Madera Home Furniture Durian Basket GIVEAWAY! ARV:$110 2/27

***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was given, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

As a fairly new homeowner, I am always looking for things to spruce up the decor of my Century home and make it my own. Our home was built in 1924, so we have a lot of upgrading and renovation to do. Ultimately, we want to keep the character and antique-y feel that already exists here. So while we will keep the original woodwork, doors, and some of the fixtures, we will also be changing quite a bit around the house. (Like the ugliest wallpaper in the history of the world. That's another post entirely, though!)

One way I have been turning our house into a home is by decorating with  items like candles, boxes, floral arrangements, and throw pillows.  Maybe it's because I like sticking to an antique theme, but I am really drawn to repurposed items. Not only does using recycled items for decor purposes help the environment by reducing waste, it can also produce a certain "wow factor" in a home. 

Here are some great examples of reclaiming and repurposing for home decor from the awesome folks at Madera Home Furniture. They take old, well-used items like farm baskets and more, and turn them into something absolutely extraordinary. 

Take this gorgeous Blue Pillow Box, for example. This is made from an antique jewelry box and repainted to give it new life. 

I absolutely love this sideboard cabinet! It would look wonderful in my dining room! 

Another one of my favorite finds from Madera Home Furniture is this Rapunzel Teal 2 Drawer 2 Door Cabinet. I love this color, and it would match my formal living room quite nicely! 

Another item I'd love to have in my home would have to be this Ellery Rustic Gray Live Edge Coffee Table! I just love the natural look that it has!

Madera Home Furniture has so many breathtaking choices that are sure to fit seamlessly into any decor. They even have a lot of very modern looking options, if the vintage look isn't your cup of tea. 

Our Review of the LIGHT AND DARK BLUE LOTUS DURIAN BASKET :

I received the Light and Dark Blue Lotus Durian Basket to check out for myself. Yes, I said Durian. If you're a foodie like me, you know that this exotic fruit is probably one of the foulest smelling things you'd ever come into contact with. It's truly putrid, to say the least, and very, very overwhelming. Luckily, this Durian basket was used on Chinese farms 60-80 years ago, and then lovingly painted and restored for decorative use. Any remaining Durian funk has long since left this item. 

That being said, I was very excited to receive this basket, since we use a lot of blue in our formal living room. I knew this stunning piece would blend right in! 

I absolutely love the detail of this basket. Each basket is hand-painted in a different color and with a different scene, which makes it truly unique as there is no other like it. The various colors include blue, green, red, orange and yellow. The different scenes available range from floral to animal scenes and monks performing rituals. With this beautiful basket, you can bring a slice of China's rich history to your home.

The basket is also fairly deep and could in fact be used for storage. (I am not currently keeping anything in it.) It's also very durable, and feels more like a piece of pottery than a woven basket. So yes, this is a sturdy piece of home decor. This delighted me, since with cats, dogs, and preschoolers in my home, I prefer to have things that aren't too terribly fragile sitting around. 

Overall, I am beyond thrilled with my experience with Madera Home Furniture. This piece is absolutely stunning, and looks wonderful in our living room. I have received plenty of compliments on its beauty and uniqueness. I would definitely recommend checking out this company if you're looking for beautiful decor that is also environmentally friendly. 

How to COnnect :

You can check out the awesomeness that is Madera Home Furniture on their website. 

You can also follow them on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!

Enter to WIN :

I am thrilled to announce that one lucky reader will receive their very own Light and Dark Blue Lotus Durian Basket from the generous folks at Madera Home Furniture!
 
How cool is that?!

Simply enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below!

This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 11:59PM February 27, 2014. No PO Boxes. Winners will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way.

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