Tweaking My Vintage Finds

For me, vintage finds always involve some tweaking.  I wanted to share my recent refinements that I'll have at this weekend's sale.

I scored a set of six vintage chairs.  There are two arm and four side chairs.  The seats were faux leather, which to me means that spills are an easy clean up.  Unfortunately, the chair back caning was torn and missing.  I filled the empty space with some black and white checked fabric.  I also added some cording and nail head accents.

Vintage Arm Chair

Detail of Repair
(Stencil in the corners is original.)

This chest is manufactured by Drexel.  I wanted to accentuate the graduated drawers so I taped off a rectangle with blue painters' tape and outlined the drawers in black.

Drexel Chest

I painted this Asian-style chest black then used my new favorite product, Annie Sloan gilding wax in copper, to highlight the trim and enhance the fabulous hardware.

Asian Chest

I wanted this vintage two drawer nightstand to pop.  I used my favorite color, citrine in high gloss.

Two-Drawer Nightstand

On top of the nightstand is a building model.  I thought some books would look good in the center between the columns.  I decoupaged an image of a clock face on the books.

Clock Face Decoupaged onto Books

I found a phone seat with a quatrefoil pattern.  You can sit and chat on your phone, or place it as a bedside table, add a lamp, and sit down to put on your shoes.  I had the elephant hooks and thought some elephant fabric would be perfect on the seat.  ( The telephone is a WWII field phone.)

Vintage Phone Seat with Elephant Fabric

Plexi folding chair is new.  I thought it needed some faux sheepskin.

Folding Chair, Faux Sheepskin Throw, and Corner of MCM Desk

I painted the trim around this ordinary cork board and used adhesive to attach some leopard fabric to the cork.  It can be a place for pinning messages or used for jewelry.

Updated Cork Board/Jewelry Display

I painted the industrial stool, painted and covered a small bench with polka dot fabric, and layered a glicee still life onto a drafting table.

I filled a unique iron basket with books.

I'm always on the lookout for deconstructed lamp shades with interesting shapes.  I added some wide checked ribbon and vintage buttons to the curvy chippy shade in the center.  To its right is a decoupaged shade.

Assortment of Dangling Shades

Spools and cord have become pretty popular.  I displayed them on a bottle dryer and on some Shaker-style nesting boxes.

Spools and Cording

I also arranged some small items.  These vintage brushes and a fan are inside a parfait glass.

Apothecary jars and labels.

Books balancing in an urn.

Covered bottles, tassel, bird cage feeder, and a unique cloche.

Clock parts.

Cash register keys and pencils in a flower frog.

All these tweaks will be for sale this weekend at Sweet Clover Barn.

To see what the other vendors will have and for directions go here.

I hope to see you there.

Kathy