Searching for a sideboard

So my new dining room is almost done. I am still on the lookout for a mid-century sideboard or buffet - something like these.

Teak veneer desk/sideboard $1300 via

Jon Jansen sideboard  - $990 via

teak veneer Chiswell sideboard from $200 via

I have found some vintage sideboards, like the one above, for great prices on ebay - only they won't deliver, and even if they did freight to my place is expensive.  I'll just have to keep checking the thrift shop!

Mind you I do quite like this replica Borge Mogensen sideboard from Replica Furniture, and delivery is about $160.

Replica Borge Mogensen sideboard $995

I'll keep you posted.

Deb xx

Seven Great Mid-Century Style Lounge Chairs

1. The Womb Chair

Eero Saarinen's Womb chair is just prefect to curl up with a good book. In fact is what designer Florence Knoll’s requested from Saarinen in 1948 - “a chair like a basket full of pillows. This version in grey is quite understated, and the rug underneath gives an extra touch of luxury.

Living room with grey Womb Chair

Replicas are available in charcoal. black and red, from about $1,100, with a matching ottoman. 
Actual Knoll chairs are about $4,800, and vintage originals start at $2,000. for more information, see here.

2. The Egg Chair

The Egg Chair was designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen for the lobby and reception areas in the Royal Hotel, in Copenhagen.

1960 Egg Chair

Replica versions are available from about $700. Licensed Fritz Hansen version from about 5000 euros or $14,000. Original versions, such as the one in cognac leather, above, are available now and then.  

3. R160 Contour Chair

Australian Grant Featherston produced the first of his famous plywood shell Contour chairs in Melbourne in 1951.

Replicas are available in a wide range of colour in wool fabric, with or without an ottoman, from about $700 to $1,300.  Original chairs range from $3,500 to $10,000.

4. CH445 Lounge Chair

Hans Wegner designed this chair in 1960, and remains as contemporary today, with it's sharp modern angles and metal legs. Also available with an ottoman.

Licensed chairs by Carl Hansen & Son are around $5,000 and replicas around $600 to $1,500.

5. Lounge Chair Wood (LCW)

Also known as the Low Chair Wood or Eames Plywood Lounge Chair.  Husband and wife team Charles and Ray Eames designed this moulded plywood low seated easy chair in about 1940.

Replicas, including pony skin versions, are available from about $300. You can read more about the chairs' history here.

6. Coconut Chair

Designed by George Nelson in 1955. In the original version, the shell looked like a coconut and consisted of a piece of bent steel with foam rubber padding available in artificial leather, fabric, or leather upholstery.

Coconut Chair

Herman Miller licensed chairs are available, or replicas from $795.

7. Eames Lounge Chair (670)  and ottoman (671)

Another moulded plywood chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for the Herman Miller furniture company, this time with padding and leather. They were released in 1956 after years of development.

Available from Herman Miller at about $4,500, and replicas around $1,500.

Six Great Mid-Century Style Sofas

Trying to find a vintage sofa, like this one from Danish Modern LA is not always easy.

But there are a few modern sofas around with that special mid-century something. Like this leather Contempo sofa from Haverty's in the US. Available in terracotta, grey and pearl.

1. Contempo Sofa in Grey $1,099

I love this sofa from King furniture, AND it converts to a bed. It also comes in a wide range of colours, in fabric or leather.

2. King Uno Sofa in Pink $1,490

This mid-century style three-seater sofa from OZ Furniture has buttoned cushions and back, as well as piping all over. 

3. Jazz sofa from Oz furniture, $1,999

Oz furniture also has this sofa, with buttoned back cushions, piping detail and a bench seat, which comes in three size options as well as a chair.

4. Three seater Spectator sofa from Oz Designs, $1,599.

This replica Florence Knoll Wool three seat sofa comes in charcoal and wheat and is available at Simply replica and Replica Furniture, from $1000 to $1,595. A chaise lounge version is also available for around $2,000 here.

5. replica Florence Knoll sofa, $1,595

and for something a little different, this is the Cloud Couch from Modernica, inspired by the sofa designs of Vladimir Kagan and Isamu Noguchi. At around $3,500 it's not cheap, but is sensational and available in about 100 different fabrics and colours.

6. cloud couch from Modernica

Hmm, I'm not sure which one I like best, what about you?

Deb xx

Painting things white & Dutch white lead

I am going to try and do more 'how to's' and post more photos, as well as the odd vintage add or article from my vintage magazine collection of course.  Here are two ads I thought relevant, given my new love of white paint:

1942

and 1932'

Just remember - if you have these paints in the shed still - DON"T use them!  I can remember dad painting the house and using pink lead undercoat.  Those were the days!

And here is the chair after a three coats of paint -  one base/sealer coat and two coats of vivid white (it's what I found in the shed, although gesso works well as a base coat, you can buy it from craft shops, and milk paint gives a lovely effect, if you are buying from scratch or want to  make your own).

Tomorrow I will sand it a little and add some grey distressing to make it more rustic, and give it a clear protective coat, before I recover the seat.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

Deb xxx