Cheers to Chairs at Apartment Therapy

I could write a really great Dr. Seuss book about my many chairs.  It would start off with, "Cool chairs.  Old chairs.  New chairs.  Hard chairs.  Soft chairs.  High chairs.  Low chairs.  Designer chairs.  Ten chairs, twenty chairs, thirty chairs, lots of chairs.  Three cheers for sixty chairs.   It's all about my many chairs.  These chairs need cheers, so please Matt, don't chuck the chairs."

Look what question was featured on the popular design blog, Apartment Therapy, HERE a few weeks ago.  Too bad I was typing from my iPhone and I couldn't see well enough to notice that I had spelled my last name wrong in my question that linked all A.T.'s readers to my blog!  

Matt and I laughed so hard at some of the comments that we were gasping for breath and our bellies ached, especially the commentator that recommended I throw Matt in the dumpster and keep the cool chairs.  I just have this serious addiction to chairs, not just any chair, they must date at least 1975 or older.  But if they happen to be mid-century modern, I'm ecstatic.  I have no desire to quit collecting them cold turkey, and  I won't admit myself into rehab for the multiple chair hoarders addiction either.  Whether I find the chairs in sets or as single stray cats, I can't let any of them go.  It's as though I've fed them once on the porch, and now I'm emotionally obligated to them.  So I took the time to count my chairs at the house today, just to see how ill I really am.  I have over 60.  I won't give you an exact amount, because then I would be admitting more than I want to.  All I can shout is, "A hundred cheers to my chairs!

Young Women Values Throne

One of Grandma Barbara's green velvet chairs

I have 13 of these, original Thonet's that came from a dorm in Kansas

A little D.I. find that I reupholstered.  

I love this little cutie.  Also a D.I. find for $15.

I helped some friends move and these were sadly in the D.I. pile.  Couldn't let that happen...

Confessions of a Thrifting Shopoholic: Eames Era Simmons Walnut Formica Chairs

I am busted when Matt gets home...

Matt warned me that there was no more room in the house for one more chair. But when when you find four very unique retro chairs, how do you pass up the s e t ?    

I wouldn't have passed up 1, let alone 4.   

Oh dear, I'm running out of places to hide my thrifted furniture finds.  My little sis suggested the cold storage room.

Unfortunately, I'm maxed out with the dishes I'm hiding in there.  Any other ideas?

There was a label partially peeled off under the seat of one of the chairs that read: 

S i m m o n s.

They are contructed out of a molded plywood with a Formica laquered walnut grain looking veneer.  The legs and seat frame are painted ivory and "metal protected by Bonderite (PARKER RUST PROOF CO.)", according to the label.  Does anyone know anything about these chairs, I would love to to know the specifics of the approximate date manufactured, and the designer?  If not, oh well, they are absolutely adorable and I have no idea where I'm putting them.

Confessions of a Thrifting Shopoholic: Strip, Refinish, Reupholster, Repeat

Red Poetic License rose sandals:  $3
Cream Ann Taylor mule sandals:  $4
Both brand new and showed absolutely no signs of wear, (until I wore the red ones this past weekend at our explosive dinner party).

Remember the other vase I found at D. I. similar to this one?  I think I'll use them together at some point.

Funny story:  I went to buy these cherry salad servers at my favorite kitchen store while visiting in NYC several years back.  I had purchased a set for my father-in-law the year before and he loved them so much, I wanted to buy me a set.  I walked several miles to get to the location only to find they were closed and moving to a new location that week.  I never got to buy them.  I've never seen a set quite like them since.  Until today.  I found them for $1.  Love that.

Okay, these little books are seriously treasures.  The pages are as sweet as they come, wish I could show them all to you.  These might be new additions to my Valentines candy jars.

No idea what I'll use this trim for, it's white and gold and most likely from the 70's by looking at the typeset on the side label.

These are shallow bowls that match some of the teacups I've been collecting.

The nightstand above compliments my bedroom furniture set that was once my grandparents (and extremely sentimental).  I'm deciding how to refinish it all and I fluctuate between stripping off the shiny coat of lacquer to re-stain and varnish or rather just paint it.  The wood is veneered, so not much left to sand down.  I'm thinking about all the options.  But bottom line, I love the era and I hate to just slap on a coat of paint to hide the chips and scratches.  It very well could be my next summer's tedious project, remember this?

And the chair?  Well, I love the rattan back and how lightweight it is.  I'm loving the style as well.  I'll reupholster the seat cushion and use it as my sewing chair.

There were a few more items I purchased, but won't be sharing until I unveil them at a very special birthday party for my main guy around here.  I've been collecting these for a few months now.  

A Dresser and Nightstand for June

So the dresser turned out a little different than originally planned.  Remember the bright lemongrass green?  I got my way because I am the mom and purchased a light buttercream yellow.  I found some different pale pink glass knobs from Anthropologie instead of the green polka dot knobs I had originally planned to use.  They match her pink hobnail glass lamp beautifully.  The second choice seemed to fit the whole ensemble of her room much better.  I absolutely love it. 

 

The nightstand is a favorite.  The orange isn't too bright.  It's from the Martha Stewart line at Home Depot.  The color is called Yam.  I painted a dresser for my little sister's son's room last summer.  It looked amazing in his room.  I thought the orange was just right.

June picked out this beautiful knob from Anthropologie.  It was $10 though.  I already had this darling flower knob in dark wood stain that I picked up for $3 on sale from the same place.  I told her I would paint it and it would match even better than the one she wanted.  I think it turned out pretty cute.  Basically this nightstand cost me about $22 from start to finish, including the free nightstand I found in someone's city clean-up pile, paint, stripper, knob and misc. supplies.

The X-7 Layer Desk: Finito!

Remember this post, well I changed my mind about the color choice.

And this post? 

I never thought I would get beyond this.

So this is why while standing in the aisle at Home Depot to buy the stain for my desk, I had my moment of panic.  I have spent who knows how many hours stripping this desk.  Hours of colorful, gooey latex paint scraped in clumps to the plastic sheeting, stuck in my nails for days, and probably sick from lead paint inhalation.  The orange, non-toxic stripper had me gagging after a few days of working with it, even with a mask.  The electric sander and the old fashioned hand sander, the razor blade, a toothbrush and wooden dowels were all used to remove paint residue from tiny corners, rounded handles and crevices.  

Basically, hours and hours of fun.  What do I want to be the forever shade of this desk?  

I loved the grain of the unknown wood, I thought it was oak, but I don't really know.  I knew I wanted a stain to show off the fabulous grain.  I originally thought onyx.  But then I looked through the glorious samples and debated between an onyx, vintage jade, orange, or a deep hot pink.

The Onyx:  A classic color, but shows dust easy.

The Fruit Punch (Orange):  A statement.  I love orange.

The Cherry Blossom (Hot Pink, the monitor on the website doesn't show it accurately, it's a beautiful pink): A way fun statement, but not very versatile to be a forever color.

The Antique Jade:  A subtle statement, works in every room in my house, my daughters love green (It's going in their room until they leave the nest), I have multiple pieces of jade-ite dishes, and it's just fun.

As on many of those game shows go, I put out a call to my friend, Nanette, the color guru.

"Okay, so go online to the color chart for Minwax water based stains.  Look at the colors, which one would you pick?",  I questioned in my desperation for choosing the perfect color to seep through ever pit, crevice and grainline of this X-7 layer desk.

She recommended the jade.  It felt right.  So I did it.

And I love it!

I think I'll do an oak chair in the cherry blossom next summer to be it's companion.

Friday's 7 Layer Desk Progress

It's getting there.  The drawers need a little more work and the whole desk needs an overall sanding, but the worst is over...I think.  And then, what do you think?  Charcoal stain with a matte finish varnish?  I just can't bear to paint it teal and beet pink.

The Seven Layer Desk

First comes pink, followed by red.  I believe taupe was a light coat afterthought, because I scrape right through it to notice the bright white.  And then I get stuck at the royal blue.  At this point, another application of the stripper is needed.  The blue and green kind of go out together.  If I'm real lucky, I get the last three all in one scrape.  But usually, when I get near the base, the honey yellow layer is pretty stubborn.  Ummm, that's 7 layers.  S-E-V-E-N.  Definitely a biblical creation period.  The instructions sounded so easy.  And of course the pictures show it bubbling up and effortlessly scrape right off.

This better be one gorgeous desk in the end.

If not, $10 was a rip off.

The End Table and "The Leg Lamp" Score at the D.I.

See the table between the green chairs? Well that was my big score a few days ago.

You may or may not know that I love to second hand shop. It is the only way I ever look to purchase furniture. I love old stuff with a history, especially when I know the generous giver, (like the previous owner of these green velvet chairs above, thanks Grandma Barbara!). I usually love the quality of retro originals more than the balsa-type wood pieces the furniture dealers try to sell you and then give reference to them as being heirloom quality. Uh huh, you could put your foot right through the table top, or the leg will break off the moment you move it to vacuum.

My girlfriend, Julie, and I saw the Sugarhouse D.I. within our distance the other day and we just had to take a peek inside. She shares my love of gently used items. In addition, I think I just felt lucky that moment. I have been looking for an end table on ebay, in the classifieds, at garage sales and every thrift store I've been to for the last 7 years.

My checklist for an end table:

1. Must be able to view it from all angles, I move my furniture around all the time. Sometimes I'll put the table up against the wall, and other times I need it out in the open.

2. Must be hard wood with stable legs.

3. It must fit the era of the old chairs and couches I already own and love.

4. If I could ever find one with a shelf or drawer, that would be ideal. I love to display books and magazines near my seating.

And behold, there it was, between the child's vinyl card table and the midcentury twin size headboard. I began to walk away at first, thinking it might be too big for the space, but then I realized the perfect table had been found. I had the employee tag it immediately. The perfect table came with only a $25 price tag. Was everyone here crazy to have missed this item? The style is a perfect compliment to my existing furniture. The hardwood is in good shape, the legs are solid, it can be viewed from all angles, and it has a bonus shelf for magazines! Check. Check. Check. And bonus check. Sold to the lucky woman with the smirk on her face.

But wait, that wasn't all. For $1, I saved myself hours of work this next holiday season. You will never completely appreciate the beauty of this find by the photo below, but someone painstakingly pinned into a perfect pattern on the styrofoam topiary all of these little sequins and jewels. This will be a lovely vintage addition to my candy jar ensemble for next Christmas.

The woman manager at the cash wrap thought I was insane when I walked up with my treasure and asked her to name a price. "The base is detached from the cone and sequins are missing", she points out, as if to try to change my mind about my poor selection process. "You can have it for $1... I guess," she says reluctantly, then realizes I'm dead set sold on it. "I'm not crafty or anything, but maybe you could find some colored pins that match and add them in where there is white foam showing", she reassures me.

"Oh great idea ma'am, I'll look from some," I say.

I walked to my car feeling as though I found the Mona Lisa on the bottom shelf next to a pile of old TVs.

That evening Matt asks, looking a little bewildered as the whole family silently studies it over dinner, "Are you seriously keeping that, or is this just a joke purchase like the gilded turkey carcass from the 70's you dream of finding someday?

Remember the leg lamp scene from the movie classic, "A Christmas Story"? I was looked upon at that moment like the father, except at this point now, Matt has unleashed his opinion after the initial silence regarding my aesthetic judgement.

I thought we were taking things to the D.I., not buying from the them," he continues.

Clearly he's confused about what the Circle of Life means.

"My grandmother could have easily made this Matt, you want me to pass it up like it was just a peice of junk among the 50 cent glassware?" I confidently questioned.

"Yes," he firmly responds.

"Anyway," I interrupt, "I'm giddy over this gilded treasure, and when the mamma is happy, everyone should be happy," I reassure the girls who by now can't stop laughing. "Besides, this is the kind of photo opportunity that puts blogs to the top of the search engines," I explain in his terms.

Matt finally looks at me.

Well maybe not the top, but close?