Decor With A Past

Susan is so helpful and engaging! The first time I was in the shop she came right up and started chatting with me about the Italian gift wrap papers on the back wall. They are so perfect! I love her passion for the store, the products, and the workshops she teaches. Definitely a place to drop by on the Marysville Antique Street.

The city of Marysville, CA, founded on the heels of the Gold Rush, carries a lot of history. In recent decades, it has foundered, losing population and businesses. However, D Street in downtown Marysville has once again become a hub of commerce, thanks to the antiques and home décor shops springing up along it. Décor with a Past combines both of these categories. The owner’s passion, however, is discovering and restoring ailing, old furniture. Hers is the only store in town to carry authentic Annie Sloan Chalk Paint; in addition to selling it and holding workshops on various painting techniques, she uses Chalk Paint to turn funky, sad pieces of furniture into glorious creations, which she sells in Décor with a Past. A friend of mine got a fantastic little bookshelf there recently, painted in soft pink and white with an antique-​looking finish, and the price was right! The owner has a great eye for fun finds and for display, too. Try one of her workshops, where she teaches the basics of how to use and combine Chalk Paint and wax finishes, along with some fancier finishing techniques. Street parking is free.