Weekend Shopping Options.

FLASH SALE!  My Etsy shop will be on sale today at 2pm, concluding oct 6 at midnight.  10% off everything, no coupon required.  Come have a look!

Looks like fall is finally on the way and what a great weekend to head out and enjoy some shopping. This post is for my regional fans and will include shopping info for the big shows this weekend in eastern PA plus where I will be on Saturday.  

3 times a year my local area features a large show which draws bargain hunters, pickers and Antique fans from all over.  This weekend are those events and I will attempt to navigate you through. 

Starting TODAY through Saturday-Extravaganza at Renningers KUTZTOWN. Kutztown is an adorable college town and features a quaint and bustling Main Street filled with unique shops like popular Sorelli Jewelry, Paisley and Company bath shop and Firefly Bookstore.  There are food options as well including Kutztown Tavern and Brewery and just out of town is Saucony Creek Brewery and Gastro Pub, home of my favorite seasonal brew, Maple Mistress.  From town, take Noble Street out to Renningers Farmers Market and head out back to a large outdoor market feature hundreds of vendors selling all sorts of antiques and vintage goods. Make sure you visit Renningers.net and print out the $1 off admission coupons!  Admission is $15 today, $10 Friday and $5 Saturday.  The farmers market in the front building is open Friday and Saturday.  Bring your cooler and stock up! There are meats, eggs and produce plus many delicacies like baked goods and even wine tasting inside.  Food stands are reasonably priced.  On Saturday, there are indoor Antiques vendors as well.  Not sure if they will be open on Friday or perhaps some will be tending their stand.  Free admission to that building by the way. 

Make sure you take a pit stop on route 222 just south of Kutztown to visit my pop up shop at Fleetwood Antique Mall! We are only a few miles away and I am sure you will find the selection and prices are fabulous! I just added a bunch of new items in my relocated space.  Find me on the 2nd Floor, rear of the barn.   

Currently featuring my restored Heywood Wakefield chair and the gorgeous day bed. 

Next up, head to Adamstown. Keep in mind, these are the most expensive Antiques in the area.  You may find a hidden treasure, but things here are in many cases priced higher than my online markets! Most co ops will have sales and other promos going on and some will have outdoor vendors.  I love stopping at the Mad Hatter and have friends who sell there.  It's a must see if you travel to Adamstown.  From Kutztown, continue on 222 south.  There will be an Adamstown exit south of Reading and take route 272 straight into Antique central.  You can pick up a map at your first stop. Make sure you plan on Shrupp's Grove Flea Market. It is a lovely shady spot filled with vendors and I really enjoy shopping there.  Enjoy the area fauna! You will see horse and buggy's with Mennonites and Amish.  There are many regional food specialties to enjoy as well!  Ring bolongna, Scrapple, AP cake and Shoo fly pie.  Make sure you try something new!  

I hope you get a chance to seek out some treasures!  I will be set up on Saturday at Pyrex and Vintage Fest in Havre De Grace, MD. The street will be closed down by Joretro and approx 30 vendors will be selling pyrex and vintage goodies. The town is adorable, the weather should be perfect! Hope to see some fans!  What pyrex I have left will be $5 each dish.  I am also packing camping/picnic items and will have hen on nests, china sets and some small furnishings. My bestie and helper will be bringing vinyl records. Come see us!  It is an amazing event and if you enjoy pyrex, this will be over the top for you! Event runs 10-3. Hope to see you there!  Event page at Facebook.com/pyrexfest

Lots of fun new arrivals!

The last week has been exciting! I purchased the first items I committed to buy from the living room of Craft Associates pieces.  Craft Associates plant was an hour north of me in Wilkes Barre, PA.  They are known by their well crafted walnut items and their striking designs by founder, Adrian Pearsall.  His pieces are highly collectible at this point in time so I am thrilled to be able to bring them back to life!  

I started with the tables as they are easiest to get ready for sale and they will be helping to fund the upholstery work I need to do coming up.  The jacks tables are amazing and worth every penny! I have the freeform boomerang coffee table and a pair of guitar pick end tables- which are a harder to find form. They have been cleaned and touched up with new lacquer sprayed.  I have some oxidation on the glass top which looks like a haze.  It disappears when wet.  I have been working on polishing it to see if I can remove.  There is general wear issues on the pieces but they have not been abused.  My touch up cleaned up much of the obvious wear.  

I have dealers hawking me for them but I will not be wholesaling. They will be priced according my markets.  To help my regional peeps out, buy direct from me and pay cash and you can save my fees which is about 10%. I do not charge for meet ups and delivery, either. So let's chat and try to work it out! They are iconic, amazing and timeless!  I am so thrilled to be able to assist them in finding a new home.  

Next up.  I was busy doing some cleaning and touch ups on some items I picked up. I would love to deliver this fine piece! Say hello to a gorgeous Lane Rhythm Hutch!  

This great storage piece features glass sliding doors on the middle 2 shelves (not pictured) and the whole bottom is open for storage via the 2 doors on the sides. A beautiful piece to show off your treasures or books, it is warm and the texture is perfect! Specially priced if you buy direct. I also can deliver this piece as it fits in my minivan but it does not break down any smaller. I will help arrange shipping nationally for the additional cost. 

i also picked up a great Temple Stewart dining table in wheat finish that will match Heywood Wakefield but I paired with my ladder back Italian chairs and am in LOVE!  I will give you a much better price if you buy the whole ensemble! Reach out!

Thanks for following along and hope he all have a great weekend!

xo Malissa

Fall happenings.

After a wild week of getting ready and then moving spaces, I am all settled into my new space at Fleetwood Antique Mall! I am thrilled with the new space and everything went together very smoothly. Seeing the day bed set up and looking fabulous has made me love it even more! Try to make it over and see it if you are in the area. I am offering it at my rock bottom price at the mall. I do have another daybed ready for restoration as well, you can find it on my website, madmodworldvintage.com under DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH. Here are some pics of the new space. 

I went with a college theme and I think the daybed is a great accessory. It is extremely comfy with all new cushions. I left a little paper with info on the piece you can read about what was done.  

I have a great selection of Halloween items (not vintage) which I hope everyone enjoys! I love being able to offer fun things locally!  

Lots of new pillows available!  

Next up! I am officially registered as a vendor for Pyrex and Vintage Fest on September 30th in Havre De Grace, MD.  There are about 50 vendors expected to be setting up along the street outside JoRetro vintage shop.  Last year was a lot of fun and I expect this year to be even larger! If you enjoy pyrex and Comradery from like minded old souls, you will be in heaven.  Havre De Grace is an adorable town and an easy drive from PA, NJ, MD and D.C. Here is a link to the event info. https://www.facebook.com/pyrexfest/ 

I will be packing a bunch of pyrex which I think I will be blowing out flat pricing so stop by and see if I have anything you need. I am up for orders so if you are hitting the fest and would like me to bring something for you please message me!  I think I will be bringing the cafe set and afew summer left overs and offering af clearance pricing.  Would love to squeeze some furniture in the van! My bestie will be coming along to help and will have lots of vinyl to poke through.  

Sad day, but I sold my violin that was listed all summer and looking for a new home. That said, I will soon start collecting the Adrian Pearsall items that were offered to me by a friend of a friend. I am excited to dig in there and make them beautiful again! Here is another peek!  

These 4 pieces will probably be my first pick ups. The table glass on the coffee table may need to be replaced but otherwise, they are ready to go with some cleaning and maybe a repair or two.  I love the Havana chair and ottoman. Tempted to keep that one! 💕 

I will most likely ofer AS IS or RESTORED pricing. If you want to handle your own restoration, that is fine by me but I would love to coordinate that for you! 

At this point, I am planning on restoring this couch for my own living room!  Just need to convince the husband it's time to ditch our sectional. 😆 

Speak up if there is something you are interested in as I would accommodate you when I select what's next. Due to my budget restrictions, restorations would require 50% deposit to start, balance due on delivery. None of the upholstered items are usable as is and I have not inspected the strapping supports which may also need replaced.  

Thanks for following along and hope to see some fans in Havre De Grace!  

xo Malissa

X Bench Love and Custom Restoration Info.

First off, wanted to let you know I will be off the Grid in the Catskills next weekend for a camping trip and know I will have little to no service over the weekend. I will respond immediately when I get a signal but no shipments, quotes or measurements while I am away. Also we are spending the holiday weekend at a vintage camping event in Catawissa, PA called Kampers at Knoebels. It is a tradition and attracts many of us VW bus drivers but also other vintage camper types.  Search for the group on Facebook if you want to come camp! The highlight is a caravan to Knoebels Amusement Resort on Sat morning where we all park our vans in a row and hang out in the park. It's a fun old time amusement park where you can bring your own food (but park food is excellent) pay by the ride if you like and have a cheap fun day out.  The ride for us takes us through CENTRAILIA, PA, home of the famous underground mine fires that vacated the whole town. Empty eerie streets of where homes used to be! Have a great holiday everyone!

i am almost ready to work on the sewing part of my X Bench restoration. I have the first Bench in the final steps of disassembly. It really is a beautifully constructed piece and I suspect either custom made for a client or made by someone taking an upholstery class.  That said, there are a billion staples and tacks in it so very slow going.  I am thrilled to get the horrible plaid flannel off and get some cream velvet on!  

Although I am not in love with their fabric choice, they did a great job matching up the plaid! 

it's going to look awesome in cream velvet!  And I have a pair! Perfect choice for the foot of a bed.  

CUSTOM SOURCING AND RESTORATION.  

As you may have read a few posts back, I will do custom sourcing for clients.  This is tricky for me as I do not always have the budget for buying things so if you would like me to shop for you reach out.  Typically, I will be on the hunt for a piece in you interest based on some loose criteria like piece (dresser, chair, credenza), wood or finish type, brand...maybe if I am lucky I can hone in on a specific brand, but if budget is concern this may be a difficult task! I look and when I find stuff that may work I will shoot you pics. In most cases, things disappear fast so it is important to consider as fast as possible. I will provide my opinion on condition and issues and will know what I can clean up, repair and what blemishes you may need to live with plus dimensions and other info you need to check your space.  If you agree to the piece, I may ask for a deposit upfront, especially if we have not done business yet. I will purchase and get to work cleaning it up and getting it ready for you. In many cases this takes me a few days of work.  We set up a delivery date if you are in my region or if shipping, I will set up a listing for you to pay the balance owed which you will need to do before I ship. You will get pics and stories along the way because I am just as excited to be working on the piece for you as you are to get it in your home! I really love working with clients and helping you get a piece you will love!  Any upholstery or fabric seats can be swapped out by me at this time too! I have a stock of some fabrics and could purchase to order as well. I have trade accounts with Joybird and Schumacher and would gladly order what you need. 

READY TO RESTORE. 

When I see a piece I would love to restore, I buy it. That said, budget and time does not always allow me to transform it quickly.  I do many repairs myself but some upholstery projects I prefer to use a professional.   I have posted on my webpage MadModWorldVintage.com many of these pieces that are here waiting for their day to shine. If you love one, I can work with you to make it your own! After we discuss where you would like the project to go, I will work up a firm quote based on fabric choice, upholstery cost, etc. I enjoy coordinating these restorations and knowing it will go to a loving home right away makes it better. I think hard about my color choices but when things sit in my house for a long time I wonder if I made a bad decision. I would much rather have someone choose what they want and I just get it done. Pop in and check out my ladies in waiting periodically and see what you like. I have a beautiful Adrian Pearsall wave lounger right now I cannot wait to attack with new fabric. 

REFERRALS WELCOME!  

Not in the market but know someone shopping for furniture? I know you know that vintage is better than new!  It's hard to compete with all the reproductions out there. Even Target is launching a line of mcm themed items this fall.  That's all fine when you are in college or your first apartment and all you can afford but in most cases, a quality restored piece will last the rest of your life and is often not much more of an investment.  I take the time to really inspect what I buy, clean it well, replace anything sketchy and do my best to watch out for hidden issues that crop up so they can be remedied before you get it home.  Sure you can thrift your own deals, but I hear horror stories every day of saggy chairs, hard foam and God help us....bugs.  Yes friends, these stories are real. There are dealers out there that don't care about this at all. Trust is a big thing for me and something that I try to build with all my clients. I have been getting some referrals for repairing items for people which I will coordinate if I can.  I work with a shop full of master woodworkers and many of them do side jobs so if something is over my head, I've got people. 😂✌️ Please send your friends to me if you think I can help them fill their home with glamorous Mid Century items. I also work with interior designers around the country and provide them with amazing items for their clients.  I love what I do!  

Always thankful, Malissa 💕 

Fall Lookbook- Mad Mod World Vintage STYLE!

I always try to keep up with current trends because lets face it, not all of you want a home that looks like you just stepped into the 1950's!  (Ok, I know there is a chunk of us that would like nothing more!!!!) In reality, not all of us are furnishing period homes.  The good news is mixing your furniture styles is very much IN for the fall season!  That means you can add pops of mid century in with your farmhouse or cottage décor and really pull it off.  Good news for my friends in PA that seem to always end up in farmhouse or shabby chic haven!  Good design is timeless and even if the 'experts' are saying it's tired and ready to move on, I have news for them....there are legions of folks passionate about the era and it's offerings so I do not feel they are on base with that prediction.  Only time will tell.  If you follow my shop, you will see I tend to walk the lines and will always say YES to something that I feel adds an interesting visual appeal or texture to a space, even if it is OUT of the era.  I do have many interior designer clients so having things that appeal to them is very important to me.

Color trends for this fall include BLUSH, which they tend to pair with deep dark colors or let's say my navy day bed!  I pictured this day bed in a space like a nursery or den.  Style that is functional and a great piece for a part time retreat. The cushions are brand new and very thick foam which is quite comfortable for lounging with a new baby or for an overnight guest. Day beds are trending now as well.  This one is better than new!  The beautiful velvety fabric is from Joybird's pet and kid friendly line as well.  All original details were recreated including the piping and tufting. All cushions feature zipper entry and the metal base features sexy hairpin legs.  This truly is a fabulous piece!  Swatches shown below are all fabrics from F Schumacher, which I am able to purchase for you!  Most are available in custom pillows as well if you are not crafty.  I would love to work with you and have access to everything they offer on the website.  I can order samples from them as well, and I definitely recommend that!

I have incorporated some other fabulous trends in this style sheet including VELVETS and FURS which add great texture to a space and are ON TREND for fall and honestly, they have been trending for a while. Mixing textures and patterns is a fabulous way to go and gives a great eclectic, boho or 'jungalow' style. This is another great way to jazz up the standard MCM piece.  Typically, mcm is very minimalistic and can get bland and sterile.  Your choice in popping colors, patterns and textures are really what makes it fit in with other eras and really softens the often hard, sleek lines of the design.  Accessories will really allow you to incorporate these pieces as trends change, and you know, they will!   A new coat of paint on the walls, some throw pillows and even a new area rug can give you a whole different look without spending a whole lot.  This is why investing in refinished vintage goods is the better option than say, Target's reproduction line.  Those things are made in china and not made to withstand 60 years of use.  With some love, these restored pieces will hold their value and will most likely become more valuable as the years go on. 

With this said, another great trend is woven and wicker goods!  I can see why!  As I worked on reweaving my Italian Ladder Back chairs I can tell you that I fell in love with the look.  The modernist shape of these chairs and cartoon exaggerated backs was almost humorous and because they have the same farmhouse chic style as a traditional chair, they can morph into a lot of different dining rooms and be accepted.  I left the black chippy finish alone but did add a clear coat over all the wood.  I felt that this aged finish was perfect for today's shabby trends and by all means, I am not an advocate of faux finishes.  In fact, I will be the first one to say there is nothing durable about a chalk paint finish at all!  Before you spend money on this, know that every woodworker I work with thinks it is a crap finish and will definitely cause you strife in the long run.  I made a set of 6 incorporating 2 natural chairs with the 4 black.  I think it also adds interest to the set! 

Woven accents also include textiles!  Just so happens I have been acquiring some fabulous pieces!  My new obsession is rugs....Persian, Turkish.  All hand woven, a bit shabby from age and in fabulous bright hues, they will add an exotic air to your space.  These pieces have been a mystery to me and if you have been following along, can have some maintenance involved.  Of all the things I have bought and sold, I will say that a good rug will cost you. The good thing is, they are heirloom pieces (just like any decent mcm treasure!) so if it is taken care of, it will provide your family with years of use and grace your floors with excitement!  I always here BLOND is OUT! Well, let me tell you, this fall's trends look fabulous with light wood and many natural and light finished pieces are showing in this fall's trends!  A great time to snatch up some Heywood Wakefield, that always presents well in a social setting!  Sleek, curvy and smart, it truly ebbs and flows in and out over the years but one thing is for certain, it is well made and a joy to refinish!  Most pieces found 'in the wild' have issues, but it can almost always be saved!  This collection of end tables were all trashed when I found them and now they are gorgeous!  I collect this brand myself so if you want to know more about it, I would love to help you along.  It is addicting and reminds me of school furniture, perhaps because they did make the old wooden school chairs we remember from our youth!  With all the darks coming back en vogue for wall treatments and accessories, now is a great time to add some lighter woods to your décor! They also look great with exotic designs, textures and bright colors!

Adding a fun bright pop of color to an otherwise neutral room is so much fun! I have selected some swatches from F Schumacher's collection of wall coverings to show you how fun this can be. Featuring some dark shades as the trends are calling for and also some basic neutrals.  We built our home in 2004 and the whole living room is tan and brown.  For me, accenting with bright colors makes my room feel pulled together instead of bland.  Throw pillows, curtains and chairs are my relief!  I choose bright colors for these beautiful Heywood Wakefield side chairs because I know there are many boring rooms that needs some color.  Because I also collect Heywood Wakefield myself, I can assure you I put much care into my restorations.  They are fabulous and fun and I cannot believe they are still here!  The blue pair has well over 100 <3s on chairish!  Because they are smaller, I can totally pack these for the bus and each chair would probably ship for around $60 cross country! 

No matter what your style, color and texture is universal to bringing it all together!  Have fun with it!  I would love to help you along in your decorating either with some new furniture or help you select some wallpapers or fabrics!  I represent Joybird and F Schumacher and can be your go to gal for anything you need!  Reach out anytime to discuss!   xo Malissa

A quick note to the locals!  My furniture featured at Fleetwood Antique Mall is now 50% off!  Come on out and grab them!  Cash and Carry please!  I would love to find them homes and redecorate the space for fall!  Send your friends! WED-SUN 10-6 14129 Kutztown Rd (Route 222), Fleetwood, PA 19522ots of new listings in the etsy shop too! 

This pair of late 1800's Empire side chairs are mahogany and have red velvet covered seats.  That can be swapped out and I would gladly help you with that! Reach out with any requests!