Part 3: Another Person's Treasure

Okay, let me just start by saying that I had the auspicious fate of being the child of a style diva. I mean style across the board; from the car she drove, to the clothes she wore, and to my advantage and gratitude, the way she decorated.  She was a natural and I owe my style sensitivity to her.  With the exception of the lounge chair in photo four, which I'll get to, shown are just a few of the pieces I was able to shall we say, "inherit."  Family member's would call it something else as they knew when I arrived for a visit I was sneaking something out of the house.  I'd like to think of myself in this regard as a preservationist, because trust, most of these vintage/collectables would be on the corner as old furnishings for fire-wood or given away, so really I'm not taking away, but giving back.

 If this is really your thing it pays to take a drive around the neighborhood, especially in New York where things are more dense, and see if there is anything in the trash worth saving.  I don't know if my former boss, design icon, Thomas O'brien searches the corners, but he digs deep and refurbishes unbelievable pieces of furniture, lamps etc. to bring back the luster they were intended to dispaly and sell for.  Anyway, anyone privy to mid-century/vintage style and design has seen the pieces shown in vintage shops just about anywhere, with the exception of the lounge chair and ottoman; I haven't seen that baby anywhere. They still strike a hefty price and because of their timeless design are often knocked off so it helps to have a knowledge of what's what, but if the style and quality are sufficient, there's no need to get caught up in names; it all depends on budget, lifestyle, and scope of importance.  

As I've mentioned, I've been fortunate and these styles just happen to fit into my vision as they are not for everyone, however, I reiterate, that even if they're not for you there's money to be made.  A case in point is the chair in photo two.  My father, at the time stumbled across something on the net and saw how much this chair was worth and thus tried to reclaim it with the intention of selling it, citing he didn't remember relinquishing it to me. ATSS, "family," I tell you.  Belonging to my mother as one of her choice pieces, although it stayed folded in a corner, I would never sneak this one out of the house and therefore got permission to retrieve it.  However, I did offer to sell it back to him at the family rate of 10% off; just kidding. For me this is a piece of my life that I'm able to keep close to me in the spirit of my mom and dad and would only feel right selling it at three times the current asking price.  :)

The chair I mentioned earlier in photo four is another gem that was passed to me from my uncle.  It is a modular take of the Butaca chair and something I and everyone adored since I was child.  I'm honored to be the owner, finally. I like the weathered look and only plan to replace the cushioning.  I'm still waiting from him for word on a beautiful burnt orange marbel coffee and side table he still possesses. Another piece I've been eyeing since I was four.

As your eye and aesthetic develope you will come to know the history of many iconic pieces and their value giving a whole new meaning to junk, but if it's passed down, embrace it and treat it the way it was treated so you could have it. Oh, I might as well mention, the wooden plaques in the photo of my blog header, you guessed, moms! Right at home in my livingroom.