Hello all,

Thank you to everyone who came in this weekend!  Ever since the wonderful Washington Post article  came out we have been reallly busy.  What a tremendously positive response we got to the story.  Thank you for all your kind words.  I’m so glad you liked it!

Now that the whirlwind weekend is over, I have a chance to tell you about the story.  Every year around Memorial Day Luckett’s General Store has a fun, fantastic flea market.  I remember my first one, it was five years ago and I was about a week post partum after having my first child.  My friend, Lisa, had her first booth and what was potentially the start of a new career.  I wanted to be there to support her, so I left Will at home with my husband and off Mom and I went.  Ever since, I’ve been hooked!  It’s exactly what I think fleaing is all about - great vendors with great prices, a local band playing James Taylor and Van Morrison, fair food and kettle corn.  And, perfect Spring weather.  To me it just doesn’t get better than that.

So.  Knowing this flea market was coming up I thought it would be fun to invite Terri to join me.  She came into the store just after Christmas and we really hit it off.   We’re kindred spirits with a similar love for all things old and Hable Construction.   I asked her if she would be interested in joining me, she ran it past her editors and they agreed.  So off to Lucketts we went…

What a great day it was!  After a little miscommunication about the location of the “front entrance” we found each other and set out shopping.  Len Spoden, the photographer extraordinaire, followed us around for almost the entire day.  Let me just say, he was lovely.  What a sweet, patient man.  My mom was really nervous about this and wasn’t sure she wanted to have her picture taken.  But once we met Len we were immediately put at ease.  He was completely unobtrusive and you didn’t even know you were getting your picture taken.  He was truly wonderful.  And extremely talented.  My mom looks great in all of the pictures!  Mine are okay, but that’s not Len’s fault.  If you catch my drift.

As soon as our little gourp walked in the gates we were buying.  I have to tell you that I was not the only one buying.  Terri managed to find a few pieces herself.  She bought the most incredible tray, two french chairs with the coolest vintage homespun upholstery and a sweet demi lune table.  I was secretly kicking myself for not seeing the tray first.  It was REALLY cool.  She asked another friend of hers who was at the flea to take home the table and I was more than a little impressed that she got the rest in her Mini Cooper.  Now that’s power fleaing!

In the story Terri mentions a great old wire laundry basket.  It’s the one that got away.  This is a really good lesson for everyone - veterans and novices alike.  One that I hate to relearn every now and again.  We were standing there chatting and waiting patiently for the vendor to finish with her customers.  I was enjoying our conversation about what we would each do with the basket and therefore was not in a rush.  Besides, I had taken the ticket off the basket so therefore thought I was safe.  Boy was I wrong.  When I was finally able to get the vendor’s attention and ask her if that was her best price for the basket, she informed me that the woman who had been standing next to me just bought it.  But I had the tag!!!!  To me, the unwritten rule is if you pull the tag you intend on buying it.  And, I intended on buying it - no matter what her best price.  I would love to hear your opinion on this one.  For some reason it just seemed unfair.  Am I wrong?  Quite clearly I’m still stinging from that one.

After that let down, my spirit a little crushed we moved on.  At the next booth… I spotted it.  The bread cart on wheels.  It was magnificent!  I know to most of you that sounds ridiculous, but to me this piece is just so special.  This is one of those pieces that I love.  It was at one time purely functional.  It hauled freshly baked bread in Buffalo, NY from bakery to store and that was it.  Now, it takes on a whole new function.  The warm patina, the graphic letters and numbers and the wheels (God, help me I love the wheels!) add character to whatever room I put this in.  Whether it’s in the kitchen for recycling, the bathroom for towels, the playroom for toys or my office at the store, it’s current home, for merchandise that needs to go out on the floor it adds charm and history.  This piece goes down as one of my all time favorites and will always remind me of a really special day.  Come by the store some time and I’ll show it to you.

After much antiquing and kettle corn eating (ambrosia of the Gods!) we were finished.  I have to say, that, in the end, Terri could have written this story without me.  She and I were totally on the same page as far as mixing old and new.  She has brilliant ideas and a fantastic eye (did I mention that tray was REALLY cool?!).  We both agreed that antiques shouldn’t be precious.  They should be loved and used.  And, that people need to understand that antiques aren’t fragile - they are well made.  If it can withstand 100 years, give or take a few, it can withstand your two-year-old and house full of pets. 

I think most of you will agree.  For those of you who came by this weekend, thanks!  It was a pleasure meeting you.  I love to meet fellow flea market junkies.  For those of you who went to the Big Flea this weekend, I hope you found a wonderful treasure as wonderful as my new bread cart on wheels!  Finally, here’s to the folks that work so hard to bring them to us.  We thank you!

Take care and happy fleaing!  Amy 

Hello all!

Did you see the Washington Post’s Home Section today?  We’re in it!  I’m just too excited to blog about it now, but will give you the low down later.  But, before I go rejoice, just two things… First, thank you, Terri!  The story is fantastic and I feel fortunate to be able to call you friend.  Second, that’s my mom!  Isn’t she great?!

Will write again as soon as my head is out of the clouds!  Take care,  Amy

Hello!

We are pleased to announce that we now have gift registries!  Now you can incorporate the Red Barn look into your new home or your new baby’s nursery. 

For your new baby, register for our Elizabeth Allen or Serena and Lily baby bedding, Relics cribs, classic children’s books like Corduroy and Blueberries for Sal, beautifully handcrafted stuffed animals from Peru, and baby’s first dishes in pretty pansy and cute cowboy prints.

Start your new life together by registering for our beautiful Frances Palmer Pottery, sophisticated Thomas O’Brien lamps, colorful and comfy Thomas Paul pillows and fabulous without being fussy Suzi Matelasse coverlet’s by Pamela Kline.

And don’t forget all of the one-of-a-kind finds that really add character to your space.  We have antique blocks to pu on the shelf in your baby’s room and old horseshoes to hang over the door of your new home for good luck.

We would be so honored if you included us in your life’s new plans.  It’s such a thrill for us to help people create their sacred places where they will make memories year after year.   Two people have already signed up.  If you’d like to join them, please contact us for more information.

Take care,  Amy

Hello all,

It’s been awhile, but I think you will agree that we have been very busy…  So.  What do you think of the new site?  We are over the moon excited about it and hope you are too!

We are often asked if we are online, meaning do we sell online.  With so many requests we felt like we couldn’t keep our public waiting.  (Just kidding!  Not sure we warrant a “public” just yet.)  As you can see we now offer many of our favorite products for sale online.  Some of my favorites are the Thomas Paul pillows, the Hable Construction bags and all of Frances Palmer pottery.  I also have a fondness for the partisan pillows.  What fun in an election year! 

We have many more things that we are feverishly adding to the site.  Our furniture and bedding sections will be increased in the coming days as will the home decor and gift areas.  If you have a special request - maybe something you saw in the store on a recent visit - please shoot us an email or post a comment and we will see what we can do.  At this point we are not offering our one-of-a-kind items, but we could change our minds if our arms are twisted enough.  Wink.  Wink.

We encourage you to sign up for our email alerts.  If you do it today, you will get a $10 off coupon for your next online or in-store purchase of $50 or more.  We promise not to inundate you with needless emails only the good stuff, like new product announcements, sales and promotion information, and special email coupons for you.

I hope you like the site as much as we do.  A few special thanks are in order… Thanks to Blackbarn Media for the wonderful design and Marilynn Spindler for the amazing photographs - check out the blog gallery for more images! - and a big huge thank you to my husband, Dan, for adding e-commerce to the site and making the whole thing come together.  What an amazing team!

Finally, thank you for coming to the site and to the store.  What a pleasure it is to have you visit!  Take a look around, enjoy what you see and as always, let us know how we can help you.

Take care,  Amy

What a liar I am!  I promise not to be gone for a month and what do I do…?  Be gone for a month and a half.  I guess that, technically, I’m not a liar.  I never said it would be sooner than a month, I just said I wouldn’t let it be a month before I wrote again.  Wink.  Wink.  But somehow that doesn’t seem right.  So.  My apologies - once again! - for being gone so long.  No excuses this time.

I hope this entry finds everyone happy, healthy and enjoying the Spring weather.  It’s been lovely here in Virginia.  The April showers are still hanging out a bit, but I enjoy a good thunderstorm and torrential downpour now and again.  : )  Today was a particularly good day for me.  To start, my monthly magazine subscriptions are starting to flood my mailbox.  As you know, I have a tremendous magazine addiction, one that was fed today with a Cookie magazine and Domino magazine.  I also got a new Sundance catalog.  When I hit the jackpot like I did today I always start with the catalogs.  They are a quick fix to get me through dinner and bathtime before I can completely devour the real meal in my bed after the kids are asleep.

Now, it’s been a while since I received a Sundance catalog, so when I opened it you can imagine how surprised I was to see some of our favorite products.  I knew we were cool, but had no idea Sundance and Robert Redford knew it too!  Let me outline the similarities…  Let’s start with pages 4 and 5 where they show our Dash and Albert throws and pillows.  We don’t have the pillows on the floor right now, but we can get all of them - and they are cheaper and you don’t have to pay shipping!  On page 16 you will find our wire four cubby shelf with hooks - again, cheaper and no shipping.  We can also get the other wire cubby shelves shown on that page - cheaper and no shipping.  Notice a theme here?

On page 52 you will find one of my favorite Dash and Albert rugs.  We can get you this in sizes from 2×3 to 9×12 - cheaper and no shipping.  And, on pages 78 and 79 there is an incredible floor lamp by Architects and Heroes that we bought in New York and is being shipped to us as soon as it’s finished being handcrafted in Texas.  I don’t think I need to add it, but…cheaper and no shipping.

Having gone through the catalog I thought is was about time I visited the web site.  Much to my continued surprise they have our Sit and Stay pillows (on reorder because we have already run out!), Siena Rug, Gable End Mirror and our United States Pillows!  We can get any state you want too and it’s cheaper and no shipping is charged!  There were a number of products that I can order through our current vendors that were also on the web site and in the catalog.  Things like the recycled wood shelves and the green glass bottles on pages 48 and 49 and the nested tables and Eureka lamp on pages 74 and 75.  Like I said, I knew we were cool, but this just cinches it!  : )

My Sundance research means that the other two magazines will have to wait until tomorrow.  I’ll let you know what I find.  And, as always, I’d love to hear what you see that you love!  I do have one request, if anyone can tell me where to buy wholesale the chairs on page 3 of the catalog, I’d be your best friend.  I love them and can totally see them around a rustic old farm table!  In the store and in my house!

Take care!  Amy

Hello all!

Let me start by saying I’m so sorry for being gone for a month.  Yikes!  Can’t believe it’s been that long.  In short, three sinus infections and the equivalent rounds of antibiotics, High Point and sheer exhaustion have kept me away.  My apologies.  I won’t let it happen again.

Now that I’m back let me update you on a few things.  First, did anyone see the latest issue of Domino magazine?  The one with Drew Barrymore on the cover?  It’s been all over the blogs so I’m sure you’ve seen it.  It’s really one of the best issues they’ve done.  In short, I LOVE the kelly green on page 78, Dara’s answer to the Silver Spring reader on page 93 makes my heart skip a beat it’s so fantastic, the entryway tile floor on page 123 is truly inspirational, and you too can sit your latte on a side table like Drew Barrymore’s on page 138.  We have one in the store waiting just for you!  Oh, and the chairs surrounding the kitchen table on page 149 are stunning - the floors aren’t bad either and we sell the fleur de lis glasses at the store.  : )

Next, has anyone seen the HGtv Green House giveaway?  It’s a fantastic home. It’s stylish while being completely eco-friendly.  (Actually, hold on, I’ll be right back, gotta enter for my chance to win.  I still do it even though I don’t have a snowball’s chance of winning.  One can dream…)  In the living room, the house features our Cisco Brothers furniture.  As we keep telling you, their furniture at the most basic level is eco-friendly, but it can be upgraded to completely sustainable construction.  It’s what is called Inside Green.  That means all the wood is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, all the materials used including the cotton, jute webbing and down feathers are completely organic and the cushions are made from natural latex.  Stop by and see the chairs featured in the Green House - we have them in the window right now!

Speaking of completely sustainable construction… as you no doubtedly have seen, we are running a promotion the entire month of April that gives away a free upgrade to completely sustainable construction on all Cisco Brothers furniture.  It’s a 20% savings to you and an immeasurable savings for the planet.  Happy Earth Day!

And speaking of Earth Day, come by the store as we celebrate with yummy treats this weekend.  Also, if you are on our mailing list you probably got the flyer promoting Old Town Alexandria’s Boutique District.  Seventeen retailers, including the Barn, pooled our resources to offer a fun shopping experience and in most cases a substantial discount on merchandise.  I’ll get a link up on the web site so you can print the coupon if you did not receive one.  I hope you’ll join us this weekend.  It should be fun and yummy.

Finally, we just got back from High Point.  It was a whilwind visit, but we accomplished everything we wanted to.  We purchased our Fall floor samples, saw our lamp vendors and their latest additions, and bought a lot of wonderful things.  I’m particularly excited about the vintage French bottle drying racks and the patchwork rugs from Turkey.  They are out of this world.  I’ll let you know when they come in so you can stop by and drool with me.

I think that’s it for the wrap up.  Once again, sorry to be gone so long.  I’ll try not to let it happen again!  I hope you are all well and we will get to see you soon!

Take care, 
Amy

Hello all,

The fruits of our recent NY Gift Show trip have been trickling in over the last week and a half. I was going to wait to unveil a grand spring redux of the store, but with the change in the weather I just can’t wait any longer. So, we are going to spend this week re-arranging the store and bringing out all the wonderful new things we found.

One of the new brands that we are excited to be carrying is Serena and Lily bedding. Their line spans all ages from infant to adult. You can see a spread of Lily’s house in the March issue of Country Home. The bed on page 62 will be in the store if you want to see it. We bought that set in a twin size, but as you can see it comes in larger sizes. Very exciting!

Also in the March issue of Country Living, you will find our Elizabeth Allen bedding - page 22 - and one of our pendant lamps on page 44. In the spirit of full disclosure, we don’t have that particular pendant, but we do have several pieces from that company and can order the one hanging in that great bathroom. I love the salvaged door they used. Fantastic!

Now, don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten to increase our stock of antique and vintage items. I just went antiquing this week and found some wonderful things. A couple of my favorite finds are vintage 1960’s school charts. The charts are enormous and would hang beautifully in a playroom or a dining room. One is of the World and the other is black and has two skeletons. And if that wasn’t cool enough, you can write on the skeletons with chalk. It’s educational art! (For inspiration, check out O Home on page 50. There you can see how one genius used smaller versions. Who knew they’d make great shades?!)

My other favorite find is a folding bench that used to comfort waiting passengers at a small West Virginian railroad station. It seats five and folds flat. It is remarkably unique and would be perfect on a porch or in a sunroom. This piece needs a little TLC, but expect it in the store soon. You don’t have to wait on the school charts though. They are already in.

I hope you will come in and see what is new. Please excuse our mess, however, as we make way for Spring.

See you soon, Amy

PS - our spring furniture should be arriving in 10 to 12 days. Just depends on how quickly the truck can make it here from LA. We’ll let you know when it arrives!

So. I have an addiction. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. So here it goes… I am addicted to magazines. My idea of literature is a three page article on the latest trends in everything or a list of the top 100 widgits. My magazine addiction runs the gamut from parenting magazines to business magazines and from design mags to celebrity rags. And the stacks of magazines next to my bed? Don’t get me (or my husband) started…

Each and every day I go to my mailbox with great anticipation hoping beyond hope that there may be a new magazine in it that will lift my spirits and enlighten me. The good days are when there is one in the box and the great days are when there are two! I look forward to coming home from vacation - not to see my dogs and sleep in my bed (although they are great), but to read the stacks and stacks of magazines and catalogs that were collecting in my abscence. After the kids go to bed, I scurry to my room, flip open the latest edition and pour over every detail. It’s a great way to escape as well as to learn about those widgits.

This week I started receiving the March issues of my favorite mags. I’d like to re-cap some of my favorite things and how they relate to the store. Let’s start with Domino magazine…

I was flipping the pages of their March issue that is green-centric (a little early, Earth Day isn’t until April). Now, I already knew that Red Barn Mercantile was eco-friendly and trend setting, but I was validated after reading the article titled “100 Easy Ways to Green Your Home” (page 31, when you get your copy). Let me highlight a few of the items they mentioned that we carry…

Mango wood lamps: We have a large selection of fabulous mango wood lamps with completely customizable shades made by Jamie Young. Mango trees, like bamboo, are a renewable resource. Their ability to grow quickly makes them sustainable.

Eco-friendly upholstered furniture: our line of Cisco Brothers furniture starts out eco-friendly with wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and fabrics pre-washed in phosphate-free detergents, but it can be made in entirely sustainable construction - natural latex foam cushions, organic wool stuffing, natural jute webbing, etc.

Madera pine candlestick: we have a whole collection of madera pine candlesticks that are quite beautiful in their simplicity. And, they are on sale!

Tablerunners: We just bought the hemp tablerunners and cotton and jute tablerunners shown on pages 34 and 35. I think they are fresh and fabulous. Can’t wait to get them on the tables.

Candles: Beeswax candles burn longer and cleaner than paraffin wax candles. We carry the line of candles shown on page 35. In fact I’m about to place an order for that exact green and other spring colors. If you have a color you would like, let me know and I’ll add it.

Hand Towels: We have the simple, chic and eco-friendly towels seen on page 40. They are made of vintage fabric and hand stiched by a Romanian women’s collective. We also have pillows in the same design from the same company. They are really quite wonderful.

I’ll stop there. There is more to share, but that’s enough for one blog. I’ll try to post again tomorrow with the rest of the things we have in common with Domino. But, now I’m off to bed to enjoy the latest edition of Cookie magazine. More on that later…

Take care and good night! Amy

Big goings on at the Barn this weekend! Sample sales and New York Gift Shows! It was madness I tell ya!

It all started on Friday with our big End of Season Sale. In just one day we sold two sofas and a slew of accessories! We’re off to a great start. But, don’t fret. If you like the beautiful Paprika color of the Catalina Sofa or the sleek lines of the Serena sofa you haven’t missed out completely. We can special order your favorite pieces at a 15% discount until the end of February. If you were even remotely thinking of furnishing your home stop by tomorrow. I know we can help you find the perfect piece!

If the sale weren’t enough…Sara and I traveled to New York to attend the NY gift market this weekend. It was so much fun! We walked for miles searching for things that we believe you will LOVE. We found new products from new vendors and new products from our favorite designers - things that we are truly excited about. Now that we are clearing out the Fall/Winter merchandise we have room for all our fabulous finds. Watch for the first signs of spring to arrive soon!

See you soon! Amy

Bonjour! My friend, Laura Dowling of Interieurs et Fleurs, has just written a wonderful piece for StyleMePretty.com a great all-things-weddings blog. I just had to share it with you! It includes an impressive list of trends in French flower design and stunning photos of her work. Laura is a floral designer in Old Town who creates the most incredible pieces of art. To view her masterpieces go to LauraDowling.com.

She was also kind enough to mention us! One of the recent trends in French floral design is the use of mirrored cubes as vases. She recently did a wedding where she used our mirrored cubes as centerpieces. They turned out great! We have several wonderful mirrored pieces - orchid pots (above), boxes and cubes. Pick one up today and you too can be tres chic!

Merci! Amy