Great mid-century design fabrics to use for upholstery and draperies - from Maharam

This fabric collection from Maharam -- called Textiles of the 20th Century -- is fabulous! It features vintage design fabrics for upholstery and draperies taken from original design classics from mid century designers (and their early 1900s European forefathers) including:

Gunnar Aagaard Andersen, Anni Albers, Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard, Josef Hoffmann, Arne Jacobsen, Koloman Moser, George Nelson, Verner Panton, Dagobert Peche, and Gio Ponti.

This stuff is expensive -- and you must get it from a designer or fabric showrooms -- but it is incredible, really well made, and well worth the investment. If you're on a budget, consider it for some dining room chairs, for example. Or, upholster just one perfectly curved chair for real punch.

The website is very good, it makes it easy and fun to look at the fabrics. Go straight to the "Textiles of the 20th Century" binder.

http://www.maharam.com/maharam.html

Heywood Wakefield furniture - made new - still available

It's fantastic that you can still get original-design Heywood Wakefield furniture, built new. In 1992 a Miami company bought the rights to the HW furniture line and began producing it to original specifications.

Heywood Wakefield "blonde" furniture was the epitome of 40s and 50s decorating. If you need a sofa - they have several models from which to choose, and a number of fabric choices. You can also provide your own fabric. I'll do a post on Maharam and melinamade.com fabrics tomorrow - they both have great designs from documented vintage patterns.

Of course, it's still great to buy original vintage pieces - if you can find them. Regarding vintage sofas - it's been my experience that it's very expensive all costs in -- what with the need for the piece itself, the fabric and the upholsterer. In addition, if there have been smokers or pets, you've go to rip the whole thing down to the springs. Perhaps better, with sofas, to buy the reproduction and start fresh.

http://heywood-wakefield.com/

Out with the new, in with the old - Rejuvenation Lighting puts retro in new lights

I've had great luck with finding vintage lighting on eBay. I think the prices are the best, and it's great to have true vintage lighting.

But I also love some of the lighting available from Rejuvenation Lighting, a Portland, Oregon-based company that creates reproductions from vintage stock. I've purchased some of their sconces for my bathrooms, and they were great.

As the years go on, they continue adding to their Modern America collection. The pieces featured here are particular favorites of mine.

http://www.rejuvenation.com/collections/Modern_America_Lighting.html

Tulip Table by CB2 does 50s style affordably

I found this great buy on a reproduction Tulip Table - only $150 or so, from CB2 (Crate and Barrel's new retail endeavor) plus shipping. Note, this table has a matte finish - while the chairs that I posted on have a glossy finish. But the difference doesn't bother me. And the total price was quite right compared to buying the Saarinen original - as great as that would have been!

Direct to table on cb2.com:

http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=202&f=1963&q=odyssey+table&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

Tulip Chairs - great retro repro's

I bought these white (swivel, with red cushions) tulip chair reproductions from eBay - they're new, and so far seem great. Search Tulip Chairs", I paid $275 for a pair, plus about $80 in shipping. They came in just 2-3 days. The FedEx label said they came from : I&L Distributing Inc., 544 Park Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205.

A friend of my husband pointed us to the other chairs, the "Case Study" fiberglass side chairs available in 12 colors @ $239 plus $35 shipping. I've certainly seen both of these styles (and there are more on the website) on ebay - these look to be terrific reproductions. From http://www.modernica.net/.