ROUND TOP ROUND UP
A few weeks ago we took a girl’s trip down to Round Top, Texas and took you along on Instagram stories. We had a great time and thought we would share a few tips and tricks we learned along the way for those of you interested in making the trip!
Round Top, Texas is a little town with a population of 91 that transforms a few times a year into a booming vintage and antique show. People come from across the country (and world) to see what the top antique and vintage vendors will showcase. Even the most famous of designers come in to shop this hot spot for their clients! We have been wanting to go for years and I finally decided this year was the year and asked Casey to tag along! We came back with a lot of ideas, big plans and some good laughs. We also had a few kid free days and this trip felt like a RETREAT (just wait til you see our Airbnb!).
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed just 30 minutes outside of Round Top at the most perfect Airbnb located in Paige, Texas. The Paige House was a little off the beaten path (which had us a bit nervous and excited as we drove up the long country drive)! Once the trees cleared to the open field with a beautiful cedar clad, modern cabin we were more than thrilled! One of our Airbnb hosts designs furniture for a living so the aesthetics were on point, which is a must for us when we travel. This little sanctuary had a fun layout that included three smaller buildings all connected under one metal roof. That may not be ideal for everyday life, but it was fun for a short stay. It was a bit chilly to enjoy the pool but we enjoyed lounging outside and the peaceful surroundings! The screened-in porch on the front of the house left us inspired to add a similar area to our own homes. It was actually hard for us to leave to head into Round Top each day, we were really enjoying the rest and relaxation. You better believe that us two mamas were soaking it up.
Hotels and Airbnb’s in the area fill up quickly, so booking months in advance will save you some stress and money. We would absolutely recommend The Paige House, but if you are looking for something in Round Top, Hotel Bebe looked really cute and is right in the middle of the action!
WHERE TO EAT
Round Top is the tiniest of towns, so the restaurant list is minimal, but we did find a few things we enjoyed! Royers Pie Haven is a must-stop for an afternoon treat. It’s located in Henkel Square with shops surrounding an open area and plenty of seating- perfect for taking a break and fueling up on some much needed sugar! Popi Burger hit the spot for our burger craving and Casa Blanke had a cute atmosphere and good smoothies and breakfast toasts. If you are willing to wait in line, the food trucks at each venue looked amazing! We had our fair share of road trip fun and loaded up on sour gummy worms, Milk Duds, Hot Tamales, and a good ol’ Taco Bell run! Ellis Motel looked like a cute place to stop and have a cocktail after a long day of shopping.
WHERE TO SHOP
There are two ways to shop Round Top- the larger “shows” and then the smaller roadside stops. We did a little of both. We found better prices at the smaller stops set up between the major venues, so most of our purchases came from those. The larger shows were expensive but their booths had major inspiration moments. We really enjoyed taking our time walking around to gather ideas- from fabrics and color combos to wood tones and styling, we had a visual treat any direction we turned!
The booths at Bader Ranch included mid-century (our favorite), french antiques and a couple of really awesome clothing and jewelry boutiques.
Most of our purchases came from an unexpected stop at Excess 1 and 2.
Booths were loaded with really amazing mid-century find and a lot of really interesting art and lighting. Our favorite booth was Knock on Wood– they had the most amazing large-scale lighting at a good price.
We stopped by Blue Hills on the way out of town and pushed through some really cold winds to see one of our most inspired booths was The M Downtown.
Their styling was top notch and their upholstered pieces were cohesive and luxe.
The Bull Market had the biggest selection of antique doors we had ever seen! It would be a must-stop for someone looking for a door of any shape or size. They also had a lot of patterned vintage tile that we could have loaded up on easily- they were stunning!
Big Daddy’s had our hearts for outdoor seating and planters.
Their oversized scale and more masculine style set them apart.
When we heard Prize KC would be there with their own venue we knew that would be our first stop. Prize KC won our hearts for their impeccable styling, intentional color palette and perfectly collected vibes. Their art was minimal, their fabric choices were so inviting and their wood tones had the best contrast. You could tell he had really worked hard to create a capsule collection of sorts. The pricing was out of our range but we walked laps around that building soaking in each piece and vignette. It was so inspiring.
WHAT TO WEAR
The first thing a local said to us when we rolled into town was “did you bring your rain boots?” As we looked down at our cute white sneakers we realized we may have made a mistake! Our advice would be to prepare for all weather- we definitely didn’t have the right gear to withstand the chilly winds and misty rain. Prepare for a little rain, wind, hot sun and muddy fields.
We were blown away by the style we saw. I think we spend a big chunk of time people watching! It was fun to see people really going for it style-wise. We saw elaborate, long velvet coats paired with a really good hat. Stylish jumpsuits with all the turquoise jewelry one can fit on their wrists and neck. Lots of denim and we can’t forget the cowboy boots (it is Texas after all)! We gathered a lot of inspiration from seeing how confident and stylish the women were, it was fun to get some new ideas for our own closets, too!
Tips n’ Tricks
Make sure you check the dates of all the shows you want to see. Even though the Round Top “show dates” are listed, that doesn’t mean each show runs that whole time. We got there hoping to see all the shows the first couple of days and quickly found out several of the ones we had wanted to hit were open the second weekend only.
Book early and plan your stay ahead of time. This show brings people from all over the world, so lodging fills up quickly! It also helps to have a plan on what shows you want to see and where you want to eat so that you can make the most of your time there.
If you find something you like, buy it then. More than likely, if you “think about it” and come back it will be gone.
If you have specific things you are looking for- make sure you have your space measurements beforehand and pack a tape measure. This will help you make quick and smart decisions.
Bring a truck, or better yet a trailer, if you plan on making big purchases. It’s nice to have the extra space because you just never know what you will find!
WHAT WE BOUGHT
We were really there for the inspiration and a fun little bucket list getaway. But we couldn’t walk away empty-handed! Charity came home with amazing outdoor, ocean blue, chaise lounge chairs and a white metal waterfall desk/dining table for her upcoming screened-in porch project. Casey snagged some really fun Italian chrome chairs for her home office and a small brightly colored vintage rug for her closet. We also sourced the most perfect vintage French cabinet with a marble top to turn into a powder bath vanity for one of our clients, and they are thrilled to have the unique conversation piece! Two girls, a truckload of vintage suitcases, and an overload of snacks- our truck was filled to the brim as we made the long nine hour trek back to Missouri!
If you want to plan a trip for the fall, show dates are October 23-28, 2023! We hope you loved this round-up of Round Top!
