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Rustic to Refined is a must-see destination if you love antiques and vintage collectibles. If you find yourself in the Grand Bend area, definitely add this spot to your list of places to visit.
Kennedy and I took a little overnight trip to Grand Bend recently when she was home from university for reading week and Thanksgiving. Our main purpose was to spend some time in Pinery Park so she could do a little plein air painting, but since our first day there was quite cold and rainy, we only lasted a couple of hours before our fingers and toes were completely frozen. A bit of antiquing sounded quite inviting and was definitely in order to help us warm up. I visited the Rustic to Refined Antiques store, which was previously known as Dale’s Antiques, quite a few years ago, and I was interested in seeing if it was still as good as I remembered it to be. Read on to hear all about our visit to this charming antique market and for a little tour around the shop.
What Makes Rustic to Refined a Great Antique Dealer?
Every great antique shop tells its own story and has something special and unique about it that makes it memorable. One of the things we loved most about Rustic to Refined was the actual building where the shop is located. A beautiful setting really makes for an extra fun antique shopping experience. The large, wood-clad barn-type structure is immediately charming when you first drive up, with quirky antique signs affixed to the walls on all sides. Upon entering through the front door, we were immediately drawn in by how surprisingly beautiful the interior of the building actually is. There are a few different large rooms with soaring ceilings, beams and rafters, and planked wood walls, which make a stunning backdrop for all the eclectic antique wares. I loved the distressed, farmhouse-style painted wood floors, and I was almost inspired to try to figure out a room to replicate the look in our own home. The antiques and collectibles were grouped together with like items throughout the shop, which made for an easy, curated shopping experience and created some really eye-catching vignettes as well in a lot of little nooks around the store.
Another favorite Southwestern Ontario spot for treasures: Cobbletog Antique Market in London, ON
Getting to Rustic to Refined Antiques
Rustic to Refined is easy to find, and if you’ve ever been to Grand Bend in the past, you’ve probably driven past it without realizing what it was. You’ll find the welcoming barn-like building right on the main highway into Grand Bend, Lakeshore Road and you’ll recognize it and see its big, tall sign as you approach coming down the road in either direction.
If you’ve never been to Grand Bend and you’re looking for a nice little day trip, it’s about an hour’s drive from London, two hours from Windsor, and about three hours from Toronto.
There’s ample parking around the property, and you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a place to park along the fence or in the open areas around the exterior of the building.
The most inspiring antiques booths: St. Jacobs Antiques in Waterloo, ON
How to Navigate the Antiques Shop
This vintage market can seem a bit overwhelming when you first enter through the front doors, just like most of the best antique stores are. The layout is actually really quite simple, with several different rooms and alcoves all attached in a circle on the main floor, surrounding a central checkout counter. If you continue to your left upon entering the building, you’ll also find a separate space with new home decor, gift items, and custom wood furniture.
The main floor contains many intriguing groupings of items that cover all different interests, from vintage sewing and crafts notions to primitive antique crates stacked high, rustic pottery crocks for home decor and storage, collectible automotive memorabilia, and even old dental paraphernalia.
Navigate your way around the main floor of the market, making sure to visit each little nook and niche as you make your way around, then make your way upstairs into the attic loft area by following the stairs at the back of the store.
Upstairs, you’ll find cottage-style country furniture for your home, more unique antique automotive finds, and decorative furnishings for your home.
Room decorating with secondhand finds: Top 10 Thrift Store Home Decor Finds You Should Never Leave Behind
Vintage Finds to Shop For
The antique items found at Rustic to Refined really cover a broad spectrum of categories, but there were a few standout collections that make it a great source for collectors and home decorators alike.
If you’re a collector of glass bottles or would just love to create a beautiful little grouping on a shelf or a tabletop, you’ll find all different shapes and sizes of vintage bottles and even some scientific glassware, beakers, and test tubes.
Stoneware crocks are so popular in home decor right now, and they make beautiful vases or art objects to accent your unique antique furniture pieces. I was so impressed with the large collection of very reasonably-priced crocks at Rustic and Refined. You’ll find a large number of them grouped together, but you’ll also see larger ceramic crocks scattered throughout the shop.
This shop definitely reminded me a little bit of the show American Pickers because of its industrial and automotive finds found in various areas of the store. You’ll find everything from old railway lights to vintage license plates, antique oil cans, and tins of all kinds. If you have a classic “man cave” to furnish, you’ll definitely find some unique items that you’ll love here.
Contrary to what the chalkboard sign jokingly says, they actually do take debit and credit cards, not just cash. 🙂
Some of my personal favorite finds at Rustic to Refined include the vintage photos, both framed and unframed, and the beautiful, time-worn antique baskets. I’ve had a love of black and white panoramic group photos ever since I first saw one here at this very shop many years ago, and I kicked myself for not purchasing one for quite a few years until I finally came across another one in an antique market in Toronto. I was happy to see that they’re still carrying these types of photos here, and now I know where to look when it’s time to expand my collection.
When I saw this unusually shaped, handled basket in the loft area of the store, I knew it had to come home with me. I definitely have a love of all different types of baskets, but there’s nothing like authentic vintage wicker to bring character and texture to your home.
Definitely stop in at Rustic to Refined if you’re in the Grand Bend area. I think a perfect summer day would involve a morning stroll through the flea market followed by a little treasure hunting at this wonderful antique emporium.
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.