Reading Stylecourt‘s guest posts about Ruthie Sommers and Carla Lane and their vintage furniture rescuing on Design Sponge today made me even more depressed that there are not many vintage goods stores here. When I was in Melbourne one of my favorite pass times was checking out second hand, vintage and antique goods stores for pieces to rescue. Most of them have since found other homes – mostly because I’ve moved so many times (twice internationally) – but also because my tastes change so fast. That’s the beauty of buying cheap and cheerful though, you don’t need to spend a fortune, so it doesn’t need to be a lifetime investment. One particular piece I’ve rescued has become a companion, travel and otherwise. The antique Sheraton-style loveseat that is now at the foot of my bed was picked up from a vintage furniture store on High Street in the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne. This was the condition it was in when we first saw it….
When I said I wanted it my husband first reaction was to call me crazy. Then, because he’s learned to trust me on these things, he relented. And we bought it. It took a bit of deliberation to finally chose a fabric, but once we’d agreed and had the frame restored and the seating re-sprung we finally got it re-upholstered. Didn’t she scrub up nice?
It might be a while before he lets me do that again, the cost of the fabric was more than the cost of the loveseat and the upholstery put togehter! Oh well, she’ll always be with us, so I think it was a good investment. If anyone is interested, the fabric is from Zoffany – “Rossini” VEL01008.
As you can see these photos were taken two years ago now, just before we moved to Hong Kong, in the midst of renovating our little Victorian townhouse…for someone else to live in..*sigh*(hence the nasty looking floorboards and rubbish bags etc.)
I cannot agree more HC, I hate those new homes, and it makes me so angry when I see Victorian era houses in Australian being gutted and then a modern box joined on to the back, it never looks good. I don’t know why they don’t just buy a block of land and build something modern without destroying a piece of history!
Thanks Mrs Blandings!
Thanks Franki! I will definitely post some images once we get into a place that I am able to put my ‘stamp’ on!
I love it! It always makes me sad when furniture with good bones is thrown away. The same goes for great old homes that are razed to make way for new souless modern homes. I hope more people see the beauty and sense of accomplishement in fixing something and try it themselves.
You’ve got the eye Suzy! I might have just walked past that loveseat, but after seeing you what did, I won’t make that mistake! Gorgeous fabric!
Suzy!! Its beautiful!!! and I think the colours are very you 🙂 Go the thrift shops in North Melbourne I say – there are also excellent ones on Brunswick St Brunswick, ( well there were last time I was in the area – which – now that I think about it – was a LONG time ago !! – Anyway – great find 🙂
Suzy – it’s always the fabric that gets you! She looks wonderful.
talk about a transformation. the fabric is just gorgeous. gorgeous. I’d love to see it ‘in context’ once you’ve got it in it’s “home” 🙂
nice work!