PATENT LEATHER AND PLASTER HEADS

 If you're a long-time follower you know that I have a "thing" about many things.  This post speaks to my thing with plaster heads, aka plaster busts, and patent leather.

When we renovated our kitchen I found a corner that was perfect for my favorite patent leather chair and some artwork.  

MY FAVORITE PATENT LEATHER CHAIR IN THE CORNER OF MY DINING ROOM

You probably recognize the vintage framed art that travels around my home.  It's made appearances in many places during this blog adventure.

VINTAGE FRENCH ART

Next to the chair is my patent leather plinth.  I'll confess that it's really high gloss paint.  Humor me please.  I topped the plinth with some books and added one of my many plaster busts. 

"PATENT LEATHER" PLINTH

 I believe that this gentleman had previously been attached to a body.  His loss is my gain.

  If you're ready to accuse me of creepy decor you'll have to get in line. My design choices are frequently the butt of family jokes.  I recently did get my revenge when I found his twin resting on some books in a magazine photo from House Beautiful.  Gotcha!!!!

TWINNING IN HOUSE BEAUTIFUL

Do you have home decor that you love and hang on to in hopes of finding just the right spot?  I do.  This sunburst mirror is one of those special pieces.  It found its MAYBE forever spot layered over the dining room window .  My mantra is that if you love something you will EVENTUALLY find it its perfect location.  I'm not telling how many pieces in waiting I have; so don't ask.

SUNBURST MIRROR LAYERED ON WINDOW

It casts a great shadow too.  FYI, we are not alcoholics.

MIRROR CASTING SHADOWS

What treasures do you have in waiting?

Upholstery Before and After

I'm always amazed at what a little bit of imagination + some great fabric + a great work room can do for dated vintage furniture.  Here are my latest before and after transformations.  They made their debut in
 my room at the Design House at the Old Lucketts Store and were very well received.



This vintage wing chair had great bones. It traveled from Colonial Willamsburg to Mod with some houndstooth fabric and paint.

This vintage x bench was faded and sagging.  I added some high gloss paint to the base and modern geometric fabric.   It was tricky saving the original gold on the medallions and trim, but I did it.

There were fabulous legs on this bench, but also a lot of crud. It took me a while to scrape and sand off all the debris. It was the first sale of the day.  I painted the base gloss white also.  The fabric is by Duralee in an Ikat pattern.

So what have you transformed with fabric, paint, and elbow grease?

Kathy