Why vintage furnishings?

Let’s chat about why you would want to consider vintage furniture for your home. Not everyone thinks of vintage the same way collectors do. Let’s face it, some are not in love with the past. Does your Grandma’s style speak to you? Maybe it never will! I enjoyed the kitschy items my grandmother had in her home. So much so that I took a little no name funky swivel chair I used to play on and invested $600 to have it redone with durable modern fabric. I still love it like I did then but even more so because it looks awesome and is no longer lumpy, ripped, faded and tired. You can take these items from the past and choose how they look going forward. New fabrics, tweaks to the design (I mostly hate skirts on chairs and sofas! I will remove them if not replace them!), new finish on the wood, etc. It’s rare that I find 50s/60s/70s era items in ready to use pristine condition. You have to be willing to get dirty to save them and preserve them.

In case you are not a seasoned Mid Century enthusiast, let me welcome you to the club! We are people full of passion for the design and history of the items we covet. We could go on for hours discussing designers and companies who may no longer exist. The mid century was a time when American was prosperous and innovation was keeping our factories pumping out all kinds of goods. Furniture was still very much hand crafted with exotic species that now would cost a fortune and in the case of Brazilian Rosewood, may not even be legal to harvest anymore. The Scandinavian manufacturers used Rosewood a lot. Scoring a dining table or chair set will set you back some dough, but you can’t even buy that new so how do you even put a price on it? I’m not here to diss new furniture. It has it’s place in a modern home. Nothing beats a statement piece that has age and charm. Whether you mix a traditional turn of the century antique or a mid century modern marvel, they all have the element of ‘they don’t make ‘em like they used to’. Another thing to mention, most of the vintage furniture will end up costing you less than buying a higher end new maker. Don’t compare your vintage to big box stores or even department store brands. I am talking heritage brands like you get when you work with an Interior Designer or even Crate and Barrel or Restoration Hardware. Do your research. A well preserved or restored set of vintage can save you money. And so what if you have to invest a little into it! I can tell you that as time goes on, there will only be less of it available and you have yourself a long term asset that you will at the very least recoup what you spent and you may even make out better when you sell them. Mid Century has been trending for many years now and it can get over played, but it never fades away. A few key MCM focal points will bring a great nostalgia and artsy element to your home. Think museum if you will! Many of my personal keepers are found in museums around the country! Plus it’s a nice bonding moment when a guest shows up and fawns over your impeccably placed red analine Eames LCW.

XO Malissa

New items are rolling in. Don’t delay if you spy something you like as the market is once again heating up! Chairish is still your best bet for reasonable shipping rates so check there first BUT, I am happy to try to get you other quotes too!

Here’s some fun history of my latest acquisition, a Jerry Johnson sling chair! It’s fabulous. Please stop by the blog I have linked for a thorough history on this chair and it’s maker! Click on the black box below the pics!

Memorial Day Sale!

Heads up that I am participating in a 3 day sale on Chairish! If you have been eyeing something and need shipping, I highly recommend you grab it then! My shop will be 15% off for 3 days only!

New items! I have been adding some new items to my Etsy and they are submitted to Chairish however, they may not make it through the curation process prior to my sale. Fingers crossed. Here’s a peek.

Beautiful tufted chartreuse velvet couch. In incredible condition and I do not say that lightly! There are no major issues at all! Foam is soft, it is super comfy and the color is gorgeous! I would not even remove the skirt it’s so stunning! She is being cleaned and sanitized prior to shipping/delivery!

Wow! Large set of folding chairs that really compact! Sturdy and stylish temporary seating! They are in very good condition with minor signs of wear. Perfect for your next gathering! I even found the patent!

Some news to share: I am officially a member of the International Furnishings and Design Association-Philadelphia chapter, a trade organization for Interior Designers and fine purveyors of related businesses. Looking forward to connecting to many more regional design pros!

I will be out of town for the weekend so anything purchased after tonight will ship Tuesday. As always, I will do my best to assist with any quotes or questions while I am camping. We typically have cell service at this location. My retail space is open normal hours 10-6 through Sunday! Stop by if you are cruising through! XO. MALISSA.

So you want to hire an upholsterer? Inspo and tips on working with an upholsterer to revive your vintage pieces!

Greetings! I am offering up advice so if you have any specific topics you want to pick my brain on, reach out! I may feature your topic in an upcoming post!

One thing I get asked about and have helped friends navigate through is dealing with an upholsterer. There are many in my area and seriously, once you start looking, you will probably find many near you as well. My advice is not to go to the popular or first name that comes to mind. Find someone who has lower expenses and not a big flashy showroom or workspace. The more employees they have, the pricier it will be- and I mean that loosely. Always consider how much your own time is worth, your piece will take many days of work. It won’t be cheap. But you don’t need to pay a premium to get quality work.

I stumbled upon the shop I use as I was walking through our nearby city when my kids were at swim team practice. I had a chair I wanted new foam and straps put in and I literally walked in his door to meet him. He was working at a bench and another gal was at the sewing machine. His shop was in a row home and there were rolls of fabric and other furniture around the edges of the room. He had a gorgeous Victorian couch on the bench in progress. He also was versed in automotive upholstery. He told me to bring the chair in and he’s give me a price, I returned with the chair and he came out to my car and checked it out. I do not remember what for that chair all those years ago, but it may have been around $250. He put new strapping supports and foam in the seat and the wool fabric was perfect so put it all back together. It looked great. I brought him more projects and gradually upped the ante until I was bringing him comfy chairs and sofas that had to be gutted and redone. It’s been a year since I have taken him anything as I like to do small jobs myself and when I invest into large items they take a while to sell so when the 3 pieces I have find homes, I will find something else to do. Here are some tips on saving money or things to be alert to that may cost extra- review this list before you talk to the upholsterer.

  1. Can I bring my own fabric? Most upholsterers will have look books with samples and even in stock rolls of fabric. My guess is most of them have lower quality Textiles because let’s face it, it costs a lot to redo a chair and unless you are into designer Textiles, you will not want to pay for them. MANY will charge you extra if you bring your own fabric! MOST OF THE POPULAR GUYS WITH FANCY SHOPS are on board with this. You seeking out a small shop with a budding upholstery artist will avoid this up charge. My guy has bolts of unused yardage from other projects he would sell cheap or add into his quote. I know my guy is working for NYC designers and I see his bolts and know the brands. He probably has some very expensive fabrics available and I would bet he does not know the value but he does not care, he did not pay for them, his client did, I try to get my excess back from him to use on other projects, but I know he will squirrel it away in his stash sometimes. Ask about excess fabrics they may be able to sell you cheap, especially if you just need a solid or simple tweed.

  2. If the structure of your piece is in good shape, you may just need to redo the fabric. In many cases, mid century pieces will have degraded foam and I opt to have that all rebuilt, Foam is expensive. Look for signs of degradation in your piece: hard, heavy and saggy seat cushions, yellow powder seeping through the fabric, open any zippers and inspect. Opt to redo the foam if you spy any degradation. It is worth paying for and if you have allergies or sensitivities you will be glad you did. You don’t want to do this again. I have a very good working relationship with my upholsterer and we usually discuss what should be done during the quote process. I trust his calls on things.

  3. It’s all in the details. Things like tufting, buttons and welting add to the labor on a piece. Really look at the piece and see, do all those buttons make the piece for you? Is your fabric patterned and adding tufting would just add to the busyness? Maybe you will want to redesign a bit to save on some labor. Your upholsterer can help you navigate through those options and please bring it up and see if you can trim some cost by leaving some of the fancier trims off but still end up with a gorgeous good as new piece.

  4. Services. If your guy offers pick up/delivery, you may want to ask if there would be a discount for you to bring and pick up. Many big shops offer this service but ultimately, you pay for it in an inflated price. Maybe you don’t have a way to transport, then by all means take advantage of it. Just know that the more work they do for you, the higher the cost. No one works for free and gas is expensive.

Overall, reupholstering (and redesigning!) a chair or couch is so rewarding! You can take something that is well built and tired and make it new again. You could probably save money over buying new but also are saving a piece from a landfill which is even better. Reasons people choose to reupholster include:

  1. Sentimental- I have my grandma’s spinning 50’s kitschy chair that I used to spin on as a little girl. It was very tired after living a full life. My mom gave it to me after my grandma passed away. I saved up and let my son pick his favorite fabric in my stash and now it’s on his bedroom, Choosing new fabric lets it please you and your space. Bonus, it’s comfy again and stain free!

  2. Collectible- most of my inventory is collectible mid century modern. Most of us collectors want early examples during the production years. Yes ideally, people want original condition. But there are definitely times when you’d want to make things right again. Investing into a collectible piece gets it ready for another 60 years and it’s clean and stylish as it should be. If it’s your piece, make it your own and save it!

  3. Redecorating- this reason to reupholster a piece definitely depends on your disposable income! The couch in my living room came from a friend of a friend. He told me his mother reupholstered it 5 years after she bought it new because she redecorated! Not only the couch but 3 other lounge chairs that I also bought and sold. They all needed redone again and got their wish. This reason is probably not realistic for most of us, but there are folks who like to change things up!

Have fun with the redesign process! The restored items pictured that I have for sale have a clickable link to my Chairish shop. You can get a reasonable shipping quote there. Message me directly if you are in the region and I can do better on the price for a direct sale! I currently am offering an array of vintage fabrics in my Etsy shop for small and large upholstery projects. It’s hard to fine authentic vintage designer yardage. Come check them out and reach out if you need help. I can provide swatches on some. I also have collectible vintage Knoll Textiles remnants available. Free shipping if you buy on my website, cross listed on Etsy, Buy the best fabric you can afford for all your upholstery projects!!!! XO MALISSA

Extravaganza Specials at my retail space!

Local peeps and road trippers! It’s antiques extravaganza weekend in our neck of the woods. See my last post for shopping guide of the area! We are only a half hour from Adamstown and the savings is worth the drive.
Specials in my retail spaces at Fleetwood Antique Mall start WED and continue through next weekend!

SAVE 20% on all chandeliers and swag lighting DOWNSTAIRS. 6 awesome lights to choose from most are restored/rewired and swags have new chains. Fall in love with a great vintage light and add to your home! My husband does an awesome job getting them ready for you!

SAVE 15% on your purchase of more than one FULL PRICE item- UPSTAIRS AND DOWNSTAIRS included. No additional discounts.

DOT SALE CONTINUES! Take 50% off clearance items UPSTAIRS. Lots to choose from including vintage medical, end tables and small furniture, decor and more!

SALES CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY! Cash payment preferred, I pay your fees for credit. There is a free ATM at Sheetz 222/662 intersection- be careful in the traffic circle!

Have fun shopping and thank you got your support!
XO MALISSA

Upcoming Local Events and Thrift Guide.

Live localish and want some fun weekend events? I have some fun things happening in Berks to get you moving!

THIS WEEKEND APRIL 23-24, 10am-6pm: PA CANNABIS FEST. This free weekend fest is at Renningers Kutztown. Lots of CBD products, educational booths, live bands, food trucks and more. if you like smooth vibes, reggae and celebrating all things weedy, you may enjoy this stop.
Click the black box below to head to the FB Event page for more info,

ALSO THIS WEEKEND APRIL 23 10am-2pm (rain date 30th)

Stop by the craft fest being held outside where my retail spaces are! Lots to do and make sure you come inside and check out all of our wares! 🥰 click the black box below for FB Event page.

THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY/SATURDAY April 28-29 IS ANTIQUE EXTRAVAGANZA! Click the black box below to head to the FB event for more info!

Coming to town and feeling thrifty?

Here’s some of my favorite thrifts in Berks county. Please call ahead for open hours! It’s been a while since I visited most of them!

KUTZTOWN:

Once Again Thrift store in shopping center where Weis Market is. 15260 Kutztown Rd Kutztown Pa 19530

Further south on 222: Fleetwood Antique Mall (this is where I have a space) 14129 Kutztown Rd Fleetwood, PA 19522

The Shoppes at Kirbyville which also has outdoor Flea Market on weekends.

READING

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RE-STORE

5370 Allentown Pike Reading, PA 19605


GOODWILL

3045 N 5th St Highway, reading PA 19605

OPP SHOP 3045 N 5th St Hwy, Reading, PA 19522 (In Strip mall, same side of highway as Goodwill)

GOODWILL BY THE POUND OUTLET

3001 St Lawrence Ave Reading Pa 19606

GOODWILL

602 E Lancaster Ave Shillington PA 19607

HOPE OUTLET

645 N 6th St Reading, PA 19601

HAPPY HUNTING!!! XO Malissa