When It Finally SINKs In...

Here on my retail design blog, and also over on my DIY decor blog HOMEWARDfound, 

my goal is to provide you with as many ORIGINAL ideas 

and as much seasonal inspiration as I possibly can. I'll go to [almost] any lengths to do that.

Heck, I'll even throw in the kitchen sink!
.

 In my 40+ years of designing and styling home decor and retail displays,
I've come up with some whopper ideas.

But THIS one is one of my faves - and it was a mistake.

uh huh. a total fluke. great story, too.

But you don't want the story, you want PICTURES!
so, here ya' go:

 
BRILLIANT IDEA, right?!!!!!

thank you. thank you very much.

[it's really not brilliant... scroll down to the end of the post and read the story!]

click on the 'Read More' link on the left for MORE ideas!

Now, you don't have to use a wire cart to hold the sink - 

I used a wood pedestal (originally created to raise a short Christmas tree up higher here) for one:

The top of the wood pedestal was hollow, so the sink fit right on top perfectly.
The addition of a bucket full of herbs was a charming touch, outside the entrance to my farm store.

Or what about using an errant drawer, left from a broken dresser?
Sit it on a table or counter, and nestle the sink into it.

I've used some other sinks in displays, as well...

I had a large section of vintage metal kitchen cabinet, 

topped with an enameled-steel sink with drainboards
JUST like this one

and OH how I loved using it in displays:

 * I filled one vintage sink with white holiday ornaments (that looked like soap bubbles!)

and it held white milk glass & ceramic dishes in our booth at the Farm Chicks show in 2010:

* Another vintage sink with drainboard sat on two wood sawhorses (out of the photo),

and holds the same holiday ornaments and clear glass dessert plates & cups

at the snack bar area of our Petite Retreat Summer Market in 2010:

My friend Marybeth from the sweet shop poppyseeds

   did something similar with another sink she has:

Can you say CLEVER?!

I saw another creative use of sinks just a day ago, at E. Barrett General Store in Julian, CA:

 BRILLIANT use of vintage sinks for displays of bath & body products!
(Note: You can often find these at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStores for under $20 each!) .

What do I always say?
Don't think literally about the stuff you have. Move it around.
See it differently. Use it in a way it's NOT supposed to be used!

_______________________________________________

ok, NOW here's the story about the sink on the wire cart:

I was at a vintage show, unloading the trailer, 

setting up our RETREAT booth with furnishings and accessories

and I needed to move the vintage enamel sink from the trailer across the parking area and to the booth.

And I was tired. I didn't want to carry it. (those things are HEAVY)
so....
I plopped that sink on the top of a folding wire cart
that I had stuffed with burlap fabric in the trailer,

and then I rolled the sink over to where I wanted it - which was in a chair.

But when I looked at the cart, and saw the sink sitting there,

and realized that it was TOTALLY secure 

because the sink's apron was wrapped around the top edge of the cart

and that it was awfully darned easy to maneuver it around like that, 

well, the proverbial LIGHT BULB went on over my head:

Leave. the. sink. on. the. cart, Deb!

I grabbed the burlap and wrapped the outside of the cart with it

 - and that, as they say, was that.
BRILLIANT IDEA. from outta' nowhere. It finally sank in ;)