Brown Design + Development

Make Old Furniture New - Part 2

If it is time to make changes in your home, but you don't want to invest in all new furniture, consider refinishing old pieces.  Generally, this route is more cost effective than buying new and will allow you to create a one of a kind piece. 

A few weeks back we blogged about old furniture we were restoring for a client.  We would like to reveal the transformations and also give you some general information that will help you tackle a similar project in your own home. 

Although this chair may not have begun it's transformation as an "amazing piece of furniture," it held sentimental value to the client.  This client wanted their home to remain traditional, while staying true to their fun and colorful personal style.  With this in mind, we had our refinisher lacquer the wood in a soft turquoise blue. 

  

To complete the design, we selected a bold printed fabric from the Nina Campbell collection at Osborne & Little and had the cushion reupholstered.  This process wasn't very expensive and the chair looks modern and new!  

We restored this old rocking chair for the same sentimental reasons.  The wood was stained a deep, rich brown and the seat was reupholstered in a linen fabric with vibrant pops of color from Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design.  The cost of this work was minimal in comparison to the cost of buying a new chair.

If you're lucky enough to have chairs in your home where the stain is still in good condition, consider reupholstering the seat to refresh the look.  It only takes about a 1/2 yard of fabric and approximately $50.00 for reupholstering each chair.  A project like this is inexpensive, easy, and fun. 

            

A good piece of furniture such as the ottoman below, can be made new through the use of luxurious fabrics.   

   

Our client especially loves the color purple, so we selected a hyde leather in this color for the reupholstering.  We also had the wood bleached and then finished with a light wax treatment.  The fabric and the refinishing on this piece was quite a bit more costly than the first two chairs, but when you have a piece of furniture that is worth money and is in need of updating, often times it is still well worth the investment. 

    

    

Restoration Hardware Goes Vintage

Traveling is one of the most important ways Brown Design finds inspiration and these inspirations can often be found in our work.  We were pleasantly surprised by Restoration Hardware's new line of furniture, as several items are almost exact replicas of vintage European pieces we had used in some of our past designs. 

In the early American 1900's, furniture carts, like the one we used as a coffee table in a Los Feliz Hills home, was once used to transport furniture, fabric, and supplies across the factory floor.  Ryan found this one while vacationing in Paris and simply could not return home without it. 

Restoration Hardware just launched a line that includes a similar vintage furniture cart.  Similar to the cart we incorporated into the design of the Los Feliz home, the restoration Hardware version is also an authentic cart procured from the 1900s, still bearing the marks of it's history with original cast iron wheels, bolts, and plates in tact.  Converting this cart into a functional piece of furniture in your home brings a striking sense of design while also bearing a great deal of history along with it. 

Also while traveling Europe, Ryan purchased this tripod floor lamp that was originally used on French movie sets decades ago.  Because of it's grand scale, it has become the focal point of the reception area in our modern office loft.  Not only is this vintage lamp a unique element in this room, but it is also functional, offering a warm ambient glow when illuminated. 

Restoration Hardware reproduced a classic 19th century British marine light once used to transmit morse code.  This version evokes grand ocean liners with a little old Hollywood glamour and would work in both a modern or traditional application. 

 

   

Look for Less

Since Flipping Out aired last summer, we have had an overwhelming response to the fabric used on the curtains in the living room of Ryan's home as shown below. 

For those of you who love the classic Kelly Wearstler Empirial Trellis pattern, but aren't looking to invest, we have found the perfect solution for you.  At Etsy's decorative instinct store, we found "trellis" patterned pillows for $65.00.  They are 100% linen with polyester woven suede on the back and come in a variety of colors.  These pillows are chic and affordable too! 

     

Pick of the Week

Our pick this week is a parchment wrapped console with a resin finish from Paul Marra in Los Angeles.  We used this console to anchor a large entry way in a modern home in the Hollywood Hills.  For more information on the piece, click here.