Isn’t that a sweet little tableau above? It’s from my friend Tom Schmitz’s beautiful store,
Room Service, in Carroll, Iowa. I’ve known Tom for a long time, but got to know him better when I owned a consignment store in Carroll. Tom’s a decorator there, and he’d bring things by that he didn’t need any more. These were always fun days for me, not just because I got to visit with him, but also because I never knew what he was going to bring in. Some of the treasures he brought for me to sell for him were sold to ME, on the spot.

 

He opened a new shop, and I finally got to see it when I was in Iowa recently. Awhile back, Tom had sent me an email telling me he’d found something I might be interested in on one of his local treasure hunts. Emails like that go straight into the “omg” file. More on this later. First, have a look around:

 

 As you can see, Tom’s a master at combining interesting textures and patinas. He appreciates every mark and color on objects, and knows how to make them play off one another. It’s fun to examine the details in his arrangements.

 

 Who drank all this wine, hmmmmmm Tom? If only these corks could talk.

 

Upon closer examination, I saw this lamp is made from pieces of USA Today, and takes the fonts and colors of the everyday paper to create a kind of mid-century looking art piece. Fun addition to a serious library.

Tom’s sister Maureen shares his creative gifts — she makes this gorgeous, one-of-a-kind jewelry.

Tom’s also your guy when you need a brilliant wall treatment. I love the contrast of the gold mirrors.