Grand finale! Wave Lounge Restoration Complete!

After weeks of coordination, some work on my part and some at the upholsterer, this beautiful piece is now complete and waiting delivery next weekend.  I was beyond thrilled when I showed up to pick up at the upholsterer.  He did an amazing job!  Here are some pics.

I arrived at the time we arranged and just in time to watch him close it up.  I think he may want me to be there so I could see his work that would shortly be sealed up.  You can see his strapping which is all brand new as well as all the foam and stuffing.  It is a very firm seat but very comfy and will last another lifetime!  I particularly enjoyed his double stitch technique on the seams that create almost a faux piped edge.  Super classy without all the piping work!

The Upholsterer works to add the dust cover, the final finishing touch!  You can see in the background he does some amazing pieces and I have seen him working on more than one Victorian piece.  They always look fabulous!

Meanwhile, I was at home working on the legs.  They were pretty nicked up, had a bad repair on one of them and were in need of a fresh start.  I sanded them down, did some repair work on the bad repair and then gave them stain and poly top coat.  The final detail was all new floor glides. 

The final result is a stunning piece with all new guts and a total fresh start.  My client is looking forward to relaxing with a good book and I would be lying to say that doesn't make me a bit jealous!  

Sorry about my living room as the background.....it was so rainy this weekend I just could not get any decent pics in natural lighting outdoors, which is my favorite place to photograph. 

The color is stunning as well!!! Such a fabulous accent piece that will steal the show!

The tufting adds so much to this larger piece. It really needs some details to break up the piece visually.  If you search for this piece on an image search, you will see them done in many ways.  I enjoy the tufted pieces best and ones with thicker foam like this one. 

Overall, the finished price of this piece is well under retail in my markets.  Had I taken this on myself and invested my own money into the restoration, I would have priced it accordingly.  However, I was able to save my client money and she was able to call the shots on the important things like fabric selection and stain color.  I guess with any restoration you have to have a bit of flexibility on the final product, but generally, that's my job to pull the details together and present a gorgeous finished product you can enjoy for hopefully the rest of your life!  The pieces I select for restorations are always something with significant design or collectability status but in reality, the sky is the limit if you are willing to invest in the piece. 

I will be looking to pick up some more Pearsall items shortly that will all need complete restorations and I would love to coordinate restoration on them.  Please keep me in mind when you are looking for something for your home!  I would gladly source something for you that needs a makeover and follow through the process with you, advising you along the way.   All custom restorations will require 50% deposit to start the work.  If you have me purchase your fabrics for you, I will offer you my wholesale rates as well.  Fabric is a tricky thing but I do have some sources for discounted close outs as well.  It can be overwhelming!  Definitely order a current JOYBIRD swatch kit before you start your search!  This week I found a sale at Norwalk Furniture at $8/9 a yard for closeout fabrics they had available.  I bought 15 yards of an orange I have earmarked for my Pearsall couch coming!  $100 for 15 yards is INSANE!  Even if I have to have the strapping and structure redone by the upholsterer, I will still be well under retail on the piece.  And since it will be going in my own living room, this excites me a lot!  hahaha  You can see my current sectional in the pics above and I am so over it!!!!  My husband loves it and has fought me about replacing it.  I finally found a large 9' couch that I think will be great and we will even have room for a chair!  <3  Here is the link to the NORWALK FABRIC SALE. Norwalk, by the way, had some great Mid Century offerings back in the day!  They are still manufacturing furniture today!

These cuties will be available to customize shortly!  

I also have a quote for the X benches that are going to be redone.  I need to disassemble the second one which is extremely labor intensive.  Once I get that done (shooting for spring) they will be ready to head to the upholsterer.  I loved the fabric on the wave lounger so much I am thinking of staying with it.....possibly blush...but there is a great moss green too.  If you are interested in having me customize them for you, please reach out before I get started.  Final pricing on them will be in the $700-800 range depending on if bought direct or through one of my online markets.  They will be amazing at the foot of a bed.  I am thinking they need some tufting up top as well, so will be running with that! 

Other quick notes:  The gold tufted couch/chair set is off the hook.  It is currently in 6 shopper's carts on etsy.  I have quoted shipping to California (from PA) and checked my plycon rates in the chairish shop.  This set is going to cost $500-1000 to ship.  Seriously.  I need a regional buyer for this set unless you have a fat shipping budget.  I will drive far to find it the right home, but you would need to reach out so we can talk about it.  I prefer NOT to split the set.  The chair by itself to me is not really worth selling on it's own and honestly, I priced the set LOW on purpose.....like throwing the chair in for free anyway and factoring in the wear on the arms.  If you are considering the set, reach out!  It is a beautiful set and very current with what is trending.  I do think you can match the velvet you could have some arm covers made up to cover the wear. A quick check on etsy confirms that there are MANY options for useful and decorative arm covers!  Plus I found someone selling velvet that may match.   That is really the worst of the issues.  I can help you with that if you would like. 

ALBUM SALE on my facebook page is still going on!  Grab some goodies from my wholesaler, Primitives by Kathy AT COST!  That's right!  I am selling a bunch of cute gift items at my wholesale price!  Sure, they aren't everyone's style, but they make great gifts for mother's day, easter and more!  Please stop by and check them out at facebook.com/madformodmalissa.  The album is pinned to the top of my wall.  I will send you a paypal invoice with shipping added.  Fill a box!  Click the link above to visit!

Thanks for popping in!  I have noticed an issue with my mailchimp list and it appears that some email followers MAY have been added without their consent.  This seems nuts to me as not only do you need to complete the form on my website, you then need to follow through and respond to the email they send you to confirm you really want to be there.  I do not randomly add anyone to this list!  Not my friends, not my family, not even people who follow me on facebook.  SO, with that said, if you got on my list without your consent, please contact me via email!  Mailchimp seems to be spamming people and it makes me mad.  So I apologize if anyone is getting my updates that did not sign up for them! 

xo Malissa

Lastest restorations complete.

Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!  It was pretty quiet for us unless you count the washing machine giving up and shopping for a new one, a water leak not long after causing us hassle to dry out but luckily my inventory was spared.  So I have been busy around the house and thankful things have been pretty slow as I am sure folks are out shopping retail.  I had time to get my little projects completed including the rocking chair, which I just put the final touched on today. She is stunning!  I photographed today and sent my listing to Chairish.  If you are regional or can meet me for delivery, the etsy listing is live.  I can quote shippers for you if you need it.  

The perfect piece for a covered porch or sun room! Eclectic and Boho lovers will style it up with a Kantha or Kilim!  

When shopping vintage, I know what you will find. This chair had 2 areas of broken weave....it's now repaired. The upholstery was gross and there was an issue with the seat frame....it's now repaired and better than ever.  This chair is as comfy as it looks! 

My side project little wire bench is also complete.  I stripped a bad paint job off her (PAIN IN THE BUTT) and then added a gloss black enamel finish, new rubber feet caps and my custom cushion featuring the Schumacher indoor/outdoor fabric.  It is so adorable!  I can see this fitting a toddler perfect and what a cute bench to use in a photo shoot for the holidays or even Valentine's Day!  I can ship in 24 hours or less. 

Super cute wire bench revamped for another life. At the foot of a bed, under a vanity, prop for photo shoots....many uses! The details have been taken care of for you.

The Hundevad piece is a little wider than the Lane hutch and provides even more storage. Danish Modern is always hot. 

I just sold the Lane Rhythm hutch that was in my booth so I am currently featuring the awesome Hundevad Teak 2pc unit at my best price.  I will warn you the top part will only fit in a full size truck or van.  I am available to help deliver but only if our Vanagon is in a happy mood, no snow or salt on the ground, etc.  It is currently in the shop for winter repairs and inspection so out of commission at this moment.   As of last Friday when I made the swap, the Cathrineholm bowl is still unclaimed!  Add this $50+ valued piece to your collection by making a $200 purchase with me at the Fleetwood Antique Mall!  I have awesome gifts and some great restored furnishings waiting for you.  My local market can be kind of depressing and while I love shipping my items all over the country, it would be a super surprise to find some local MCM fans who appreciate great design and quality restored goods right here in my area.  If you are reading and have any friends who are looking for items to furnish their homes, please send them my way!  I work with interior design pros all over the country and would love to work with more local folks!

Current view. My pair of blue Heywood chairs moved to Texas.  This orange chair is sad and would love a new home too! Priced at my lowest price at the mall for self service customers.

Yesterday was the closing of the Richard Redd Scrapbook Exhibition that I was fortunate to be able to attend last month.  I got to claim my 2 original framed prints and take them home.  I took a few minutes to chat with him and meet his sweet Pomeranian who never leaves his lap.  I told him that my college did not have much of an art department but I did take an acrylic class as an elective after I switched majors.  And I said I 'stuck it out there' since I did not want to transfer.  He told me in the 1950's when he was a student at Lehigh University (where he taught and chaired the Art Department years later), they only had a 2 person art department and he 'stuck it out' as well.  Amazing how your heart leads you where you need to be regardless of what you study.  In my case, my accounting and bookkeeping career is very much useful to me as I would really be sunk if I had to hire someone!  haha  My interests in preserving the stories and histories of the small artists and especially the local and regional artists that I come across in my picking travels is always the main goal.  Sometimes it is hard to find out a lot like in the case of the Bethlehem woman who I have the beautiful floral paintings from, but in the funny way life is, I just happened to revisit google for Mr. Redd's story just in the nick of time to experience his final exhibition and was so thrilled to be able to add a few pieces to my personal collection.  I do occasionally keep items I am smitten by and tend to keep those with trees in them.  haha  The pieces I selected are very much nature inspired! <3 Now to figure out where to hang them!  I also made a donation to the scholarship in his honor that will be started for art students at Lehigh University.  Your support of my business allows me to give back to the museums and organizations that aid me in my research and being able to contribute to this cause was important to me. <3 

Have a great week and I am sure many are getting ready for the holidays!  I have many performances coming up in December with the 2 ensembles I play French Horn with and it is a busy and exciting time of the year! 

xo Malissa

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