Can I Take Your Order, Please?
It’s music to my ears to hear someone ask, can I take your order please?
Have you ever been behind someone in a line, that when asked “what would you like?”, they completely freeze up? They start making sighing noises and thinking out loud about possibly choosing this or that, when you are pretty sure this is a menu they have seen hundreds of times. When pressured with the question of what we truly want, does anyone really know?
Since we’ve been revealing true confessions lately, I have another: we know exactly what we want and we love it when we can get it!
Custom counter
Upon making plans for the shop, we began brainstorming about what we would want for the counter. We made a list of our pet peeves about store counters, gathered some inspirational photos, measured the space it would occupy and put our ideas together to answer that question “what would you like?”.
I drew up some design plans and off they went to the carpenter. Then off Chantelle and I went to the architectural salvage shop.
Architectural salvage
If you haven’t discovered this yet, there is a super cool salvage place about 30 miles south of us in Grass Lake, Michigan. It’s called Grand Illusion Gallery and it is a place I wouldn’t mind getting lost in. First, let me warn you, wear something comfortable that can get dirty because you will be bending and stretching to see amazing things and it’s not a dust free zone. Gloves would be handy too.
You also have to call ahead to make sure that they are open since they have ‘flexible’ hours. But prepare to be amazed and inspired as we were!
We gathered piles of vintage mouldings in our color palette, laid them side by side to see what looked best together and measured the pieces to make sure we had enough for our project (oh yea, bring your measurements and a tape measure because the pieces are as you see them and you have to purchase the whole length.)
When I first went to this place many years back, it was in the middle of winter. That means it was about -5 degrees outside and the inside of the building where the salvage is stored was not much warmer. So plan your wardrobe smarter than I first did. Luckily this time, it was summer, but I did end up having a hot flash and had to lay on the floor feeling shaky. Let me just say, Ew!
Salvaged brackets
As an after thought, we found some cool salvaged brackets that got a new life under the main shelf. Although in our excitement, we forgot to measure the opening to get the counter inside the store and we ended up having to remove the front door and frame to fit the cabinet inside the store and ruined the stairs coming into the entrance. So we ended up with more construction, some beautiful new stairs (yay!) and the most amazing counter, custom made just for us!
Got paint?
Chantelle painted it a beautiful blue and the salvage pieces were added to the front and sides. And even though at some point in the future, we may be that annoying person in front of you in line who doesn’t know what we want, just remember, there was a time that we did know and we got exactly what we ordered!
I love the way it looks against our salvaged barn wood floor. The store is coming together and we are proud to be here to serve you. Check out our Pinterest boards for design inspiration.
Come on by, Jill
Hi Melodie, so glad you love this cabinet! It was an amazing piece. Sadly we have recently sold it, so I no longer have the dimensions. But I believe the workspace was regular counter height for ease of working. Thanks for reading about it.
Love this counter. Would you mind sharing the dimensions and wood used. Looking to build something similar.
Thanks Amanda!
This is simply gorgeous! I’ve shared a link on my Facebook page 🙂
Thanks for the scoop on the salvage place. I live in MI and always on the look out for new places!!!
Thanks so much Dawn!
Love the counter and how you used salvaged and recycled goods. By the way the floor is also fab:)