HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Setting the table for tonight...

FAB WEEKEND FIND

I am so happy to have nabbed this lovely little Mid-Mod side chair over the weekend!  It is perfect for a desk chair or mix-and-match dining chairs.  I cannot wait to find the perfect fabric for the seat and bring the wood back to life with some gentle cleaning and finishing.  I love the sweep of the legs and very 'space-age' cutout in the back.

A GREAT HISTORIC HOUSE

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to visit the Mark Twain House in Hartford Connecticut.  It is a wonderful example of Aesthetic Movement style- the high-end, artsy, oriental and restrained version of the over-the-top Victorian revival styles.  It is a house I learned about while at Sotheby's Institute, and then taught my students about as well, so it was wonderful to actually see it in person.

The exterior is delightful, with wonderful brickwork and woodwork.  While still quite decorative, none of the exterior work seems overly frivolous like much of the Queen Anne style.

The motifs have a wonderful vagueness, referencing Japanese, Nordic and even Native American themes.

Unfortunately I was unable to take any photos inside, so you will just have to visit for yourself, it is well worth the trip from both an architectural standpoint and a literary one!

THE HUDSON!

The last time I was in New York back in September I was able to cross off another bucket list item...a stay at the Philippe Starck designed Hudson Hotel!  While I have had drinks and dinner there many a time, I never had the chance to stay and it was great to get the full experience and sleep in one of the very tiny guest rooms!

While the design throughout was excellent and amazingly not at all dated (of course, it is Starck, hotel design guru after all), I must admit I was underwhelmed with hotel management and for the hefty price tag I think I will stick with drinks from now on, probably not even dinner anymore due to the fact they have redesigned the main restaurant, no longer a Starck creation :(

NEW WORK ALL DONE!

I am happy to share some new photos of some great upholstery work completed!  My client had some pieces with good bones, but all were in need of an update.  We wanted to stay neutral in color and tie in with the chair frames, but really add some depth of texture and pattern over the original fabrics.

Before-

After-

All photos by Michalene Homme Photography.

MY VERY OWN ANTIQUES BOOTH

I was very excited to be able to show my wares at the Winnetka Antiques + Modernism Show a few weeks ago.  The show is a great mix of antique and modern items, including art, furniture, posters, prints, accessories, even vintage fashion.  It has been something of an ambition to have a booth at an antiques show, ever since I worked the Winter Antiques Show in New York while at Sotheby's.  I am now happy to say this is another item off my bucket list.

I promised to share some photos of the booth design... something I think in fact turned out pretty darn well.  While my booth was quite clean and minimal compared to most, I feel it embodied my brand perfectly.

The long weekend was wonderfully productive; I was able to get a huge amount of public opinion over a few days, talked to lots of interior designers, and made some sales and quite a few potential sales!  Looking forward to more shows in the future!

WANT YOUR OWN FABRIC ON IT? DONE. ONLY WANT THE FABRIC? ALSO DONE.

I have found a small business is an ever-evolving thing, at least for the first five years or so.  When I started up my interiors business I was unsure of who to market to, homeowners or home builders, and whether I should work on remodels or new builds.  It all sorted itself out after a few years.

I am now in that exploratory period with Christa Pirl Furniture, and after a busy month talking to lots of designers and homeowners, I have gained some valuable insight and have decided that I will now be offering -

1. Chair and sofa frames before they are reupholstered.  This gives both designers and homeowners to customize pieces to suit.  Send me the fabric and I will send you the finished piece, or just purchase the frame alone and have it reupholstered yourself.  These will be on the website soon, but in the meanwhile...

A lovely set of four Thonet bentwood armchairs, circa 1960, they need reupholstery and refinishing-

An Eastlake/Aesthetic Movement Settee and two matching chairs with original black lacquer, needs lacquer touch-up, springs and foam need some work under the seat, and desperately needs new upholstery!  See two chairs in the set that are complete here.

Two fantastic mid-mod armchairs, circa 1960, these are already refinished in a dark walnut stain, but will need new upholstery, see two almost identical chairs complete here.

A statement baroque side chair with dramatic high back, in need of refinishing and upholstery-

And an early 20th-century Eastlake style armchair.  This one needs some work to the seat, the wood only needs a bit of touch-up and of course, reupholstery-

2. My favorite fabrics from my favorite suppliers, prints I feel are unique and work well with lots of frames.  These will be on the website in the next few weeks, and stay tuned for more info on my own line of fabric designs, coming in 2015!

Give me a call or email for more info on the frames shown!

A LITTLE BIT OF BOSTON...

A trip to a historic East Coast city is always a delight, and my latest trip to Boston was no exception.  In addition to roaming some charming streets-

And enjoying city life-

And strolling through elegant parks-

And checking out the architectural details-

And viewing some absolutely stunning museum furniture-

And stunning American artwork-

And even doing just a bit of shopping-

I was also lucky enough to spend some time with several of the city's top interior designers, telling them a bit about my furniture, finding out about their needs and projects, and viewing some of their amazing interiors.  I am very excited about the prospect of supplying some of the most fab designers with some of my stock.  Thanks for taking the time for me Boston!

CAMBRIDGE CHARM

TWO LITTLE FOOTSTOOLS...

These fun accents just hit the website and are looking sharp!  Both are great examples of Mid-Century Modernism with brass capped walnut legs.  Thanks to my wonderful new photographer Christopher Maharry!

AT WINNETKA

First fun day showing my furniture at the Winnetka Antiques + Modernism Show just outside Chicago!