Spend much time in Grandma's farmhouse where the smell of fresh baked biscuits hit your nose at the same moment of the rooster crow? That image evokes a strong sense of home in those of us who grew up in rural America - and for those of us who wish we had. Decorating a home with primitives, or prim, is all about trying to capture that warm, homey feeling - the feeling of blending the past into the present. It helps you step back, slow down and take a deep breath when you get home from that crazy day at work.
Prim Table $92, Chest $35, Bird Feeder $44
Prim furniture comes in all shapes, sizes and colors - raw unfinshed wood, painted, scraped, weathered, rustic, etc. The beauty is that the pieces you pick don't have to match - not matching is part of the charm. Choose a flat topped trunk as your coffee table...or turn an old peely paint cupboard into a mud room catch all. The pieces you choose don't have to be used for their original intent - their original intent probably no longer exists. And while you can purchase manufactured pieces that are made to look prim - I prefer the real deal - that awesome wood cabinet that you dug out of the barn and still has it's cast iron handles!
Rustic Cabinet $199As for a tip when searching for great primitives in this weekend's estate sale - pass by the house and head to the outdoor shed or barn where you'll most likely find that old painted crackly wardrobe (filled with greasy old tools and jars of rusty nails) just waiting for some TLC, and you!
