Interior decorating

It all begins with a to-do list

While we continue our search for the fix-it carpentry whiz / all-things vintage trailer specialist of our dreams, we are diving right into the stuff we REALLY can do something about right now and which - truth be told - is one of the most exciting aspects of getting Maude ready for her debut: interior decorating!

Last week, we took a bike ride to the Fabric Warehouse on the edge of town to look at options for upholstery, pillows, and curtains. So much to choose from!!

We also looked for texture and something neutral

The combination of stripes and florals was appealing

We liked the shapes and colors in this fabric

We thought of fabrics that might pair up well

A few days later, we trolled the maze of IKEA in Paramus, bypassing the cinnamon rolls and Swedish meatballs to look for inspiration. It turns out IKEA sells fabric, too, and we found some sweet ideas for the back couch, the top bunk and a pillow or two. 

There is so much to cover: The booth seats up front, the back couch/bed, and the mattress on the pull-down bunk over the couch. And Maude has more than a half-dozen windows to drape. 

At IKEA, we landed on our final picks - the triangle pattern on the right is for our back couch. The grey-and-white pattern will be on the reverse to offer more of a neutral palette. The word-number fabric on the right will cover the top bunk. And the orange with off-white polka dots will be pillows! Still looking for curtains... 

Debbie Bartell, seamstress and happy art-maker

Our friend and seamstress extraordinaire Debbie Bartell will be sewing and stitching up a storm over the next few weeks.

The three of us returned to the fabric store to look at vinyl options for the booth seating. We also decided to add piping to seal the vintage look. (And we'll let you in on a little secret here: Debbie has never worked with vinyl before, but she is bravely diving in to the challenge.)

All this to say that Maude is coming together!



Also, on a not-so-side note: We've entered Maude in Intuit's "Love Our Local Business" contest. The company is granting 15 wishes for small businesses that need a little help getting off the ground. You can still vote for us here: https://www.loveourlocalbusiness.com/. In the search box, type "Food for the Soul Train" and you'll see a photo of Maude. Voting ends May 12 and you can vote once a day!