We’re excited to feature and introduce Sophie Stone today to our series “Decorating on a Dime.” Sophie is an Award Winning Residential Interior Designer. She has been decorating homes in Palm Beach for the past 15 years. Her passion for helping others decorate their dream homes led her to found ChateauSophie.com, a vintage inspired online boutique for women, kids and home.
“Finding the perfect piece for my clients’ homes has taken me to exotic destinations where I’ve been on the “hunt” for some of the most unique decorative pieces in the world. This quest for unique home decor has also made me an avid buyer at Estate Sales, Auctions, Consignment and Second Hand Shops wherever in the world I happen to be (Palm Beach or somewhere in Europe too)!”
1. I repurposed one of my bejeweled vintage handbags (circa 1930’s $54.99) found at ChateauSophie.com as a decorative object in an étagère I was recently decorating. Tired of looking at the predictable ensemble of china plates, crystal and figurines, I knew this piece was perfect! Hung gracefully off the handle of an antique silver tea pot, it sparkled like a gem. Unpredictable yet perfect, exactly the way I like to decorate!
2. On the hunt for office decor, I spotted these two vintage candlesticks at a designer’s consignment shop in North Palm Beach ($25.00 for the pair, I’m sure the former owner would gasp)! Their small scale was perfect, as they needed to fit on a bookshelf for a custom library I was decorating. Offset by the rich mahogany bookcase, I knew their white ceramic glaze would stand out. Not too shabby on a bookcase that cost thousands!
3. Vintage oil paintings always catch my eye and this one at the Second Hand Shop was no exception. The sailboat scene had extraordinary detail set in a carved wood gilded frame. The oil paint used by the artist should a rich and I knew instantly that it had some real history; not to mention at $59.00 it was a steal! I used it to fill in the space between my two vintage candlesticks on the bookshelf and it worked beautifully. I achieved a “collector’s” look for a total of $85.00!
4. Vintage Wall Art for a Kid’s Room is ideal for a Shabby Chic Theme. My collection of Vintage Campbell’s Soup Signs ($29.99 each) found at ChateauSophie.com works beautifully tucked on a bookshelf or as grouping on the wall.
5. While decorating a French Country Bedroom, I was in need of 2 mirrored chest of drawers for either side of a bed. With a custom floral patterned comforter and silk draped canopy lined with tassel fringe, mirrored furniture would reflect the beautiful details and soften the space. I found two mirrored chests at a Fine Consignment Shop. They had been there for a while so I was able to bargain with the price and bought them both for $299.
Now my job was to make them look like heirloom pieces. First, I started with changing the color. They were stained a dark brown so I had them silver leafed and then rubbed with an antique gold glaze. I also highlighted the framed details in antique gold. This instantly gave them a rich and elegant look that fit perfectly into the French Country Bedroom. I topped them off with a soft cream colored marble top and now they look like they are indeed from a French Chateau!
You learn more about Sophie and her amazing projects on her website, http://www.chateausophie.com/about_sophie.php