Shop Talk is written by OM editor Dayanti Karunaratne and Sarah Fischer, OM account executive and fashion maven.  

This Saturday (Sept. 21), Katrina Barclay of Malenka Originals will host a pop-up shop in celebration of her first fantastic year in business. The shop sells Chalk Paint, hosts workshops on applying the paint, and sells furniture that Katrina has “refreshed” using Chalk Paint. Katrina says her success is proof that following an instinct pays off. In this case, Katrina had the feeling people were looking for unique, solid wood furniture with a contemporary look. She was right — she can’t refresh those second-hand finds fast enough and every workshop sells out.

For the event, Katrina has invited 15 former workshop participants/refreshed furniture aficionados to sell their own creations. Each person is bringing about three items, so if you get there by noon you might score a sweet piece!

“The passion of refinishing furniture is spreading,” says Katrina, who sees lots of young moms and other people looking for solid, bright pieces.

“My customers get very excited about their creations — as they should,” she explains. “We’ve had so many impromptu discussions in the shop where customers excitedly start talking to each other about what they’ve just painted. It creates a great atmosphere and breeds inspiration. The refreshed furniture pop-up shop is a way to bring all those people together and celebrate their incredible work.”

The event will also feature a colour-mixing station — we learned through talking with Katrina that Chalk Paint has a basic selection of 31 colours, but because black is not used as a pigment in the product, they can be mixed easily to create new hues. There will also be how-to demos on applying the paint, discounts, and giveaways.

Oh, and if you get inspired and want to start your own furniture project right away, second-hand store Flashbacks is conveniently located next door to Malenka.

Details: The pop-up shop takes place Saturday, Sept. 21., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Malenka Originals, 275 Britannia Rd., 613-695-8558.