Hope you all had a fantastic holiday! We made it to the new year! May it bring us optimism for the future and hope for normalization!

i think first quarter will be full of more awesome items flying out the door! It has already started. Reach out if I get something in you think you may want.. I can hold while you decide, within reason! I have some lofty goals for 2021 and that includes continuing to sell off my smalls and just not replaced them. I may offer some sales coming up but since you are my loyal fans, please reach out to negotiate yourself a deal. Even if you are shipping my retail space, they will call me with your offer and I will approve over the phone. ( I prefer cash payments because I have to pay credit card fees. )

In restoration news, I will be picking up a sweet Henredon sofa this week and giving it a royal makeover. If you are feeling a bit glam and are looking for a couch, pay attention. I will be calling the shots on the upholstery choice unless someone reaches out early. I have my Clarence House sales rep on board with helping me find the perfect fabric from their exquisite designer collection at a super affordable price. I am looking forward to this fabulous project! I expect it to land in the $3000-3500 price range when complete.

She’s a blank caNvas! Cannot wait to make her over! Henredon quality!

SHIPPING: I do have a shipper heading to the west coast at the end of the month. She travels via the south at this time of the year. If you are shopping for a large item and need shipping to any southern state or across Texas, Arizona, California to the northwest, reach out so I can get you secured for her trip, I take deposits to hold with balance due prior to pick up. Etsy also has a biweekly payment plan option (4 payments) if that interests you, I can help you navigate your options.

New! Set Of 6 gorgeous DScan teak dining chairs. Original cream tweed is in very good condition with some old light staining but it blends in well. I have on hold for a shopper currently but reach out if you want the details if she passes.

This is the wOrst seat. It’s not bad at all in inside light,

Clarence House Textiles. My torrid affair with fabrics began long before I started dabbling in upholstery. As a child, my mother taught me to sew. She is an accomplished seamstress and quilter. The sound of a sewing machine working is comforting to me. I, however, did not enjoy making clothes. I put that on the back burner and took all my big ideas to my mom to make into reality. It was not until I started my business did I want to revisit the sewing machine. My mother helped me pattern and sew some of my first grand upholstered projects. I can safely say I have not called on her for much since except maybe a consult here or there. The bigger my game, the more expensive the fabrics are and I am always cautious before starting to cut! I procured a wholesale account from Joybird which works well for remote restorations. Clients can get the swatch box and select their fabric, I can order at my discount and away we go, not all fabrics are sold by the yard, however, so it’s a bit of a tease. I then applied to F Schumacher for a trade account. Their fabrics and history are amazing and they have been reissuing lines like Vera Neumann and Frank Lloyd Wright. I have enjoyed picking up yardage but when they cheapest choices are $60/yard wholesale and anything amazing at least $100/yard……it gets scary to think of 5+ yards for a chair or large piece. I connected with a lovely woman via social media who represents the fabric brand Clarence House. They have history going back to the 1960s and have been reinventing their brand. What attracts me is their lovely color palette and exquisite weaves. Typically, price points exceed even F Schumacher! I have been given opportunity to purchase deeply discounted styles….ends of stock, overruns, etc. This has been exciting because in most cases, the cost of the fabric alone (retail) is what I can do a completed project for. I am getting more daring in my selections and am letting my inner creative go. It is liberating to have a job and not have to rely on my business. I can now let go of smalls and only deal with pieces I choose to. These fabrics are superior quality and I have the specs. 50,000 double rubs on a velvet is probably sturdier than any upholstery fabric from joann’s, for example. When you invest in a restored vintage piece, you want to make good choices so it lasts the rest of your life if possible. These fabrics are engineered for that AND gorgeous! First let’s revisit the velvet I used on a recent chair restoration. I can’t say enough about the color. In the sun, it gives off a jewel-toned glow. It is badger as a red, but the orange comes out in the light. Inside, it calms down and looks stunning in a neutral room. It’s plush and amazing and $200/yard wholesale.

From Clarence House, Michelle Nussbaumer collection. 50.000 Double rubs italian cotton velvet. Como velvet in Garnet i believe.

I receive snagged two of their animal weaves. I am loving the Boucle Zebre in Noir. I have 3.5 yards. There are a few footstools I would like to redo and think this would be great! Maybe have enough for a set of future dining chairs. I am trying to up my game now and kind of get sick of all the ‘safe’ mid Century redos that clog my feed. I sell to a lot of designers…..they aren’t boring and certainly not neutral! While there is something to be said about a nice grey tweed…..it’s not my thing. Here’s a peek of this fabulous zebra weave. 87% cotton/poly blend, made in USA. (Clarence House boasts no china made textiles in their catalog).

This is high end. So thiCk i al not sure if my singer will sew through it! I need a commerciaL machine!

This weave, called La JunGle, features velvet tufts amoung BOuCLe weave. AlL of the black is Velvet and the tan leaves aRe velvet. Little animals are worKed in. I have A chair i am thinking this could really class up. Stay tuned!

A cLose up oF the weave and velvet areas. So thick and lush!

Another selection I picked is called La Jungle. It is also a very thick and sturdy woven and features soft velvet areas surrounded by Boucle. I love the little animals throughout the pattern! I think it will really glam up a mid century piece. Not everyone wants things from that era to look like they are still in that era. When they are worn and tired and need to be redone, most folks would want to integrate them into a home of mixed decor items. Many homes have a mix of new and vintage furnishings. The charm of most vintage items are they are smaller in scale than modern made pieces and generally fit older rooms better. If you have an older home, you know what I am talking about! Space is limited! You don’t have to sacrifice designer style when you purchase a redesigned vintage piece! Enough of my sales pitch! Hope you enjoyed the fabric chat! I will definitely be buying more. If I can assist you with any fabric selections from any of my sources, please shout!

The last part of my 2021 focus is getting my van paid off and then figuring out where to go next. I have had my sights set on an off site showroom/storage solution so I can set my stuff up better, have a nice place to photograph things and maybe be able to renovate our lower level as originally planned when we built this house! That’s a giant step, I know. I have no intentions of running a store with staff and hours, etc. I envision a by appointment type of setting and maybe utilize the space for open houses, events and rentals. Thanks for dreaming with me…..we’ll see where it ends up! 💗

XO MALISSA

The Blog.

New Year, New Goals!