Latest finds and updates

Here we are in October! I am still working for the census. We are supposed to finish field operations by midnight Monday but there are also things going on behind the scenes so it’s not over until it’s over. I could be here a week or two more, or another month. It’s hard to say!

That said, I managed to pick up a really cool 1959 dining room which needs a good cleaning and a few minor issues to tend to. The maker, Hoover Chair Company of Lexington, NC, went out of business in 1968. I have a dining table which has great legs, one leaf and the table pads are in great shape, matching one piece narrow china hutch and a compact credenza. There are also 6 dining chairs, 4 armless plus 2 with arms. They need a little tending to and new seat foam and fabric would put them over the top. Will price by the piece but if you are interested in building a set, bulk pricing available. As always, if you want to DIY the repairs I can give you my best price. Here are a few pics.

As found and ready for some new seats!

Beautiful blond china cabinet with glass doors and chrome hardware. Not mInt but far from trAshed. Priced to move locally!

Side board in it’s home since 1958! Comes with good juju as it’s former owner died at the age of 106! I do sage my storage area here and there to protect you from transient energY if you are sensitive to that kind of stuff! Hey, we are in october now so spookiest time if the year!

View of table. It has awesome legs and ferrule on the bottom. One leaf and original Custom table pads includeD. Will get pics soon. Want to make a few steel plate reinforcements for the blocks the legs screw in as over time has weakened them. One already has neen repaired. If it interests you let me know and i will get on it as fast as i can. I may keep the chairs and table together as a set. I think it may make more sense.

Farmhouse simplicity! Maple end table pair. Finish is in great shape. Only needs a few touch ups.

It’s a side table...it’s a humidor…it has a mosaic tile top!

Copper lining!

3 piece bookcase set! Solid wood with rustic style. Refinish or leave as is. Nice peg legs. Pier cabinets can be arranged separately! I have a heywood set just like it and it’s fun to play with!

I am working on getting the lane rhythm chairs redone! I have 2 more seats to do then onto cleaning up the wood. I have an interested party, if she passes they will hit the open market. Using a nice cream tweeD on thr seats which looks great with the walnut wood. The Creden from this lane dining room is being delivered to manhattan tomorrow!

My couch went to the upholsterer a few weeks back!

It’s going back together! Here is a sneak peEk of the back showing my new fabric! The supports are all done and he bought me 4” foam for the seat. Cannot wait to get it into mu living room! I just got the walnut monocoat fInish and will be working on the trim.

That’s a lot of update! I am really busy and of course, the end of the census got pushed back to the 31st of October now so my lay-off may be as well. Just going to ride out the wave and try to keep up. Reach out if you need me!

XO Malissa

New Year, ReNew your home!

DID YOU KNOW?

Many of my items are not sold Mid Century Modern purists?  That’s right, these beauties are being mixed in with other eras and designs! You guys know I skirt the era and often add things to my inventory that are not typical mcm. I do this because I want to follow design trends.  Many of my clients are interior design pros and I love helping them to complete a project with the perfect piece. My keen eye for stylish well made pieces spans eras and I love placing them in well designed spaces.  

As we get ready to start a new year, I would like to offer some thoughts on sprucing up your space.  We have been in our home almost 15 years!  It was new construction and we are at the point where we need to do some refreshing.  First thing we did was repaint the main bathroom.  The walls get to a point where they just need redone and our light mint green walls were no exception.  I convinced my husband to use grey semigloss this time and I am much happier!  We swapped out our foyer light with a used but newer fixture. It is not vintage but neither is our home so I do not feel too bad there.  Our tastes have changed over the years and it is time catch up with them.

The new light installed and the grey paint being cut out.

Next, my husband has been patching wall holes and nail pops in the drywall.  Another thing necessary before painting.  The foyer is getting cut out for rolling as we speak and we should have enough paint to move on to the hallway.  I am excited to bid the tan adieu and move on to grey.  We are keeping 2 walls darker brown as they did not see much wear and tear.  The next thing we need to tend to is the carpet.  I am ready to rip it up but we only have plywood under there.....another sad reality of new construction on a budget.  You just cannot do it all.  We went with a custom builder and got to choose every last detail of the house and while the carpet was medium grade and the best we would afford, it has served us well but it now is toast and needs to go.  We have been looking for flooring alternatives but at this point, probably cannot afford to tackle that, even doing our own labor. I’d like to have this plan executed prior to restoring the Pearsall couch in my garage that I am seriously ready to get upstairs but the restoration work will be tedious and thinking waiting until warmer weather is probably the best.  

What is on your agenda for renovations and updates this coming year? 

New items ready to go: 

Lane 1050 series end table.  Great shape, amazing joinery in contrasting woods. This is a sweet and harder to find line.   

Some design inspiration for the next item......

Wallpaper from F Schumacher (expensive, but I can get it for you!) 

Gorgeous mod wing back in spring green upholstery.  This has been fully restored by my beloved upholsterer.  It is an amazing queen throne and the perfect accent for your  maximalist decor.  You can work this into bohemian, jungalow and midcentury decors.  I see it with some amazing jungle walls........

F Schumacher fabric.  This chair needs to be surrounded in bold.

F Schumacher.  I love this dragon print.  If you have not stepped into the high end design world lately, I suggest you do! Amazing things are being done with pattern and color! This chair would rock in a busy room and it needs a fab pillow!  

Karastan Chableau Shag carpet (6 by 9) circa 1969-1973.  Made with Karastan’s state of the art Kara-Loc technology only during these years.  It is in great condition!  Neutral with cream, brown and black wool yarns.  This piece came back with me from Westchester.  It truly is a rare find in this pristine condition.  

All of these items are available in my Etsy shop.  Don’t forget the Broyhill dining set is out in my retail space at an amazing pick up only price of $600.  You will not find another for this price! It is the last of 2 rooms of stuff I picked up a month and a half ago! Do not miss out as the other items already found homes.  

Happy New Year!!!

XO MALISSA

A few new items. Fresh upholstered goods landing later in the week. Holiday countdown.

Greetings! I had a busy week which included seeing my Heywood Dining Set off to it’s new home in the Boston area. Happy my friend could join me on the trip and we had a fun gal day trekking through New England and back. Always thankful to my friends who accompany me on big trips.  

This week I was able to snag a few pretties that are not officially listed yet.  Please directly contact me if you want to snag them.  I will offer a direct price if we cut out the middle men like Etsy and PayPal.  JUST IN! A gorgeous pair of Lane mini cedar chests that hold albums! They are so cute! Feature an upholstered bench seat top, castors and cedar lined interior.  I am in the process of redoing the upholstery as the original vinyl had some issues.  That said, one is already spoken for.  The available unit will be $300 restored.  I can shave a little off if you do cash and local meet or pick up.  I can probably ship Fed ex and for sure Greyhound if price is better.  

there is only one set of tags and going with the sold unit but you will get keys, the old locks (lane recall on the original locks has been in effect since the 70s.  This prior owner worked for the newspaper and I can tell he took it seriously as his own label at the lock notes he swapped them in 1974. 

Lots of album storage!

That 80s recover has been removed and the original black vinyl has cracks and issues around the edges.  I will be sewing a replacement in cream tweed.  There are castors on the bottom and it wheels around nicely.

This fabric will look great with the warm wood!

Also New is a gorgeous Lane end table! The wood is so pretty with a warm teak or medium walnut glow.  I have not listed it yet as I am trying to identify what line it goes with. It is stunning!!!!

Look at that joinery! It’s as sexy as the Danish chairs! Seriously this would be awesome between them!

Next I dropped off my latest restorations with the upholsterer yesterday.  He was slow so it worked out great that I can help him out! They should be done by the end of the week!  

She started tearing apart the France and Son Sigvard Bernadotte Chairs while I was still there.  They are now fully rebuilt and I chose the oatmeal tweed for the job. Available in my Etsy shop, coming soon to my chairish shop.

BEFORE

After. 💕👌 

 BEFORE.

After fabric!  

I have a delivery next Monday to the Hudson Valley.  If you are up that way and looking for something reach out! 👌

XO MALISSA

Early morning pics. 

All new cushions, delicate pleats and zipper access. 🙌🏻 

Big buy. DIY PRICED.

I just assisted in a local estate clean out and took possession of a bedroom full of Heywood Wakefield plus a Broyhill Saga dining room.  This stuff all needs some refinishing work and I am not in the position to get that done.  These items are in the raw and I am selling wholesale so you can do the work and get in this stuff at rock bottom prices.  Sure, if you want to pay me to get it done I would gladly restore to order but I do not typically buy for wholesale and in this case, I can price things low because of my great buy!  These are moving fast so please reach out immediately if you are interested in something.  I also have on eBay at higher price.  I am doing local pickup only. If you are out of the area and want shipping I can arrange for you but I cannot pack.  I can deliver in my immediate region....BERKS, LEHIGH, LANCASTER, ETC.  Any further I wil tack on a nominal delivery fee.  Ok I guess that’s the terms so on to the goods!  

Broyhill Saga dining table with 3 side chairs, 1 arm chair plus 1 table leaf. Table top could use refinish, chairs too. Seats to be recovered. Beautiful set $500

Broyhill Saga credenza. Top needs refinished for sure. $300 (will discount to $700 if you buy whole dining room)

SOLD Heywood Wakefield Sculptura 3 drawer chest with top deck cabinet in Wheat finish. Needs some finish love especially on tops but a super awesome piece and structurally just fine. $350

Heywood Wakefield Sculptura 6 drawer low chest with mirror (see below). Also in Wheat with finish issues. $300

here’s what the mirror looks like set up.

SOLD Lamp table in Wheat. Top needs redone. Sweet table. I use mine for my 4’ aluminum tree at Christmas.

What did you miss?  Don’t cry but head to my instagram as that is where all my goodies get posted FIRST! 

Text me or call 6102235758 for fastest claim! Prices are CASH PICKUP OR VERY LOCAL DELIVERY ONLY.  I will def deliver further for additional fee.  Want to hire me to restore it for you?  I can do that too!  

Also check out the November issue of Berks County Living Magazine! I have a feature in the 5 Things column and will be providing a prize pack to the contest winner of the month!  They will be on newsstands shortly and are currently trickling out to subscribers!

Thanks for keeping me busy and working!  

XO Malissa  

Research Revisited-Harvey Probber piece

Bent Mahogany Base is held by a brass stretcher rod.  Probber did have some famous dining chairs that also utilize the brass rod and curved slats but we all know there are tons of knock offs or just plain likeness designs out there, I just really wanted to see this in print.   

Earlier this year I won a beautiful little side table with a bent wood slatted x base.  Not many turned up but the piece along with a similar magazine rack seem to get attributed to Harvey Probber.  If you know me at all, you know I never believe others when they say ‘attributed to’ and prefer to do my own research. Over the summer I was able to review a Probber catalog at the Philadelphia Athenaeum Museum, which is basically an architectural museum and library.  The small catalog was more of a brochure and did not contain the table.  I did, however, discuss what I was looking for with the librarian who recommended I check both Winterthur and Hagley in Wilmington, DE.  Both of these museums are in the realm of the DuPont family and document industrial history.  I checked Hagley’s holdings and they had 2 Probber items I could review.  Unlike most places I visit, they were able to pull them while I waited.  

***RESEARCH TIP***  Most larger libraries have off site storage and it is very important you make an appointment in advance to review something specific in the collection.  

I am not an experienced Probber dealer so I could not determine much by the construction alone.  It was obvious there was veneer used. The design was impressive and the use of the brass piece was definitely not your average look but I needed to learn more. Check out the catalogs are always a help.  Sadly, there are really no resources online for Probber and his works that I found.     I must say, after making the trip to Wilmington, I so enjoyed the perusal.  So first I looked at The Kill Collection.  It was a thin catalog that just featured pieces from this collection.  Everything in this collection is metal.  It is really lovely but not was I was looking for.  The Librarian returned with the other catalog.  This always makes me take a deep breath as I wonder if I will find my answer or go home with more questions after exhausting the 3 catalogs that are housed within 2 hours of me.  When I took a look at the tabbed hard cover bound book, I was optimistic. Where to start?  I turned to the Occassional section first. There were some side tables in the area but I did not find my table.  My heart began to sink again.  By this point, my goal was to get as much info out of this book as possible.  There were wood chip samples of the finishes offered. I also realized that Probber sold directly to the trade. That means in order to buy his furniture, you needed to be working with an interior designer or architect.  That cuts out a lot of middle America and also reminds me that these designer high end pieces will not be found easily.  

I flipped to the beginning and started to find small pieces again so my optimism returned.  And finally, I found what I was looking for.  I high fived the kids, who had reluctantly accompanied me on this trip, and sat for a bit taking it all in.   

Finish options. So cool that the sample chips were included! 

There were also plastic laminate chips of which only a white one was still intact.  I believe my top to be plastic laminate.  This particular piece and the magazine rack were not listed in the price list. Bummer.  This book was a 1957 publication, by the way.  ​

So excited I was able to authenticate this piece! I hope I get to visit the Probber catalog again in the future! His designs were fabulous and I would call him more transitional than mcm purist.  Unlike many of the lower end pieces, these are less kitschy and fun and all grace and elegance.  ​

Prior to my stop at Hagley, I visited a fabric outlet in Newark.  It was worth the stop even though most fabrics were $20 or so a yard.  I picked up 5 yards and feel like I know where I am going with that Knoll Antimott Chair now.  I often hate to commit to fabrics and colors without a buyer but intelligent me knows most people don’t have enough imagination to choose.  I wanted something colorful with a bold print.  I have 3 yards of this (yellow/blue) I want to make the cushions out of.  I also got 2 yards of another navy/turquoise/royal geometric weave.  Both fabrics are indoor/outdoor and treated for fade resistance and sun protection but feel like a standard upholstery fabric. I think they will both do great in dining chair and high use applications.  Stay tuned!  If you are interested in purchasing the Knoll Antimott chair, there is still time to dictate the details.  Reach out!  I am half way through my income tax class and still very busy.  Working on adding new listings in between homework.  Please keep your eyes to my shops so you don’t miss anything!

LOCAL?  RENTALS FOR PHOTO SHOOTS!  looking for the perfect accessory for photographing the kids? If I have a piece you’d love to borrow for a day or a few hours, let’s chat!  I know I have some friends in photography and I would love to work out some rentals for your holiday shoots!  

NEW ARRIVALS!

Awesome petite church pew bench. Only 53”! Pinterest this and see how hot they area! In a dining nook, foyer or hall, mud room and so much more!  Can work with primitive, eclectic and farmhouse looks too.  This pew came out of a church in South Jersey years ago.  The family is relocating to the west coast and leaving some things behind.  Painted, chippy finish, antiqued.   

Smalls include 2 huge glass pharmaceutical bottles, a neat pair of wood owl salt and pepper (grinder) made in India and a real clean scale.  Listings will be up soon.  Another treat for me.....that great wrap! 💕👌

Please note if you are searching for large furniture items in time for the holidays, I suggest you commit now.  Greyhound can take up to 2 months and this year has been on the longer side.  White glove shipping as well can take that long.  My uship guys are a little quicker but it really hinders on where they are in the schedule when we book them.  Pick up can be a week or two out.  I take care of all the booking and logistics for you so no worries! Let me assist you in creating a cozy home for the holidays! XO MALISSA