Ring in the New Year with a brand new bedroom — from wonderfully white to classic and colorful. Nothing is better on a cold winter day than snuggling up in a fluffy down duvet covered in cottony softness.

Red Barn Mercantile has bedding to satisfy every taste. And from January 2 through January 31, all of our bedding is on sale 25 percent off.

Choose from:

This limited offer applies to both in-stock merchandise and special orders, so now’s your chance to make your room uniquely you. Sheet sets, duvet covers, quilts, coverlets, shams, bed skirts, pillows and more are all marked down. But don’t delay. When January is over, so is this sale.

This wonderful late 19th Century apothecary cabinet would be the perfect addition to a desk or countertop. It has 12 drawers that pull completely out and feature the original pulls. It is in excellent condition. Dimensions: 22 1/2 inches tall by 35 1/2 wide and 13 1/2 inches deep.

Only 1 in stock. Call (703) 838-0355 or contact us for shipping quote. All antiques are unique and sold “as-is.”

$850

It’s time for that other holiday tradition: After-Christmas sales.

At Red Barn Mercantile, we’re marking every holiday item half off while supplies last. If you’ve had your eye on a dazzling ornament, a soft hand-stitched star, Christmas towel or children’s book, then hurry in before they disappear like Santa up the chimney. 

You can view a sampling of our Christmas items in the Seasonal section of our site, but you’ll need to visit the store to see our full selection of decorations, ornaments and other festive items. We’ll be open during normal business hours this weekend and next week, but closed New Year’s Day.

UPDATED 12/24: We are closing at 3 p.m. today so hurry in to get those last-minute gifts (we also have gift cards available in any amount). Merry Christmas everyone!

It looks like all our dreams of a White Christmas have come true, but what about the nightmare of last-minute shopping? Because snow kept us closed and most of you indoors Saturday, Red Barn Mercantile will be staying open until 8 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday to accomodate everyone who had planned to wrap up their shopping this weekend.

We know it may be hard for some area residents and commuters to make it to our store by 6 p.m., so we’re keeping our doors open longer to create more shopping hours for you. And, as an added bonus, all of our Christmas items will be marked down 25 percent through Christmas Eve — all ornaments, wreaths, decorations and more.

And, of course, you can buy online or order by phone (703-838-0355).

So, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

I’m having Tim, our contractor friend, over this evening to look at the house for a few small projects.  Not sure if we are going to put the house on the market or just fix it up for another year.  Will let you know what we decide…

Anyway, since we are planning a bit of fixing up I have been searching for brilliant ideas on the blogosphere.  While hunting I found this gem of a bathroom remodel from Door Sixteen – http://www.doorsixteen.com/2009/12/15/my-downstairs-bathroom/. 

Check it out.  I think you will be inspired.  My favorites are the sink, the first aid/medicine cabinet, the tile (my most favorite!) and the old mirror with the black and white.  What is your favorite?

 Enjoy!

Amy

I don’t know about you, but when I think about the holidays I think about food. I think about the warm smell of fresh baked cookies, the turkey in the oven, the pumpkin bread and … did I mention cookies? So when I was putting together this week’s gift list, well, my thoughts drifted to you know what. Also, I’d like to mention that we have more food and food-inspired items in the store, from spice cookies and short breads to antique rolling pins and vintage utensils, to our line of Frances Palmer dinner and serving pieces. We couldn’t fit everything in this photo, nor did we have time to put everything online. So stop by the store to peruse our full selection of yummy gifts.

Starting at the top, we have:

• Ribbon Candy from Hammonds Candies, $9.50. A real Christmas treat. This really takes me back to when I would sneak candies from the dish at my Grandmother’s house. These candies are hand-made and gluten-free.
• Fishs Eddy Cereal Bowl, $7.50. Available in green, white, light blue, red and orange. Perfect for a bowl of cereal after a morning of opening presents, or a scoop of ice cream for dessert.
• Savon de Marseille Liquid Fig of Provence Soap, $27.50. I wouldn’t recommend eating it, but the light scents of these gentle French soaps will make your mouth water. Also available in Verbena, Olive & Lavender, Orange Blossom and Rose.
• The Little Big Book of Comfort Food, $24.95. This book is packed with more than 200 family-style recipes for breakfast, lunch, snack, drinks, dinner and deserts.
• Bubby’s Brunch Cookbook, $30. Bubby’s has been a New York destination restaurant for nearly two decades. But now you don’t have to travel all the way to the Big Apple to savor Bubby’s brunch favorites. They’re all right here.
•   Fortune Cookie Ornament, $14. These gold painted glass ornaments are fun and funky. I only have a few left in the store, so call or come by soon if you want one.
• Vintage Fabric Kitchen Towel, $25. For when it’s all over but the dishes.

Hello all!

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you that the new Lonny magazine has hit the internet – www.lonnymag.com .  If you are following us on twitter, my apologies as this is my third mention of it.  Although, I feel very strongly that everyone should check this out and support it so three mentions is probably not enough.  : )

Anyway, read it and love it as much as I do.  It could be the new wave of media.  We sorely need a new voice in the design community and I think this is it!

One reason I love Old Town is because it has such a beautiful waterway and wonderful sailing heritage. I love to walk along the marina with my family on warm summer evenings and watch the boats glide slowly along the Potomac. Last Christmas we took the kids on a river cruise with Santa himself. It was a real treat, and one they still talk about.

I was never much of a sailor myself, but I love the old nautical traditions and appreciate the historic significance this mode of travel and trade, adventure and exploration holds all along the Atlantic Coast. It’s what inspired this set of gift ideas. Not all of these items are available online, but what’s not linked below can be ordered by phone* or purchased at the store.

• Sail Seafarer Jute Pillow, $100, a wonderful ode to tall sailing ships, this 22-inch pillow is screened in navy blue with matching piping. You can practically hear the timbers creek and the gulls over head.
• Vaugondy 1745 Noir Globe, $240, this reproduction of a mid-18th century French globe would add a touch of elegance to any office, study or family room.
• Message in a Bottle Kit, $14, they say a message in a bottle can drift halfway around the world before washing up on a distant beach. Now your children can send their very own messages and see where their imaginations take them.
• A Field Guide to Sail Boats of North America, $21, includes illustrations and detailed descriptions of 255 boats, including statistical data such as draft, sail area, and hull construction — perfect for the sailing enthusiast in your life.
• The Paper Captain, $9.95, relive a century of nautical history with facts, figures, and stunning illustrations, then cut out and build 20 beautiful die-cut paper models — designed to float!
• The Louis Vuitton Cup, $75, this stately, illustrated volume offers an impassioned account of the competition’s inception and vision, and a closer look at seven landmark races in the regatta’s history.
• Eye of Time Desk Clock, $42, this smart and portable timepiece features a spherical lens that doubles as a magnifying glass, chrome stem and band.
• Knot Door Stopper, $50, this giant jute rope knot makes an attractive and interesting door stop or accent piece.
• Blown Glass Pearl in Oyster Ornament, $17, add a little undersea shimmer to your Christmas tree this year. Silver shell with pearl white interior.
• Cape Horn Anchor, $29, small brass anchors like this one were displayed beside the entrance to the family cottage to announce the homecoming of seafaring husband or son.
• Sailors Knot keychain, $7.50, monkey’s fist knot keychain with a solid brass shackle closure is expert ditty work — made by fishermen in off-season.
• Replica 19th Century Pocket Compass, $55, a miniature travel version of the ancient mariner’s compass. A set of concentric gimbaled rings make sure the compass always hangs level.

* To order by phone, call 703-838-0355. Our special holiday hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

This is one terrific piece and would make an awesome side table or TV stand. Believe me it can bare any weight you could put on it. It is constructed of steel and wood and likely had some sort of heavy machining tool mounted on it. It’s top has been drilled with mounting holes. This is for someone who likes the industrial look. The middle shelf is subdivided into a number of compartments that you could use to store just about anything.

The piece has been refinished and we had to replace the wheels. The original casters were not salvageable, but the replacement wheels are old and do not take away from the piece at all. 

Dimensions: 29 1/8 inches tall by 44 inches wide and 15 7/8 inches deep.

SOLD

We have two young children in our house so Christmas is a really big deal. Last Sunday they spent the morning circling toys in one of the newspaper inserts. My son literally circled everything in one book (except the girrrrl toys — yuck). My daughter was a bit more discerning and not quite as gender biased. She did show a preference for kitties, though.

Of course Santa won’t bring everything on their wish lists, but they might find a few of the goodies they circled under the tree.

As a parent, I try to balance my children’s diet of toys. Some toys are like junk food, they’re fun for a day (if they last that long), then wind up spending the rest of the year at the bottom of the toy box. Other toys are engaging, fun, teach kids to think and will get regular use.

If you’re like me, then you’ll appreciate the toys below. They are for younger children, but we have a fairly wide selection of classic books and other items that older kids would enjoy too. And, the best thing about these toys is that every one of them could have come from Santa himself.

• The Truth About Santa Claus, $19.95, a fun little book that uses “evidence” such as vintage illustrations and antique postcards to unearth the real Santa Claus.
• Belle Amis Puzzle Cubes, $49, a set of three all-cotton stacking cubes that little ones, ages 0 to 3, can use to create six different characters.
• Memory Match 16, $35, slide in one of four double-sided cards into a natural wooden board, then lift the red dots to match numbers, animals patterns and more.
• Handknit Stacking Rings, $67, hand crafted from soft pima cotton by women’s cooperative in Bolivia. Great fun for any toddler.
• Christmas Tree decoration, $17, this little tree provides a vintage touch to any holiday display. Guaranteed to take you back to your own cherished memories.
• Let’s Play Mail, $63, this fun felt play set comes in three great varieties — letters and postcards to mom and dad, letters to grandma and pa, and letters to Santa.