stores we love
Junkfest Studios Shawnee Unleash your creative side at Junkfest Studios, where you can treasure hunt and learn from some of the best artisans around.
VKC: How long have you been into vintage? Robin: I’ve always had an appreciation and love for the quality and beautiful lines of vintage pieces. My love of anything old comes from my parents, who loved repurposing and giving new life to old, discarded things, especially old furniture. They were ahead of their times. VKC: How did you decide to open a business? Robin: I have to say that not being able to get the car in the garage during the hard winter we had a couple of years ago got me rethink- ing my “studio” space. It was great working on and painting my furniture at home but it soon took over every available space. I’d been thinking about holding my own furniture painting classes for a long time and this just seemed like the right next step. VKC: What advice do you have for new painters? Robin: Let go of the fear and go for it! It can always be repainted if you don’t like it. Taking a class is a good way to build confidence. VKC: How would you describe the style of the items in your studio? Robin: The studio is filled with all things vintage with an occasional mid-century piece
all of us. This is a place for the gathering of kindred spirits, whether taking a class turning that “ugly” piece into a show stopper, shop- ping for the perfect addition to your home or just stopping by to hang out. VKC: Why do you continue to do what you do? Robin: The love of “junk” and creating is in my blood. I don’t think I could stop if I wanted to. I love meeting kindred spirits and sharing creative techniques. The only thing that slows me down is my husband saying “you can’t buy anything else because we don’t have anywhere to put it”! VKC: What else do you want people to know about you and your store? Robin: I teach furniture painting classes using CeCe Caldwell’s Chalk + Clay Paint. It comes in 36 gorgeous colors. It’s 100 percent Green, no VOCs, no sanding, no priming, and USA owned and operated. I also have wonderful artists who teach classes in acrylics, watercol- or, jewelry, and repurposing with many more classes coming soon. VKC: Name five stores you love. Robin: Encore, The Ridge, Lone ElmAntiques, Mission Road Antiques and Hickory Dickory.
thrown in the mix. It’s filled with “shabby chic” hand-painted furnishings and decor. Some of the pieces have been repurposed and painted while others are just waiting to be creatively upcycled and given a new life. VKC: What piece in your own home could you not do without? Robin: I have two favorite pieces. One is an antique handmade rocking chair I bought from a thrift store in the 1970s. I can just en- vision the artisan sitting for hours carving the curved arms and the design on the headrest. The other is the first piece of hand-painted furniture I ever bought. It’s a hutch that was handmade by a craftsman and then painted by an artist in 1998. Even though the design is definitely dated, I just haven’t been able to bring myself to repaint it. Not saying I won’t! VKC: What experience do you hope your customers have in your store? Robin: I want everyone who enters my studio to feel a moment of bliss while leaving the stresses of the “real world” outside the door. My hope is that the ambience is soothing yet fun and stirs the creative spirit inherent in
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