Welcome to Peace, Love & Vintage: Bringing Timeless Charm to Modern Homes

Welcome to Peace, Love & Vintage! I'm Jess, and I've always believed that every room deserves a touch of charm and character. Vintage pieces tell stories, and I love sharing those stories with people who appreciate unique, timeless beauty.

After 20 years of being a dance educator, I was faced with the reality of retiring in my 30's due to permanent joint damage. Starting a new career after 20+ years experience in the field was crushing. It took a lot of soul searching and grieving, but I decided to take on a new opportunity to start something that I have always been passionate about. 

I grew up with my grandparent's caring for me often. As a young child, I was infatuated with their 1968 home. This is where my love of home decor, architecture and vintage goods began. I would sit in their house thumbing through JCPenney and Sears catalogs, cutting out items to design room boards. I had a real love for architecture and home design. My mom took me to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Stan Hywet when I was in junior high to tour and I remember getting House Beautiful magazines from the store. I had planned to go to school for interior design and was even set on a local college for it. I changed my mind my senior year after having an internship with a discouraging decorator. I had danced my whole life and was working at my dance studio and made a quick shift and went to college for dance and history instead.

I have a Bachelor of Arts in History (and Dance) that I am now putting to use when researching every piece I sell. I also have a Master of Arts in Teaching. I love sharing the history of the makers or passing on the personal history of an item someone once loved. Hearing why a customer is connected to something and being able to help keep the history of those decades alive by providing that nostalgia for people, but in a cool modern way is what drives me to do this. The joy of transforming old treasures and the desire to make sustainable choices in home decor is at the heart of my business.

Visiting Blenko Glass Company in Milton, WV July 2024

I have made a full circle. It took a few years after retiring as a dancer to really see the beauty of it all. That loss brought me back to where it all started; the little 9 year old girl designing some pretty rad 90’s bedrooms from catalog clippings.

What You’ll Find Here Thank you for being here. Whether you are a friend, customer or meeting me for the first time, I can’t say thank you enough for the support. I love sharing my passion and thank you for being on the journey with me. Preserving history is such an important aspect of this. When I was in college, my favorite class was called history, community, and memories. The class really taught about the importance of nostalgia. It was my favorite class and now I really see why. Living in a disposable society really makes us long for the good old days, the things that bring back wonderful memories. It’s familiar and comforting. It’s the same reason you can hear a song and instantly be transported to a time and place. Items have that same effect. I have a lot of my grandparent’s 1960’s furniture in my house and it reminds me of them and spending so much time in their home. Think about getting out Christmas decorations and the feelings you feel when you look at ornaments through the years. There is so much power in nostalgia.

My hope and goal of starting a blog here is to really honor the history, community and memories of the past. I hope to share with you decorating tips, styling advice, history of specific pieces and styles, DIY ideas for upcycling vintage items that need some love and so much more. My blog will help you incorporate vintage decor in a way that feels both stylish and personal. I’ll share insights on finding, styling, and caring for vintage pieces. Whether you’re looking to add a statement piece to your living room or want to decorate your entire home with vintage flair, I’m here to guide you! 

Why Vintage Decor?

Vintage decor isn’t just a style; it’s a way to honor the past while creating a home that’s uniquely yours. Each piece has a story, a past life, and an authenticity that you can’t find in mass-produced items. There are so many benefits to choosing vintage pieces: sustainability, quality craftsmanship, and the unique character vintage pieces bring to a space. When you incorporate vintage elements can make a space feel more personalized and curated.

One of the best things about vintage pieces is that you can integrate a single piece or small collection of pieces in with your modern furnishings. You don’t have to have a fully vintage house to enjoy these pieces. If you have a really strong love for vintage, then you can have a fully designed time period room or house. I’m striving towards making my entire home a 1970s period home. Our house was built in 1979 and is very much original. I’m excited to share through this blog about my home and how to have an authentic vintage home, but also how anyone can incorporate vintage pieces in their everyday life. 

What’s to Come

In upcoming posts, I’ll dive into specific vintage styles, share tips for combining vintage with modern decor, and even show you how to hunt for hidden gems yourself! I’m excited to share with you how to curate different parts of your home, care for your vintage pieces and holiday decorating. Next to come will be your secondhand gift giving guide! 

Stay connected by subscribing for blog updates and follow on social media- FB, Instagram and Pinterest @peaceloveandvintageshop. You can also follow my shop and weekly sales and auctions. I can’t wait to take you on this vintage journey with me. Let’s bring a little more history, charm, and style to your home!

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