My Weblog

Customer Creations Spotlight! Tony Bonfiglio Shares his Beautiful Window Box!

Tony came to the shop looking for windows to create a window box for his home in Greenwich!  I never imagined with the windows he purchased that they could be used to create such a beautiful window box.  Tony shared with us the inside of the window which now beautifully displays his collection of antique bottles.  I love that the sides are window panels too.   He is currently finishing up the outside and will share with us the finished product after it is painted in the Spring.  Another resident in his home seems to be loving it too!! A perfect spot for a sunny daytime nap. The window box is a beautiful addition to your home.  Thanks Tony for sharing your photos!!  Suzanne

Customer Creation Spotlight! Ken & Debbie Gralley's Beautiful Door Restoration!

Ken & Debbie Gralley have a beautiful home in Salem City.  They open it regularly for our Christmas and Spring Tours.  They have done a beautiful job restoring their home.  Recently Ken sent me a photo of a door restoration he did using a door he purchased from us.   He also shared with us an earlier photograph of their home's original door style.   I would say it is as perfect a match as you can get.  Great Job!  Thank you for sharing both photos. 

Customer Creation Spotlight, Sharon Huey's Room Divider!

Sharon Huey and her family were looking for a creative way to divide a long room into two rooms without actually putting up a traditional wall.  They looked at all of the many doors we have inside and out of the shop.  They found one of my favorite styles, the early barn door slider with original hardware.  Sharon's very handy husband had it in place in no time.  It looks great and allows Sharon to have a studio space as well as a family space while adding interest to both sides.   It also adds a new space for hanging artwork or Sharon's beautiful photographs.  Thank you for sharing your photo.  We love the transition.  Suzanne

Customer Creations Week! Molly Agosta's Wedding Day Creations!

Molly Agosta and her Mom stopped by the Royal Port throughout the year looking for various items for her July 2011 wedding.  Now that the date has come and gone and life has finally slowed down for Molly, she shared with us how she used some of her purchases.  We always have wooden boxes and drawers for sale.  Molly used one to hold her beautifully hand done wedding programs. I love the look of the green paper and natural string and burlap details against the wood bin.  She also used an old minnow can as a planter for their unity tree.  This photo looks like something you would see in a magazine.  So beautiful.  They welcomed their guests by using open window panes to hold their escort cards.  And finally so that guests could leave their wishes and advise for the newlyweds, Molly created a sign using an early cabinet door to guide guests to her book.  Thank you for sharing all of your beautiful photos!   Best wishes for a beautiful life together!  Suzanne

Customer Creations Spotlight of the Day Donna Long!

Today's spotlight is on Donna Long.  I did a quick post on facebook when I received the photo but never spotlighted Donna on our blog.   Donna came into the shop looking for a towel rack for her bathroom.  I told her about another Customer's idea with the door knobs on a board. I remembered we had some cool door trim upstairs.  Donna picked out some great early door hardware plus she liked the door trim.  With all the necessary pieces she went on her way.  The next day (quick!!!) I get this photo. Looks great with her wall color. I love the hardware Donna chose.  Thanks for sharing the photos with us Donna.  Suzanne

PS...Thanks for a great week of Customer Creations.  I am always looking for more photos of things or settings created by items purchased at the Royal Port.  Email me

Customer Creations Spotlight of the Day Trish Egan!

We met Trish Egan at the Kimberton Show in Kimberton, PA.  We set up at the show in March and November.  We had brought a few pairs of shutters as backdrops to sell at the show.  Trish loved the look for a head board she was trying to create.  She ended up coming to the shop to pick out the two pairs of Salem County louver shutters that worked perfectly in her space.  The paint on the shutters also matched perfectly with her decor.  As you can see Trish paired it with a beautiful architectural element she uses as a shelf above the bed.  Looks great.  Thanks Trish for sharing the photos.  Suzanne

Customer Creations Spotlight of the Day Pam Reed!

Our spotlight today is on the use of feed bags as curtains and valances.  We love using early feed bags to decorate throughout the shop including as window treatments.  Pam Reed stopped in last week to purchase some feed bags to use as window treatments.  She was describing to me how she hangs them so I asked her to share some photos of her valances.   She had a different take on how to hang them then I was used to.  I love how they look open.  You can see the woven striping and stenciled wording on the bag.  Pam cut them and frayed the edges.  She used string to hang them with clip clothes pins. On the smaller windows they are draped over the string.  On the larger windows the bags are open long ways and clipped on the string.  Love them over the checker curtains and the quilt.  As a result I will be taking all of my curtains down at the shop and rehanging them.  It's time for a new look.  Thanks Pam for sharing your photos with us.  Suzanne

Customer Creations Spotlight of the Day Barbara Dougherty!

Today we are spotlighting Barbara Dougherty and her vision for a table.  If you walked in the shop one day and saw this gadget would you say to yourself  "hmmm  that would make a great table base".  Well Barbara did. 
The base she picked is an Antique hand operated sheep shearer called the "Stewart Clipper"  manufactured by the Chicago Flexible Shaft Co.   It was missing its shaft that would run to the clipper.  Neat early American industrial ingenuity.  Barbara and her friend (and mine),  Terry Jacobucci, pondered the thought of what the table would look like and if the base would work.  Well it did.  Barbara had a table top mounted to the base.  A few alterations later and voila a beautiful table.  Mike and I love how it came.  We are always looking for iron bases for tables, mounting weather vanes, architectural elements and so much more.   Glad Barbara was able to use the clipper for the base she had been looking for.  Thank you for sharing your project and ideas with us.    Suzanne

It's That Time Again! Customer Creations Week at the Royal Port!

One of my favorite things to do on our weblog is to spotlight those customers that have gone "above and beyond" by creating some great things out of Salvage and Antique items from our shop.  For those of you who still owe me photos, please feel free to send them through email or drop them off at the shop.  My first Customer Creation Spotlight for this week is Scott Berkheimer.  What a really nice young man (showing my age)!   We loved what Scott did to create this Urban style desk from a salvaged barn door he purchased from us.  Scott shared with us how he created the desk.  Scott removed the hardware and added functional antique carriage bolts and raw steel legs and topped it off with customized 1/4" glass.  He also found a place for the shutter he purchased from us as well.  Another writing desk and coffee table are in the process of being created using the other barn door and barn loft hatch cover he purchased during his second visit to the Royal Port.  Stay tuned for additional photos.    Scott also sent us a photo of an old 6 pane window frame he bought from us that he hung from an exposed brick wall.  We love the look of the whitewashed frame on the brick surface.  Thank you Scott for the photos. Suzanne

Customer Creations Spotlight Nancy & Victor Minnick!

Nancy & Victor Minnick have a lot of creative fun with what they are always saying is their "little house".  These photos are oldies but goodies.  They actually purchased these things from our Queen's Inn shop prior to us opening the Royal Port.  They wanted a screen for their back door to the garden.  The old screen with its gingerbread details makes a perfect addition. 
They also wanted to add a window to their simple shed.  Victor installed an early arched Victorian  window.  It adds light and charm to a newer style shed.  Thank you for sharing your ideas.  Suzanne