Tomorrow we ring in the new year. 2015 was pretty dandy, and I have high hopes for 2016. I spent a little while tonight combing through the mountains of old posts from throughout the year to choose some of my favorite moments of 2015 to share with you. Thank you all so much for coming along on this furniture-y journey with me! And in 2016 I may have some big news to share with you. BIG BIG news. stay tuned and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
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Carl the Furniture Guy found this wonderful Ethan Allen hutch for me. Solid cherry!! I painted it in an antique cream with a bright blue interior. I remember at the time I was so pissed the vintage watering can was leaking, ruining the shot. You can view the whole post here: http://heirandspace.blogspot.com/2015/06/skye-and-old-lace.html |
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| Oh if I could have stolen one piece from my inventory this year, it would have been this sideboard. My god I love this sideboard. I love the color, the detail, the scale. And I love it because it was lucky. I got it, a dining table, and a server for free off of craigslist. I drove all the way down to New Haven for the set and moved most of it down two flights of stairs and into my truck by myself. worth it!! You can view the whole post here: http://heirandspace.blogspot.com/2015/06/an-antique-sideboard-in-bright-summer.html |
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| Funny enough, another New Haven story with this one. I was delivering a piece to New Haven when I saw a great tagsale right in East Hampton. I was already running late and didn't have time to stop, but I spotted this spectacular antique mid 19th century empire chest as I drove by. The whole drive I fantasized about it, and cursed my rotten luck that I couldn't have stopped and snagged it. But don't you know, when I finally made it back to town a few hours later it was still there, and at a damn fair price! I snapped it up right away. You can view the whole post here:http://heirandspace.blogspot.com/2015/09/love-at-first-sight.html |
This was a custom piece for a client with great vision, to the point that sometimes he would push the envelope with his design decisions, totally freaking me out, but always with outstanding results. I never would have thought to combine fairly modern looking glass knobs with classic (be it recolored) oval Federal pulls, but they look magnificent together. I've just done two more pieces for him that I finished today that are going to knock your socks off.
You can view the whole piece here:
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I picked this fabulous and unique desk/dresser combo up off of craigslist last month. My best friend Jess came along with me. It was such a pretty drive through the Eastern Connecticut countryside, and the people I bought it from were SO NICE, which always makes me love a piece even more. The before and after on this one were so dramatic. You can view the whole post here: http://heirandspace.blogspot.com/2015/12/an-antique-mahogany-bookcase-in-deep.html |
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| When a client sent me a picture of the before of this antique dresser that she wanted custom refinished my jaw just about hit the floor. Soooooo pretty. She choose the most popular of my custom colors of the year, Deep End, and the result is wonderfully moody and dramatic paired with the delicious curves of this antique dresser. You can view the whole post here: http://heirandspace.blogspot.com/2015/12/an-antique-dresser-in-deep-blue.html |
Sometimes when I finish a piece I take a step back, take in the end result, and feel so smug, which was absolutely the case with this magnificent antique mahogany vanity. Granted, I was probably giving myself some unnecessary credit as the piece was terrific to begin with-look at that shield shaped mirror!!! But still, I spent hours and hours on my knees painting all that pale blue detail work with a teensy brush in a blazing sun. This is another piece in my top 2015 custom color, Deep End.
You can view the whole post here:
There are pieces that come with challenges that absolutely terrify me. I'll see problems that need fixing, but good lord, what if I can't figure out how to fix them, and I have to return to the client with my tail between my legs and admit defeat. Thankfully, this was not the case with this lovely vintage maple hutch. The entire bottom shelf of the top portion was badly warped, bowing down noticeably. After several sleepless nights I managed to create an internal structure that added architectural interest, looked original, and corrected the warp completely. And then I had a celebratory martini.
You can view the whole post here:
Not all my top moments of 2016 are furniture related. I love to peruse the upcoming Americana auctions, and do a little post on my top picks as I go. Skinner's Americana sale over the summer killed it. They had everything I've ever dreamed of. The most breathtaking group of objects ever.
You can view the whole post here:
I loved this desk from the first moment I saw it come off Carl's trailer. It was paneled on all four sides, beautifully built, a vintage solid pine masterpiece by the Bennington Pine furniture company. I love how the custom deep blue green plays against the glass knobs.
You can view the whole post here:
This was a risky color for me, a really deep bottle green with just a hint of blue. I recolored the original brass pulls to a copper to compliment it. I adored the result against the rich mahogany top. It went to one of my favorite houses I delivered to this year,
an antique home right on the water in Essex.
You can view the whole post here:
This piece was beautiful and unique to begin with, but what made it special to me was what I discovered within, an antique sterling silver pocket knife engraved with the year 1924, and the name of the owner. The knife went along with the antique dresser to its new owners in a wonderful mountainside home in Western Connecticut.
You can view the whole post here:
I got this beautiful Edwardian mahogany dresser at auction at the very start of the year. It's so alluring and delicate. I painted it in a sassy mint green to play off the bright graining of the mahogany top and pulls. It went to a dear friend of mine who lives just down the road in a gorgeous Victorian home.
You can view the whole post here:
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| This giant hutch was easily the heaviest piece I've ever moved, and it also gave me quite a scare. When I first bought it I had it loaded and strapped in the back of my yellow pickup truck, but there was no great way to secure it. As I took a turn on the way home both pieces tipped, not falling out, and not breaking, though it startled me something fierce. I had to hop out on the side of a busy road to try and readjust the piece to make it the rest of the way home. Refinishing it was cake after that part. You can view the whole post here: http://heirandspace.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-coastal-cottage-hutch.html |
There are times I take on a piece that I wouldn't feel comfortable reselling. Usually it's something beautiful and unique that also has some sort of flaw that greatly decreases its value. Those are almost always the pieces I'll keep for myself, as my house is like the land of misfit toys, furniture style. This secretary had been painted and refinished eight separate times before I got it. The center drawer didn't work well, and it was a little bit rough and tumble all around, but so cute. I had just the spot for it in my guest room and readily took on the challenge, using a 19th century Swedish armoire as an inspiration piece.
You can view the whole post here:
This was a custom piece for a client, a fine antique vanity in a bold mint green. It's one of my favorite photoshoots of the year. The mirror above is from my private collection, an early 19th century piece purchased from Liverant Antiques. I love how the gold, mint, and huge bunch of miniature daffodils all look together, makes me long for spring!
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Another custom piece, for another favorite client of mine, this antique serpentine front mahogany secretary was one of the first pieces I did of the year. We went with two shades of pale gray whose subtlety help to play up the incredible architecture of the piece.
You can view the whole post here:
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| If I had to choose one piece as my very favorite of the year, it would have to be this adorable little antique secretary desk in two shades of bright yellow. It was a fairly dark and dreary piece to begin with, bought at auction, but the bold colors brought it to life, revealing the lovely detail work throughout. It took me ages to do since yellows coat thin, but with each coat the piece got prettier and prettier. You can view the whole post here: http://heirandspace.blogspot.com/2015/04/hello-sunshine.html |
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| And finally this sweet little antique mahogany vanity. It was part of a set that came from the nicest couple who lived in a spectacular house. I painted it in a rich custom mixed rose and staged it with a bounty of spring flowers. You can view the whole post here: http://heirandspace.blogspot.com/2015/05/an-antique-mahogany-vanity-in-rose.html |
Gorgeous pieces all, but my favorite has to be the giant hutch. Love it.
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