A new hardware store opened in our little town a few weeks ago. This is huge. We've been without a full-service hardware store for several years now. Although I could go into our fair village and buy a diamond ring, a new saddle or a mink coat, I could not buy a gallon of white paint. Just for the record, I have never bought a diamond, a saddle or a mink coat, but I buy gallons of white paint every year.
With the Christmas rush, I had not had the opportunity to visit the new hardware store until last week, when my daughter suggested we paint her room. We walked in, hoping to pick up some paint chips, and stopped dead in our tracks. We had entered the most magnificent hardware store in the world. It's like a Nordstrom's with hammers. The walls are freshly painted; the floors are gleaming hardwood. Just inside the door is a large display of - power tools? plumbing fixtures? light bulbs? No, no, no. There is a display of pretty scented candles. Just beyond that is the cheerful, brightly lit paint department, and just beyond it are rows of organized home-repair supplies, where knowledgeable, pleasant clerks ask if they can help you find things. My daughter described it best. "It's like a regular hardware store, but for girls," she said.
We came home with a gallon of soft dove-gray paint for her room, a gallon of white paint for the trim, and all sorts of paint doo-dads. The project involved us swapping our bedroom for her bedroom, so there was a lot of sorting and packing and moving involved. Painting her room went so well, and I was so eager to return to the hardware store, that I decided to paint our room, too. It's been quite the project. The painting is all done, but we're still moving furniture and putting clothes away and trying to find our shoes.
The roses are from a print I bought at auction a couple of years ago. It's been in the attic ever since, waiting for the right spot. I think the right spot is in my newly painted bedroom, which is the aqua color of some of the lighter leaves in the print. If I don't post for a few days, it's because I'm trying to finish the room and find my shoes. And because I'll probably have to make a lot more trips to the hardware store.
Ha! We had a true value sort of like that, but they recently closed.
The blog looks made over too!
(BTW, I know you were having email troubles, the heart to heart emails have gone out, I hope you have gotten them. If not, give me a shout.)
Posted by: Sarah | January 05, 2009 at 07:08 PM
Wow, what kind of store was it? And dove gray sounds wonderful, I have been day dreaming about that color a lot. Have fun painting!
Posted by: karla nathan | January 05, 2009 at 08:39 PM
How fun for you! I know the excitement you must feel! I live in the big city so have all those big box stores everywhere...but they aren't nearly as wonderful as what you've described! AND how fun you switched rooms with your daugher! I used to do this with my siblings when I was little (always my idea and I had to do ALL the clothes hanging and shoe finding) but oh the feeling of stepping into that new room! Can't wait to see the pictures! PS that painting is wonderful too!
Posted by: Robin~Thrifty Miss Priss | January 05, 2009 at 09:12 PM
Oh boy, does that ever sound like a fun store and how cute how your daughter describes it.
I will excuse you for not posting as long as you show us lots of pictures of the finished rooms:-)
Posted by: kim | January 05, 2009 at 09:47 PM
Sounds like a dream hardware store. I love those narrow old-fashioned hardware stores crammed full of stuff (I remember when they even sold toys like Barbie & Easy bake oven & Christmas decorations), although they are few are far between now & mostly have "hardware".
Posted by: tammyCA | January 05, 2009 at 09:56 PM
Good luck with the projects - share the results when you are done. Love the sound of the hardware store - we have two big box ones nearby as well as a couple of smaller neighborhood ones - but not nearly as charming as yours sounds. What a nice addition to your neighborhood.
Posted by: laurie -magpie ethel | January 05, 2009 at 10:20 PM
Would this be the new barnlike building on, I think, Fennell? I may have to check it out. Love the rose print, too.
Posted by: Linda | January 05, 2009 at 10:23 PM
The store sounds wonderful and your post has given me a kick in the pants to do some painting. We moved into our home 5 years ago and I never painted the white walls in the master. Lovely roses.
Posted by: Ann | January 05, 2009 at 10:50 PM
My daughter wants to re-do her room as well. She has one aqua wall now & wanted to paint it red. Then she changed her mind & wanted white. For now, she gets nothing until she can make up her mind. :) Which buys me a little more time.
I like your new blog look.
xoxo, Joanna
Posted by: Joanna {sweet finds} | January 06, 2009 at 02:13 PM
The hardware store sounds lovely! I can't wait to see the newly remodeled rooms :)
Posted by: Gail | January 06, 2009 at 08:26 PM
oh gosh! those roses are gorgeous
im so jealous as usual...dont you get sick of making us covet your things??? :op
seriously, a hardware store for ladies...me likey!!
try to not go EVERY day
we are expecting pix of the new digs
Posted by: susan | January 06, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Well good grief take your camera to this place of wonder.. I want photos!!!
Maddiemom
Posted by: maddie | January 07, 2009 at 10:08 PM
I love these pictures of roses. In my country every hard ware store is a kind of girly store nowadays, with cushions, candelabras, well you name it. Going there is a family event (Mom's ahead of course)! That's why they open almost 24/7!
Posted by: LiLi M. | January 08, 2009 at 04:55 AM
Good Luck with your project! you're tagged, see my blog for details!
Posted by: susan | January 08, 2009 at 08:52 AM
Congrats on your give away win, Barbara!
Posted by: Holly | January 09, 2009 at 09:41 AM