Thursday, December 31, 2009

New Year Blessings


We'd like to wish you all a Happy and Blessed New Year!
2010 is going to be a banner year for everyone... We've been working on quite a few things behind the scenes, and are pleased to share them with you!

First up: our new web site, at www.RetreatStyle.com
Yep, that's a name adjustment:
'Retreat' is who we are.
'Retreat Style' is how we do what we do!

We'll be using our web site to connect with retailers and the press as we grow our business to the next level. We think of it as a 'resume' of sorts, able to share vital biz info at a glance. The site connects to our blog, our Facebook page, and our photo portfolios for a more in-depth look at Retreat.

Here on our blog, we've cleaned up a bit and made things easier to find. We'll continue to offer updated info about our products and shows, as well as decorating inspiration and ideas for green living. We know you love vintage style, junking, & thrifting, so we're dedicating ourselves to the task of providing you with more ideas for your creative decorating projects. Our blog links to our Facebook page to keep it updated, as well. If you have photos of Retreat products in your home,  post them on our Facebook wall or send them to us - we'd love to share them with others!

We've been a'flitterin', and now we're a-twitterin'...


Yep, you can keep up with our 'Retreat Tweets' here.  
A button on our sidebar will easily connect you. (I may regret adding one more online responsibility to my list, but like blogs and Facebook, Twitter is a viable business tool, so we need to jump into the pool!) We are just getting started with this, so bear with us... but please DO follow us. We'll follow you back, we promise!

What's up ahead for Retreat?

At the request of some of our customers, we are developing a wholesale line of furniture that we can replicate consistently and provide to retail stores as merchandise for sale - and also as their display fixtures. Based on the 'one of a kind' creations that we are known for, these basic pieces will also be available at retail prices in our show booths later in the year.

We have been honored with an invitation to participate in BarnHouse's upcoming Online Market, and are preparing some of our smaller signature products to be available there. Keep an eye on their site for more info about when Retreat will be featured this spring. (Yes, friends, this DOES include my original Junk Queen Crowns!)

Our schedule for 2010 includes our favorite shows (Farm Chicks, BarnHouse, Sand Point, plus more as we add them) and plans for some very special events, offers, discounts, gifts, and giveaways.

We'll unveil our own seasonal boutique, which we are calling ' Petite Retreat'! One of our small barns here on Retreat Farm will be open for one day each season, offering our wares and a party atmosphere in a setting close to our hearts. As we progress through the year, we'll be adding featured guests to the roster. Stay tuned - the first 'Petite Retreat' will be for Spring, in late March!
 

Some of these special offers will be available only to our mailing list. If you have signed up at a show over this past year, don't worry, you're already on it! If you haven't done that, send an email to retreatstyle@gmail.com with 'mailing list' in the subject line, and we'll add you! We'll also offer some giveaway goodies to our blog Followers and Facebook fans, so even if you aren't one of our local show-going Retreat Peeps, you can still get in on the action. 

We want to thank each and every one of you for your friendship, encouragement, emotional & financial support, and time. We consider the fact that you share part of your busy lives and days with us an honor, and we appreciate you! We love what we do, and we love sharing it with you. May this year bring you an abundance of blessings, friends!
Blessings,
Bob & Deb

Happy Holidays!


From my home to yours, wishing you all a very happy holiday!!
It has been a great gift to travel this road with you.
Thank you so much for reading, commenting and continuing to inspire me.
Wishing you peace and happiness in the New Year!
xxx-Gina

More of the Story...

I finally found a copy of Somerset Life, and there we are on page 12. WOW.

See our previous post for that news! We thought perhaps you'd like to hear the whole story behind the tent and the photo in the magazine...

The darling BarnHouse Boys invited us to participate in their Flea Market show last July. Amidst the buzzing preparations for it, they dropped the bombshell: Pre-show events were to include a CAMPING TENT COMPETITION. I believe my exact words in response to this announcement were 'Oh, we are SO all OVER that!'

It took all of one day for us to figure out what look we'd go for (a beach cabana), and then a massive structure began to rise in our backyard. We assembled our 20 X 20 party tent, and went to work. When all was said and done, it turned out like this: White and tan canvas, white furniture, two blow-up beds, countless pillows and chenille bedspreads, lanterns and candles, one of Bob's many BBQ's, one small Moroccan stove, AND a huge silver chandelier.

We thought it would be a great place to gather with friends while at the show, as well as being a perfect retreat to relax and sleep in. We were right - all during the show, while we were hard at work in the barn, curious and weary show attendees were sitting, lying, resting, relaxing, and otherwise enjoying our tent! (a pillow fight enused at one point.... I found evidence....)

One elderly couple commented to Bob (as he arrived there to fix our lunches on show day) that this was such a thoughtful thing for the show to have done - provided a resting spot for guests. ;0) It was at the back of the property, up a hill... but everyone made their way to it!
 
The other dealers at the show and photographer Robin Laws are the ones who nicknamed it 'the Taj Ma Tent' and 'Tent Ma Hal'... in my own defense, here's why it was so over the top: These are THE BOYS. Everything they DO is over the top. Add to that their slyly veiled comments about THE QUEEN, Cindy of Tarte, bringing an actual CIRCUS TENT to this soiree. So I ask you, how was I supposed to show up with like, a Coleman tent? SO not going to happen. Deb has a competitive gene and loves a good party! (I'm still sad that through an unfortunate series of events, Cindy's tent did not materialize.) Bob put in his two theatrical cents, too: the chandelier lights up by way of a jump-start battery charger!
 
So, our big ol' tent helped us beat the heat (sort of), treat the Boys to a lovely dinner, and entertained a lot of people at the show. And now it's providing inspiration on the pages of Somerset! You'll see a version of it appear as the backdrop for our show booths in 2010, as well. We owe the Boys a debt of gratitude for spurring us on to acheive greater creative visions for their show AND for graciously including us in their 'Barn People' family. And a huge thank you to Robin for capturing our style in her poetic photos and sharing them with Somerset! (BTW, the mesh curtains looked so much more romantic when they were loose and flowing, but the wind kicked up and they tangled horribly... ergo the unromantic knots in them)

By the way, the funniest part of the story?
Our neighbors saw this monstrosity taking shape in our backyard on the third of July. We spent most of the Fourth fine tuning the details, then sat out in it with the lanterns & candles lit that night watching fireworks go off out over the sea. The next day, several of them came by to say how sad it was that we had to cancel our party. I'm sure we looked confused, because we heard from them that they watched as we sat alone out there, after doing all that work for a party. We just smiled and nodded, knowing that if we had tried to explain WHY we created this and what it was REALLY for, they'd never understand.... ;0) (And then we packed it all up and hauled it to Battle Ground!)

Image credits: Top: Somerset Life Magazine and Robin Laws. All others: DWK for Retreat, 2009.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Dreams DO Come True!


We are thrilled to share this news with you... a photo of our Retreat 'Taj Ma Tent' accompanies the feature story on the BarnHouse Boys in the January 2010 issue of Somerset Life Magazine! We want to express our gratitude for the amazing talents and generosity of photographer Robin Laws and marketeers extraordinaire the BarnHouse Boys for their part in making this possible.

Obviously, we are overjoyed by the Somerset editors' choice of one of Robin's photos of our tent for inclusion in this beautiful magazine... it's been a dream of ours for quite some time, and now there we are! To see more of our 'Taj Ma Tent', click on the photo in our sidebar... (The photo shown above is one that we took. Robin's are much more artful!)

In addition, the current Fall issue of PORCH Magazine includes some photos of Retreat. We'd like to express our thanks for the remarkable skill and thoughtfulness of sweet Kimberly Taylor, of Mimi Charmante blog and Kimberly Taylor Images. She has captured our style beautifully, and very generously included us in her published portfolio.

Image Credit: Kimberly Taylor Images
We are very grateful to have friends who believe in what we are doing with Retreat! Thank you for your encouragement and support... it really means more to us than we can adequately express. We are so blessed to be a part of this world of vintage wonderment and creativity, and look forward to all that 2010 brings to each and every one of us!
(When we actually get our hands on each of these issues, we'll share snaps of the pages!)

Monday, December 28, 2009

Rollin' With The HOMIES



Our Retreat blog has been added to the list of 'Green Home' decor blog 
nominees for Apartment Therapy's 'the Homies' blog awards!

Update: As of December 29, the rankings are closed. 
We didn't make the finals, but invite you to cast your vote HERE 
for another deserving Green Home blog!
There are six finalists and a HUGE list of great contenders. Plus there are hundreds of nominated blogs about Home Decor, Kids' Rooms, and more to discover.


If you like what we offer here in the way of home decor inspiration using green concepts, pop on over and add us to your faves right HERE. The top favorite blogs will move on to the voting stage on December 30th, and we'd appreciate you helping us spread the word about Retreat! Read more about how it works here. No big prize for this, just a nice mention from Apartment Therapy, who holds the contest. But you know what they say: "It's an honor just to be nominated!"

Image Credit: Apartment Therapy and the Homies awards.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

home interior decorating painting pictures

modern home interior decorating
modern home interior decorating



minimalist home interior decorating
minimalist home interior decorating



best home interior decorating
best home interior decorating



home interior decorating painting picture
home interior decorating painting picture



trend of home interior decorating
trend of home interior decorating

Saturday, December 26, 2009

interior designs living room picture ideas

interior designs living room idea
interior designs living room idea



designs living room picture
designs living room picture



modern living room interior designs
modern living room interior designs



minimalist living room interior designs
minimalist living room interior designs



virtual living room interior designs
virtual living room interior designs

75% OFF Sale


Now in our Retreat space at Poppyseeds:
75% OFF
ALL Holiday Decor items from Retreat

plus our remaining furniture has been reduced in price.
(Note: Furniture is not 75% off, just reduced. ;0) )
We have new product to install in our space after the first of the year,
so we're clearin' it out! Sale ends December 31

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Holiday Wishes



We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
(And we're leaving our Christmas Tunes on here through Friday... ;0) )

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

A Few Changes...


We really love all of the wonderful friends we've made in this business!
(BTW, a request: please keep our friends in this photo in your thoughts & prayers...)

We have so many friends to share with you that our sidebar's blog link list was getting completely out of hand, and causing our blog to load very slowly - so we've moved it to post form. If you click on the link buttons in the sidebar, you'll be able to access a list of our favorite blogs & web sites - we've even categorized it to make it easier to find certain types of sites! We regret that Blogger hasn't yet made it possible to embed the RSS version of the blog link list into a post - it only works on the sidebar. So blog links in that post do not refresh with new activity.

We've also moved our As Seen On - Press / Photo Portfolio / Past Shows / 2010 Show Schedule link lists to post form and linked them to buttons on our sidebar for easier navigation.

In the weeks to come, we've got more changes, some additions, and a fresh look coming to Retreat.... stay tuned!

Image Credit: Kimberly Taylor Images from Mimi Charmante blog

Monday, December 21, 2009

Sliding Interior Doors - Design and Practical Benefits of Sliding Doors Make For Commonplace Use

Increasingly over the past few years, sliding interior doors have become very popular for use throughout the house, home and office. Commonplace, in fact. Whether as doors between rooms instead of traditional swinging doors, as room dividers in an office space, or as sliding wardrobe doors in the bedroom, people are now seeing both the design benefits and practical benefits - from an interior design perspective and a space saving perspective - of using sliding doors in both their workplace and their home.

We often find people are stunned by the vast range of interior sliding door options available to them. Mirrored doors, glass doors, lacquered finish, japanese style, bi folding doors, room dividers - the list goes on. Nowadays, with sliding doors being used throughout the home more and more as wardrobe doors, bedroom doors and kitchen doors, people are demanding more quality and selection when making their interior design choices.

Interior sliding doors manufacturers, by and large, have responded over the past several years, with new styles and designs continuing to multiply. Standards of interior sliding doors these days are generally very high and, as long as you use an established sliding door company to supply and/or install your doors, you are sure to be very pleased. For installation, most good supply companies can provide a fitting service. Alternatively, if you have a good practical sense and/or some basic construction knowledge you may wish to install the sliding doors yourself. With the economy being stretched, and people's DIY capabilities improving, many people choose to do-it-themselves these days.

The most popular style of interior sliding doors by far are glass sliding doors. Widely used in office settings as they open up a small space and make it feel productive and professional, they also offer a good source of light to less exposed areas. They are also extensively used as patio or conservatory doors in the home, allowing more light, ease of access and space where they are positioned. In bedroom spaces, mirrored doors are very popular as they give you a chic, dressing-room feel and add a tremendous amount of style and character that no other material can provide.

Sliding interior doors work perfectly for small spaces as they don't take up any of your precious space or interfere with foot traffic when they are open. Simply slide them shut - or leave them open! These very simple yet effective design aspects mean sliding interior doors are becoming a "commonplace" in contemporary homes and offices. So, there are both great practical benefits and design benefits to having interior sliding doors in your home or workplace. If you are considering getting sliding doors for your home or office, why not take a look at some of the available designs online as you'll surely find there is plenty to choose from. Good luck!!

Design Xil Bathroom Furniture from Karol with Uncommon

Design Xil Bathroom Furniture
Design Xil Bathroom FurnitureDesign Xil Bathroom Furniture modern from Karol with Uncommon


Design Xil Bathroom Furniture
Design Xil Bathroom Furniture
Design Xil Bathroom Furniture modern

Modern architecture house ideas designs pictures

Modern architecture house ideas designs
Modern architecture house ideas designs
Modern architecture house designs pictures


Modern architecture house ideas designs
Modern architecture house ideas designs
Modern architecture house designs pictures

Classic living room design sofa

Classic living room design sofa
Classic living room design sofa
Classic living room design sofa pictures


Classic living room design sofa
Classic living room design sofa
Classic living room design sofa
Classic living room design sofa pictures

Indian Modern Contemporary Home Design

Indian Modern Contemporary Home Design
Indian Modern Contemporary Home Design

Indian Modern Contemporary Home Design photos



Indian Modern Contemporary Home Design
Indian Modern Contemporary Home Design

Indian Modern Contemporary Home Design pictures

Futura Cucine with Minimalist Kitchen design

Futura Cucine  with Minimalist Kitchen design
Futura Cucine  with Minimalist Kitchen design
Futura Cucine  with Minimalist Kitchen design
Minimalist Kitchen by Futura Cucine
Futura Cucine  with Minimalist Kitchen design

Futura Cucine with Minimalist Kitchen design pictures

Blog Archive