Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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An Old Wood Duck For The Walls

Duck! No, nothing’s being hurled at your head (at least we hope not). We’re just sharing our latest purchase:

Duck Duck

I guess he’s actually a goose. Where he’ll go and what color he’ll be painted is still up in the air (oh look at that, a flight pun). But we figured we could do something fun with our plucky friend, so we brought him home. It was actually my suggestion – although we all know my wife has a penchant for collecting faux animals – I guess this old-school bird was just calling my name this time. And I didn’t exactly have to twist Sherry’s arm. Perhaps it’s the beginning of our own pink duck collection a la HGTV’s Antonio. Well, pink’s not really my jam but I would go for lime or navy or pretty much anything else. Sherry mentioned bold glossy plum about an hour ago. Could be interesting…

We spotted him during a day of thrifting on Richmond’s northside. Our goal was to find some nightstands or even a dresser, but in the end we only came home with El Goose and a silver quatrefoil tray that happens to resemble a certain mirror that we purchased a few weeks ago.

Duck Dish

Not quite sure where that’ll end up yet either, but the ol’ ball and chain loves to place random trays on top of stacks of hardcover books, dressers, console tables, and nighstands for everything from lip gloss and hair bands to jewelry or keys. And Sherry murmured something about loving the fact that it’s not ceramic/breakable, which fits into our attempt to make this house virtually kid proof (hence all the ceramic animals being stored up high in the built-ins). This goal means we’d love if the whole extended family could come to stay and we wouldn’t worry about nieces and nephews blowing through and shattering things as they go. Of course it’s not exactly toddler friendly if it’s used as a weapon, so we’ll have to keep it out of reach of the little ones. But it should be great up on a console or dresser.

Total cost for both buys: under $12. Not a bad price for a bit of art & a smidge of organization. Btw, the duck was from Pass It On in the Lakeside Towne Shops and the dish was from Consignment Connection, also on Lakeside Avenue for any locals who are wondering.

Duck Pricetags

So now at least you have the backstory in case you happen to spot what looks like a goose migration going on in the background of one of our pictures in the near future. Why not add a wooden friend to a house full of white ceramic ones? The menagerie madness continues.

Psst- Who doesn’t love a little organizing? Check out this week’s BabyCenter post all about Sherry’s system for storing outgrown baby clothes, blankets, the Boppie, and her not-gonna-need-that-for-a-while maternity stuff.

Comments

  6. Melissa says

    That dish is awesome – maybe for your bathroom vanity? You guys really should do a post on what you would do if you had one day or two days in Richmond. Some combination of a museum, thrifting, and where to eat unique to Richmond. I would definitely take advantage :)

    Reply

  10. Krysta says

    Interesting duck find!! I found a super cute ceramic frog last week and the first thing I thought was how much Sherry would like it. Then my second thought was that I needed to find real friends :)I just posted about it today, check it out!

    Reply

    • bex says

      (I do the same thing when I find something even remotely YHL-esque. NERDS. At least my hubby finds it amusing…)

    • Jennifer says

      Ha Ha Ha that’s so funny. I was hanging out with some school friends from my younger days (that now have a huge family and live far far away and were just visiting) and I was chit chatting (a lot) about my blog friends. My friends son says “mom, your friend really needs some real friends”. It’s so true… But I love my bloggy friends!

  12. Bob says

    “Not a bad price for a bit of art…”

    I’ve read through about 200 pages of your archives and I’ve noticed you use the word “art” a lot. It’s not just you guys, but also Apartment Therapy and all the other home design blogs. As an artist, it has started to bother me to see “art” used in such a haphazard manner. I’ve wanted to start a campaign for teaching designers the difference between “art” and “wall decor.” There’s no problem having wall decor, but it’s mildly insulting to me (and perhaps other artists) to call this duck “art.” Sure, it can become art, but spray painting it is not enough.

    All of this falls along the same lines as “DIY art” or “make your own art.” Of course, you or anyone else can make art, but typically what is meant by these statements is wall decor.

    I don’t mean to harp on you guys specifically, but given your recent interest in art (VMFA visit, wanting to own original art, etc) I think you might be most receptive to this. I hope you’ll give it some thought and see if becoming more discerning with the use of “art” is important to you. I love this blog and will continue to read it regardless, but I had to speak up about the duck as art statement. :)

    Keep rocking it guys!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Bob,

      I totally get the distinction that you’re trying to make and respect your point of view on the subject for sure! Betcha didn’t know this about me, but I went to a four year art college in NYC (I have a bachelor of Fine Arts from a SUNY school, FIT in NYC if you’re wondering). So I actually consider myself to be a fine artist – at least on a good day when I whip out the ol’ sketch pad. Maybe that explains why I love painting rooms so much. And my penchant for ceramic animals (I took about a million pottery classes). I guess since we’re planning to paint the goose something bright and glossy it felt like an art-like adaptation to us. Just as someone who finds an old map and prints something on it or an old chair and sprays it pink for a modern gallery showcase of old-meets-new is considered art. I’m definitely a subscriber to the “everyone has a different definition of what art is to them” theory though, so I guess to me, one man’s goose wall decor could be another man’s goose art! To each his own!

      xo,
      s

    • Bob says

      Hi Sherry,

      Yeah, I did know you attended FIT. I think the fashion angle to art is what probably gives you your perspective. It’s like a design viewpoint instead of a creation view. Fashion versus studio art. Concept versus design. Blah blah blah… :)

      Anyway, you guys have a great museum down there (I’m in DC) and you have several great commercial art galleries. Since they are 100% free to visit and have rotating exhibitions every 4-8 weeks, I really encourage you to visit them. Some of my favorites are: 1708 Gallery, ADA Gallery, Page|Bond Gallery, Reynolds Gallery (by far the best) and don’t forget visiting the MFA shows at VCU.

      Growing up I absolutely hated art. It took a long time for me to find the value in art and also learn to distinguish it from other pursuits.

      Thanks for listening.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Love all of those galleries Bob! Art history was actually my favorite non-studio class back in the day! VMFA is amazing too. Have you been yet? It reopened last year after a fantastic remodel! I took Clara when she was just four weeks old. Gotta start them early!

      xo,
      s

    • Meredith says

      Interesting thoughts. Wall decor IS different than art. Just like a decorator is different than a designer. And just because one owns an expensive camera, it does not make them a photographer.

    • Bob says

      Sherry,

      Yeah, I visited the VMFA just after the opening last summer sometime. It’s beautiful. I was bummed to miss the recent Sally Mann show though. Hopefully you got to catch it!!

    • Paula says

      Love the finds, have passed by the flying ducks a few times myself in thrift stores and considered but was too ‘chicken’ ?! This is making me reconsider. Maybe it would look good in the same turquoise tones as the glass lamp shade Sherry painted?

      Also, art is subjective and meant to provoke or stir emotion. I think if you love something and it feels good in your home it could be considered art. Artists work in many mediums and I think repurposing something for aesthetic and emotional sake could be considered art. In my humble opinion :) Paint on!

  13. Shannon says

    The Lakeside area is such a great consignment/thrift spot! I love that you can drive through there and hit so many shops. If you haven’t been to McAdoo’s (just up the road from Consignment Connection), make sure to stop in. We’ve found some great vintage pieces and go back on the regular.

    Reply

  14. Ali says

    I’m excited to click over and read about baby clothes organization! I have 3 kids and I still haven’t figured out a system for organizing kid clothes or kid toys! Oh happy day….I know your post will be full of great tips! Thank you in advance!

    ~ Ali

    Reply

  15. Ali says

    I love the tray! Great find! Let us know what job of organization you give that beautiful tray! Put that tray to work!

    ~ Ali

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes! Clara had a field day. So much fun! We’re planning to go back for the wooden sushi set when she’s a bit older (after we make her a play kitchen someday).

      xo,
      s

    • Jennie says

      Sherry and John,
      Do you guys eat sushi? Since you mentioned the wooden sushi set for Clara, I thought you might. I happen to be 100% obsessed with it, hence my curiosity! It’s an addiction, really :)

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes. Obsessed. It was so hard to be prego and only get to eat veggie sushi. A day after I had Clara I was begging John to get me some! We also have a sushi tradition (we go out for it on New Years Eve- more on that here). In short, join the sushi addiction club.

      xo,
      s

  17. Carol N. says

    My mom has a set of flying geese from when she and my dad first got married (in 1954!). They have survived several moves and will be handed to me one day. Right now they are the original ceramic life-like colors but when they get in my hands there is no telling what color they will be. Strange that of all the things my mom has in her house, those are the ones that stand out to me – guess it is all the memories of seeing them on the wall in each house we lived in. Years from now Clara will remember all of your white ceramic animals too!

    Reply

  21. Kristin says

    Oooh.. I love Consignment Connection! I bought lots of stuff on my first trip there, including a pig-shaped wire bread basket (how had I lived without it?) and … a white ceramic poodle. (I used to have a white poodle mix, so I think in this case, schoolyard-esque chants of “copycat!” would be unfair.) :-)

    It’s fun to know that it is at least POSSIBLE that someday I might run into you there. You’ll recognize me – I’ll be the crazed brunette going “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Johnandsherry! Can I PLEEEEASE hold Clara?” (Because I’m sure THAT never happens.)

    [Don’t be alarmed. I’m mostly kidding.]

    Reply

  22. Lilly says

    My computer is slow these days when I logged in to ur site I could only see the picture of the duck for a minute or two. I was playing a guessing game while I waited for the rest of the post to appear, I was like “Uh I hope this is a goodwill or cheapy thrifty find, I’m a guess $7.50, I hope they paint it some crazy color like the ducks from Antonio’s show.” I was pretty darn close, I know, that’s so sad, I actually had time to think all of that and wait some more before I could read the post. Love both things and specially gotta love those price tags.

    Reply

  24. Liz says

    Believe it or not, we just pickled up a jeweled duck ourselves…it strangely fits in our bedroom where we recently did a transformation ;)

    Reply

  26. Lisa says

    Do you guys watch Mad Men? One of the characters (nicknamed Duck) has these geese all over his office! Great find! Can’t wait to see where he ends up.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s too funny! We actually don’t watch it (we tried in the beginning but it stressed us out too much since it felt like our old days of advertising when clients kept killing good ideas). I know, we’re crazy. But I will admit that I have a girl crush on January Jones.

      xo,
      s

  27. Kimberly says

    That’s so funny — when I was a kid we had geese (three, I think) up on the mantle above the fireplace. My mom used to dabble in ceramics, so she painted them. She may have had them from the pre-firing stages, actually. Anyhoo, that certainly brings back some 1980s memories!

    Reply

  30. Staci says

    I don’t know about Virgina, but here in Kansas those geese are almost a symbol of winter (flying south in their amazing V’s). Could be an obscure/original/subtle winter decoration!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      It’s this breastfeeding pillow that you use when the baby’s really little for extra support so your arms don’t get as tired. I have to say it really came in handy the first few months.

      xo,
      s

  32. Nesting Newbies says

    I love thrift store hopping! It’s a blast! I was in Virginia over the weekend and passed the exit for Richmond! I was like… “hmmm…. I wonder if they would let me crash there for the night???” LOL :) I would take burger for walks listen to Clara scream her little lungs out, we could roast marshmallows and talk about crafts and DIY stuff… LOL
    Happy Blogging :)

    Reply

  33. Jenny Sosh says

    I just found the same little goose up here in Indiana just a few months ago. He’s been painted a high gloss red and will be displayed on one of the walls in my soon to be completed home office/art studio. When I saw him, the first thing I thought of was Antonio’s hot pink flock.

    Reply

  35. Andrea B says

    M R Ducks. M R not. O S A R …

    (Sorry. Couldn’t resist.)

    Just wanted to say going plum would really pop against another shot on top of your carpet. Or a gray wall.

    Reply

  38. Kim says

    I have to admit, I have seen the use of geese and animal heads on walls before, and I do not see the appeal at all. I do like the white ceramic animals that go on shelves, etc. But the wall hangings? No. Not even painted. But you are the only ones that need to like it!

    Reply

  39. Lindsay says

    I have noticed in some of your guys older posts that you have made the occasional trip up to Washington, D.C. Do you guys have any good thrift store suggestions for us DC area folk? Or do any of your faithful readers have any good spots that they’d be willing to share? I just moved out of a dorm and would love to start collecting/refurbishing some lovely little pieces of my own.

    Reply

    • Megan says

      Lindsay-

      Luckett’s is about an hour drive, but so worth it. Plus there are no less than 5 other antique/thrift/ funky craft stores on the same road. http://www.luckettstore.com/

      (Plus, you pass the Leesburg outlets, so you can’t possibly go home empty handed)

  40. Kay says

    I didn’t realize from the first picture that the goose was wooden! I really thought that she was bronze, and I also think that it looks like a feminine goose, but I am no expert.

    I would also like to suggest that the rim of the tray could be painted to match a room, or several rooms – if it goes with Sue! Maybe plum??

    Reply

  42. Christa M says

    I say go for the Bold Glossy Plum!!! LOVE IT!!!

    Sherry, I too went to FIT, but for fashion design, spent most of my days (and nights..and weekends) in building C…I never finished though, as I moved down to GA to continue a different career path…I really disliked the fashion industry itself. There are often times that I really miss being in art school and surrounding myself with creative individuals and feeding off of each others energies. Sigh…it’s probably why I am a daily reader of yours ;)

    I find it funny and scary at the same time, that I can start reading a post and within the first few sentences I’ll know which one of you posted without even looking at the name. It just goes to show that your personalities really shine through in your writing!

    Anyway, can’t wait to see what you kids do with the new purchases!

    Reply

  43. Nicole B says

    Great scores! I love a great deal!

    Your rug looks like a different color in the light you shot your photos in! It looks so bright!

    (Oh, maybe I should tone down the!!!! yikes.)

    Reply

  44. Taylor says

    Discovered your blog before when you were in the first house and re-discovered it again recently–I was a little confused at first, but I’m loving going back into your archives and filling in the missing pieces! My fiance and I are working towards buying our first home, and I hope that some of your style and handiness is rubbing off on me! Thanks!

    Reply

  45. Betsy says

    I’m so happy you posted where you got these finds! We recently bought a little house in Bon Air, and a friend just told me about your blog. You guys are great, I love it! I’ve had a great couple of days catching up on all of your house projects, and I’ve have been making note of all the local places to check out :)

    Reply

  47. Sandra says

    Those are two awesome stores! Consignment Connection is one of my faves – we have several items in our home from there. PLEASE tell me that you stopped into Keep Good Company which is directly across the street from Consignment Connection. That store is fabulous and the owners are such wonderful people. You will fall in love with that store, if you already haven’t.

    Reply

  48. Joanna says

    Random question, but where did you get the yellow rug that the goose is sitting on? I love it and am looking for something very similar.

    Reply

  49. Adam says

    As an architecture major for two years before transfering to interior design, you have no idea how proud I was when I read the word “quatrefoil” instead of “clover-y pattern.” Major e-Props for that one, John.

    Reply

  50. Lindsay says

    Hi both! Great find on the bowl! Love how it matches “the mirror”. On a completely unrelated note, I clicked on the “Clara Pics” link today to see some of her updated shoots–she’s looking mighty cute these days (not that she didn’t before, she’s just really developing a lot of her features and I’m just loving her expressions!)So, I just wanted to ask, do you guys have a favorite week? I’m sure you just love them all, but if you had to pick a top 3 so far, what would they be?! I love 26 & 16!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Our favorites so far are the Halloween one (of her in the pink tutu) and the moving one on the cardboard box. And the first week one of course, just because she’s so small!

      xo,
      s

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