Vintage Industrial style - with Matthew Mead + a Giveaway

If you love spending weekends exploring antique markets, thrift stores and estate sales then you must meet my friend Matthew Mead.  He is hands down one of the most talented people I know.

A jack of all trades - Matthew is a stylist, photographer, creative director and editor who has published numerous magazines and books over his 20+ year career.

Wooden factory cart upcycled to hold kitchen essentials from Upstyled Home Industrial.

Matthew's newest magazine launched just recently and I wanted to share a few sneak peek images from it. The great thing about his magazines is that they are timeless. I still refer back to old issues for inspiration.

Matthew has a 8000 square foot warehouse in New Hampshire full of props he has collected over his career. That's right, 8000 square feet!

Matthew Mead's 8000 square foot warehouse

Today, my heart aches because Matthew is having an estate sale this weekend and I won't be there.  He is downsizing to a smaller warehouse so he is letting go of thousands of props, mostly vintage.

I can tell you that it is an amazing place. I visited it several years ago to "shop" for a photoshoot with Matthew and it was a dream. It's a 9-hour drive to Concord, New Hampshire from Toronto and as much as I want to be there, it just wasn't in the cards this week. The sale starts Friday October 20th (tomorrow!) and runs on Saturday too. Here is the link to the sale details if you are up for a road trip and a link to images of the goods, even if you just want to oogle them.

Upstyled Home Industrial Magazine

If you can't make it, you can satisfy your vintage-loving heart by getting a sneak peek at Matthew's new magazine Upstyled Home Industrial. I think this might be one of my favourites.

Industrial pieces can be found at antique markets but they can be pricey because they are in demand. I wanted to know where Matthew finds such great pieces.

"You can find industrial pieces in unexpected places. Institutional sales, hotels and restaurant closings... old schools offer little competition and excellent prices," says Mead.

The magazine is available on newstands now in Canada and the US. I spotted them at local Loblaws and Sobeys stores.

The Giveaway!

I'm giving away a copy of Matthew's new magazine Upstyled Home Industrial PLUS a little gift of vintage finds that I have picked up on my travels - what that will be is a surprise. To enter follow me @debra_norton on Instagram and tell me what you collect. Giveawy closes midnight October 24th.

A tour of Tricia Foley's studio

Shop tour of White Flower Farmhouse in Southold NY



Steel industrial factory cart upcycled as an entertaining trolley.








Interesting local businesses ... Antique Crates

I love antique crates. The combination of graphics, rustic wood and of course the history gets me every time.

Antique Colman's Mustard crate from Antique Crates

I was lucky to inherit one of two antique Eaton's grocery crates that sat in my grandmother's cellar for decades. My dad cleaned it up years ago and its uses are almost endless. When we first got married it was a makeshift coffee table while we saved up to buy furniture for our new home. Today, I use it to store patio essentials such as candles, melamine dishes and wine glasses for summer entertaining (grab & go) and in the winter it corrals wool blankets.

an Eaton's Grocery Box inherited from my Grandma

Awhile ago I discovered a guy on Instagram who collects and sells antique crates. His feed is filled with crates and boxes and he has a warehouse with space dedicated solely to his collection, which he sells!

Antique Crates in Etobicoke

His name is Joe and he owns Antique Crates. I had the chance to visit in August after I reached out to see if he was interested in donating a crate to the Habitat for Humanity project I was working on for The Toronto Fall Home Show. He said yes. Such a nice guy! I ended up choosing an antique berry tray which I stained and tattooed to match my table.

Here's my table. It's an antique basin stand which I "tattooed" with slogans for social change in support of Habitat for Humanity. It was on display at The Toronto Fall Home Show in September.

antique basin stand and berry tray upcycled for Habitat for Humanity

antique basin stand and berry tray upcycled for Habitat for Humanity


I brought along my camera when I went to check out Joe's warehouse in the off chance that he might let me snap some photos. He did.  I thought you might be as intrigued as I was to poke around his collection. So, here are some photos from my visit. It's a treasure trove of crates that he has collected from all over. You can follow Joe on Instagram or visit his website for more info.

Enjoy!

Antique Crates in Etobicoke - there are two rooms like this one filled with crates


stacked crates and old soda bottles from Antique Crates




Beautiful old labels and paint are intact on many of the crates











stacks of fruit trays and crates

lots of boxes + other collectibles such as old signs and bread boxes