Inspiration And Simplicity

"Click on photo to detail art"
Created by Dore Callaway (Me)
I never know what's next, I tend to wrap myself around the smallest details of creating, and wait for the outcome to surprise me. The best part of creating a piece really has no boundaries for me, I will use almost anything of interest. Things of old, used, and less valued speak to me, pieces flaking with plenty of distressing battling to find its soul is a favorite find of mine. I love collecting old house moldings, and always find something to do with it, here is one of the many frames I have created from reclaimed wood. By adding just the right amount of aged white paint to them, and distressing it to my likeness it leads me to my next love.

The candlestick from Anthropologie that inspired this piece.

I took a piece of 12" x 12" paneling and used the ruff side so it would mimic a canvas grain to it, then painting a piece that would capture a less than perfect scale to it something that evokes a feeling of French flea market artful romance. This is where Anthropologie comes in, I had purchased two vintage candlesticks both being different, and unique. After a year I had tired of them, and decided maybe I would like them better painted into a piece of art for my shop where I have sold many in similar likeness to this one. Finished size 22" x 22"



When this piece was completed my daughter Hannah was so taken with it she made a request that she would like to buy it from me, please don't let this one go, she pleaded. I rarely design around my own work in our home, and this piece was sold to my daughter for a kiss and a hug. Now hanging over her chest of drawers, this piece places attention to the unnoticed pieces with added simplicity to her French countryside bedroom.




French countryside bedrooms should always be characterized by simplicity. Simple might mean less then important, yet a French country bedroom is anything but less then. Don't mistake less then with uncomfortable, French countryside should mean simply warm, simply pretty, simplicity in comfort-and wonderful, regardless whether the room is large or small.

"Click on photo" details paint technique
This small side table chest went from dark tiger oak to me painting and distressing it with natural aged feel. It is a French white with a hint of gray,(Dutch Boy paint) eggshell finish, paint color "Spectacular" DB356-1

Inspiring simplicity and grace that carries your heart.
"What ever you paint, paint with all your heart."

It Had-Another Life

"click on photos to enlarge details"
Hand painted and aged with a feel of history to it, signed by myself Dore Callaway 2/2011 Stripped down in the raw, painting than with a soulful brush.

As an artist with a French gypsy brocante style I will paint on almost anything. My favorite works of art seem to create themselves on objects when an item loses its usefulness, it can than be admired for its decorative piece. I love when a piece has acquired age, making it a perfect broncante piece "not quite valued, not quite junk." I invite a piece of brocante into my hands ones that are less than perfect, showing a history of its travels, it than stops it journey once it reaches me. With a paint brush in my bite, and one in my hand I begin my work, remembering to never paint for someone else, but for myself giving it a lightness of touch.


Imagining this piece in a French Boulangerie (BAKERY SHOP) while fashioning decadent creations. Could you see this antique foot board restyled from a beautiful full size bed, and now romancing a life given back to it as a featured piece over a counter of service where beautiful cupcakes, French cheesecakes, macaroons, beautifully displayed truffles, and wedding cakes are created. A fine BAKERY SHOP where only the finest touch your taste buds, Oh my, I have talked myself into it, I think I will open my own bakery, only the best for everyone who enters. They will be greeted with a style that's fashioned with love in mind for all things romantic.


The art of French living fulfills so many different roles in an understated and elegant way, adding pieces to a space that is also an integral important part of the home. The soul and spirit of this antique foot board gives a home its individuality knowing it was first made with another function in its design. Manteling a piece like this over a white fireplace adds artful drama to the staging of French farmhouse in euro chic cottage style, while endulging "Les Details" of your own homes style.


An unlikely cast off foot board turned into a French entry wall panel ready to hang... "Adding style and grace that carries your heart." yours in my etsy!!

The Soul, Of The Piece

"click on photos to enlarge"
Life was lost in this piece, seeing through the years of scratches deep into its lacquer finish, and a few to many personal touches given to it with carved initials in it, making this piece a total loss to many who laid their eyes upon it. To me it was a beauty to behold, and a price that excited a quite scream with what a steal. Our local thrift shop had several mark downs on it, and as a designer and buyer they give us an additional 25% off making this piece a price tag of $26.58 All I could think about was, it was going home with me where I will paint it, distress it with age, making sure I give it a new life.


Appreciating pieces for their beauty (rather than value) being unafraid of mixing eras and styles, while understanding the most important thing is having confidence in your own vision. Inspired by rustic romance, and a huge regard for the past, I find myself embracing a rickety distressed piece for the brave journey its been on, before it had found a new resting place in my hands.



Being attached to European designs this finished piece fit right in with my other French pieces, coming together making it a unique fit. Not to worry about the over sized piece, a simple and sparsely furnished room with over sized pieces create a calm and intimate effect, a feeling that the treasured "keepers" are here to stay.


Always looking at the soul of the piece, while breathing new life into it.

Romantic Aviary Retreats

"Click on Photos to enlarge details"
If I were a bird this is where I would want to live, over looking the room singing, just singing.
My passion remains undimmed for collecting birdcages and birdhouses. As a designer I feel the trend of adding nature to our homes will never wither away. Like many collections, it doesn't matter what you collect as long as its done with passion. Mixing your collecting into your home design without looking like a collection. I am enamored with this cage, it truly has my heart.


Late 19th Century French Birdcage, France.
Hand carved and painted wood, late 19th Century, French Birdcage. Sliding cage doors on either side, open space for feeding tray, wall mount.
height: 37" depth: 12 1/2" width/length: 38 1/2"
Price $1,675
Regalo Antiques
351 Peachtree Hills Ave
Suite 137
Atlanta, GA 30305
usa
Phone: 404-237-4899
Ref. : 0901238269282


Birdcage, large, French, weathered wood and aviary wire
France
erarly 20th c.
Birdcage, large, French, weathered wood and chicken wire.
height: 48 in depth: 15 in width/length: 45 in.
Price
$3,600
DHS Designs
6521 Friel Road
Queenstown, MD 21658
usa
Phone: 410 827 8167
Ref. : 091119870480



French Birdhouse built by me (Dore) I added antique embellishments, and used vintage woods restyled into the making of the birdhouse.
Wild Bird Feed sign is listed for sale in my "etsy" on this site
Artist Dore L. Callaway
Dore L. Callaway Interior Designs
760-949-4650
Southern Calif. usa
I adore my vintage collection of old rickety birdcages. I find myself adding to them and then selling off the ones I can do without. European flea market style decorating allows you to incorporate new with the old, elegant piece's with the rustic, adding uncommon elements to complete your flea market style.


Aviary cages take me on a beautiful journey wondering where these perfect, and cozy cages have been before they found a resting place with someone to love. These little old properties filled with character will steal your heart, letting the wild birds work in harmony in your home and garden.



"Inspiring the hunt for lost birdcages, giving them a home."

Quiet, Calm & Soulfully French

"click photos to enlarge detail"
Artist Dore Callaway (Me)
A gracious European flea market find, these serving trays inspired the French feel and look of a hand painted Fresco panel. There were four trays with beautifully aged brass handles that held the trays on there stand. These handles added a perfect piece of history enabling them to hang artfully. My next step was to give them a new old paint finish to each of them painted to look inherited with lasting romance, while adding centuries-old European character to any euro chic room.


Vintage serving trays that I have painted restyling them with paint like plaster tones of whites and grays, French guilt touches of gold undertones peek through here, and there. The plan for these trays were to turn them into French fresco panels, giving a home a collected and gathered feel rather than one that's forced with design style.


I love when home decor is understated, its not boastful or aw-inspiring its just rich with European flea market finds and oh so peaceful. This serving tray is painted and distressed with water stained techniques, adding to the gracefulness of the floral vines and wild bird perched upon its twig. I don't always' feel you need to use dramatic color's to define your space, I just love creating with color and piece's that don't compete with other elements to much like this fresco art panel painted with heirloom quality.


"Inspiring French flea market style" You will find this piece listed in my peaceful "etsy" SOLD!! To Jill In Canada 1-4-11 One more left to be listed.

The Art of Giving

"click on photo for close up detail"

Oh! lovely voices of the sky
Which hymned the Saviour's birth,
Are ye not singing still on high,
Ye that sang, "Peace on earth"
~Felicia Hemans

How did Ann, and her flea market chic GiveAway that I won over at "The Tin Rabbit" know that she was designing a perfect vintage tattered holiday center piece for my home, and see how well it fit right in. I would love to thank Ann for adding her beauty to my home for the holidays. The moment it arrived and I unpacked it, I let it tell me where it wanted to be placed. You will find it on my chest in front of the sitting room sofa, its the first holiday piece that greets you with tattered charm. What I love about it is when people pass through they take beautiful notice, while capturing there creative eye. Please go visit Ann at...
"http://thetinrabbit.blogspot.com" while taking lessons in creativity. We all thank you Ann, we are so looking forward to all your creative beauty in the New Year!!

Ann's Inspiring piece from "The Tin Rabbit" and her lessons in creativity.
http://thetinrabbit.blogspot.com

Altered Cloche Tree... From A Winters Garden

"click on photo to view art detail"

Mise-en-scène (French pronunciation: [mizɑ̃sɛn] "placing on stage") is an expression used to describe the design which essentially means in visually artful ways.
I took a left over tomato cage from a well seasoned garden then turned it upside down and wired the ends together in a whimsical fashion. By adding to the trees form with treasures I have hesitated to throw out it became an artful French and Swedish style cloche like Christmas tree. A peaceful tree plastered and painted with white and pale gray, anything can become inspiration and I left no boundaries between wire and junk allowing this piece to become an objet d'art. By wiring aviary wire to the form and painting it with a mixture of plaster paint I started to add a little of this and that. I was inspired with pieces that no longer had a good purpose for its use, all adding to its vintage artful French flea market cloche style.


This cloche like tree brought to life with broken necklaces painted and plaster with aged added just the right kind of garland to it. Paper birds and wire letter ornaments add to the theme of an European tree as you would imagine it to be, a perfectly peaceful resting place for nature. The crowning glory is the sweet miniture hand made wire crown that my daughter Hannah made for it adding peace, joy and love to our Joyeux Noel.

ARTFUL HOLIDAY from simple beginnings.

Inspiring a, who could imagine a "Tomato Cage" and "Junk Jewels" becoming an artful tree with the glow of soft candel lights casting a silhouette shadow so sweetly.

La pièce d'inspiration, Joyeux Noël

"click on photos for detailed views"
Fragments from our home and yard echo a French cottage style holiday season, with plain rustic creatively designed, and found pieces. While capturing the essence of a Joyeux Noël in French flea market style.

Inspired by rustic European cottages I was drawn to gentle shades and natural forms adding all the charm I could to my interputation of a soulful peaceful holiday. Festive tree branches, junk jewelry, paper ephemera book pages, plaster and paints added a muted glow of calm. A formula that makes for a Joyeux Noël, and will steal special attention from the room.


I have taken tree branches and misted them with gray primer for a gentler appearance. Then poured a plaster mix into a plastic bowl while placing the tree branches wired together into the bowl just right. After the plaster is set and dried you then cut down the plastic bowl to a shorter size covering the container with an old torn, and tattered square of a pillow case. Using a strip of the case while holding all four corners together and tying it around the top gives the appearance of the tree having its root ball covered, and ready for planting. The best part is gathering up old necklaces while dipping them into a mixture of plaster, glue, and paint then hanging them out to dry for the use of aged old garland, with old world charm. I even dip crystals into it giving the glass a frosted aged look, as if they have been un-earthed from years of weathering outdoors with perfect age to them.

I took and cut out paper book pages in the shape of birds adding a perfect touch to this holiday tree. The vignette design under the tree includes a vintage birdcage, making for a simple display of peace and joy.
Inspiring one special holiday design that outshines all the rest.