FIELDS, FINDS AND FUN: BRIMFIED

Having never braved the wilds of Brimfield, I jumped at the opportunity to join Robert Allen for the new Naturals Collection launch, Benjamin Moore and a fun group of bloggers in the tented fields of Massachusetts. What a time we had, rummaging, foraging, finding and buying accessories, furniture, trinkets and treasures.  The thrill of the hunt was in full effect.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted at the styled up tent by the tweet up gals of #Brimfield, Gretchen Aubuchon of Fashion Decor and Cynthia Bogart of The Daily Basics. Having a posh home base amidst the tented fields was a huge relief. We cooled our heels there, enjoyed a presentation of the on trend Naturals Collection, and then headed to the fields with fabric samples to find the perfect pieces to have recovered. The field finds were then made over, and I just saw their transformation yesterday at the Robert Allen D and D Showroom. The chairs were jazzed up with Naturals fabrics and a coat of Benjamin Moore color.  I only wish I had found more pieces to turn around 360 degrees.

  The Brimfied Tent

 The Bar!

Mixologist Warren Bobrow, The Cocktail Whisperer, mixed up fierce concoctions for us

There is something for everyone in their Naturals line. From circles, to abstracted kuba cloth, Americana, embroidery, ikats and damasks, the collection was filled with wonderful indigo blues and creams.

A sweet floral embroidery on the palest blue cotton ground 

Like a patchwork quilt, the monochromatic black and white woven is modernized 

Utilizing modern stitching techniques, this  fabric could make a lovely coverlet 

Inventive and fresh, an over sized daisy motif matelasse was a fresh take on a floral

THE BUYS:

The bamboo chair that stole my heart with a cane seat in pristine condition. $65, yes, you heard that right. This find was spiffed up and recovered for a raffle at the Robert Allen showroom.

And here it is, all prettied up in a fresh coat of pale blue paint and a a cushion made from a square blue and green ikat-tinged print with a striped lumbar pillow

The other makeover chairs, a set of 4 modern chrome framed barrel backed chairs for $150

The big reveal-
these chrome babies got a second lease on life with textural wovens in the blue and grey family

The third renovation, a pair of vintage curve back wood frame chairs in a sleek grey damask and zig zag with grey painted finish came out beautifully

If you go, don't miss the Pilgrim Sandwich, a Mass special, of fresh roasted turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing. Oh yeah.

WHAT I SPIED:
I must include the fact that there is a ton of stuff I edited out. My eyes got tired from the constant scanning and my brain was working though my mental checklist, ticking off my requirements. What was it used for? Could I use it? What was the condition? Was it unusual or unique? And finally, did I love it?  There is so much junk/flea market yucky/kitschy stuff to sort through, but also great stuff to look at, as you will see below.

A set of Spode's Turkey pattern

Beautiful English china and great cake servers

A standing Buddha with a richly colored patinated paint 

A chic lidded white tureen with teal edging

Platters galore

Mid-century modern was few and far between, there was one vendor whose prices were a bit higher than they should have been.

A set of kidney nesting tables were a nice find

A set of green, black and white porcelain in a flowering vine pattern was heaven

British Westie drawings had loads of charm

Antique grainsack fabrics by the yard. I learned the line markings varied by family and represented the farm they owned.

I had heard about the Lone Ranger and his famous Swedish furniture from many great interior designers. It was a real treat to see his finds.

This set of chairs was beautiful

Another great set of chairs

This French chair was ready to roll

Painted wooden mushrooms? Ok. There is something for everyone.

A wooden watermelon was not old but new. It would have been great if it was really old. I would have bought it to give to JG Mellons and their melon-adorned art.

Delicate ebony chairs

This sign would be a great gift for friends with kids that are often at play

The fashion tent had some cool finds, like this feather cloche with velvet ribbon

For the nautical enthusiasts, a sloop in a vitrine

Another Westie, this one a doorstop

A birdcage in the shape of the Taj Mahal was quirky and fun

Nice bamboo bar accessories were priced a bit high

A cool high backed chair with shiny black vinyl upholstery and red paint job.

Using old butcher block, this creative dealer repurposed the tops with modern metal bases

I was impressed with some dealers savvy display techniques

A find for a big kitchen or restaurant with rustic interiors, these enormous pine tables had presence

Repurposed wood and new metal bases in a chic booth

This dealer had it together-- arranged in vignettes, old signage and European pieces co-mingled

A bow front chest with layers of peeling paint

Their wares filled an entire tent

Swedish stuff

Belgian ceramic planters were mod and fun

Green glass spheres that were used for fishing

A plethora of brightly painted buoys. Anthropologie, why didn't you buy these?!

A spectacular Italian marble and aged metal console

Old ice cream molds were a sight