a vintage pink flower painting, a cute, old children's framed print, and a brightly colored woven market basket

Fun 💗finds ready for the pop-up shop. I will be open Friday, February 20, 3-6 and Saturday, February 21, 10-3.

Feeling Blue, Curated Blue and White Home Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:41:00 +0000

I have been feeling the BLUES--blue and white home decor that is! Here are some curated and recently sourced, vintage blue and white items for the pop-up shop. Be sure to keep reading to see close-ups and details.

I found five of these SPODE, tulip, Rochelle plates and two of the grape leaf salad plates.

I love the white turnip, vintage, Nabeshima platter and the Heran Chaban 1920's antique, lithograph of a harbor scene with a windmill. It does have some blues in it, especially in the sky.

How about the vintage, blue and white, fruit tablecloth or the blue flowered, cloth napkins?

A handmade, blue and green, pottery vase is a one-of-a-kind find.

I sourced two six piece sets of cobalt blue and white, vintage Thomas dishes that were made in Germany. They are in excellent condition!

I am still researching the swan art, but it is signed and was framed locally. The swan with a blue grey background and frame is perfect for spring. I found the vintage blue floral stitchery last fall, but had it tucked away for winter. The little blue and white canister is sweet.

A planter and trinket box add deeper blue tones to a space. The Ken Edwards Mexican pottery creamer would make a lovely vase.

I love when I have a vision and can curate gorgeous, vintage pieces that perfectly fit what I am picturing. These items will be available at my next pop-up, date TBD.

Upcycling an Antique Carved Wood Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:05:00 +0000

Oh, how I loved this chair when I spied it at the thrift store. It was sturdy with beautiful carved wood, BUT it had a broken caned seat.

The caning on the back is in good shape, but the seat was stretched out. Still, it had good bones so I bought it because I knew I could upcycle it and make it usable once again.

I taped a piece of newspaper to the seat and traced with my fingernail around the edge of the caned seat to create a pattern. I then traced the pattern on to a piece of plywood and cut it out with a jigsaw.

I did cut the sides a big wider so they would rest on the wood sides of the seat.

I then used some memory foam, quilt batting, and brown and white pillow ticking fabric to cover the seat, that was then screwed to the chair seat base from the underside.

This will be for sale at my next pop-up shop (date TBD). Check out the gorgeous, antique, oak, beveled, heavy, lead glass mirror I recently sourced that will also be available.

This chair is comfy and would be a great piece to create a cozy reading and sitting spot in your home.

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:31:00 +0000

Maybe it is because we just got home from a winter vacation to Costa Rica, but right now I am all about sourcing sunny, brightly colored home decor for the pop-up shop. Here are a few recent finds.

Greens, oranges, yellows--all vitamin C citrus colors I crave this time of year.

A pair of vintage, Scio, 1940's MCM, cabbage leaf, vegetable bowls,

a vintage, green, cherry pitcher and a fluted, hand-painted, orange fruit dish incorporate bright color into the home.

An asparagus tray will be perfect for the Easter table.

A lily pad print (that I need to frame) is a wonderful way to interject some spring color.

Walls don't need to be repainted and entire home color schemes don't need to change to add a bit of spring to your spaces. Simply include a few fresh, new to you, home accessories to brighten your home.

Sourcing Spring Home Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:56:00 +0000

Ya, I know, it is still January, although it is hard to tell in SW Montana as we have no snow and it has been in the fifties. BUT, it is time to start sourcing goods for the spring pop-up shops and I have curated some fantastic things that I can't wait to style the shop with.

Keep reading for the details!

Let's start with this 1960, wood block print by Mervin Jules entitled Boy and Bird. It is signed in pencil and marked AP, meaning Artist Proof, which is how artists sign the first prints that they typically keep and examine for mistakes or additions they may need to make.

I love color in the spring, and am especially drawn to blues this year. A hand-painted, made in Portugal vase and a goose and floral egg shaped, made in occupied Japan planter are a perfect way to bring in spring plants and flowers. The single, printed napkin would be cute under a centerpiece on a shelf or table.

An antique, St. Elmo patterned, blue and white vegetable dish and a pewter blue and a periwinkle blue condiment dish are a great way to add a touch of color to current dishes. They also make pretty display pieces on open shelving.

Steinberg blue floral cups, a blue and white dip dish, and a blue, metal, Yellowstone plate incorporate more blue into a space. The bird print and green striped king sized shams will work as table runners or a dresser scarf.

A green glass pitcher, a vintage puzzle with a gorgeous scene, and a vintage, carved, coconut, floral wall hanging are subtle ways to incorporate spring in the home.

Good faux flowers are a must (no silk or plastic ivy!!) such as these pale yellow bouquets or

these potted violets. An art print depicts spring flowers and butterflies.

I am not sure if this framed art is spring, but the salmon and yellow colors on this Indonesian fruit packaging piece are nice.

The pop-up shop won't be open again for another four weeks so I have a lot of time to curate more vintage goods, but I think I am off to a good start. What do you love?

Curated Rustic Goods for a Montana Home

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 19:58:00 +0000

Sourcing a curating goods for my pop-up shop is a never-ending quest. Here are some recent finds that I feel fit into a warm and cozy, Montana rustic home style.

Keep reading to learn the details on these fantastic finds.

A hand-painted barn scene, painted on a barrel stave and a brown plaid scarf that works as a runner, and a footstool with a needlepoint Pointer on it add simple rustic touches to any spot.

The stool will be appropriate in a cabin or country manor.

On the mustard yellow, leather top table sits a broken, antique mantel clock and a vintage, brown wine "jug" with curly willow branches in it. I love this table because it is a great size, has a shelf, and is on metal wheels.

A vintage. souvenir sign from Yellowstone hangs on the wall.

Also hanging on the wall is a framed sheet music piece. The music subject doesn't necessarily fit a cabin theme, but the gorgeous frame sure works beautifully in this vignette. A LARGE cutting board or charcuterie board incorporates warm wood texture. A vintage, souvenir Yellowstone bowl or plate and a handmade deer tie in well with the rustic theme.

I added a little wire to the back of the wood fish platter to hang it.

A weathered blue candlestick and a nest and pinecone sit on a wood tray that I copper-leafed. The tray sits atop two orange, green, and blue plaid pillows.

The colors, the textures, the mix of vintage and worn objects help to create a warm vignette.

Slow Styling and a New and Better Library Railing

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 22:06:00 +0000

In my previous post I talked about leaning into SLOW decorating this year, living in our spaces and not needing perfection to be content and comfortable. Our first home project of the new year is a perfect example of taking time to change our homes. This I know about me and my home--it will never be "finished" and it will always be a work in progress. With that said, I NEVER liked the railing on the lofted library in our great room (and I have lived with it for 10+ years).

Our home had some art deco styling, some Asian style, and some mishmash, idk what kind of design when we moved in. The doors covering the storage space under the lofted library were Soji screens and the railing was white, Victorian house style spindles that never made sense to me.

Nine years ago I replaced the Soji screens with plywood, painted to look like an old sign for our schoolhouse. It has been fine, but it never looked aged enough and I have never loved it. So, right before Christmas I got a wild hair and decided to paint the plywood a green color from an oops can of paint and I added natural wood paneling. Note from the above photo, we changed out the propane fireplace about seven years ago for a more rustic style and more importantly, for one with a blower that actually helps heat the space.

I really like the warm wood behind the fireplace. I then convinced hubby to finally help me take out the white spindles and to put in an updated, more rustic, industrial railing.

Removing the old railing was probably the toughest part. The baseboards were glued to the flooring and we had to use a chisel to chip and splinter it out. The spindles were bolted in from underneath and they took quite a bit of muscle to remove as well.

We opted for wood posts and horizontal cabling for the new library railing. We used fir and stained it the same as the wood on the sliding doors. Does all of the wood in your home need to match? Gosh, NO! Different wood tones help spaces to look less flat. But, some connection between spaces is unifying.

This was our first time using cabling like this and I must say, it was easy and I love the clean look. It really opened up the library space and it feels like it has always been here or that it belongs here. I want to change out the flat, office space, blue grey carpeting. For now I am getting rugs to put on the stairs, landing, and up in the loft area.

I moved the blanket ladder, an old school slide ladder, over to this wall rather than in front of the slider doors. I wanted to share the patchwork quilt on the ladder. It was a quilt top that I thrifted. I added a polar fleece back to it and "quilted" it by sewing on the patchwork lines on the top. It is created with vintage fabrics and I love it for winter. I do swap out these blankets seasonally.

A puzzle table that we made takes up most of the space in the library. It is a great space to sit in the afternoon and soak in some sunshine, drink a cup of tea, and read or work on a puzzle.

This project took us a weekend and we spent about $150 total on wood, stain, hardware, and cables. The change is truly amazing in terms of the feel of the space. It warm and matches my style much better than white, farmhouse spindles.

It is so nice to have this new view during the winter months when we are indoors cocooning more. It was worth the wait and it was OKAY that it was a ten years, just live with what you've got project. Let your spaces be works in progress, make the best of what you have until you can change it, and create a home that is unique and comfortable.

Textural Cozy Curated Home Objects

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 23:27:00 +0000

Happy 2026! I typically like to start the new year out on the blog sharing trends for the new year. BUT, this year I hope to shift our thinking from trends to creating homes that are personal, warm, lived in, layered, curated, and slowly styled to fit our needs. I hope to help you to slowly decorate and to think of your spaces as living, ever-changing places--places that have good and bad days, great and really crappy days. And, for the love of God, I hope to encourage you to NOT design a room that looks like a sterile, commercial space or like aisle 12 of your favorite big box store.

So, with that goal in mind, I wanted to show you some recently sourced objects that will be for sale at my upcoming pop-up shops and share why these items help introduce texture and warmth and personality into a room.

Why do we want texture in our rooms? It keeps a space from looking too flat and boring. Texture is tactile and welcoming. Using earthy, warm colors feels cozy and grounding and connect interiors with nature.

This rust colored, knit, wool blanket is so heavy and warm. On top of it sits a wood trug styled as a mini vignette.

Old books, a wood candlestick, and a handmade metal and wood deer sit in the trug.

The wool, vintage Tree of Life tapestry is a wonderful way to incorporate both nature and texture on a wall. The picnic basket sitting underneath works well as a storage piece and balances the vignette.

I love this carved, wood wall shelf and the handmade, green, ceramic fish candleholder.

Under the wood shelf above the chair hangs a print entitled The Berlioz House and the Hunting Lodge of Henri IV by French artist Maurice Utrillo. I reframed the print in a "more important" frame.

These decor objects are unique, but will work with many different styles. What item do you love? How or where could you use it in your home?

Fresh Greens for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 02:45:00 +0000

My name is Becky and I am here to admit, I have a fake Christmas tree. I feel guilty saying that sometime because real tree people often come across as being superior (I am not calling anyone out). We got a fake tree after Christmas 12 years ago after our real tree was so dry before the big day even arrived. I love that I can put it up whenever and leave it up for as long as I like.

BUT, I do miss the smell of fresh pines. So, I decided to add some, plus other fresh greens for the holidays (be sure to read to the end of the post to see other LIVE things). This year I decided to try my hand at making my own pine wreath.

I really enjoyed creating this fresh and full wreath, although it was messy. I started with a variety of freshly cut pine boughs from trees on my hubby's work property. I cut enough to fill a large, Costco reusable bag. The juniper branches are from my yard. I could have made a twig base wreath, but decided to buy a $2 grapevine wreath from the thrift store to save time.

I wired together small bunches of pine (and fir) branches, creating a lopsided fan that fanned out more on the left side. I wired each bunch onto the wreath, keeping my floral wire intact and making each bunch one at a time. I plopped right in the middle of my floor to do this. Wearing gloves is advised if you do not want pitch on your hands.

If you do end up messy, GoJo took the sap right off. When I thought the wreath was full enough, I added a wire loop on the back to hang it to better look at it and to see where there were holes that needed filling. I used a heavier gauge wire than the floral wire because this baby is hefty!

It was a little sparse on the left side and on the bottom right. I tucked in and wired on more branches in these areas. Taking pictures of your progress helps too to see where you need to fill in.

When I was happy with the shape, I added battery operated fairy lights that have a timer and a French blue, velvet bow.

The wreath hangs on the door between my front entryway and great room. The door stays open during the day and we close it in the evenings when we will be able to enjoy the fresh pine smell and the bountiful wreath in our main space.

Next to the door, in the great room are more live greens and a new to me furniture addition. I bought an antique wicker set--a sofa, rocker, chair, and this table, this past weekend. I love the vintage green color! The table found a home in this corner. (The rest of the furniture is sitting on my covered, pop-up shop porch.. What I am doing with it is to still be determined.)

My Thanksgiving-Christmas cactus started blooming a few weeks ago and is still going strong. I love it on this table, especially when the afternoon sun shines through the front doors.

I incorporated a little Christmas candlelight glow here too.

In the large, unique, thrifted jar I added some moss from my yard. There is a floral foam block under the moss and I water it weekly. It has been living and growing for about three months now. I added tall, skinny thrifted candles to the moss, glass Christmas balls, and a velvet ribbon. The teacup candle holder I made few years ago.

I love real plants and enjoy using them during the holidays where I can, even if I do have a fake tree. 😉

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 04:01:00 +0000

My Christmas Home decor tour got interrupted by my pop-up shop happenings. I am now done with pop-ups for the season, so let's get back to my space. Let's start with the inspiration for my holiday decor, this vintage winter painting.

I love the blues and greens and creams in the snowy scene. The amateur, vintage painting sits on the windowsill next to my Christmas tree.

Below the painting on a music cabinet that belonged to my grandparents, I put a soft blue and tan, plaid cashmere scarf.

On top of the cabinet sits a basket sleigh with a little tree, the clock shadow box I made ten years ago, and a brass JOY candlestick.

In front of the painting sits a 1918 Hans Brinker book with gorgeous color pictures in it. My aunt gave me the book and the cabinet and the rocker next to it this summer when we visited her.

I added some accessories to my dining room light. I started with making a French blue velvet chain, hot gluing the loops together.

I glued jute and velvet ribbons to glass balls and pinecones and tied them to the light fixture. A couple pom pom garlands that didn't sell in the shop completed the look.

I framed a Currier and Ives print from a 1946 book and hung it on the windows.

Our tree is decorated with ribbons and glass balls and various other ornaments.

We put the tree in a different place than where we have had it the past few years. I really like it here and love the visual flow of my cozy Christmas decor along this wall of windows. I still hope to make a few live wreaths to hang on the windows too.

Creating a Cozy and Welcoming Christmas Entryway

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:39:00 +0000

Our front porch and entryway spaces are my favorite areas to decorate through the seasons. They are good, big spaces to style and they serve an important purpose--welcoming friends and family into out home. Let me welcome you in with a quick tour.

You walk up some front steps to my main entryway. This porch is covered. The original double doors to our old schoolhouse are simply adorned with pine garland and premade wreaths from the thrift store.

On the left hand side of the porch is a sitting area with cozy blankets and pillows. Will I sit here in the winter? If it gets above freezing I might. Twinkle lights are on the mini tree, wrapped in the pinecone arrangement, and are stuffed I the metal tree cutout lantern that hangs in the corner. I created the painting, it is one of four seasonal paintings that I made for my front porch. I painted on both sides of two boards so I have less seasonal decor to store.

This thrifted, green, metal planter gets changed seasonally. This year I added red sumac berry clusters from my yard, large pinecones, and some cedar sprigs.

On the right side of the porch there are more pinecones, branches, sumac berries, and fairy lights. Both the front porch and the entryway get lovely late afternoon light.

When you come in from the front porch to the entryway, you are greeted by this wall across from the door. A small tree with battery operated lights sits in a rattan stool. I continue to enjoy seasonally changing the chalkboard art that hangs on this wall.

This year I chalked a cozy cottage in the snow. In the beginning of creating chalkboard art, I would erase and erase until it was perfect. Nowadays, it is a one shot deal. This scene will last until March.

Below the mirrored candle sconce that hangs here year round, I framed and hung a vintage card that was one of the last cards my great grandma received in 1953.

On the right side of the entryway, diagonally across from the door to the great room, is a bench for guests to sit on to take shoes off. A blue and brown plaid pillow (with an elk scene on the other side) and a nubby linen blanket add warmth and softness to the space. The shelf and coat hook, from my second book, Wood Pallet Wonders, (BUY HERE) acts as a mantel for my decorating. The coat shelf is useful to hang coats and decorative items. I hang various leather cases that I tuck seasonal books and sprigs into. Coats can still hang on these hooks.

On top of the shelf lays a pine garland, various pinecones, nests, sparkly branches and three taller trees or branches with fairy lights in them.

The basket with the round mirror stays year round as does the large, thrifted, gold school bell. the antique gold box adds a touch more metallic color and looks like something the wisemen could have carried.

This year I am using this vintage watercolor from the thrift store that I found a few years ago. I framed it in the barnwood frame. The soft blues and greens and browns and snow incorporates my theme this year in both color and subject and style.

98% of my porch or entryway decor came from a thrift store and yes, I am happy and proud to announce that. It is my hope that these spaces say to guests, "Welcome! We are glad you are here and we hope you feel warm and cozy while you stay."

Create a Winter Centerpiece with Thrift Store Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 02:01:00 +0000

The home "halls" have been decked for Christmas and over the next week I will share my holiday home with you. I didn't completely change up my decor this year, but restyled what I have and added bits and pieces of new finds. Blues, greens, and whites are my color scheme. I am incorporating a lot of natural and organic elements such as pine branches and pinecones and warm light. Let's start with my dining table centerpiece.

Just about everything you see has been thrifted! Only the blue ribbon, the fairy lights, and the gold candle cups in the green glasses were purchased brand new. I found this antique, European wood sled last year at a favorite local thrift store and bought it instantly. I love the height it adds and the warm wood tones.

I placed the sled on a thrifted blue and brown plaid runner that also has bits of yellow and rusty red running through it. A pine garland that is sparse runs around and through the sled.

I used all kinds of thrifted, faux, pine stems to create the pine bouquet. I arranged the stems in a 99 cent, brass pot and added a blue ribbon and fairy lights on a timer. A thrifted, Putz style church sits in front on the wood sled. It does have lights, but I need to get a battery for it.

A pair of green glasses that I turned into candlesticks with the addition of gold candle cups complete the centerpiece, adding height and candlelight.

This thrifted centerpiece will most likely grace my table through the winter months. Remember these key elements to create a visually appealing vignette: varying heights, repeat colors, elements, and textures, use something natural (or natural looking), [lace objects on something to ground them, use unique items that you love!

Adorable Vintage Christmas Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 01:56:00 +0000

Sourcing very vintage Christmas items is becoming harder and harder. But, here are a couple recent finds that are perfect for a vintage Christmas theme.

Okay, the metal lunchbox bottom isn't necessarily a Christmas item, but I turned it into one. I found this at a garage sale a month ago. I picked it up and the gentleman said, "Oh, that's trash." He gave it to me for free (I did have to dump out the rusty nails in it).

I clear coated it inside and out to stop the rust and add a floral foam block and various faux pine stems. Some little fairy lights finish this adorable centerpiece.

I also found this 1928 Santa Sunkist Lemon crate end. It was very fragile and crackled. I did put a clear coat over the top of it.

It amazes me that something like this that is 97 years old has survived.

Both of these vintage finds will be available at my next pop-up, November 29, 9-4.

Cozy Curated Finds and an Easy Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence) — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:33:00 +0000

What criteria do I use when deciding to purchase a piece of furniture that needs upcycled? 1) Is it real wood? 2) How wobbly is the piece and how hard or easy will it be to sturdy it? 3) Is it a piece of furniture that is useful and versatile? 4) How much time will it take me to update it? 5) Is the price worth my time to upcycle the piece?

When I recently spied a mid-century, vanity bench at a local thrift store, I ran it through my checklist and decided it was a YES, buy it piece!

This vanity bench is very solid, not a wiggle or a wobble in it. The wood is in good, nice looking condition. Perfect? No, but nice enough that the only thing I needed to do to it was clean it up with some soap and water. All I wanted to do to update it was recover the seat.

I have had this small wool square for sale in my pop-up shop for quite some time (I thought it would be great as a table square). I decided that if the square was big enough, I would use it. I liked the warm and cozy look that the cream and brown plaid wool square brought to the mid-century piece.

I could see the blue fabric had been used to recover the original fabric. I left both of those and typically do when recovering a seat, as long as they aren't too dirty or stinky. I covered the blue fabric with two layers of Warm and Natural quilt batting and then the wool piece.

I few other recent finds that add to this cozy seat include some good, realistic looking pine branches, green velvet pillows, and a frame (that needs glass) and a vintage Colorado mountain picture. This vanity bench makes a great entry bench, an extra seat at the kitchen table, as a side table with a tray on it, or used as a bench at the end of a bed.