Heywood-Wakefield Coffee Table

This spring, I had the privilege of picking over my first ever estate sale with my very best pickin' buddy Chelsea.  And boy did we strike gold!  Just check out some of the smaller goodies that Chelsea scooped up:

 
 

Thanks to Chelsea's research, we stumbled into an eclectic gold-mine-of-a-house that was brimming with unusual finds.  One of which was an original Heywood-Wakefield coffee table with a missing leg.  But pieces with missing legs don't stop us - especially if it comes with a missing-leg price.

Known for their curved lines and lighter finishes, Heywood-Wakefield pieces are American made and date back to 1897.  Based on some of the clues outlined on their website (yes they are still making furniture) our gimpy little find was more likely circa the mid-century.  Without the fourth leg, I knew I couldn't restore it to it's original glory.  But as Chelsea pointed out - it still had 3 perfectly good legs.  They just need to be repositioned for some stability.

By centering the remaining good leg on the left side, the table could get back on it's feet again!

In my opinion, it looks like it could have always been a tri-base!  

I ended up leaving the patina as-is instead of restoring it to the typical Heywood-Wakefield satin finish.  I couldn't help it - I just love the story it tells!  The rustic wood plus the curved lip on the table reminds me of an antique dough bowl.

For funsies, I styled the wall around the table with some digitally-altered blank canvases. (Could you tell? As much as I'd like to, no I don't own an original Matisse sketch.)  That blue-green balcony view print was also an estate sale steal.

If you're in the DC Metro area and want to bring home this vintage score - email me at cate@stylemutthome.com.

Tri-Base Heywood-Wakefield Coffee Table
Now Available for Sale
$525

MCM Dining Chairs ||2017 Flip List Item No.4||

 
 

I must have been riding a real high from last year's bucket list upholstery project when I added item No.4 to this year's Furniture Flip Bucket List.  I mean, what's 6 more chairs right?  So when I stumbled on a set of dining chairs at the thrift store I jumped at the chance to cross another item off my list.  

Mid-Century Modern Dining Chairs

I figured they'd be easy-peasy: just recover the cushions and I'd be in business.  But not only did each chair need new fabric, they also needed to be sanded, touched up, and oiled.  I'd like to say my biceps are bulging from all that elbow grease I put in, but who am I kidding - biceps need actual muscle definition to be visible.  Ha!

Although they don't have an obvious maker's mark, these chairs have the signature Y-backs and tapered legs from the Broyhill Premiere Sculptra line - a collection of walnut pieces "luxurious in appearance...[but] modest in price" dating back to 1957.  

**Update** Since publishing this post, I have learned that although very similar to the Broyhill Premiere Sculptra line, these chairs are actually Kent Coffey Perspecta pieces.  Kent Coffey was also a mid-century designer and a leading Broyhill competitor in addition to being a friend and neighbor to James Broyhill himself. 

But if I was going to restore them back to their mid-mod glory, the suspiciously sticky brown vinyl  on my thifted chairs had to go.

So taking a cue from last year's chair, I recovered them in a white linen. 

I did think about recovering them in a patterned fabric but figure the white linen will make them more versatile for a buyer's decor.  Plus you can easily accent them with pillows or other other colorful accessories.

The set comes with 5 armless side chairs

and one captain's chair.

If you're in the DC metro area and in the market for some restored retro cuties (or a custom order like them), hit me up!

Set of 6 Kent Coffey Dining Chairs
Now Available for Sale
$475

Three down, four to go.  Catch up on the 2017 Furniture Flip Bucket List.

Reader Design: Adam's Charming Tudor

Today, we're off to visit a historic 1940's Tudor home in Knoxville, Tennessee. It's the loving project of Adam, a photographer, and his wife Amber and, as their first home together, is a major labor of love. 

With such a labor of love, Adam & Amber are taking their sweet time with this place, making sure things are done right the first time in a way that feels true to them and is true to the character of the home.

“We have tried to spread our design process out over a longer period of time to allow us to wrestle with the overall design of the space, trends, and what the space actually needs. Our philosophy throughout the process has been to try our very best not to cut corners. I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for, and we really attempted to do it right the first time. Obviously, we have been blessed to be able to do this, and it has often meant waiting on certain purchases.”
 
 

They started the process with a focus on what they were trying to achieve. Is it a specific look? Mastery of a certain trend? Or something more elusive - a feeling, perhaps? For Adam & Amber, that was it. They wanted to their home to feel joyful, calm, and captivating. 

The journey to capture those feelings also guided their style decisions. 

“We do not concern ourselves with following one particular style, outside of trying to integrate the design in a seamless way with the architectural bones of the house. In our home, you will see elements of mid-century, Scandinavian, traditional, minimal, etc. ”
 
 

Adams & Amber composed their home piece-by-piece. In the dining room, they started with a custom, handmade table from Vermont Farm Table. 

“It is perfectly proportioned, has such clean lines, and feels modern and timeless all at the same time. We wanted a table that would age well over time and become a family staple. The finish Vermont Farm Table uses strives to highlight the natural beauty of the wood and stand the test of time.”

In the bedroom, they proudly display two of their favorite belongings. 

“The first is our midcentury dresser, which belonged to my wife’s great-grandparents. It fits so seamlessly with the aesthetic of the rest of the room without being too matchy-matchy while also adding some extra soul. My wife remembers pulling clothes and jewelry from the piece to dress up in when she was young, and we often talk about how fun it is to think of her great-grandparents using the piece each day when they were young so many years ago.

My second favorite piece in our bedroom is our print above the dresser by Anjuar Patjane. The photo actually won the National Geographic Travel Photo Contest a few years back and captivated us so much that we new instantly we would integrate it some day into our home. We often find ourselves staring at it mesmerized. ”

I simply adore everything about this home and the method by which it was created - lovingly, carefully, and slowly over time, as if it were mirroring the process used almost 80 years ago to build it in the first place. 

I also adore these parting words of wisdom from Adam.

“It is so easy in the age of Instagram and Pinterest to be overly critical of your work, which we find ourselves guilty of from time to time. While it is hard to know what the future will hold, we see ourselves staying in our home for a long period of time. Therefore, we try to not worry too much about what others would do, but instead choose what fits us the best as a young family.”

Thank you so much for letting us in. And if all you mutts are feeling the same way I do, RUN to follow Adam along on Instagram @azford. 

Next week, I'm off for my jet set across the pond, so we'll see you in two weeks for more reader designs!