Hi all, I am so happy to share a new interview in the A SMALL CHAT series and this one is simply awesome! I am planning my wedding and have been spending some major design time on wedding-inspired blogs and websites. One of my absolute favorites - the blog and website of Found Vintage Rentals blog by the lovely Jeni Maus. Jenni has over 12 years of experience in the wedding industry and has an incredible eye for discovering and curating gorgeous vintage furniture and decor items. Seriously - Jeni's collection of vintage goods is thoughtful and dynamic - I love it all! As a design lover, enjoy what Jeni has to say about choosing pieces for small spaces, mixing and matching design styles, creating vignettes in your small space and more.
You are the founder and owner of found, vintage furniture and decor rentals and sales. You have such an eye for curating unique vintage pieces across the board. (I absolutely love your style!) How do you search and then select pieces to ultimately create a vignette? A lot of small space dwellers want to add as much style into their square footage and picking the best pieces is sometimes a challenge.
My motto is "form over function." Our home was built in 1926 so I know about small spaces, and when I decorate it (yes, I am constantly changing things) I don't always think about the most "functional" pieces, but rather the ones I like to look at. Not to say that nothing has a purpose, but I want to love everything I have in my spaces. Another crucial element in decorating small spaces is, layering. It creates depth, and can actually make a space look bigger by putting pieces on top of and around each other.
Your collection of available pieces is amazing and it's quite a mix of textures, colors, patterns, etc. I definitely believe that mixing and matching furniture and decor in a small space works and can make a room appear bigger with the addition of textures. What tips can you give for mixing and matching furniture? Is there such thing as too much mixing?
"It's in the mix, not the match!" I am, nor never have been a matchy, matchy kind of gal. Furniture is a great way to express your style putting pieces together that may consist of different kinds of wood, or shapes just shows a dynamic personality. I love throwing is some industrial pieces as well. The straight lines and harsher materials are a wonderful contrast to the softer, chippier pieces in my collection. I think it is a great balance.
On loving. living. small., I often talk about making your house a home and the foundation for this is to feel great in your space. You create "real moments" in your vignettes for weddings, events, photo shoots, etc. I mean, I think I could lay back and relax on one of your sofas in a field of green grass for days - your photos truly evoke a sense of feeling fabulous. :) How important is it to make a furniture layout "feel" good and what are your tips for making this happen?
Accessorizing. It is crucial. Pillows, candles, books, lamps, clocks....there are so many ways to make a vignette more inviting, which is exactly how I want my clients guests to feel at their wedding. I want Uncle Fred to feel like he is sitting in an outdoor living room, chatting it up with other family and friends. If too many accessories feel overwhelming, I would say pillows are at the top of the list of must-haves to make a space feel more comfortable. Even throwing a rug down under the coffee table (yes even if it is on the grass) makes the space feel warm, and comfortable.
I often tell small space dwellers to edit their things and really integrating items they love into their home that also are efficient in the space. Can you offer a few ideas on how to edit a space? What about adding in new pieces?
When you love something, you can't live without it. You can walk a room/or any space, and some things will evoke emotions, some will not. Some items have memories associated to them, or sentimental value, and some just make you happy. If there are pieces that don't do any of these things, most likely you could do without them. This may also open up the door for incorporating new pieces that will evoke those emotions! I am always adding, switching around, making changes. You will always find things that you love, how much you love them is the question? I base that love and the decision to buy an item on how it makes me feel. If I know I am going to smile every time I look at it, it usually goes home with me.
Where do you find your vintage inspiration (flea markets, magazines, films, environment, etc) and what has been your favorite vintage find? I can't wait to hear what you love because I love all the items you have on your site :)
Home magazines and blogs really inspire me. One of the most relaxing things to me is to curl up on the couch and look at one of the many home magazines that I subscribe to. Blogs are the same. I get lost in them, and feel inspired at all of the beauty and creativity in the blog world. Flea markets do the same. I spend hours and hours at them, and there is no better feeling than finding something (that you weren't at all looking for) but wonder how you have lived without it all this time :) My favorite find...easy. A chair that has been completely stripped down to the lining, (buttons still attached with fabric) and horse hair and hay coming out all over the place. The original upholstery webbing is still attached on the back and the caster wheels are original, but the chair is not to sit in. It is itchy and pokes in weird places, but it will remain un-upholstered in my dining room (or somewhere in my house) for as long as I live.
My motto is "form over function." Our home was built in 1926 so I know about small spaces, and when I decorate it (yes, I am constantly changing things) I don't always think about the most "functional" pieces, but rather the ones I like to look at. Not to say that nothing has a purpose, but I want to love everything I have in my spaces. Another crucial element in decorating small spaces is, layering. It creates depth, and can actually make a space look bigger by putting pieces on top of and around each other.
Your collection of available pieces is amazing and it's quite a mix of textures, colors, patterns, etc. I definitely believe that mixing and matching furniture and decor in a small space works and can make a room appear bigger with the addition of textures. What tips can you give for mixing and matching furniture? Is there such thing as too much mixing?
"It's in the mix, not the match!" I am, nor never have been a matchy, matchy kind of gal. Furniture is a great way to express your style putting pieces together that may consist of different kinds of wood, or shapes just shows a dynamic personality. I love throwing is some industrial pieces as well. The straight lines and harsher materials are a wonderful contrast to the softer, chippier pieces in my collection. I think it is a great balance.
On loving. living. small., I often talk about making your house a home and the foundation for this is to feel great in your space. You create "real moments" in your vignettes for weddings, events, photo shoots, etc. I mean, I think I could lay back and relax on one of your sofas in a field of green grass for days - your photos truly evoke a sense of feeling fabulous. :) How important is it to make a furniture layout "feel" good and what are your tips for making this happen?
Accessorizing. It is crucial. Pillows, candles, books, lamps, clocks....there are so many ways to make a vignette more inviting, which is exactly how I want my clients guests to feel at their wedding. I want Uncle Fred to feel like he is sitting in an outdoor living room, chatting it up with other family and friends. If too many accessories feel overwhelming, I would say pillows are at the top of the list of must-haves to make a space feel more comfortable. Even throwing a rug down under the coffee table (yes even if it is on the grass) makes the space feel warm, and comfortable.
I often tell small space dwellers to edit their things and really integrating items they love into their home that also are efficient in the space. Can you offer a few ideas on how to edit a space? What about adding in new pieces?
When you love something, you can't live without it. You can walk a room/or any space, and some things will evoke emotions, some will not. Some items have memories associated to them, or sentimental value, and some just make you happy. If there are pieces that don't do any of these things, most likely you could do without them. This may also open up the door for incorporating new pieces that will evoke those emotions! I am always adding, switching around, making changes. You will always find things that you love, how much you love them is the question? I base that love and the decision to buy an item on how it makes me feel. If I know I am going to smile every time I look at it, it usually goes home with me.
Where do you find your vintage inspiration (flea markets, magazines, films, environment, etc) and what has been your favorite vintage find? I can't wait to hear what you love because I love all the items you have on your site :)
Home magazines and blogs really inspire me. One of the most relaxing things to me is to curl up on the couch and look at one of the many home magazines that I subscribe to. Blogs are the same. I get lost in them, and feel inspired at all of the beauty and creativity in the blog world. Flea markets do the same. I spend hours and hours at them, and there is no better feeling than finding something (that you weren't at all looking for) but wonder how you have lived without it all this time :) My favorite find...easy. A chair that has been completely stripped down to the lining, (buttons still attached with fabric) and horse hair and hay coming out all over the place. The original upholstery webbing is still attached on the back and the caster wheels are original, but the chair is not to sit in. It is itchy and pokes in weird places, but it will remain un-upholstered in my dining room (or somewhere in my house) for as long as I live.
Thanks, Jeni! Definitely click here to check out Jenni's fabulous website and blog, found. Follow her right here @foundrentals. And enjoy over 20 more small space inspired interviews from designers, lifestyle experts, design bloggers and more, including...
:: all images via found ::
great post! i love hearing the inside look at such a great designer!