Cellar Door revives eclectic furnishings

Schary Morse at Cellar Door has assembled an eclectic array of re-purposed furniture, custom wreaths, jewelry and decorative accents. (Record Photo/Gregg Parker)

MADISON – At Cellar Door, a broken dresser transforms into a bench with storage. Distressed doors become hall trees. This interesting shop specializes in ‘re-purposed’ and ‘re-imagined’ furniture and decorative pieces.

Sole proprietor Schary Morse opened her shop after working the register and a booth at University Pickers, while enrolled at night school and “being mom in between. Living in Limestone County, I wanted to continue doing what I love but just a little closer to home.”

“I love painting an old piece of furniture in need of some TLC and giving it a new life and home,” she said. “Huntsville and Athens both have an outlet for local artists, and Madison needed to show off some of their talented artisans.”

Cellar Door’s vendors resurrect vintage furniture with some cleaning and ingenuity. Yellow street signs are re-purposed as a three-piece bistro. Chipped windows become shadowbox coffee tables.

One “rusty find” is an antique sewing machine revitalized as a lamp. Vendors re-purpose rusty bedsprings, tools and an occasional anchor.

Vintage goodies encompass turn-of-the-century bone-china tea sets and Hoosier cabinets to 1970s’ sports memorabilia, advertising signs and Ball Mason jars in every size, color and shape.

Two talented assistants create wreathes with mesh, burlap, swags, twigs and ornaments. “I’ve seen wreaths for pet lovers, police officers, babies, summer and SEC teams,” Morse said. Cellar Door offers wreath classes, publicized on Facebook and their newsletter.

Currently, Cellar Door sells chalk-based Country Chic No-Prep Paint; General Finishes Milk Paint; Modern Masters; and all related supplies.

Her husband Greg works as a system engineer for Parsons. Her children are James Morse and Meagan Morse, who live in Virginia; Kaitlyn Morse, Radford University junior; David Hobart, James Clemens High School freshman; and Tony Hobart, Liberty Middle School seventh-grader.

Cellar Door’s address is 7967 U.S. 72 W. Store hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

For more information, call 256-945-7863, email to CellarDoorAL@Yahoo.com or visit Facebook/Cellar Door or Instagram @CellarDoorAL.