Casa Couture

It is my own personal belief that customization in the home is like couture in the closet.  For example, you could take any of these chairs I just listed on my Etsy and have our studio reupholster it in a fabric of your choice.

One of the listings is this elegant reproduction French Louis XV carved armchair.  It has an arching crest above a cartouche-shaped upholstered back joining bowed padded arms above a down and duck feather cushion with a serpentine apron, raised on graceful cabriole legs.  I was thinking that you could take this beautiful vintage reproduction French Louis XV chair and have our studio reupholster it in a fabric of your choice. There is a tag on the bottom of the chair that states that it was made by the Charlotte Chair Company in Charlotte, Michigan. The Charlotte Chair Co was founded in Charlotte, MI in 1912. The company specialized in upholstered antique reproduction seating. At some point, I believe around 1973, the company changed its name to The Charlotte Co. Inc and is still in business making wooden upholstered seating and case goods for the institutional market in Belding, MI. It was formerly in an estate in Dallas, TX.

Also listed is this pair of reproduction French slipper chairs.  They has a classic frame and sleek silhouette - Just the thing to glam-up any room - think Mad Men decor! You could take this pair of beautiful vintage slipper chairs and have our studio reupholster it in a fabric of your choice, too. There is a label on the bottom of each chair that reads Kaufmann's in Pittsburgh, PA. Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann. In the the post-war years, the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States and was last owned by Federated Department Stores. At the height of its existence, it had some 59 stores in 5 states. The former flagship Kaufmann's is in downtown Pittsburgh. Formerly part of May Department Stores prior to that company's acquisition by Federated on Aug. 30, 2005, Kaufmann's operated as part of the Filene's organization in Boston, Massachusetts.

And finally, is this pair of handsome sling club chairs with attached cushions. They have sleek chrome frames in the manner of  Milo Baughman.  You could take this pair of beautiful vintage mid-century chairs and have our studio reupholster it in a fabric of your choice, as well.  There is a tag on the seat cushion of the chair that states that it was made by Landes Mfg. Co.  The Los Angeles-based company was founded in 1953 and had a constant presence in the California Design exhibition from 1961 through to 1976, and I believe is still in operation today.

I've listed them on the site here, here and here - so, make sure and go check them out!

A Hole In One

I can handle going to the doctor because, in theory, they are supposed to help you and I like my doctor.  She's groovy and good at what she does.  Typically, I just see her once a year for physicals and the occasional Rx refill.

Well, as luck and my right foot would have it, I've gotten to see a lot of doctors in the last 3 weeks.

I'm pretty sure that my foot, the one that has seen so many doctors recently, was my favorite foot.

It usually behaves while carrying me from place to place with little complaint: a long, slender kick stand, located perfectly at the end of my right leg.

I thought the foot liked me, too.  I did everything I could to be kind to it, I bought it jazzy shoes, and scheduled pedicures for it and its brother, Lefty, now and then to express my love and appreciation for its never-ending hard work.

But being kind to something doesn't necessarily mean that it won't revolt someday.  My foot's revolt involved a rather large nail piercing the outer edge of my foot followed by a slight amount of blood escaping and a rather significant amount of swelling.  I wasn't doing anything particularly unusual when the revolution began; I was pulling up carpet in my master bath reno when a gi-normous nail that had anchored the carpet tacking strip down to the sub-floor of the bathroom decided to work its way through my tennis shoe and continue on into my foot and then on through the top side of my shoe - kind of a tennis shoe-foot-tennis-shoe-shish kabob kinda deal.  Well, long story short, as they say, 2 visits to a clinic, 2 visits to my own doctor, a tetanus shot, 4 different antibiotics, and trip to orthopedic surgeon I'm finally getting some relief from the pain, the swelling and I'm able to walk around again.

But, while I was propped up in my bed being a good patient and staying off said foot, I read . . . . A lot . . . I read books . . . I read labels . . . I read a ton-o-magazines and I read lots and lots of blog posts.  There was great inspiration in these posts as well great links to tons of marvelous products, artists, designers, etc.  Check out the photos and the links below- cuz  I'm  givey-sharey like that!

See you tomorrow with some pics of the progress on the master bath reno!

The Massey Bros. and their teams have imagined and developed public projects focusing on the human condition for 15 years now. Together, they have led social issues-related, public education campaigns dealing with women’s rights, education, pluralism, bigotry and extremism, civic engagement, social responsibility, and volunteerism, among other themes. They are the co-founders of the Portraits of Hope art, education and creative therapy program for children in hospitals and schools. A striking and very colorful public visual component is a signature of their projects and campaigns and I'm so very taken with their program and its concept and of course all of the beautiful color.

Photos courtesy Portraits of Hope and Loren Philip

These photos from Interior Design Magazine above are of Karim Rashid's New York apartment and they perfectly illustrate his rosy world view.  Part of Rashid's manifesto states that design is about the betterment of our lives poetically, aesthetically, experientially, sensorially, and emotionally - And I could not agree more! 

Photos courtesy Karim Rashid, Eric Laignel and Interior Design Magazine

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Bit Off More Than I Could Chew

Last Thursday, July 8th , the phrase "Bit Off More Than I Could Chew," collapsed and later expired while making a guest appearance in The Vintage Laundress' master bath re-model.  The cause of death was officially determined to be "an understatement." Although the idiom has had a successful career at the Stephenson household, having had long-standing roles in the popular DIY series What Were You Thinking?, a series about a staircase and a stencil and Are You Smokin' Crack?, a series about the special relationship between blue painter's tape and a living room wall, both episodes produced by The Laundress.

"Bit Off  More Than I Could Chew" is survived by her husband, "You're Gonna Do What?", and her children, "Oh No She Di'int" and "Did You Take Your Meds?"

Discovered in a Home Depot in Austin, Texas in the late 90s by agent and DIY legend, "Measure Twice Cut Once," "Bit Off  More Than I Could Chew" signed a lucrative contract and found herself starring in multiple productions at The Vintage Laundry Studios.

"Pretty soon, 'Bit Off  More Than I Could Chew' was everywhere you looked," remembers her husband, "You're Gonna Do What?," who met his future wife on the set of The Love Shack, a series about owning your first home.  A fellow actor in that series, "Do It Your Own Self," was quoted as saying, " She was one of a kind and will be missed very much."

In lieu of flowers The Vintage Laundress requests that donations be made to the Comment Section below.

Photos courtesy House Beautiful, David Kaihoi and Ngoc Minh Ngo

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Matt Moore: Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Gentleman Extraordinaire

Here's a list of the types of guys I dated before I met da Hubbs:

1.  Basketball players
2.  Art majors
3.  Rednecks who viewed the movie Deliverance as a motivational video
4.  A kind of sub-category of the above type:  Guys who at one point in their lives have strayed into illegal activity involving rifles, shotguns, body parts and/or Hefty bags.

But . . . . never, ever, did I date a guy like this:

Matt Moore, author of Have Her Over For Dinner and Nashville-based singer/songwriter, knows that the way to a woman's heart is through a home-cooked meal. A lesson learned from an early age from his mother and grandmother.

Fine dining and expensive nights on the town are all well and good, but there’s something very intimate about a date at home. To be honest, I'm more likely to remember and appreciate the preparation, forethought and effort da Hubbs has made for a night in, complete with a homemade meal, than I am a pricey nosh at a restaurant. And I think it is for that very reason that I'm draw to Matt's book.  Whether you are an expert in the kitchen, or a novice who relies on the microwave, Matt has got you covered. His secret to a great meal starts with great ingredients. He suggests that rather than waste your time on expensive marinades and seasonings, instead spend your time and money on quality ingredients. Using great ingredients and simple preparation are the keys to an outstanding meal.  The book offers more than 100 recipes ranging from Italian to Southern Eclectic to Vegetarian. Matt’s recipes emphasize the basics, without requiring dozens of ingredients, and even covers stocking the kitchen, pairing beer or wine with food, lighting, and cleaning up.  You can find copies here and here.  I found Matt through a great online magazine called Southern Flourish. You can find more info about Matt and his book on his blog or Facebook fan page.

I plan on getting my son, Noah, a true gentleman in his own right, a copy of Have Her Over For Dinner.  And if he would like to test a few of the recipes out on his darling mother - well, then . . . . I guess that would be okay . . . . I'm "thoughty" and selfless like that!

Photos courtesy Matt Moore

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