Facelifts of the soul

We were walking in Ballard yesterday when we spotted an amazing robin egg blue mid-century couch in a storefront window. Turns out we had stumbled upon an upholstery shop. It's probably a good thing that couch wasn't for sale. I found myself making a mental note of the location, even though we don't have any furniture to restore or upholster.

The blue couch in all its distinctive vintage detail isn't the first convergence of old and new my husband and I have fallen for. We met an old farmhouse with a smartly appointed chef's kitchen a few years back. We were so taken with it, in fact, that we got married there, replete with simple yet elegant food harvested and cooked by its owner.

It is a wonderful thing when you stumble upon a gem of some sort, and if it's in need of a little TLC, all the better. There is something to be said for looking past that rough surface, and gently—gently—awakening something entirely else.

Until we find an old farmhouse of our own, I'll just have to keep busy with facelifts here and there of the soul. With, perhaps, a few old mason jars or vintage champagne glasses sprinkled in on the side for good measure.