Since I had a wedding to photograph a bit of a ways away in the Berkshires last weekend, we decided to make a family trip of it which besides our slightly awkward bed and breakfast accommodations with a baby who just doesn't understand sleep yet, was completely idyllic and beautiful especially with the colors of Fall sprouting up all around us. We spent most of our time antique-ing (naturally), eating, and walking -- all of which was fantastic. On the way back home we stopped in the cute little town Hudson which Dave had raved about for years and was a first time visit for me. It reminded me a lot of where I went to college - Ithaca - and I really dug it, especially the gourmet food truck tacos that were obviously a must try during our sidewalk stroll.

Such a fun trip and while the only oldie we brought back with us was a 1960s geometry book that had a cover with images that looked like our logo (so not selling!) it was nice to take a step back for some personal time. And of course we are now counting down the days until our next vacation whenever that will be!

Featuring large items in our shop also means we ship them out too! 

A customer with a super keen eye picked up this phenomenal Wolf dress form in a hard-to-find size 38. 

Our preference is to keep items in as found condition, which means little or no dis-assembly. In the case of the dress form, it meant we needed to built something tall, rigid and custom!
Here are a few photographs of the process:

Man, we are going to miss this gal!  Check in with our main site every so often to see what else we have in Dress Forms

It is tough work planning for a gallery wall -- at least it is if you've never done it before and have a million other things to do in life (hello, having a baby to entertain all day long)! But where there is a challenge, there is something exciting.

The planning process is always my favorite and in looking at our ultra empty wall, for the last week I have begun to envision all of the different arrangements and possibilities just waiting to be toyed with. To me vintage art is pretty darn cool because it is often one-of-a-kind and unique. I like the idea of starting in the center with a really special old piece and then working around it with whatever else feels right. But really, where do I begin? I guess where it feels the most reliable in the most non-committal way -- Pinterest of course.

So step one of my gallery wall expedition is complete -- I have officially looked around for the colors, themes + images I am drawn to and now here comes sourcing the actual pieces I definitely want to go with. Then comes frames and then one day no blank wall! Stay tuned!

There's something about a fine rug that captures humanity in an honest way that few other art forms can.  Here is our top ten list on why rugs are among the ultimate in art forms.

10 - Substantive quality:  Carpets and designs may convey anything from historic woven interpretations of life, poetry, literature, livestock, and even feelings or reverence for other rugs.  Carpets take time and loyal dedication to create.  Any one single aspect of making carpets can be considered an art form individually:  From procuring materials to dyeing, weaving and finishing.  Carpets are an art form greater than the sum of its parts, meant to be enjoyed by touch, texture and design.

9 - Rhythm & harmony in aesthetic and construction process:  It is not uncommon for the design of a carpet is conveyed to weavers in the form of a flowing artistic map or voiced as a chant.  Beautiful!  Similarly, the elegance of a simple or sophisticated hand knotted carpet can easily set the tone for a space.

8 - The mystique:  We all have an innate ability to identify with a fine textile, but sometimes we cannot easily put our finger on why.  With carpets, there is a certain level of mystique

7 - Nothing is perfect:  Random or intentional imperfections make the perfect rug.  We love abrash.

6 - The comfort and warmth:  Nothing says cozy like an Oriental Rug.

5 - The light and dark sides of a carpet:  How true of everything in life.

4 - Testament to patience and time: 

3 - The history

2 - Art with purpose:  How amazing is it that one of your favorite art pieces can be

1 - It can be yours.  That carpet may have a long past and journey to get to where it is now, but when you own it, it is yours to enjoy.

It all starts with the floor!

Carpets are one of the easiest and most versatile items to decorate with in the home.  Whether you're looking to spruce up an area quickly and tastefully, or found the perfect rug and want to draw upon it as the focal point of a room, there is no disputing a room without a rug feels empty...

Like take our new house -- the hallways and rooms are just begging for a rug and it almost feels wrong to do anything else to the space before we source the art for the floor.

A rug truly makes a room. And while many people are shopping the machine made rug circuit, we are believers in: if it makes a room, then you better make it special. It is one of the most important pieces in a house so it has to be something you love, connect with, want to see for a long time, and something you love to talk about because it will be sure to catch people's eye.

There are different rugs that speak to different people and that's the beauty of them -- they connect with different human beings for different reasons. We try to keep a very vast collection of rugs in our ONH shop mainly for this reason but also because we ourselves connect with different pieces when we see them.