Paint Party: Maison Blanche Furniture Paint

Maison Blanche is moving into town!!!

We are so pleased to announce that in the next couple of weeks we will be the proud supplier of Maison Blanche Furniture Paint in the Las Vegas area! We cannot wait for all of our customers to have the opportunity to try this amazing product!

As some of you may know, when we first opened our doors this year, we had full intentions of becoming an Annie Sloan supplier. We had only used Annie Sloan paint on our furniture painting endeavors at that time and wanted to share the ease of chalk paint with our customers. However, after unforeseen circumstances forced us out of the Annie Sloan market, we took the opportunity to begin experimenting with different paints that had become available behind our backs while we were too busy using Annie Sloan.

Annie Sloan makes a great product and has built an astounding reputation as far as chalk paint is concerned. Once the premise for chalk paint was established, I think it gave other companies an opportunity to take a similar product and make it better. Each paint is going to have it's pros and cons, but we tried a few of the top-selling brands and found that one stood out above the rest: Maison Blanche La Craie.

Maison Blanche Paint Company was founded by Annie Omar and not only did we fall in love with her paint, but we fell in love with her principles and beliefs regarding creativity, passion, and women in business. As a small business run by women, Benson's would like to be an advocate of Annie's views and incorporate her spirit into the way we run our own business. Annie says, "It's my ultimate dream to be able to help other women begin their own journey towards financial and creative freedom. The business model of La Craie paint is designed to do just that." She has stayed true to her roots and has incorporated all of her founding elements in to her products and she truly loves what she does. We feel that same way about our store and we want to encourage our customers to carry that same outlook into their homes and into their lives.

                        

   

Besides the beautiful name and packaging that looked like it belonged in our store, what we noticed when using Maison Blanche La Craie for the first time was the flawless finish. Unlike other similar products, La Craie's coverage was more even with the very first coat. The paint takes a little longer to dry than Annie Sloan, but once dry the finished product has a soft, velvety finish. The finish itself is worth the 30 minute dry time. It is recommended to wait at least two hours between coats, but due to the better coverage, you should only need two coats.

Maison Blanche Paint Company also make four different Antique Waxes to seal and protect your paint (no fancy tools or expensive brushes needed), Glacage Embossing Creme to create texture, Le Dirt Antiquing Dust to create that "dusty attic" look, Organza Shimmer Coat for metal accents, Le Craque to create a natural-looking crackle effect, Translucide Glaze to create a tinted glaze with any color, and their own varnish to act as barrier against dirt and allows stains to be removed with soap and water (a huge problem with typical chalk paint).

We hope that you are as excited about this new adventure as we are. We couldn't be happier with our decision and cannot wait to share this amazing product with all of you! We will keep you updated with the arrival of our shipment!

Treasuring Your Family Treasures

We recently had a client come into Benson’s who had inherited a cottage originally belonging to her grandparents that she is updating now that it belongs to her. It is very imperative for her to preserve the original charm of the house and to also display her grandmother’s heirlooms amongst any new décor to keep her grandmother’s spirit alive in the house. After consulting one another on the project, my mom and I began discussing the everyday items that become family heirlooms and the way we can preserve them in the home no matter their age. It also got me thinking about my own grandparents.


My grandparents lived in Indiana and my sister and I would fly out there every summer and spend weeks at a time with them. If you know anything about the Midwest, you know that most of the homes embody their own individual charm amongst the tree-lined streets. At least that’s what I remember as a child. My grandparents lived in a very traditional home, covered in yellow siding and brick with a porch spanning the front of the house. My grandmother always kept freshly planted red geraniums in pots on the pedestals leading up the steps to the front door. And of course, they had the necessary red front door. Built in the early 1900’s, the house had the characteristic creaky staircase and eerie basement, but in my memories it was nothing short of magical.

Under the stairs, there was a closet where my sister and I would keep a lot of the toys we played with in the family room, and in that closet, my grandmother had started tracking our height on the molding around the door jamb. She would mark our age next to the line designating our height and every year we would get to see how much taller we had grown since the summer before. Over the years, more grandchildren we born and their heights were added to the piece of wood.

My grandpa retired in his early 60’s and my grandparents decided to sell the house in which they had raised all of their children, and downsize to something more feasible for an active retired couple. They moved into a retirement community and the old house went up for sale and sold rather quickly. Before the sale had finalized, my grandma sent my uncle over to the house to remove the molding from inside the closet door. He kept the molding completely intact when removing it and replaced it with a new piece. My grandfather has since passed, but my grandmother still has that door jamb molding in the less scary basement of her new home in case I ever want to see how tall I was at the age of 6. That piece of wood is still as important to me as it ever was and still is to my grandmother.

It’s simple things like a that that carry the most weight when considering family treasures. It doesn’t matter what they are just so long as they embody a strong family significance. I started looking for other families' stories and found so many different ideas for displaying family treasures in your modern home.

Recipes:

Nothing will ever compare to Grandma's cooking, so when recipes are handed down, you can creatively display them and keep the same meals on your own kitchen table (even though we all know it'll never be as good as when Grandma made it).

Turn Grandma's handwritten recipes into kitchen wall art.

Framed handwritten recipes

Smallhomedesign on etsy.com turns your grandmother's handwritten recipes in tea towels.

Tea towels screenprinted with handwritten recipe

Or have that handwritten recipes carved into a useful cuttingboard.

damianswoodworks on Artfire.com

Doilies:

Doilies tend to find themselves a place in every family. My great-grandmother and great-aunt have passed many of their handmade doilies down to my mom and even though they don't seem to have a place in our modern world, they are still beautiful pieces of art that can and should be displayed.

Apartment Therapy showcased this amazing shadowbox collection of vintage doilies.

Collection of antique doilies

Check out this simple DIY on how to make a starched doily basket from Country Living Magazine.

Hand stitch or machine stitch doilies together to make a one-of-a-kind table runner.

You can also use a lot of the same doily techniques for crochet pot holders. They make beautiful wall art.

Arrange vintage potholders in a visually stimulating way

Handwritten Items:

The eloquence and intimacy of handwritten letters has been lost to us in this digital age, but if you are lucky enough to have inherited handwritten letters or postcards from a family member, you can appreciate the beauty of penmanship, the time spent putting thoughts down on paper and the affinity of correspondence through the mail. It is a shame that the coming generations will never know such experiences.

Enlarging and framing a handwritten envelope with the handwritten name of a family member can make for a striking piece of art.

Potsandpins.com

Framing letters in their entirety can create a visually stunning display. This can also be done with postcards.

I have schoolwork of my grandfather's, some of his earliest writings, as my grandmother would say. And I cannot wait to frame and display them as I struggle to still be the aspiring writer that I am in my dreams. To see the practice penmanship of my grandfather as a child is, for me, beyond meaningful. Such joyful things should have a place in the home. Once they're framed and hung, I will share more photos.

My grandmother mailed these to me

Check Out:

Design Sponge has a great article on ways to incorporate family heirloom objects and furniture into your living space. You can seamlessly create your own new space using very old family treasures and in turn can keep family spirit and warmth alive in your home. Plus, all of these displays create great conversation with your most loved guests.

Thanks for stopping by. Now go create.

-Lindsay

Color Crush of the Month: Turquoise

As the temperatures continue to rise here in Las Vegas, we’re preparing for the sweltering heat of July and August by looking for fun ways to cool off. You’re probably already wearing those super cute sandals and you probably have that teeny bikini in queue, but don’t forget about the place where you’ll be hiding from all that unbearable heat…your sanctuary, your home! It can be so refreshing to bring the energy and excitement of summer into your living space all year long. Here at Benson’s we’re preparing for the summer months with the addition of TURQUOISE!

Turquoise is a highly energized and bold color that can be incorporated into any space seamlessly. It gives off the calm and tranquility of blue and the balance and growth of green with the uplifting energy of yellow. Basically it’s the perfect color. Because it has both cool and warm undertones, you can mix the color with almost any other color, and because of its versatility, you can incorporate as few or as many elements as you want into a space depending on the statement you want to make. The key to decorating with turquoise is to use it in a way that works for you and your personality.

Turquoise joined with red is one of my favorite color combinations. I love the cheery energy and vintage appeal it can bring to a space.

By pairing your turquoise accents with white, you can obtain a beachy, airy environment.

For a more masculine approach, try mixing turquoise with charcoal or brown.

For a dramatic effect, bring turquoise and gold together.

For a bold look that can be modern and classic, you can pair turquoise with black.

For a more shabby-chic, cottage-y feel, try mixing turquoise with softer pastels like pink, purple or blue.

For those retro lovers, adding turquoise with orange or yellow can create a nostalgic harmony and fervent energy.

The beauty of turquoise is that it comes in so many shades that you can be sure to incorporate it into any existing space and color palate. Don't be afraid to experiment in conservative or unexpected ways (whatever your heart can handle). You'll be amazed by the energy created just from adding a splash of color. Turquoise may become your favorite accent in any room of your home. Let the summer in and keep it all year long! We can all use more sunny days!

-Lindsay

Era Inspirations: The Grandeur of Gatsby

To pay homage to the late Fitzgerald in conjunction with the new film interpretation of “The Great Gatsby,” we wanted to reacquaint you with the classic design era of the Jazz Age and give you some fresh ideas for adding a little bit of the Roaring 20’s into your home.

Art Deco affected all areas of the decorative arts during the 1920’s and 1930’s and was considered very dazzling, sophisticated and modern. The style featured shapes and materials that were very contemporary for their time: bold geometric prints, streamlined shapes, lacquered an inlaid wood pieces, mirrors, glass and polished metal detailing. Because Art Deco utilized expensive materials such as ebony, marble and rare woods, most homes designed in this style were accessible only to the wealthy. But not today. We’d like to show you a few concepts and elements that will incorporate this glamorous style into your home without having to be a millionaire on Long Island.

The greatest thing about Art Deco design is that you can incorporate it into your existing style flawlessly if done correctly. It’s very simple to add one or two pieces, if you’re looking to bring a fresh look into your existing space, or to decorate a whole home in the characteristic style.

Color

The colors used in Art Deco are usually bold and striking with a lot of contrasts. Vivid and deep reds, purples, greens, blues, yellows and pinks mix seamlessly with silver, black and chrome. Color is probably the easiest element to incorporate into a room. If you’re on the color-shy side, start small, add color with throw pillows or blankets, accessories and artwork. If you’re looking for a more dramatic approach, try a blue or red sofa, accent chairs or an area rug with a bold pattern. Painting your walls, ceiling or both can change the energy and ambiance of a room with little effort. But make sure you choose your colors wisely (pick a shade that speaks to you), accessories are painless to change over time, but wall color requires a little more effort.

Fabric

Try incorporating elegant fabrics, such as velvets, silks and satins. Try to stick with solid colors, color-blocking or geometric shapes.

Artwork

Nowadays it’s simple to find artwork in any style you prefer. If you’re looking to frame your own artwork, Etsy.com and art.com offer great Art Deco prints, including artwork by Mrs. Zelda Fitzgerald herself. Artwork is a more expensive element, and people tend to skimp when it comes to decorating their walls, but you must always remember that your walls are the first to speak. If you prefer, use wallpaper as an art expression on your walls, or try metal elements if you don’t feel confident in picking out prints to put on display. But my favorite rule: always hang something on your wall that speaks to you, even if it contrasts your decorating style. Artwork doesn't have to follow style; it can be the most eclectic décor in your home.

Zelda Fitzgerald Prints on Art.com

Furniture

Art Deco furniture was known for clean lines and strong shapes. Mirrored or metal pieces are a great accent element as well as dark lacquered or black wood pieces. The best Art Deco accent pieces are sideboards, armoires, chairs and chaise lounges.

Lighting

Add some sparkle to your lighting. Dazzling crystal chandeliers with elegant curves are the staple of an Art Deco room. It is still possible to find lighting original to the period, but there are many reproductions out there that will flow gracefully with any Art Deco style of today. The glitzy-er the better!

FYI

Graham & Brown make an entire line of wallpaper dedicated to Art Deco in beautiful designs and patterns.

Restoration Hardware makes an iPhone Gramophone! Perfect for blaring early jazz music.

Always remember that there are no rules to decorating your own home! Make it yours! If you love the fun and freedom of the Jazz Age and want to bring that energy into your home, you can do it with a lot or a little. You be the judge. Let the Gatsby inside you run wild and hang that flashy chandelier in your living room. Bring in a blue or red chair into an otherwise neutral room. Hang an unexpected painting over your bed. Put a bold geometric-patterned throw pillow on your sofa. And make sure you're playing Van & Schenck's "Ain't We Got Fun" while you do it.