The other part of my carpe diem day in Maine included stopping at a few antique and salvage shops. I'm not sure how Maine ended up with so many wonderful antique shops but I'm happy they're only a short drive from Boston.
The shops at Wells Union on Route 1 just north of Route 109 in Wells are wonderful and Smith-Zukas antiques is one of my favorites. Not only does Art have some unique garden and architectural gems, he recrafts old furniture and house parts into new and wonderful items. Need something special? Art can probably make it! The mirror above is a piece that was made out of old trim or window casings, mirror squares that have been aged to look old and brass lion head tacks at the corners of each mirror give it a distinctly neoclassical look.
Everywhere you look are unique items that get the creative juices flowing. I love the glass and iron sphere but little mill stone sitting on the urn...
...made the trip home with me. It will probably end up a stepping stone at the bottom of the side staircase to my garden.
I loved these glass-front cabinets the moment I saw them last year, stripped of most of their paint, and I've been trying to think of a way to use them in my house.
Here are some large beautiful 1920s vases repurposed as lamp bases.
A few doors down is Riverbank Antiques where antique items are always paired with gifts from the sea.
Stone, wood and coral...all looking beautiful together.
On Route 9 in Kennebunk, just about next door to Snug Harbor Farm, is Antiques on Nine. I would have missed it as it doesn't look like much from the street but For-the-Love-of-a-House Joan recommended I stop at this place as well as my next stop so she deserves credit for the find, but I'm happy to share it with you.
Antiques on Nine is part antique shop, part Home Design Store. Most of the place is set up as rooms and that are nice mix of antiques many of which have been freshened up or reupholstered, new rugs (Dash & Albert), linens and pillows and antique accessories...
...often displayed in collections which are very impressive. (Kelley, I thought of you when I saw these.)
Lots of pillows made with repurposed textiles.
I don't even know what to say about this vignette but it's lots of fun. I love the letters with the lights. I wonder if I could get my name in lights?
I love this combination of glass and silver, gray granite and wood wall.
Kelley, here's a bunch of rusty buckets. (If you haven't read Kelley's repurposing post on The Tale of the Five Buckets on The Polished Pebble, you can read it here.)
Also in Kennebunk is Old House Parts on Trackside Drive just off Route 35. This is by far the largest architectural salvage warehouse I've ever seen.
There is bin after bin of old doorknobs...
...thousands of old window sashes including rack after rack of old stained glass...
...just as many doors, mantles, shutters, casings, old fixtures...
...and a really cool cat whose stripes spell "JOY." Can you see it?
There's so much here, it's overwhelming. I'll have to take measurements for some of the things I need for the house and make another trip back. I could easily spend a day here.
On my way back home, I stopped so I could share a photo of this house dubbed "The Wedding Cake House." Not my taste but quite fun to see. You can learn more about this house here.
So that was the rest of my carpe diem day. I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the sites along the southern coast of Maine.
And, Joan, thank you for the tips!
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