From DRAB to FAB- my latest restoration is ready to rock!

Just picked up the maple platform rocker from the upholsterer and boy is it on point in many ways.  This rocker (of unknown origin) is made of solid maple and has a platform base.  It dates to the art deco era of the 20s/30s.  It was a family piece but the owner was downsizing and her children did not want it.  Anyway, the original fabric was pretty neat but had rips and lots of dirt.  So I decided this one was a great candidate to be made over.  I found this great IKAT print on the cheap ($20/yard normally!) and it was just what I was looking for.  Not only is cobalt/white totally hot right now, so is boho prints.  This piece is so awesome and comfy with it's newly rebuilt structure and it's new threads.  I can see this being a super piece for a nursery, bedroom or den.  If you love bohemian or it's plant inspired cousin, Jungalow style, this piece is for you!  Grab it now and make it part of your family traditions!  I have lots of this fabric left so will be able to offer it for more projects coming!  Listing is live on ETSY and will probably be live in about a week on chairish.  If you need shipping, reach out.  My UShip connection is now doing nationwide delivery and I will reach out for a quote.  I do not mind packing it for you and trust him more than Greyhound for a restored piece.  

Exquisite workmanship!  This chair is ready for a whole new life!  Click on the pick to open the etsy listing in a new window.

I have some more pieces coming in very soon.  If you are looking for a teak hutch in a compact size for storing your collectibles or china, I have a sweet one picked out.  I also have a gorgeous long and low credenza in teak by UK maker Morris.  It is Danish in look but oh so classy.  Morris of Glasgow furnished ships and even royalty and has a super history.  I will be able to offer these fine pieces at very good prices.  Remember, my online markets are priced to cover my fees.  If you want to deal directly with me and especially so if you are in delivery or meet up areas, please reach out to me via email or message.  I expect to have these pieces in the next few weeks.  Thanks so much for your support as I try to keep things moving!  Please send friends or others who are shopping for furniture if you think they'd like my style.  

BIG FUN NEWS!

Victorian ON FIRE.  So I took in a few out of my normal era pieces recently and no worries, I am not switching teams, but when I see a visually interesting piece in great condition, I want to help it get to a home where it can be appreciated and adored.  So I took in the green settee with some reservations but I knew the repair would be straightforward.  I got the velvet and hand stitched to the cushions to cover up the doggie damage and I was so pleased how it turned out.  Because I have a lot of larger items in my storage right now and it was the perfect size to add to my small retail space, I took it out.  So glad I did!  It was found by a production company who came through the Mall and they snapped it up for a new show being shot for fall.  It is called TELL ME A STORY.  It sounds like my kind of show too!  A horror based on child stories but taking place in NYC.  I'm hooked!  I also saw the stack of other furniture they bought and they are def going for a gothic vibe.  So we all have something to look forward to this fall and I will be looking for my pretty couch in the series!  I believe it was a CBS series.  Will post more when I find out when it is starting to air.  

I am caught up on my work for the moment so getting back to my notes.  This weekend is my big visit to Kykuit and I am so excited to hang out and talk about Marie Cuttoli and her fabulous contributions to the art and textile worlds.  If you check my Facebook page (Facebook.com/madformodmalissa) you will see a little blurb I posted about Marie Cuttoli last week.  She is so fascinating and I hope you all enjoy the short introduction.  CLICK HERE

Have a great week everyone!  xo Malissa

New Items, In the Home Stretch.

Interesting tidbit....the wave couch designed by Adrian Pearsall was not only produced by Craft Associates, it also was made by his later company, Comfort Designs (Kingston, PA).  I found no marks on this piece to attribute it positively to Pearsall, but most things I have read say the size is indicative of the origin, which this one checks out.  Regardless, these wave couches are fantastic and super comfy! 

The Wave couch is in the final stages and is scheduled to be complete at the end of the week.  I cannot wait to see it!  I just finished the legs.  They were sanded down, restained and new poly top coat.  I just have to install the floor glides that get hammered in.  So excited to see this beauty and the fabric is to die for!  I will get some pics when she is home waiting delivery. I got prices to have my X benches put back together (I still have to tear apart the 2nd bench....this will take me a while!) so I am ready to get them done as soon as I finish the tedious tear down.  I was thinking of using the same joybird fabric as the wave couch but in blush or a moss green.  They are both beauties!  I will need 6 yards.  If anyone wants to jump in and claim them I will work a little faster and it's not too late to choose the fabric! I estimate finish price for the pair to be $650-800 depending on if you buy direct from me or if they get listed in my online markets and are subject to fees, etc.  They are extremely tedious and labor intensive. They look awesome at the foot of a bed and they are VERY hot in today's decorating trends!

2 couches are now available! This is listed as a set and priced to sell at $500 with delivery or meets in my region included.  They are HOT.  Generally in good shape with some wear on the arms.  Will be cleaned and sanitized prior to delivery. 

Super sexy convertible couch is available.  Price negotiable for cash/regional shoppers.  Reach out if you are in the market.  It is a great piece!!! Will be cleaned/sanitized prior to delivery.  Super springy supports bounce like an old car seat. Under seat storage and back reclines flat for snoozing.   

The gold velvet couch and chair has been a very hot item for me and sadly, they are not going to be cheap to ship.  I have been working with a west coaster and quite frankly, the quotes are coming back $1000-2000.  This set needs a closer home.  Preferably one I can deliver to.  If you are in the region or would be willing to meet and can transport, this set will be stunning in the right décor.  I might be able to get more reasonable shipping east coast or even Dallas TX as I have a ushipper that goes there a few times a year.  I spend a lot of time pricing shipping and it makes me sad when I can't find something that works for my buyer, but it is what it is.  I have this set priced to MOVE so if you love it, message me right away and we can see if we can make it work.  It is in multiple carts on etsy right now.  Don't forgot, PLYCON quotes instantly in my chairish.com/shop/madmodworldvintage shop.....add the item to your cart like you are buying it, make sure your zip code shows up and you will see the shipping and fees.  FIRST TIME SHOPPERS can get a coupon for signing up for an account or message me with your email and I can have one sent to you!  I do occasionally beat this shipping price but it really depends on where you are.  USHIP for me is less than impressive.  I do not get bids most of the time which is seriously depressing!

This lovely vintage dress form adorned with beautiful scarves and bags will arrive in my space at Fleetwood Antique Mall later this week!  (Dress form is priced and available!)  I plan on Wednesday but we have snow coming so no promises!  Will try to have her there before we leave for the weekend!  That said....I will not be available this weekend for quotes/inventory related questions I cannot answer off the top of my head or shipping.  Please make all purchases by Thursday evening so I can get shipped before I leave!  Othewise, will ship early next week!

In other NEWS, I just got to my wholesaler to restock some goodies for my booth that I like to use as filler and fit my eclectic/boho/camping theme.  Not only did I come home with some cute items like MORE PLACEMATS!  These never stick around long!  I have 2 sets (of 4) of mixed Kantha mats and 3 sets of matching blue/white patterns so come check them out in the etsy shop!  $30 each set plus ship.  They are always popular and do not last long.  Perfect for your dining table or use when you are camping!  They are so fun.  Also with Kantha items, I picked up scarves and 2 cute cross body bags.  I am picky about my bags and selected these because they have leather straps, are adjustable, lined inside with zipper pocket and an open pocket for stashing important items.  They are super cute and perfect for going out, shopping and festival season!  I am adding a dress form to the booth this week and didn't want her to be naked so filled her with scarves and bags!  Hope you can stop by as this cute stuff would make great Valentine's gifts!  All NEW with tags!

I am a savvy shopper and was able to score 2 boxes of goodies in a deal Primitive's by Kathy had going on.  These are all items I do not typically buy to resell but are fabulous gifts and I decided to offer them at WHOLESALE pricing!  That means, these are the prices I would be paying for them, retail is marking them up 50% more!  I hope you stop by my facebook page facebook.com/madformodmalissa and have a look! There is a video of me going through the box and telling you about the items, I suggest you take the time to watch it as you get my opinion and specs.  Then see the album which is pinned to the top of my wall where you can comment and claim items.  FILL A BOX!  These are all small items so I can pack a box for you and price shipping.  You will be invoiced via PAYPAL so all I need is your email address to send the invoice, which will be done as soon as I pack your items and calculate the shipping.  This is so fun and I am thrilled to be able to let you guys WHOLESALE shop with me!  You will find GREAT GIFTS for Valentine's Day/Easter and Mother's Day!  Let me know if you have any questions!  I will leave the album up for a month or two.  Unclaimed items will either be used for giveaways or may be priced and put in my booth.  I hope you can find some things you love.  **My best shipping rates are east coast/mid west.  I will not have access to Fed Ex discounts via paypal but I do have a UPS account so if you are in my worst prices USPS zones, I will price at the cheaper rate for you. I always check for the most cost effective way to get you the goods! 

Box signs, small pillows, mugs and pottery, new from my wholesaler! Check out on my Facebook page and claim what you love! Gifts galore!

Philanthropy:  If you have been following me a while, you know I LOVE to give back to places I use for research and other art preservation causes.  I recently found out that the American Art Archives in DC is allowing folks to pay to have items digitized.  So, you pay for the digitizing and get a copy of the files and then they get uploaded to their online system so ALL can enjoy them online.  It is kind of like sponsoring the records.  I decided I would like to sponsor Bruno Mankowski's records.  I am pretty certain he has no living spouse or children at this point and I feel like it will help share his story.  Plus, there are enough of my naked lady sculptures out there and by the folks contacting me direct or seeing them on ebay, I know it will be found!  It will cost approx. $1200 to have the two totes I reviewed digitized.  I want you guys to know I will be working towards raising the funds for this so you know supporting me is not only supporting my small business, but I also give back to the organizations I work with!

STAY TUNED for final pics of the wave couch!  I will send an interim update when I pick up and can get some better pics taken....snow coming so that might hinder it a bit.  Have a great week!

xo Malissa

I have 6 pillow cases. $16 shipped each, add $13 if you'd like a pair. Advertised on my instagram page, email if you’d like one and I will send invoice via PayPal. 

Caning, Asian influences, shopping with a friend and good housekeeping practices because it's the LAW.

Greeting! After a busy few weeks, I have just completed restoration of a homemade oak rocking chair with cane seat and back I picked up earlier this year.  I took it on because I have successfully replaced sheet cane early in my restoration career and decided I was ready for another go.  I am happy to report it all went smooth and the chair is now available!  Here are a few pics from the process.

The first pic is the chair as found with a blown out back.  Step 1 was removing the old cane and spline.  The best way to accomplish this is with a $40 steamer.  The steam loosens the old glue.  I would say it took the better part of an hour to work the old cane free.  Then I visited my local basketmaking and caning supply shop (yes, that is a THING!) called the Country Seat and they helped me match up the cane and spline to the right sizes.  The spline has to be big enough to fit in the channel tightly as that what keeps the whole structure intact.  Then I returned home ready to work.  After soaking the new cane and spline in water for about 20 min, I got to work using the wood pegs to insert the cane into the channel.  Working from side to side and and making it taunt.  Once I had it all lined up and inserted as I liked, I would trim off the excess, cut the spline to size beveling my ends for placement.  Then adding wood glue in the channel, inserting the spline, pounding in with a rubber mallet and my peg and wiping off the excess glue.  Overall, this project took about 3 hours of my time.  The chair looks fantastic!  If you have an eclectic style like I do, you may fall in love with the texture of caned and woven goods. Sheet cane replacement can be tricky, but it is a lot easier and less time consuming that outright caning!  Stop by my etsy shop if you want to read more about the chair. CLICK HERE

While I was at the caning shop, I picked up some material to repair a 1930's Heywood Wakefield rattan rocker.  It is shown on my Diamonds in the Rough page.  I am going to get started repair the one arm that is a little dogged up and then redoing the seat.  I have some golden yellow fabric I thought would be a good choice with the aged orange finish of the rattan, but I am open to  using a pattern.  If you want to claim this baby now I will finish it per your specifications.  Amazingly enough, the rattan is actually a very tight twisted paper and not a reed at all!  When I snapped off a piece to take it along to the shop, I was suspicious and the woman at the shop confirmed it!  I will be replacing with a reed in the area that needs repaired and hoping I can do a close match of the orange paint to blend it in.  These kind of details are always challenging and fun for creative types like myself. 

NEW ITEMS.

I just picked up a few new items that I am getting ready to list.  I love to know the history of what I find so being able to select things from the home they lived in is a fun yet melancholy part of securing my inventory.  I was able to visit a home that is getting cleaned out after it's owner recently passed on.  She was a working artist who made her living selling prints and original oils.  I am still trying to get more info on her business but she did copyright everything she sold so there were definitely savvy practices being followed.  Her home was filled with late Bombay Company furnishings in near perfect condition.  I picked up a pair of 2005 era MING style end tables in a black finish with gorgeous burl tops.  I quite enjoy the Asian style and think it would be a great match in an eclectic or boho décor.  This will be photographed and listed in the next 24 hours- hoping for no rain and a little sun! I also picked up 2 very large original oils on canvas in beautiful gold gilt lighted frames.  They are both floral subjects.  One is marked Not Copyrighted DO NOT SELL.  The other has been copyrighted and her notes show pricing and editions for canvas and paper reproductions including her asking price on the original, $4,000.  I am trying to get some more info regarding where her work was being sold and what galleries she had relationships with.  

One  of my friends mentioned they wanted me to look for a couch for them.  A few hours later a lovely living room set gets texted to me from an estate guy I buy from. Well turns out my friend was as smitten as I and trusted me to handle his deal. He got my full services including condition evaluation, pick up/delivery and a complete cleaning and sanitization.  He is handling a structural issue with the couch himself.  My Facebook page blew up after I posted the pics so I think lots of people loved it! It is Bassett Premier, often misattributed to Adrian   Pearsall.  It is in amazing condition too! Looks great in his home and I get to visit them. 💕

Speaking of sanitizing, in other exciting news, I decided to apply for a license from my state to be able to tag my own used or restored upholstered goods after I clean and sanitize with one of 2 products the state authorized to be used. I chose Steri-Fab, which is an insecticide, germicide and fungicide.  I will vacuum and steam all upholstered goods and follow with sanitizing all areas I can get to, I am certain that not all places do a thorough job with this especially thrifts, who are required to tag and any other retailer you shop with in PA.  I was letting my mall handle it for me but decided it would be something I would do for every customer I ship to. I am already following procedures but am waiting for my license to be approved so I can order the yellow tags. Buyers can remove them after receiving the item but it is piece of mind for all of us! I welcome local people to use my services! I would gladly sanitize and clean something you found or are selling commercially so you can comply with the law. Message me and we can talk about it!

HALLOWEEN

Just to let you know I have some fabulous NEW Halloween kitchen towel from Primitives by Kathy available locally at my Fleetwood Antique Mall space and currently a few styles are on ebay.  Please stop by and check them out!  ebay.com/usr/madmodworldvintage

This towel available NOW in my ebay shop or locally at Fleetwood Antique Mall!

order now so you get yours in time!  

Thanks for reading, your comments and emails!  XO Malissa

New Dining Set and Previews of upcoming restorations.

Summer has arrived with a vengeance here in PA!  I went from not wanting to hang out in my garage all day because I was freezing to death, to sweltering in the sun!  Progress is being made slowly and I will work through my projects.  My latest save is a gorgeous 1959 Drexel Counterpoint dining set by John Van Koert.  It is amazing!  Great lines feature a cherry top and mahogany ends and legs.  It has a very Danish look to it.  It is not mint, but cleaned up well.  I only have 3 chairs and not sure how easy it will be to add to them but any walnut or teak chair would look nice and currently trending are fun mismatched looks in the dining room.  I priced this set less than a recent sale for the table alone and am happy to be able to offer such a great set well under value.  I am also willing to recover the seats for you in black vinyl or any fabrics I have in stock.  You are welcome to do it yourself with fabric you have or buy as well.  My etsy listing is for pick up or regional delivery only in eastern pa, nj, ne md and de areas.  If you are in love and require shipping, my chairish listing should be live shortly and they will arrange your shipping.  

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/385045644/drexel-counterpoint-1959-dining-table-3 click here to view the etsy listing.  This is for pick up or regional meets/delivery.only. This gorgeous kilim rug is also available!

Shop chairish for shipping.  Chairish.com/shop/madmodworldvintage The original linen seat covers are stained with some holes, but I will recover to order!  Choose from black vinyl or some colorful fabrics I have in stock.

The table is totally customizable!  40" wide by 60" in length, but add three 12" leaves to max out at 96" long!  Great for entertaining!  Also note there is a great locking feature to lock in the top when using no leaves.  No accidental separation!   

Profile with all 3 leaves inserted. 

The locking device is easy to reach at one end of the table.  Turn the handle to lock or unlock when you are not using any leaves.

View of top. 

Items in the queue. 

i am sitting on 2 awesome Heywood Wakefield end table sets that will be refinished.  4 total floating top step end tables, 1 large corner end table and 1 coffee table.  I will probably sell in sets of 3.  If this is something you are looking for, reach out!  I can use either wheat or champagne and will refinish to order.  I also have a cool Heywood magazine table in my booth space at Fleetwood Antique Mall that is priced 'as is' or with me refinishing it.  Reach out if it is something you are interested in.  

Recent acquisitions in the restoration queue. 

Keep your eyes on the etsy shop!  I can tell you my last few listings sold fast!  A pole lamp in under 24 hours!  I have another ready to list!  Here is a preview!

Kick ass atomic pole lamp listing soon!   

Consulting.   

You have some items you want to sell but have no idea what it is worth!  Fear not!  I will gladly do market research for you so you know what you can expect and what your selling options are.  I have been available for friends and family but would gladly spread the love to my clients and fans. Reach out if you would like assistance and we can come up with plan of attack at a reasonable fee.

 Thank you!  

Thank you to all who have purchased from me!  I enjoy working with you and the best compliment you can give is sharing my info with your friends!  Your referrals are welcome and appreciated!  Xo Malissa  

Birthday week!

Another year older for me this week!  My week has started off great with my first sale on Chairish.com last week and my second sale this week! 🎉🎁✌️. That said, I am meeting my buyer in Elizabeth, NJ midday This Friday, so if anyone in the area would like to meet up for something delivered, please reach out!  Also anywhere on I78 through NJ and ABE.  It's a birthday road trip for me!  I will find something exciting to do on the way home for sure.  

BARWARE!

I will be picking up some fabulous barware soon from a collector downsizing.  I mean nice sets of 40's era Hazel Atlas.  These are high end collector pieces.  If any of you are interested in barware, please shoot me an email and I can let you know first what I have available after I collect and go through it. I promised I would find good homes for this collection and I may keep a set for myself, because, well PINK ELEPHANTS!  😍😍😍. 

NEW CHAIR! 

I just added a GREAT chair to the etsy shop today.  It is US made by Norwalk Upholstery Co and dated 1974.  Norwalk is still in business making custom upholstered pieces and weathered many ups and downs but are going strong.  Always good to support these companies manufacturing in our country!  This chair is styled like a Danish lounge chair, made of heavy hardwood (maple or birch, my guess), stained a medium pecan with gloss finish.  A little chunkier than their Danish cousins, I am liking the gracefully sculpted arms.  So many companies made chairs of this style and unless marked, it is sometimes impossible to figure out it's origins.  This one is tagged.  Upholstery is really in excellent condition! No tears or stains!  Structurally, the seat could take some web tightening but at this point it is not bad off and I do not want to disturb.  I did have some webbing and foam done on my England chair and it was very inexpensive at a local upholsterer. (That cutie is still available as well!)Have a look!  It is a lovely khaki green with orange tweed.  I took the pics in the rising sun so a tad warmer than reality but you get the idea. 

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/271417550/norwalk-upholstery-co-lounge-chair

Inside light last evening. 

The Heywake chairs are still in my booth and will be for at least another week unless they sell online.  Please stop by if you are in the area and see them!  I would love your feedback! Have a great week! 

Xo Malissa