My Willpower Lasted One Day. Sunday Shopping.

Woo Hoo!  I kept myself from shopping for ONE DAY.  Suprised? I'm not.  I did manage to keep myself from 2 estate sales on Saturday because it was such a busy day for me.  Sunday was another story.  We woke to cloudy skies that quickly turned to rain.  I had planned to sand some pieces but with rain that wasn't happening.

What's a girl to do?  Shop of course! I hit an estate sale in Sherman Oaks up in the hills in a gorgeous neighborhood of 60's homes.  That's always a plus.  The sale was huge but didn't really have the type of items that gets me excited.  I did manage to find a retro accordion wine rack, a plastic wall organizer, an old wood-top typewriter or utility cart and a minimalist white spotlight style lamp.  Then it was off to about 5 thrift stores where I picked up a few more things.  I also went by a Craiglist lead to look at some chairs but passed.   Take a look.....

These are the CL chairs. They looked promising in the ad and are only $5 each. In person they looked a little too ice cream parlor-y to me.  I don't care for the bent wood piece underneath the chair on the back legs. Thoughts?

Set of 4 tall back dining chairs in Goodwill.  I like the back of these.  Don't like the idea of refinishing them though. If you're into Hollywood Regency these would look really cool painted white or yellow.  Should I go back for them?

Cute retro wall hanging organizer from the estate sale. This was a popular design in the 60's. I've seen it on metal trays and cups.

Mod teapot made in Japan.  Gorgeous lines that run all the way down the handle.  Love this. I'm keeping it.  Doh! 

Retro flip clock. Love me some flip clocks! I like this one because it has a radio.   I don't particularly like being jolted out of sleep to a buzz or beep noise. 

Blendo set in like-new condition.  Includes one large bowl and 6 small bowls. 

60's rock chip art. Me likie. Me keepie. 

So yes, my willpower lasted one day.  I guess anyone that hunts for vintage, frequents estate sales and so on can understand though. It is quite fun and there is a rush and satisfaction when you find something you love.  

Did you hunt for vintage this weekend? 

Mystery Mid Century Lounge Chairs.

I picked up this pair of beauties last week and I need some help identifying them.  Any ideas?  No maker's mark.

I love a low sitting MCM lounge chair in general but these are unique because they are upholstered on areas of the frame, not just the cushions.  I love the orange fabric and they are in spectacular shape. They are chunkier in design than my own lounge chairs, which are more Danish Modern with their small statures and fine arms and peg legs.  I want to lean toward American made for this set but need some thoughts from my beloved and trusted followers.  Do they look inspired by any particular designer to you?

On a side note, it's Saturday and usually I'd be at an estate sale right now but I'm putting all my willpower to the test.  I really need to stay home today to refinish a customer order and ship two large furniture pieces that I sold on Etsy.   Plus, I have a garage full of things to refinish and items that need to be photographed and put on my Etsy site.  Ugh, it's so hard to say no and resist the sales. There were 2 great ones this morning too.  I'm trying to be responsible and less "hoardy".  I'd inevitably find something that I want to keep and would jam in my already filled-to-the-brim house.  You know how it goes right?

TGIF! More Broyhill Love with Sculptra.

It's been a long and busy week for me, hence my absent posts.  TGIF with a huge exclamation point (!)  Can I get an amen?!  On the heels of my Brasilia restoration and subsequent posts  I decided to comment once more on Broyhill and then put it to rest....for awhile anyway...I'm obsessed, what can I say?

Broyhill's other spectacular and easily identifiable collection from the mid century is the Sculptra line.   Unlike Brasilia with it's sweeping curves, Sculptra's focal design is comprised of straight lines in a box formation.   I also love this line, but for different reasons.  It's very modern, fresh and controlled in it's design.    I have yet to come across a piece of Sculptra in all my years of hunting but I believe, like my once unattainable Brasilia, it's out there somewhere.  *** UPDATE 1/30 I FOUND a Sculptra Magna dresser for a steal! Now just need to figure out how/when to get it because like the Brasilia set, it's hours away. ***

Buffet / Sideboard

Triple Dresser

Room Divider 

Small Cabinet

Magna Dresser

Desk

Headboard

China Cabinet

I love Brasilia but let me tell you, Sculptra pulls at my heart....a lot.  Do you have a favorite? 

Brasilia Dresser is Complete.

I was able to complete the Brasilia restore with a coat of satin polyurethane yesterday (yes I hate gloss poly Mr. Mod - made that mistake once, and never again).

I feel good about the restore.  Of course I wish I could have matched the stain color exactly to the original but in person this is pretty close and as I research other Brasilia triple dressers they look darker than mine was originally.  Maybe it was SO worn it had become lighter?

Anyhoo, here it is fully restored.  Not too bad huh?  See the complete process below.

Here it is in my front entry way.  It just fits the wall but I don't care;  I love it too much to sell it.  My very own Brasilia!  I'll use it as a credenza to store serving dishes, etc. The dining room is just to the left.  I have the matching mirror so once I refinish that I'll try it above in lieu of the white one.  

This is about 2 hours after the poly coat.  Just put on the hardware to snap some pictures.

Wow, looks incredible compared to what it was!

Look at those curves!  The hardest part of this restoration.

Restored to its former glory.  I love bringing dead pieces back to life.

See the whole process here.....

Before

Good grief! How would it even get that bad?

I stripped away most of the paint before sanding.  Hate this part!

After a couple of hours of sanding. Not as bad as you think though the curve part had to be done by hand.  

All sanded now and I just put on a pre-stain coating so the stain absorbs better.  30 minutes to dry.

This is with one coat of stain. I like the color but it needs 2 coats to even everything out.

and voila - Monday it's complete with a poly coat!  

I have the night stands to do and the mirror but I need a break!  Maybe in a couple of weeks.  

Joseph Eichler Tract, Granada Hills, California

This weekend was fabulous.  We had weather nearing 80 degrees and I did all the things I love; enjoying outside, thrifting, restoring furniture, dinner out with friends and dancing.  Perfect.

Saturday morning, I was up early to hit a sale. It was a bust - I showed up too late.  Woops.  But, the morning was not lost.  The sale was very close to the Eichler tract in Granada Hills so I head over to tour the neighborhood on foot and snap some pictures.

It was heaven, let me tell you. Home after home was more gorgeous than the next.  What a dream to live in an original EICHLER!  I can't imagine.  Here are (some of) my pics though they don't do the homes justice:

Where is Granada Hills?  

**Brasilia update- this weekend I finished sanding the dresser, prepped it and stained it but it was too windy for the polyurethane coat.  I'll do that today and post the "after" pics tomorrow!