Last weekend, the six of us who comprise the DIY/Home Blogger Haven Conference Team (Traci from Beneath My Heart, Chris from Just a Girl, Kristin our Haven Event Planner, Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick, Rhoda from Southern Hospitality, and yours truly) all met in Nashville to plan for Haven 2014 . Haven 2014 will be taking place once again in Atlanta, GA (NOT in Nashville) at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia near Perimeter Mall from July 10-12, 2014. We got a ton of prep work done for next year’s conference and managed to slip in some fun along the way!
Our two main stops were the shops on Main Street in Franklin, TN (a suburb of Nashville) and downtown on Broadway in Nashville. This was a very short whirlwind trip so that is all we were able to cram in, but it was plenty! I thought you’d like to come virtual touring/shopping with me and glean some inspiration from all of the gorgeous handmade items in the boutique shops.
We ate at 55 South for lunch two of the days and everyone raved about their comfort-food meals. The decor nside the restaurant is fun and I thought you all would like this giant Gulf sign pendant.
The shops in Franklin are adorable and the surrounding neighborhoods are gorgeous. You can easily spend an entire day wandering happily around Franklin. The first shop we popped into was Lulu. Aren’t those pillows adorable?! I told my husband that we might need some as a necessary reminder of what his “script” should be :).
I thought this blue buffalo check bedding was charming and loved the rustic wood headboard.
Here are some clever ideas: Use vintage drawers with shelf liner as shelving displays for your wall. Use a mirror as a tray.
The next shop that I had to share with you is called The Iron Gate. Lots of industrial, salvaged, and French-inspired decor in this store.
I am always a sucker for a gorgeous brick wall!
The light fixtures were all unique and filled with sparkly glamour.
I was feeling a bit tired at this point in the day and had to restrain myself from hopping into this bed. What a luxe display!
There were many coastal items for sale. All of the real coral had me swooning.
A ginormous clock is always a good focal point!
I liked this industrial chain lamp.
There was so much to look at it was stimulation overload…and I liked it :).
The bedroom displays were all very Parisian and elegant.
This light fixture isn’t really my style but I liked the concept and thought it might get your creative juices flowing.
This was a creative take on a baby mobile.
Loved the idea of using an old birdbath as a sandbox display.
I made a similar driftwood sailboat a few years ago that I still enjoy.
Okay, let’s move along and pop in on Anthropologie! These pictures will be more familiar to you but Anthro is always fun to look at. Never before have I wanted an entire alphabet of mugs until now.
I thought this broom display was ingenious. It could be cute for Halloween as well!
Yes please, I will take the entire cabinet…moss and all.
There is a tea room near me that serves tea in footed mugs and I’ve been obsessed with little feet on my mugs ever since. These are adorable.
Pretty ladies looking at pretty Anthro knobs :).
This settee looked cozy to curl up in.
I am a big fan of the store displays at Anthropologie and was thrilled to meet one of the display designers! I asked him how they determined the displays each season and whether or not they all collectively talk to one another. He said that corporate gives them ideas of what the theme should be and they then put their own take on the idea. Some of the flagship stores send over their designs as a springboard for creative ideas. This month’s theme was “Forraging for Mushrooms”. He showed me the sketch he drew for the display and then explained how he made all of those cute mushrooms.
The mushroom is made by shaping spray insulation foam around a balloon to create the mushroom cap mold. The mushroom caps are then covered in paper and dipped in wax and painted. The stems were made from coffee filters and some other type of paper that I’m forgetting the name of. Coffee grounds are used as “dirt”. Clever!
Here is his display in progress from the outside of the store.
I’ll finish our shopping trip with just a few more clever ideas for you! Book lovers look away :). These cut out letters from vintage books were so cute.
And I really liked this chippy wall art made from reclaimed wood.
Our last stop in Franklin was at the Antique Mall which housed a variety of antiques and handmade items.
I thought some of you might appreciate these burlap silverware holders.
And just a few more shots of some handmade cornhusk wreaths that would be fun to make.
We finished our trip in downtown Nashville where things were crazy! The energy on this street is palpable and on this particular Saturday night it was hopping.
There was even an Elvis spotting!
And yes, some line dancing might have taken place :). Thanks for tagging along on my trip! I hope you enjoyed living vicariously through my pics. If you’re ever in the Nashville area, stop by Franklin because I think you will adore it as much as I did!
Anne Boykin says
Hi Beth, You’re in good company with your Haven group! What a great job you all have done the past 2 years. You have much to be proud of, seriously. I love Franklin too but need to go back and explore the shops. Thanks for your lovely blog.
Beth says
Thanks so much Anne!
Diane @ Vintage Zest says
I TOTALLY agree with you about Franklin! Back when I was a student in Nashville, I was there all of the time, and not just because they had the only Costco at the time. 🙂 It’s probably a good thing that I only had my tiny apartment to decorate or else I would have spent an arm and a leg at those beautiful stores!
Beth says
It would be so easy to blow big money in Franklin :). Loved all the shops!