AGOURA ANTIQUES

Agoura Hills, the gateway to Malibu, has a row of "charm fairy" antique stores. To say many of them exude imagination and creativity is an understatement. We found ourselves asking the question, "how do they think up this stuff?" Sitting right off the 101 in the Whizin Center you simply must go by if you are in the area.

picture from a beautiful mess

One of our BeckwithRoad readers was so taken with the establishment, "A Beautiful Mess" that she simply could not leave without a purchase or two even though her vehicle was brimming with weekend purchases from here and there!"

picture from a beautiful mess

One of the unusual chandeliers we saw at "A Beautiful Mess". It is an aged garden fence rolled into a cylinder and outfitted with a vintage-style Edison bulb. This well merchandised store is the most talented  Kymberley Fraser's concept. You may remember she was among, if not the first to design creations from vintage and antique grain sacks. Many other talented women are showcased in her store, among them: Karen Chambers, Marilyn Thompson, Victoria Stoehr, Leah Cox, Tina O'Flaherty and the Junk Girls. Their tag line is, "Where antiques, design and oddities meet pure and simple elegance." Well said!

You can read more about them on their website, abeautifulmessantiques.blogspot.com.

You may have seen the articles in the NY Times or Romantic Homes that featured this store. One item that caught our eye in the window was the brass fluted part of a gramophone outfitted with an Edison bulb and hung as a chandelier.

We loved the color and patina of this piece.

We remember having a bike just like this one...well it was in better condition... that is until it was not being used anymore and then it was stored behind the barn... it was very similar...too bad someone carted it off to the trash. They just didn't see the beauty in rusty objects! We saw things a little differently then. There are some industrial pieces in these stores that are eye-popping amazing, you know things you've seen twirling around on top of a building and now being used as lighting? A metal basket that used to be standard farm equipment is now turned upside down radiating light as a chandelier. You really must come visit then tell us what you think.

You can see how far down the stores go. Oriental rug for ambience on the sidewalk anyone?

An interesting collection...did you see the picture recently of the galvanized wash tub like this one pictured here mounted as a laundry room sink?...what a smashing look for just the right home.

To visit, take the 101 north or south depending on where you live to Agoura Hills, CA. Exit Kanan Road. Make a slight left on Roadside Drive. You will find the antique stores behind Wood Ranch Restaurant. Happy antique hunting!