Kristin Ames is quick to point out that "shabby chic" is a thing of the past.
While the term continues to be a common one thrown about in her line of work as the owner of Lynn Valley Village's Posy, founded initially as a boutique flower shop, though currently branching out to offer customers an array of furniture refinishing materials as well as updated antiques and vintage pieces available for purchase, she feels it's important to make a distinction.
"That's kind of a 15-year-old trend that's not really current anymore. I think what we're seeing is part of the whole eco trend, that people don't want to throw anything away anymore," says Ames.
Today's trend is more in response to the reality faced by many people who, after inheriting furniture from parents or grandparents, realize the way it looks doesn't match their particular tastes.
"This is a way to take those old pieces, keep them out of the landfills, refurbish them into something that is current and fits with a more modern esthetic. Even if it is vintageinspired, it's something that still feels current today," she says.
Pinterest, Instagram and other online sites are brimming with images of these sorts of refinished objects, and the distressed farmhouse look, is "so hot," right now, says Ames. Passionate about antiques, and restoring, repainting and reupholstering them, the Lynn Valley resident is working to share that love with her customers. She's launched a new home decor website, blog and online store, Posyhome.com, has brought in a new line of DIY products, and is preparing to offer her first of many upcoming workshops intended to arm interested community members with the necessary materials and skills to complete their own projects at home.
Interestingly enough, Ames started out as an accountant. "I was a CGA for years but always was really interested in anything creative, and decor and design. I went to design school at night part-time just for fun and decided that I wanted to try and do something different. I didn't really see spending the rest of my life working in the corporate world," she says.
Ames initially set out to buy an existing flower shop. Unfortunately that fell through, however, things ultimately worked out for the best as she then heard about the plans for the upcoming Lynn Valley Village.
"I thought, 'Well, maybe I'll just start it from scratch. I've got the business background, I've got the creative background,' so that was how it all came to be," she says. Ames' shop was among the first group of retailers to open in Lynn Valley Village and Posy is set to celebrate its eighth anniversary in April.
"Growing up you always are told, 'Find something you love to do and you'll find a way to make a living at it.' You never really think that that's going to be possible. And I liked being an accountant, that was a great life too, but this is so great because I get to do something I love every day and I can incorporate all of those years of schooling I did in accounting school to run my business. For me it's the perfect marriage of both parts of my background. It never gets boring," she says.
Posy has continued to thrive as a floral shop and Ames is excited to be expanding its offerings and moving in her new direction.
That path came into focus after Ames discovered chalk paint a couple of years ago on the recommendation of a friend. She was instantly hooked.
After researching paint companies she came across Amy Howard At Home One Step Paint and antiquing products. She was attracted to the line as it matched her esthetic and because very few Canadian retailers were carrying it, she says. Ames also underwent training with the company's founder and namesake in Memphis this summer.
"When I started working with them and got to know what they were about and tried their product I thought it would be great. And having spent years working on projects and refinishing furniture with just regular paint and whatnot, this makes it so, so much easier. I fell in love with it so much I thought, 'I bet there's other people that would love it too,' so that's why we brought it in," she says.
Ames has been carrying the product line since October 2015, both in store and online, and with the exception of a launch event last fall, hasn't done much outside marketing as of yet. She has therefore been pleasantly surprised with the high level of interest expressed so far. "The word of mouth has been fantastic from our core group of customers and blog followers. The response to the blog has been really great. That core group is helping spread the word. Usually the DIYers stick together and tell each other when we find something that's new and good," she says.
Ames has also started selling antiques and vintage pieces, some as is, or else refinished by her, including chairs, milk glass, crates, windows, picture frames and other items initially sourced from Craigslist.com as well as from a September 2015 antique-buying trip to Ontario.
Ames is offering Painting and Finishing Basics, an introductory hands-on workshop offering participants an opportunity to learn how to use Amy Howard At Home One Step Paint to transform old furniture Wednesday, Jan. 13 and repeated Feb. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m., in the Lynn Valley Village Community Room, adjacent to the public library. A variety of painting and finishing techniques will be covered. "Everyone's going to make little samples and try the different finishes so they can then go home and use those for inspiration to hopefully refurbish pieces in their home," says Ames.
Once those initial workshops are completed, she plans to seek feedback and continue offering classes, including those that are more advanced, for example some where people can bring a small piece in and over a series of classes, get assistance with refinishing it.
For more information on the workshop ($85), visit Posyhome.com.
