Sprucing it up

Just came across the Texas based Sprucehome on Etsy where two pieces in particular rattled my cage : the "Dragon Slayer" sofa above (not cheap to own but free to admire and swoon over! I love the bright, oriental-inspried fabric of the back cushions - would be great in embroidery for anyone nimble-fingered!) and the "Midnight Jasmine" chair (below.) The back has been upholstered using a recycled Indian sari blanket and the effect against the blue velvet is stunning.

Stylish vintage furniture from Holland

Neef Louis is my find of the week. Collecting and selling vintage furniture, this Dutch outfit also offers items for rent, so if you're putting together a set, this could be a good place to know. Pieces are one off so if you like it, get in quick - it might not be there further down the line!

Retro furniture for tots!

One of my favourite types of furniture these days, are old pieces that have been revived, restored and re-invented. Avid readers will have noticed posts about Zoe Murphy , Bulle and Casamento , who all recycle forgotten treasures to make funky new things. The newest add to this list, is France's Sophie Emilie, who re-work children's chairs and desks producing hardwearing, good-looking items with an ecological and social ethic.

Love at First Sight (or how to revamp your furniture the Australian way...)

Last year there was a fantastic exhibition at the Fondation Cartier in Paris called "Né dans la Rue - Graffiti" ("Born in the Street - Graffiti") which celebrated street art and the birth of tags in New York in the 70's. It has to be one of the most vibrant and popular visual art forms out there (didn't Barack Obama and David Cameron this year exchange paintings both of which were forms of word art?), which is why my jaw dropped at this fabulous sofa by Love at 1st Sight in Australia.
Re-vamping antique and/or discarded items, the group produce unique pieces, giving up-beat colour to retro design. Similar to Bulle in Paris (see the Poppy Club post of June 16th "Bulle") and Zoe Murphy in the UK (see the Poppy Club post of April 26th "Viva Margate" ) they combine recycling with hip design to staggering effect.

My first crush of the autumn!

Bulle

Bulle are probably the people I've posted about that are located geographically the closest to me! They are based in a workshop in the 11th arrondissement of Paris - a district with a long tradition of furniture manufacture and retail. Not dissimilar in their approach to the UK's Zoe Murphy (see "The Poppy Club blog post "Viva Margate" for info), Bulle renovate and re-design old pieces of furniture found in flea markets and sales. They will also adapt your own items or hunt out something specific for those with a particular idea in mind. I like the use of uniform bright colours and will certainly be at their next open day which takes place on June 26th, 27th and 28th.

Vandalised Vintage with Trixie Delicious

Wish I'd seen these sooner - would have added them to my skull-themed post of April! Juxtaposing the genteel respectability of fine china with the vulgarity of urban street-talk, New Zealand's Trixie Delicious produce what they term "vandalised vintage" - bad-assed tea sets, cake stands and crockery. Items are made from original vintage china with text and drawings hand-painted on the surface. In screamingly bad taste at times, the works are nonetheless drole and shockingly unexpected. My faves are the 7 deadly sins teacups above and cake stannd below. Afternoon tea with attitude!

They sell via Etsy and Big Cartel.

Viva Margate - How the seaside town gives new life to old furniture

Zoe Murphy

Zoe Murphy's tag-line "loving what belongs to you" could not be better chosen. Re-cycling old furniture and injecting into it some Margate pazzazz, she combines a love of her home town with an ethical ethos.

"Margate imagery" may sound dodgy to some (chip shops? candy floss on the pier?) but the combination of her bold drawings and flair for revitalising abandoned cast-offs makes for great results! She evn manages to use silk from an old wedding dress in her cushion covers!

What's even better, is that she takes on commissions - so if you have something that you'd like to see re-invented, why not give her a bell?

There's more to South Africa than football...

With the World Cup now only just around the corner, it's time to turn our eyes to South Africa as there's a lot more than football going on there! Using traditional embroidery, crochet and even upholstery techniques, the Casamento team produce award-winning pieces of furniture that achieve a fabulous neo-vintage look. Some pieces yes, are born again originals, but most are produced from scratch.


Achieveing what they describe a s a "marriage of old shapes and new ideas", Casamento only use natural fibres in their chairs and sofas which are not only better for the planet but are also guaranteed to be non-allergenic! The ideal place to park your behind for a few hours in June (more comfy than a stadium seat I'm sure!)

New at Missprint

I've posted about the wallpapers and lampshades of UK's MissPrint before and was overjoyed recently to notice that they've brought out a brand new range of cushions and vintage furniture as well as a some gorgeous new lampshade designs.
The cushions take up many of their popular themes (Saplings,Dandelion, Catkin, Box Bush, Panache) and include an entirely new "Central Park " range:



The new lampshade designs include the below and come in a variety of sizes and beautiful colours : The vintage furniture is as yet quite limited, but the combination of stylish chairs and commodes with MissPrints signature prints is a real wsinner ! Feast your eyes on the McIntosh sideboard!

Big, brave and beautiful - the best of vintage 70's design

Another great find from Etsy this week - one that are unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. Using a collection of fabulous vintage fabrics, Loll&lie put together these gorgeous cushions that absolutely beg to take centre stage on a sofa or bed. Looking at the blog it looks like you'll soon be able to select the fabric of your choice and have it made up - check out the site anyway as the photos of "Loll's" beautiful lovely home will make you swoon!

Keep warm the traditional way!

Wales is well known for its thick plaids and heavy tapestry blankets which look great as throws or bed-covers and are brilliantly snug in winter. Jane Beck sells a beautiful collection of new and vintage Welsh blankets - many from the 1940's and
50's that come in lovely chocolate browns and duck egg blues. The stripes and squares look lovely against single tone cushions or bedspreads and can liven up a faded sofa or armchair.
Welsh Blankets

Re-using is re-cycling!

Tucked away in the Highlands, but now selling across the UK (including at Selfridges!) Pedlars offer a fabulous range of clothing, home furnishings, gifts and toys. I love the collection of vintage London bus signs and innovative recyling of vinyl records as book ends.


The old school and factory lamps too are icons of industrial design and look great when juxtaposed with a more homely decor.