field trip: sea rose cottage

Today I took myself on a little field trip to beautiful Bristol, Rhode Island to visit a shop called Sea Rose Cottage. My best friend Cindy discovered it while researching chalk paint and once I visited the website, I knew I HAD to go ... today's schedule allowed and I was off and running!

Located in a historic home on a street that leads right to the water, Sea Rose Cottage is part-studio space and part-retail shop, filled not only with paint and supplies but furniture hardware, vintage finds and Dash & Albert rugs.

In the short time that I was there, the shop was never empty. Women ready to embark on rehabbing furniture and more were there to buy paint and ask questions, and owner Nancy was ever-ready with helpful tips, information and encouragement!

Brand-new to chalk paint myself, I had lots of questions and left with a bag of Annie Sloan paint and soft wax and even that small Dash & Albert rug you see on the counter (I've wanted one for years).

Sea Rose Cottage is furnished smartly, equipped with bookcases and cabinets, some even brand-new from Ikea, all painted in a muted palette using varying finishes from "simple vintage" to "smooth modern" to illustrate variations of decorative paint results. Nancy's spacious desk is topped with toile fabric under glass and taffy-pink roman shades add fresh pops of striped whimsy to tall, stately windows.

I entered the shop thinking I wanted to paint a few old wooden chairs but now all kinds of ideas are brewing. Nancy and I are also brainstorming about a possible tinkering event. How fun would that be?!

For more information on Sea Rose Cottage, please visit the website where you can also find the shop's various social media links, workshops, and more.

Avoid perfectionism! The distressed look isn't difficult to achieve, 

and by nature it's not supposed to be perfect."

~ Annie Sloan

Fun fact: Annie Sloan and I share the same publisher, CICO Books!

xo
elyse