Project of the week- ottoman

As found.

I just picked up a sweet little bamboo/rattan ottoman that needed a cushion.  This was the perfect project to use more of the cobalt ikat print!  The rocker looks great in it and has sold and is moving out later this week.  I set to work this morning to get a round box cushion made for this piece. The project went very smooth.  I decided what diameter I needed and added an inch for seam allowance.  Then I cut a 3” strip make the side, also accounting for the seam allowance.  I machine stitched the piece together leaving a large enough opening to insert the foam pieces i cut then wrapped with batting.  After all was inserted, I pinned and hand stitched the cushion closed.  It is now available in my Etsy shop! 

A comfy treat for your feet!  

The cushion featured medium grade upholstery fabric in a bright cobalt blue ikat print. Perfect for bohemian and eclectic decors. 

Just in! Gold Velvet Hollywood Regency settee. This great find is such a cute compact size.  There are some fabric issues but it is usable and structural condition is good. It has been cleaned and sanitized.  If you are looking to customize this it would make a great restoration and I would work up a full quote for the work and help you select and obtain your choice of fabrics.  Customizing is so much fun and you get a fine vintage piece made new in a color you want.  We work together to accomplish this then I ship/deliver a fully reworked piece.  Priced as is, reach out if you want me to get a price on the upholstery work!

The skirt can be removed. 👌

Also just in: mahogany accent or lamp table.  Beautiful piece in excellent condition.  Great for mission and arts/crafts style.  Will mix with mcm just fine. Very nicely made.  Age and maker are unknown. Wood is gorgeous.  High enough to hold a lamp next to your couch or a chair. 

I have a few other ottomans that need restored so if you would like to pick your fabric reach out! 💕👌 

Sale continues at Fleetwood Antique Mall for students! Move in and come on over and save 20% with your college ID.  You’ll love what I have for you!  

14129 Kutztown Rd, Fleetwood, PA 19522 OPEN WED-SUN 10-6

Have a great week!!!  

Malissa

Riding the Wave.

A quick update on my current projects. After a week of working with my client on the Wave Lounge, the fabric is choosen and ordered.  I sent samples from F Schumacher to her and while she was impressed, she ultimately went with a Joybird selection.  I am thrilled to be able to order it for her and saved her an additional 10% off their normal sale pricing!  Yea for trade accounts!!! She picked a gorgeous golden yellow and I am so excited to see it in person!  Here is a preview.  

I am currently sanding down the legs for a refinish and hope they will be ready by the time the fabric gets here.  I expect this to be ready about a week after it gets to the upholsterer and then I can schedule delivery! I am sure you guys are as excited to see this transformation as we are!  Don’t forget that I have some great and highly collectible Craft Associates/Adrian Pearsall items coming.  They all need a redo and I would love to help you customize a restoration!  Message me and I will make sure I pick up what you want next! The seller is working with me on that! 

This awesome pair is claimable.  I will price as is with option to restore! If handling that scares you, no worries! I will take care of the dirty work for you! All you need to do is make the decisions!  

The end tables are sold and at their new home. Cocktail table is ready to deliver and listed in my shops.  The Havana chair and ottoman is claimable!  Such a great set!  What color would you choose?

There is also an awesome couch in this set that I have claimed as my own. That will be the last item I get from this Home and it will be customized for my own living room!  I look forward to that and may even do my own work.  Stay tuned!  

Another fun thing I was able to do in the last few weeks was work with a client and friend on some cushions for the Eames Fiberglass chairs. After discussing her goal of covering up the screw caps on the seats (because there was upholstery on the chairs originally but pulled off by the former owner who said they were not in repairable condition), I got my mom and dad in the mix to develop a comfy cushion that would do the job of covering the caps, be comfortable but stylish and my personal goal was to make them interactive so if you change up your decor or want another set of cushions, we can just whip them up.  The prototype was born! 

My dad had a few sheets of this plastic foam and it makes a great cushion and spill resistant! We decided on an envelope closure which makes the cover washable if it is fabric and totally interchangeable with another cushion!  I know my client loves to change things up in her home and figured this detail will come in handy whether she knows it yet or not! 😂🤘🏼 This is some fabric my mom had laying around.  It does look nice with the chairs but we pursued vinyl in all of it’s kid friendly glory! 

Who knew vinyl could be so colorful?  Although we could not get an exact match, the shade of the bottom left was closest. I support my local country fabric shop whenever I can! It’s on a farm about 5 miles from me and saves me a 1/2 hour drive to Joann’s.  Just always have to remember they are closed Sunday since they are owned by Mennonites!  

I spent the day sewing and got them all together. We are attaching them with Velcro tabs that will stick to the screw tops on the seat, easily removable later and replaceable if they fail.   

Of course the chairs are now SOLD and ready for delivery this week!  They are going to be perfect around the dining table with all new floor glides and their fab new cushions!

Don’t ever hesitate to reach out if you love something in my inventory and want to make it work for YOU!  My mom is a super talented seamstress and has her own little alterations side gig so I am in good hands! She has been overseeing my recent sewing projects as I polish up on my skills!  

As for my client....,well, let’s just say she is in the middle of a super kick ass kitchen renovation that includes the most spectacular St Charles kitchen cabinets ever!  I hope she will share her story with us here!  It’s a big project and she dove in head first!!!! I know you guys will want to hear about it!  I am going to clear out my mall space at the end of the month...what do you locals want to see next???? I will be taking out the dining set and all the holiday clearance items.  Stop over this weekend and take some things home!  50% off holiday, 20% off everything else, 10% off the dining set and the Danish casework.  Leave a comment of what you’d like to see on display!  I have the cane and wicker rocking chairs, the Yugoslavian set may fit.....so much good stuff to show off!!!! XO Malissa

Yugo I Go. Getting intimate with lounge chairs from Yugoslavia.

Little chair needs new cushions and big chair needs a makeover.  

We have all seen them.  They look danish, but not.  Straighter arms, less sculptured but still that same great look we all love.  I passed up a pair a few weeks ago because the strapping needed to be replaced and I wasn't feeling that project.  So then I find this pair.  Ok.  Seat supports are good.  A bit wobbly.  The gal at the shop was like, aren't these great??? The seats come up almost like they fold but not really!!! Skeptical me was thinking, honey, these need some serious gluing and clamping!

So fast forward a week.  I decide to start cleaning them up and getting the structure secure so I can start working on the cushions.  I need mom for that and honestly, I have no clue what color! I just picked up some upholstery scraps but not sure I have enough of any to do both chairs.  I have cream velvet.  I have brown with stripes knoll fabric, probably enough of the red Schumacher? It's so hard making color choices for a not yet found buyer.  If anyone sees these and must have, speak up and I can make custom cushions in your choice of fabrics!  

The finish is in good shape.  A little love evened out the issues without too much effort.  The wobble was a bit discerning so I wanted to find out more.  I can see some nail 'pins' and brass catches going on.  That is not gluable.  In fact, there are no exposed screws anywhere!   So I post a thread on my favorite restoration group- https://m.facebook.com/groups/671198139615447 and here is what I find out.

The screws catch into this hardware piece. 

the screws that catch.  Give them a turn or two to tighten up the structure. 

​Turns out these guys were made to flat pack! That kept shipping costs down drastically.  I further inspected and every piece has the screw and catch. The seat just lays in with pegs, plus evidence of 2 screws that's was told prevents the seat from popping up unwantedly. I was also told that tightening up those screws just a little will help it be less wobbly.  So I am working on that now.  This is important to keep in the back of your mind in case you run into one of these rickety babies!  It can be helped and it's only a matter or tightening a few screws.  These chairs are lightweight and really a pretty add to your space.  As far as shipping, they can be flat packed!  It's up to you as the buyer, but I would label everything so you can get it back together fast.  Now......what color to make those cushions!!!?!!!  

XO Malissa​

Not broke! Don't panic!  

wow! I tightened 3 screws about a full turn. Whacked the one side with a rubber mallet because it was not sliding and I am happy with it!  Very sturdy now!  These sit a little low for me...as do most mcm lounge chairs, but they will be great with new cushions!