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Monday, March 12, 2012

Decorating with Silver

 I've been focusing on getting more silver into my shop~
vintage silver has so many uses that bring a little 
glamour to everyday life.
 Etsy
Look at this pretty bowl~
Roll up your finger tip towels and put this by the powder room sink 
for an everyday touch of elegance.
I loved the romantic style decorative medallion on 4 sides of the bowl.
Everything looks better on a silver tray~and I mean everything!
Anything grouped on a tray is more elegant.  Perfumes and soaps
on a tray in the bathroom is one way to use an old silver tray.
This wall grouping was shown in Better Homes and Gardens.
A collection of trays make for a nice wall composition.
 I look for vintage details that make an old piece a standout~
like this handle on a covered butter dish.
 Etsy
Anyone can use a glass or plastic dish to hold butter, 
but when your stick rests in a beautiful old container like this one,
it takes buttering toast to whole new level!
I've added piece by piece of old silver service items
to my kitchen for everyday use.
 A silver tray with silver butter dish, another domed silver butter holds the garlic bulbs and pitcher of spoons for chef tastings stand next to the stove. A small silver dish holds ripe tomatoes.
 This instantly makes a messy countertop look smartly organized!
Another silver tray on the other end of the counter holds my sugar bowls.
One has Splenda and the other holds organic sugar~ 
(which I learned is not as sweet as the regular Domino variety.)
These big water pitchers are fabulous additions to the shop.
 Pretty lines on this one,  but what condition is the silver plate really in?
After a quick polish....
If you like your silver with a bit of tarnish,
it will revert slowly back to the shabby look.
I have to say it looked marvelous all shined up.
And with flowers it is just glorious!
These old water pitchers make wonderful flower vases.
If hosting a wedding or a shower, you might collect
different styles of old silver plate pitchers for floral centerpieces
to give your tables a fabulous designer look.
Use your  silver pitchers and creamers for everyday dinner parties!
 This is a classic silver centerpiece bowl that can be used to
hold bottles of wine on ice for your next party~
but the shabby tarnished condition doesn't do it justice!
After polishing this huge silver bowl knocks your socks off!
This is nice~
but imagine your champagne in a huge silver bowl!
Ooh la la!!
This timeless wedding centerpiece is made using a large silver bowl
just like the one in my shop.
A great little toast rack with crumb tray can do office duty holding letters,
I use mine as a paper napkin caddy on my kitchen counter.
Little silver pedestal dishes have a million uses from
holding jewelry on your dresser to soaps in the powder room.
A silver compote bearing soaps would look right at home.
 
Another classic water pitcher after polishing~
which do you prefer, polished or tarnished?
Thank you Susan!
 My sister did the dirty work for us!
No polishing needed any time soon.
The tarnished before photo~
I have to say it looks better with a polish, 
and just a tad of tarnished patina is how I like my silver.
This was my friend Nita's idea!
She took casserole caddies and mounted them sideways 
to hold her spices. What a fabulous way to use these old silver pieces.
Take a stroll through the vintage silver additions at my shop
if you are in the market for adding 
affordable pieces to your collection.
I hope I've given you ideas on looking at your
 silver in more ways than one.
I'm proud to show off these pieces from my shop
and have even more silver coming soon!

Photobucket

33 comments:

  1. Oh I love all the silver pieces and you have a beautiful collection. Gorgeous. Hugs, marty

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  2. Amy, great silver pieces and great uses. I like them tarnished or polished.

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  3. I prefer it polished, I love the light it inevitably reflects. The ModVintageLife photo of the converted silver tray to a spice rack is brilliant!
    Thanks for sharing great photos Amy!

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  4. I love silver! It's one of my favorite things to hunt for. Besides adding nice sparkle, it also lends so much sophistication. Whenever I get some for resale, I leave some patina on it because it seems to be a 50/50 on whether or not people like it. I prefer with! ;)
    You have some beautiful pieces, love Revere bowls. I picked up another this weekend!

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  5. I love silver pieces and these are all so beautiful, Amy! I just picked up two last week and one I polished and the other I left with its gorgeous patina. I love it both ways!

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  6. Amy- You have some great pieces here. I was lucky enough to have inherited a lot of family silver. I know that tarnished silver is all the rage right now but I have to say I like my own silver polished and gleaming. To me, it is a labor of love that reaches across the generations and I feel like I am honoring these pieces of heritage. Funnily enough, I looked at my silver yesterday and thought- I HAVE to polish these this week...before Easter! I always wear disposable vinyl gloves-xo Diana

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  7. I do love silver but hate to polish it! I have a silver tray on my counter top in the bathroom. I love how versatile it is. Great inspiration here!

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  8. You are definitely speaking my language Amy. LOVE LOVE silver, polished and/or not polished! Love them both!

    Going to check out Etsy!

    Lou Cinda

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  9. LOVE this post because I am a bit of a silver nut....love it and can never ever have enough! Love all these gorgeous ways to use it!

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  10. Oh gosh I love old silver, tarnish and all. Your blog was beautiful and inspiring!

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  11. I love decorating with silver too. I have bits of it all around the house. I prefer mine polished. I love your silver tray filled with them in your kitchen too.

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  12. So many great ideas....all of the silver pieces are just gorgeous! I like silver polished and tarnished.....mine are mostly tarnished right at the moment :o)
    ~Des

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  13. Hi Amy ~ what a great post! I just love silver in my home and I have a fair amount of it. Your post has reminded me to bring some of it out and actually use it! I love polished silver, I think it looks like a little more glam, but that's the look I love...more bling! I actually LOVE polishing it too, there's something about seeing a newly polished piece of silver ~ it just makes my heart sing! I'm off to find some of my silver. I bought silver polish the other day...I think I know what I'm doing today! ~Stacy~

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  14. I too love silver...you have some wonderful pieces! Beautiful photos Amy...

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  15. Beautiful thoughts and pictures... I would not have acquired the black hands however as I love the silver aged....

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  16. Beautiful Amy
    Love silver both ways polished or not they are all treasures
    xxoo
    Pam

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  17. Love that silver.I just added some pieces to my shop too.I have to say it is hard to part with .I love it both shiny and with patina.Lately I am loving the patina look a little more.And it is easier to maintain.I LOVE your collection.

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  18. I love old silver and those pieces you have are wonderful! I do let mine get just a bit tarnished especially in all the carved areas but right after I polish it, I have to say I really love it!
    Lorraine

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  19. Great post Amy. I've been grabbing silver pieces for a while, and i like them a little tarnished and sparkly! Those are some good looking photos too, looks like you're really getting the hang of your new camera!

    Cindy

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  20. HiAmy, I love a bit a silver too and have a gorgeous viners tea set on my sideboard. I prefer it polished as when it starts to tarnish it goes a bronzy colour. I agree it does add a touch of glam and that's why a like it! I love your pieces. take care, Maryann

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  21. This post is inspiring to use more of my silver! Thanks for linking your Etsy shop--I don't know where I've been I don't believe I knew you had one. I like silver tarnished in other people's homes and always feel like I need to shine it up for mine. Weird.

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  22. Gorgeous, Amy! I have a few silver pieces from my mom and grandmother that I truly treasure. They look so pretty with ironstone and rustic wood pieces! :)

    xoxo laurie

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  23. Oh "be still" my heart!...Love it shiny, love it tarny...love it sitting tall, or on the wall...

    It's a classic for any decor...

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  24. LOVe this post, Amy. I recently made a "beverage station" in my kitchen with a vintage Mexican silver tray.

    xo,
    RJ

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  25. Tengo guardadas algunas bandejas, jarras y más cosas de plata.....las voy a sacar, gracias por la idea. Besos

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  26. Hi Amy,
    I love the collection of trays on the wall from Better Homes and Gardens. I wish I had a collection like that.

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  27. Very pretty silver collection. I love the pitcher and bowl with the flowers but thee pice rack just brilliant.

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  28. How much do you charge for polishing?
    We're talking decades of tarnish!

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  29. omg, amy. i was just thinkin maisondecor isn't posting much lately and then i check again and see i'm not even following so that explains everything! i'm your newest follower but not a newbie!

    all this silver just makes me want to flea--i find all sorts of uses for these old pieces and i enjoy the polishing once in awhile!

    best to you, lovely.

    michele

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  30. I totally agree-everything looks lovely in silver. there are some lovely pieces here~what a great post! :) chris

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  31. Lovely silver!! here's a tip from a lazy person: I never polish my silver because I love the patina it gets over time! I have a very tarnished teapot that I filled with pheasant feathers and the contrast is gorgeous!
    the latest trend seems to be unpolished silver; love that trend-LOL
    and LOVE your blog!!!

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  32. I have so many silver pieces just sitting in boxes, waiting to be set out as I finish rooms. Trays are my weakness...and curvy pitchers. Love the idea of hanging trays on the wall like that. I prefer my silver polished and shiny. I {love} to polish silver...it's therapy for me. Did you know that if you coat (rub) your silver with Renaissance Wax after polishing, it protects them and you don't have to polish them nearly as much?...hardly ever. They use RW in museums and you can buy it on Amazon...It's a little expensive but a little goes a long way. Beautiful pieces, Amy.

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  33. Oh Lord, I am addicted to what the dealers refer to as silver "smalls". Have collected silver christening cups (make darling holders for small flower arrangements). Siover hip flasks, perfume bottles, vanity sets, salt cellars, toast racks, napkin rings. Have collected a nesting set of Revere bowls too. Love them all.

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