Monthly Feature at the Queen

Hey all you vintage lovin’ peeps!  I’m Sarah from {Home-ology} modern vintage and I'm super stoked to be guest posting at The Queen’s blog where I’ll be featuring some great antiques and vintage items from their ever-changing inventory. 

Each & every month I’ll highlight a particular piece from one of the three Queen of Hearts locations and either demonstrate what it is, what it can be, what is was used for, or what its history is.  The Queen has so many talented dealers and such an eclectic variety; it’s the perfect way to showcase the always interesting mix of goods being offered.  And hopefully you’ll find a little inspiration along the way ;)

Can any of you tell from this picture just what it is I’m highlighting in the post?  Can you recognize the industrial cart mixed in with the plethora of other stuff?  Does anyone recognize what this industrial cart was used for?  Honestly, it could have been for so many purposes that it wouldn’t be fair to make only one guess, so I won’t.  But me being the lover of all things with wheels and all things made of metal, it's no surprise that this item was the first to catch my eye & the first I chose to feature.  Forgive my passion for rust & crust.  I promise lots of pretty posts in the future – do not be disheartened!

This awesome feature piece was found at the Buford Queen of Hearts location in the HILDA booth on Battery Street.  Lots of industrial goodness in there, let me tell you.

I know, I know.  It's not pretty, and I realize that many of you would simply pass this by not giving it another thought.  It's dirty, it's full of other stuff, it's easy to miss, & it doesn't seem to have a lot of potential going for it.  But that's why I'm here, people - to show you what it can be & to look beyond the ordinary to see the potential.  {Hang with me here...}

I see a great utilitarian piece that will make quite a statement once revived & made fit for today’s needs. 

First, let’s look at the pluses & minuses.  The pluses:  it has wheels {easily moveable}, it has a shelf & a removable basket {great transportable storage}, and the size is a good one for lots of spaces {not too big, not too small}.  Now the minuses:  it's going to take some elbow grease to make it pretty.  That’s its only minus.  From what I can see, the pluses far outweigh...  ;)  A good cleaning, a light sanding, a few coats of paint, and a new top will transform this piece from an outdated relic into something truly awesome & functional.

It’s not as bad as it looks, trust me!  And look what it has the potential to be: 

Perhaps a bar similar to this one from Hudson Goods {their price $695 + s&h}.  Can you see the similarity?  With a piece of wood cut at your local hardware store, or a scrap of natural stone from your local cabinetry shop, your bar can be easily obtained at a much more reasonable price than the $695 from Hudson Goods.  

Hudson Goods

Or, how about a laundry cart?  The removable basket takes your dirty laundry to the wash & your clean laundry to its designated spot.  And if you choose to add a top, it's a great place for folding & sorting.  Industrial laundry carts don't come along often, and this one is a perfect size.  The closest match I was able to find were these from Restoration Hardware.  Not nearly as interesting, nor as functional, RH's version comes at a price of $229 {plus s&h} for the comparable size.

Restoration Hardware

So what do you think of our ugly duckling now?  Can you see the potential I see?  This practical piece can be used & reused in so many ways.  And for the price, the cart is a great deal.  With just a little effort on your part, this relic can be transformed into the statement piece of any room.

I have to admit, I was ecstatic to find this cart at such an affordable price and found it very hard not to take it home with me.  But that wouldn't be at all fair, now would it...  Alas, I left it for one of you dear readers to have for your very own.  Dealer HILDA also has a larger version available, should you be interested, along with quite a few other interesting items of great potential.  Just know, if it’s still there the next time I’m in, I just may have to make it my own!

Thanks, Queen, for having me over.  I hope all of you enjoyed this, the first in the series of found items at the Queen, as much as I enjoyed researching it.  I’ll be back next month with another fabulously interesting item you won’t be able to live without.  Hope to see you then!

xo,

Sarah

This is a guest post from Sarah Krouse at {Home-ology) modern vintage.  As well as being a dealer in our Alpharetta location, Sarah blogs over at homeologymodernvintage.com.  If you enjoyed reading her post and would love to see more, we encourage you to stop by her blog.  There you'll see many of her vintage finds in their raw stage, get a story of where they came from, and see transformations of the pieces she revives & repurposes prior to their display at the Queen.