Lately, my husband and I have been considering opening an etsy store for vintage housewares and refurbished furniture. I regularly come across beautiful pieces that I have to pass up because we have no place to put them all. An etsy store would definitely allow me to feed my addiction and make a little money at the same time. But — let’s be honest — vintage shops on etsy are plentiful, and it can be hard to stand out in the crowd. So I’ve been doing a lot of research and looking into shops with great collections. And among those, I am a big fan of Seesaw Vintage.

The shop is run by Angela Hardison, Raquel Raney and Lindsay Tingstrom, otherwise known as the ladies of Seesaw Designs, a creative studio in Scottsdale, AZ. Given our common graphic design background, they are women after my own heart, and that would probably explain why I am in love with their impeccable taste in vintage ephemera. They have a truly discerning eye (eyes?), and I find myself wanting to favorite every other item.

Here are some of my favorites from their shop:

1. Vintage Smocked Gingham Round Pillow ($24) 2. Vintage 50’s Riihimaki Riihimaen Cream/Sugar Pair ($20) 3. Vintage Triangle Midcentury Candle Holder ($18) 4. Vintage Sugar Jar ($26) 5. Vintage Catherineholm Fondue Pot – Lotus Pattern in orange ($38) 6. Vintage Brass Flying Bird Hook ($20)

And if you needed further evidence of their great taste, here are some photos of their studio space. Loves it!

All photos from Seesaw Vintage and the Seesaw Designs blog

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Retro, Done Right: Great Finds from Seesaw Vintage

I love a good before and after, and I love it even more when the “after” is something I could actually bring home with me. Mid-Century Modern Furniture is everyone’s favorite these days (me included), but it can sometimes be hard to imagine formica-covered pieces as anything other than — well — dated. I’ve been trying to train myself to have more of an imagination when I find vintage pieces with potential, but I couldn’t have imagined the final outcome of this piece. But etsy seller homeECOnomics had a vision, and she sure did bring this table to life.

Don’t you just love the fun tangerine and pink color scheme? It reminds me of a creamsicle on a hot summer day. If we had room for it, it really would be a great piece for my daughter’s room. I’m in love with the three-dimensional look of the plastic flowers glued on top. How awesome with this be in a nursery with a funky lamp on top? Maybe it’s time to start thinking “baby” again…or not…

Why It’s Green:

• Refinished vintage piece

Price: $200 (includes shipping)

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Creamsicle, Anyone? ‘Tangerine Dream’ Mid-Century Side Table

Yeah. We named our new/old chair. We love her that much.

Want to know how we found her?

I always lament how other people seem to find incredible pieces for free, either on the curbs in their neighborhood or via Freecycle. Well, now that we are considerably closer to Atlanta than we were before, I decided I’d give the city’s Freecycle group a try. I’m glad I did. This beauty popped up a few days ago, and I emailed the previous owner as soon as I saw the photo. With Freecycle, you never know how quickly an item will be snatched up, so I had my fingers crossed.

And score! I was told I could pick up the chair from the front porch. Of course, my husband and I own a very small car and have no friends nearby who drive SUVs or trucks, so I had no idea how we were going to get Grace home. But I HAD to have her. Thankfully, she was just 10 miles away, so we drove over there in hopes we could somehow bring her home. With the help of some careful positioning and twine, we were able to bring Grace home in our trunk.

Now we just have to figure out how to dress her up. She definitely needs to be reupholstered, and her legs need some refinishing. I’m thinking I may paint them black or charcoal gray, and go with a bold yellow or gray ikat as the new fabric. I’ve been trying to imagine another, more modern option, but my mind keeps going back to ikat. All of the fabrics shown above are available from Fabricadabra by the yard, and a couple of them are actually organic and not very expensive. It’s just the global, worldly feeling we need in our room. If you think I’m crazy, check out these inspiration chairs:

1. Urban Outfitters’ Slipper Chair 2. Ikat Wing Chair from No. Four Eleven  and 3. Pair of ikat chairs via. The Style Files

See where I’m going with this?

Grace will reside in our master bedroom (you know…the one I was supposedly done with) in the corner near the window to the right of the bed. I have reached out to my new Atlanta bloggy buddy, Dayka of Meditations on Life & Style, for some help deciding. I’ll let you know what we come up with.

What do you think we should do to Grace? Have you tackled a similar project? I’ve love to hear about it and feature you here at GYD, so contact me.

This will be the first major upholstery project my husband and I have tackled, so wish us luck!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Introducing My Freecycle Score: A Chair Named Grace

These days, all things Mid-Century Modern are in. A Craigslist search for names like Eames, Bertoia, Arne Jacobsen, Herman Miller or George Nelson will tell you that. But finding quality mid-century pieces in good vintage condition can be a difficult task. Trust me — I say this from experience. This is where Lushpad comes in. It seems like we all want a piece of the 50s and 60s, and Lushpad is the place where we’ll find it.

To put it simply, Lushpad is an online marketplace to buy and sell vintage furniture and housewares, most of which is in excellent condition. And the greenest product is that one that already exists, so give it a second life. Keep in mind that you WILL find reproductions in the listings, like 2-year-old Crate & Barrel sofas in the MCM style. But there are some gems to be had. Some of my favorites among the current listings:

Widdicomb bedroom cabinet, $599. I love the soft curves and notched drawers fronts. I wouldn’t even touch this wood, because the condition is so great.

Blue Ceramic Table Lamp, $150. Believed to be by Lotte Lamps of Ohio. I love the distinctive shape and the bold, robins egg blue finish!

Galaxy Form Chair by Dux, $1600. This transparent beauty is just the kind of piece that I love, but I know my husband would hate! Newly reupholstered.

Vintage Starburst Clock, $175. There is a special place in my heart for the original starburst mirrors and lamps that inspired the modern versions of today.

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Mid-Century, Vintage, Retro, Call It What You Will: Lushpad Has It!

There are two places in our home where I’d like to put a chair. But not just any chair. It has to be used — preferably from the mid-century era. And it has be something I can bring back to life with new upholstery. Of course, the idea that I can reupholster a chair with no experience or help other than internet tutorials is just that — an idea. As badly as I want to attempt this, I admit I’m more than a little intimidated. After all, chair upholstery can require a lot of fabric, and I don’t want to start something I won’t finish. So while I build my courage to attempt my own rehab job, here are a few vintage chairs that have been given a gorgeous new life with a little elbow grease:

1. Rubie

If I could ever convince my husband that pink really is a great decorating color, even outside our daughter’s room, I’d snatch up this chair in a heartbeat. Not only does it feature the gorgeous mid-century lines that I love so much, it is also reupholstered in Rubie Green’s organic cotton East Village fabric. Seriously, I think etsy seller revivalfurniture made this one just for me. And if not for me, I imagine Nicole Balch from Making It Lovely could find a place for it. Price: $650

2. Lewittes Wingback Cane Chair

Call me crazy, but I think this chair is fabulous!  It’s bright, velvety (is that a word), and seriously funky! And would you believe I found a chair like this with very similar bones at a thrift store once and didn’t buy it because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to reupholster it? The ugly floral fabric definitely needed replacing. Now that I see how gorgeous this chair looks, I’m really beginning to regret passing on that thrift store find. Particularly since it would’ve cost me just $45. Price: $550

3. Lucille

A lot of people think it’s a sin to paint old wood, but I’m OK with it in some circumstances. This chair from etsy seller threesidewaysglances is one of them. The muted gray paint paired with Thomas Paul’s parasol fabric is a gorgeous combination. But, this chair will definitely call attention to itself, so it could be tough to place. Still, projects like this give me hope that I can turn a beat up old chair into something fresh and fabulous. Price: $529

4. Reupholstered Vintage Tomlinson Chairs

I admit I’m swooning a little over these chairs. More specifically, over the fabulous reupholstery. Left to my own devices, I never would have chosen something so opulent, with black and grey velvet and velour paired with embroidered satin. And while the embroidery is a little more frilly than I’d like, the combination is really stunning. Price: $599/ea.

Looking for more inspiration? Do what I do: Stalk the Design Sponge Before & After section. I’ll also be obsessively checking Craigslist for the diamond in the rough I can nurse back to health. Have a vintage piece you’d like to share? I’d love to see it!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

A Few Vintage Chairs for Your Inspiration

If you ask my husband what life with me has been like since we moved into our apartment, he’ll probably tell you it’s somewhere between everyday craziness and full-on, straight jacket, lock-me-up-and-throw-away-the-key insane. I’ve bought fabrics and sewn pillow covers, only to change my mind about them hours later. I even bought a chair and made my husband strap it into the trunk of our tiny Honda Accord, only to decide once we got it home that it just wasn’t right.

Yeah. I’ve been more than a little nutty. I’m convinced, however, that I WILL find the perfect chair and accessories for our home if it kills me (and it just might). And if I were basing my sought-after perfection on looks alone, this restored vintage 60s style office chair would be sitting in our office right now. Etsy seller Monarch Restoration, of Austin, TX, did a fabulous job bringing this chair back to life. The bright yellow is just what I need to get me going every day when I don’t feel like working, and the contrasting lattice print black and white fabric seat is quite literally making me drool. This is the kind of chair I see when I decorate rooms in my dreams. So what’s the problem? Well…all that gorgeous yellow fabric is none other than my arch nemesis: vinyl.

Why, Monarch? Why do you torture me so? I’ll have to pull out my green calculator on this one to figure out whether the fact that this chair is vintage negates the fact that it’s smothered in toxic vinyl. And decide if I don’t mind holding my nose every time I sit down. Maybe I’ll just think of the vinyl as faux leather, which would be vegan, and therefore green, right? Nah. Not really. This is torture, I tell you. Sheer torture.

Why It’s Green:

• Vintage office chair circa 1960s (that very unfortunately also happens to be reupholstered in vinyl)

Price: $425

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

The {Almost} Perfect Seat for Me: Yellow Vintage Office Chair

There is an art to discovering beautiful vintage treasures. It takes not just an eye for beautiful, well-worn pieces, but a discernment for what items have value now. It’s about more than just browsing thrift stores and yard sales hoping to stumble upon something of value. I should know — I’ve tried that method.

If there’s one company that has mastered the hunt for vintage pieces, it’s Three Potato Four.

Visit their website on any given day of any given month, and your bound to find at least a few pieces you feel like you can’t live without. For me, that list would be quite long. I’ve currently got my eye on the Suspended Seagull Sculpture shown above and a set of 1930’s wooden educational letters in their original box, among other things.  Owners Janet Morales & Stu Eli just know what works. I have no idea how they do it, but if I could ever develop the eye they have, I’d be in really good shape.

Need proof? Just look at this set of beautifully worn folding chairs from a church. Need I say more?

Why It’s Green:

• Buying vintage reduced the need for new items to be manufatured and often saves items from a fate in the landfill

Price: Varies from item to item

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

An Eye for Buried Treasure: Vintage Finds from Three Potato Four

Lately, I’ve been obsessing over all things vintage. There’s something about objects that have stood the test of time that is just incredibly appealing to me. I’m not sure I can pull together classy vintage fashion looks, but I ‘m fairly certain I can make a home sing with vintage pieces. I got lucky at the thrift store this past weekend and walked away with an old iron birdcage and a bronze owl figurine (both of which I spray painted red) for just $2.50. I’m not sure of their origins, but I know I can feed my vintage cravings in Etsy seller Sweetshorn’s shop. It is filled with fabulous retro housewares, decor and more.

Among my favorite finds? A green Mikasa creamer vase, a pair of white ceramic quails and a hot pink needlepoint pillow. Even I can’t figure out why I’m attracted to that pillow, but I can see it making a real splash on a deep gray couch or paired with soft pink bedding. And the best thing about Sweetshorn’s shop? Everything is extremely affordable, with prices starting at just $12. There are a couple of exceptions, like this $699 Arne Jacobsen stainless steel tea set, which is one of the first few made in 1967 and totally worth the price if you’re a collector.

Why It’s Green:

• All items are vintage

Price: $12-699 for a wide variety of items. Vast majority are under $60.

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Keeping it Old School: Vintage Finds from Sweetshorn

As much as I consider myself a lover of ultra-modern design, every now and then, I come across something especially ornate or frilly that I can’t help but love. And since chandeliers have become another of my recent decor obsessions, it wasn’t hard to love this gorgeous vintage fixture restored by Zia & Tia.

I know I’ve said it a million times: shabby chic isn’t my style. However, I imagine I have more than a few readers who love the flowers and glam that come with it, so this one is for you. Personally, I can visualize this being the classic, traditional exclamation point on an ultra-modern living room in white, stainless steel and shades of blue. My husband doesn’t necessarily agree, but if he could see the picture in my mind, he’d love it too.

Why It’s Green:

• Buying vintage rescues items destined for the landfill and extends their life spans, also reducing demand for the manufacturing of new items, helping save energy and resources

Price: $525

What name would you give to your personal style? Mine: Contemporary Eclectic. Leave a comment and let us know!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Shabby Chic, For Once: Beaded Crystal Vintage Chandelier

When my husband and I look at pictures from our childhood, its hard not to laugh. We all know that the 80s is a fashion decade that never should have happened. Overalls (What were we? Farmers?), Cross Colors outfits, huge earrings and hair styles…It’s a wonder those photos haven’t been burned already.

Thankfully, home furnishings are more forgiving — and you don’t have to wear them in public. Vintage pieces have a way of giving a room character — not to mention the fact that you’re saving them from the landfill. It vintage charm is what you’re looking for, the ladies of Spruce have got your number.

Owners Amanda Brown and Lizzie Joyce are both artists with a love for vintage decor, and it shows. They have a knack for selecting fabrics and finishes that take their pieces over the top, and the sofa, ottoman and chair shown above are no exception.  I can think of a perfect spot for the raspberry upholstered, high-back armchair in my mother’s house. The fact that it may be close to her age is a bonus

Why It’s Green:

• Buying vintage rescues items destined for the landfill and extends their life spans, also reducing demand for the manufacturing of new items, helping save energy and resources

Price: $285-$1850 (pieces are one of a kind)

Do you have any vintage pieces in your home? Where did you find it or how did you come by it? Did you have to rehab it, or are you using it as is? Leave a comment and share your story!

© 2009 Green Your Decor. Do not republish any items from this feed without permission.

Furniture, Resurrected: Spruce Vintage Home Furnishings