MidModMadMama

So…I’ve been busy. As in, I had a baby busy. If you’ve ever had children or been around children, you probably know that life shifts from being all about you and what you have to get done each day to whatever they need. Days turn into months, and you don’t have anything to show for your time except bigger kids, and larger messes. Add to that the insanity of summer and no school? Well, you probably get it.

It’s fantastic and exhausting. This is the best explanation I can offer for why I haven’t been blogging.

Here’s the new addition in his super cute mid-century modern chair we recovered for his nursery. I love his moobs. They’re the best.

It hasn’t been all kids and no furniture though.

Since my last blog, I’ve been busy with the MidCenturyObsession Facebook page, and sourcing new vintage finds. With help from the husband, I’ve figured out a way to sneak out from time to time during naps to thrift.

Here are just a few new items from the past week that are going up for sale via Etsy.

Can you believe it?! Initially, part of me went, “Ew. 80’s.” The other part of me fell in love. My second thought was, “Holy Crap! Those pieces are gorgeous and totally relevant today!” Used together or separately, these beautiful pieces made by Lane are functional and fantastic in all their glam glory. If you ever read Emily Henderson’s blog…she’d probably tell you that you need to buy these. Like now. Metallics on cream or white? So on trend.

And then, there was the very rare Torring Mobelfabrik of Denmark find…which will have me smiling for years to come. I just love finding teak. I love it even more when it needs work. And these pieces did, but it was nothing a little sandpaper and some teak oil couldn’t fix, though. (Also during nap time. I am a busy girl.) They are in miraculously great shape….and the TEAK.JUST.GLOWS.

I have a few bites on these guys already as they clean, handsome and are priced to sell. I will be sad to see them go, but happy for them to live in a new home where they will be appreciated.

That’s all for now, folks! Stay tuned, because there is so much more to share.

I can’t wait to tell all about our weekend away in an MCM ranch home in Palm Springs!

Nursery Reveal!

I just can’t wait any longer to post this mid-century modern-inspired nursery reveal. I have my reasons: exhaustion, feeling completely brain-dead at this point, and/or the fact that I’m measuring about 2 weeks ahead. That means baby could be here within just a few weeks (or less.gulp).

Let's start with the obligatory BEFORE photo — Let’s start with the obligatory BEFORE photo

Refresher: Baby’s room is the smallest room in the house, and was formerly a guest room. Just as the nursery rhyme about the old lady that swallowed the fly, so too went the office. The nursery ate the guest room, the guest room ate the office and the office is now eating a small corner of the master bedroom.

I had the molding removed and the walls re-textured and repainted. We added a light fixture where there was previously none…and splurged on a Nelson Bubble Lamp from Modernica. With all the downsizing and shifting around, I had to sell my Adrian Pearsall Chair. Adrian Pearsall funded George Nelson. I’m so happy with the fixture, I could eat it.

I wanted to go with a neutral paint color again because I knew I’d be working with a pretty wild color palette.

A wonderful aunt of mine sowed the curtains…

Drum Roll please?

Grandma gifted us a teal lava lamp which will work as a little night-light! Not a bad idea!

The side table above was found on Target.com (thanks to Elena!!). It brings some warm and earthy wood tones which you simply must have in mid-century modern design. Wink.

The gray ottoman pouf is from Walmart.com. (The vinyl ottoman I blogged about buying for the space was too large, and clashed with the rocker. It is now providing a pop of color in our den.)

I had a very loose forest animal theme. I started by designing a mid-centuryish room I wouldn’t mind living in, then added a few kiddie touches here and there. The diaper basket was a very thoughtful baby shower gift-and perfectly compliments the changing table.

Mid-Century Modern Credenza Doubles as Changing Table

We had the art in our old office…I think it works pretty well with the space…

I repainted the crib in “granite” gray in keeping with the theme.

Ikea Crib repainted in gray for Round 3 will convert into a toddler bed later down the line.

Tchotchkes to be added to the Target floating shelf later on, when I’m feeling less spent creativity wise..

That my friends, is all she wrote. Minimalist, but ready. Small, but functional. I love how much of this room has history. The reupholstered atomic era rocking chair, the Ikea crib (that belonged to my son, then my niece, and has been repainted for the baby), the flea market-found credenza. The bookshelf was a Goodwill piece that I repainted and even the toys were inherited from my eldest. I think the mix of old and new came together pretty well! I hope you enjoyed it. Now all we need is the newest and most important addition of all. If you’re interested, resources for the room are listed below.

Resources:

Paint: Sherwin Williams, Navajo White, Eggshell Finish

Saucer Lamp by George Nelson: Ylighting

Crib: Ikea (model no longer available)

Hourglass Accent/Side Table: Target

Framed Woodland Animal Art: Etsy.com/AldariArt

Bird Mobile: Babies R Us / Skip Hop Treetop Friends

Atomic Rocker: Craigslist Find

Rocker Fabric: Etsy.com/Tangerine Orange/ PopDecorFabrics

Faux Sheep Skin Rug: Ikea

Urban Ottoman Pouf: Walmart.com /in Gray

Credenza: Long Beach Flea Market Find/ Long Beach Veteran’s Stadium

White Floating Shelf: Target

Drapes: HGTV for Joann’s Fabrics/ Boxed in Peacock

Psst! If you like the color scheme and modish things, this super-cute diaper bag is available at Babies R Us.

Nursery Nutbag & the Pouf Problem

I’m obsessing. I know I am. I can’t help it. I’m not a designer, nor do I have a bottomless budget for this new project I’ve embarked upon. Perhaps that’s why it’s taking me so long to finish our mid-century modern inspired nursery.

I’m getting there, but I don’t think I’ve ever given so much thought to one room. This really makes me re-think my “abilities” in the department of design. Okay, okay, so the budget is part of it. I can’t just see stuff and buy it. I have to scrounge, Craigslist some things to buy other things…I have to save, I have to be creative. (Let’s not forget I’d much rather recycle and reuse than buy new.)

I don’t want to give too much away yet…but I do need help from all you designer-istas out there!

Once again….here’s where my inspiration began:

Here's the idea board found on Pinterest. — Here’s the idea board found on Pinterest.

I’m not sticking to it 100%….there will be more vintage furniture than new – but you get the idea.

Here are my colors:

And here was part of my challenge this week:

Feeding & Reading Nook - in need of side table and foot stool/ottoman — Feeding & Reading Nook – in need of side table and foot stool/ottoman

The scoop: this room that is becoming the “mid-century modern-inspired” nursery is the smallest room in our entire house. Tiny, in fact. It goes without saying that every square inch needs to feature clean design while being multi-functional. This particular corner that backs up to the closet – will be the “feeding & reading nook” as I’ve named it. After an exhaustive search for the very trendy floor “pouf” or ottoman, I decided to stick with traditional MCM instead. Can I just say how ridiculously expensive the little balls of fabric and stuffing are? Oh.My.Goodness!

A pouf such as this one from CB2 will cost you $80 before shipping:

…okay, so maybe not terrible, but it wasn’t quite the right color, and it was more than I wanted to spend. On a pouf. Do you feel me? Plus, my anal-retentive personality kicked in and all I could think of was trying to vacuum dog hair, dry spit up, and crushed up Cheerios from between the knits. Stay with me….

So then I thought….how about a leather pouf? Or better yet, a Moroccan Pouf!!! In TEAL!!!

That’ll be $139 before shipping. And too big for my tiny space. Beautiful. Fun. Colorful and functional. Don’t get me wrong. Just not what I needed.

So then I turned (as I have a milllllllion times before) to Etsy.com. Low and behold, I found it. My solution. An orange vinyl foot stool/ottoman with fantastic atomic legs just like those on my sweet little rocker.

Once I get the okay – I’ll let you know what shop I found this little treasure in! This little guy will soon be on its way to me – and I can’t wait to be able to feature it in the room reveal.

Here’s what I need help with from my design-savvy readers:

Finding an affordable side table that is small, functional and affordable. I was originally thinking a Saarinen tulip side table (not necessarily name brand)…

… and then Google knocked me down a few notches. Even the reproductions start at close to $200. Vintage is twice that! Yikes!

So then I got to thinking about our very loose “woodland animal” theme… and thought about bringing some different materials in. What about a wood side table? Have you seen these around?

Eco-Friendly Wood Stumps…your thoughts?

That’s where I’m, well, stumped. This Nursery Nutbag needs help. Texture? Color? Materials? Functionality? Any suggestions would be sooooo welcome!

Bubble Lamp Splurge – George Nelson in the house!

I’ve alluded to my obsession with the George Nelson Bubble Lamp. Here’s a little spoiler alert: I bought one. Not for me…but for the nursery. Have you ever seen that episode of The Simpson’s where Homer Simpson buys a bowling ball for his wife Marge, and the ball is inscribed “Homer?” Ha! Well, it’s sorta like that. I’m a frugal gal, despite what my husband likes to think. I shop at Goodwill and Salvation Army and prefer to reuse instead of consuming new. However, my son will be covered in hand-me-downs for the next 4-5 years of his life; he will be sleeping in his brother’s old bed, playing with his brother’s old toys and reading his brother’s books. The aforementioned is how I’ve justified shooting my wad on a new light fixture for his room. Would I rather have it in my kitchen perfectly perched over my tulip table? Yes…but baby’s room lacks any kind of overhead lighting and I can not think of a cooler accessory for the newest member of our family.

This was delivered a couple weeks back... — This was delivered a couple of weeks back…

Wait for it....wait for it!!! — Wait for it….wait for it!!!

Totally Fantastic Medium Saucer Bubble Lamp by George Nelson – manufactured by Modernica!

Here’s a proper photo from YLighting, where I purchased this one:

In case you’re in the market for a bubble lamp, I ordered from YLighting because they seemed to offer the lowest price on new lamps out there, and they offered FREE shipping.

My mother tells me that my grandmother had a cigar lamp like one of these beauties…

…Apparently fabulous taste runs in families. 🙂

Now I know you’re usually used to seeing them in living rooms and dining rooms, but rules are meant to be broken-especially when designing a mid-century modern nursery!

Here are a few shots of where you usually see these guys.

I do so love the clusters of lamps at different heights…but the practical part of me says “dear LORD, that’s a lot of money hanging from the ceiling.”

Found on midcenturymodernfreak.tumblr.com

For more bubble eye candy….go to my original post on George Nelson Bubble Lamps.

My Houzz: A Mid-Century Marvel Revived in Long Beach midcentury-dining-room

Photo by Tara Bussema. See more mid-century modern dining room designs

This little addition to our little one’s room gets me even more excited to welcome him into the world! Hopefully he’ll find his room as cozy and welcoming as I’m trying to make it. If he doesn’t, I can always steal back the lamp…

Welcome Additions

A few weeks back, I ventured to one of my favorite estate sale-ing haunts, Hemet, CA to shop for my Etsy store. I managed to find a few things for the shop-so do go and visit, but what’s more exciting is that I had a couple great finds for things we needed in our home.

I visited my good friend Sabrina, owner of Finders Keepers Estate Services and bought this fantastic Costco chair for $10. I’ve been wanting one for the kitchen for a couple of reasons: seating for my little man’s desk area, and for a step stool to get to my spices above the stove. This sweet and functional piece serves both purposes.

Cosco Chair in excellent vintage condition.

Then I moved on to another sale before heading out-of-town. I’m so glad I did. Remember our “office” that has to turn into a guest room? Problem is: it has no overhead electricity or outlet. Solution? Fantastic swag lamp!

I’m sure we’re breaking all sorts of Feng Shui rules in here. The bed is in line with the doors….GASP…but this was the best option for the space. Anyway, that gorgeous glass globe has 12 feet of chain and a wall mount for flipping it on and off from bed! $22 buckaroos solved a huge issue in this room.

My chair DIY project from last year in all it's orange glory aside my DeMan Goodwill find! — My DIY chair re-covering project from last year in all it’s orange glory aside my DeMan Goodwill find!

Not quite done with the wall pictured above…but that’s a project for another day. Once again, we’re ready to receive the guests. Next week, we’ll get in gear about getting ready to receive the baby (boy!). You know I’m going to have to have an overall midcentury modern feel in that room too…

005

…until then, sweet, swag-filled dreams to you.

Life Lessons

The theme that keeps revealing itself to me seems to be “you can’t take it with you.” I like to think I’m the type of person who doesn’t collect a lot of “stuff” or get attached to things. I like a clean-looking, uncluttered home, so I tend to focus on a few key vintage pieces and try to stay out of Target. This week’s reminder is a good one for any of us, really. It ain’t going with you when you leave.

My baby news was revealed last week, and instead of upsizing our home like so many Americans might, we are downsizing; getting rid of some of our belongings, and moving the rooms around. The “office” must now fit in our master bedroom, what was the office will become a guest room, and the guest room a nursery. No big deal right? Except for the fact that we have to get rid of the “things” we didn’t anticipate having to be rid of.

On the chopping block via Etsy or Craigslist:

The “reading nook” will now serve as an office nook. I was sure I was going to rock MY estate sale with this piece, but instead, Mr. Pearsall will be leaving us earlier than anticipated. Adriaaaaaaaaan!

As for our ginormous office desk? It too, will be leaving, and this room will be a place for our visitors. With an Irishman as a husband, our visitors stay for weeks at a time – so having a room available is necessary.

Goodbye Masterful Mad Men-esque Desk. Boo.

And just a month or so ago, even my dog was reminding me it’s important not to become “attached” to the things of this world…by ripping a HOLE in the side of my favorite chair.

Moreddi Inc chair...pride of place in the living room....BEFORE PHOTO — Moreddi Inc chair…pride of place in the living room….BEFORE PHOTO

006 (4) — GUILTY AS HELL. Look at that face. I had to lock her out while I considered her fate. Bitch.

Good news is the dog is still with us. Despite my initial emotion, I decided against “gifting” her to another family who could put up with her antics. She is completely dysfunctional – but she is part of the family. Our “Black Pearl” reminded me that the chair is just that….JUST a CHAIR. I can have it fixed (someday) but I can’t take it with me. It’s in the garage until I can get it recovered, and all of our butts have survived unscathed, despite not being able to sit its loveliness.

I thought I’d learned this lesson, and could part with my “stuff” pretty easily, or at least hande it being damaged without losing my top. Turns out I can…sometimes you just need a little reminding about what’s important. I hope my lesson reminds you that the kids and animals – while they’re a mess and they ruin your “stuff”…they are the real treasures.

Cha – Cha- Cha- Changes!

Remember this room? Ah, yes. The newly finished guest room. Functional and cozy. Well….as life would have it, this room will have to be moved downstairs, the office somewhere to be determined….and by September this room shall be a nursery.

Hooray! So this week has been a whirlwind of shifting needs, ideas, furniture, and planning for what the future holds. Being the smallest room of the house, we’ve got to figure out a way to create a cozy nursery and of course, it MUST be in keeping with the mid-century modern theme.

I promise not to spend the next 6 months blogging about baby-related MCM, but just a fair warning that I am feeling inspired since discovering that having a baby in the house doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. Case in point, this high chair:

WHAT THE WHAT!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?! You mean my kid gets to sit in his or her own tulip chair? Yes, please!

Anyway, this weekend, my mother and I did some search and destroy shopping (our favorite kind) in Orange. I’d found a “mid-century atomic rocker” on Craigslist, and had gone up that way to visit for the weekend. Orange just happens to be not too far from where my folks live. After downing a FANTASTIC breakfast at Flappy Jacks, we hit up the Chapman Antique Mall in Orange where this rocker was located. One of the vendors there had advertised the chair on CL and like heat-seeking missiles, we headed directly to where all the mid-century modern wares were held. (Hint to the locals: It’s downstairs in the “basement.”) Long story short, after a failed attempt at haggling and hitting some alternative spots, we returned to claim said rocker (this “rocker” while in great shape, needs to be recovered as it looks like Uncle Bill lost his liquid lunch in a few places). My mother decided it would be her shower gift to me, and that I could have it recovered. Thanks, Ma! It is after all, mid-century; what with its atomic stems. Its small to fit the scale of the room, and completely functional: it rocks, turns, and swivels. WEEE!

So here’s the chair…..I can’t WAIT to start figuring out what fabric to have it upholstered with. I’m thinking something velvety. Yummy.

Stay tuned for updates, I’ll have to be creative to “fund-raise” on a tight budget. I see even more changes via furniture flogging in my future…and one fashionable nursery.

Curating a Mid Century Modern Master Bedroom

The word “curate” is defined by Dictionary.com as to pull together, sift through, and select for presentation, as music or website content: “We curate our merchandise with a sharp eye for trending fashion,” the store manager explained. Etsy.com features many a “treasury” “curated” by its members. Usually they’re a collection of pictures that appeal to that person, or a grouping of some sort by color or type of furniture. I’m here to tell you it’s a lot easier to curate a bunch of photos online than it is to actually FIND and place those items in your home; especially when dealing with vintage furnishings. It takes a good eye – but more importantly, patience.

I’m no interior designer. Although I’d like to think I have a good eye for things, many times designing in your own home is a case of trial and error….moving stuff around, or starting from scratch. It’s taken me a while to curate our master bedroom, and to me, it’s not quite done, but we’re getting there. Over the past 2 years, I’ve found things here and there to make our master a place for peace, rest and comfort.

Here it is at a glance. Nothing fancy, but comfortable, and good enough for us. — Here it is at a glance. Nothing fancy, but comfortable and good enough for us.

The colors I used are light blue, green and variations of the two with some soft browns and amber hues as accents. Who knows if this is a good color combo according to the experts, but it seems to work out fine.

I found this fantastic lamp about a year ago on Etsy.com It goes perfectly to tie in with my Adrian Pearsall chair.

Grandma's Credenza, and an old tube radio that was a gift from my mother at our trip to the Long Beach Veteran's Stadium Flea Market. — Grandma’s Credenza, and an old tube radio that was a gift from my mother at our trip to the Long Beach Veteran’s Stadium Flea Market.

Adrian Pearsall Chair (one of my only "designer" pieces") alongside a vintage Syroco clock from sleekandsimplelines.com — Adrian Pearsall Chair (one of my only designer pieces) alongside a vintage Syroco clock from sleekandsimplelines.com

The painting above was a little something extra from my thoughtful husband this Christmas. We were in Goodwill and I spotted it, thinking it would go great with the colors in our bedroom. This particular store doesn’t usually have mid-century pieces, so I was surprised to see it….still framed and in excellent vintage condition. It was a bit expensive for Goodwill, so I passed on it….but later my husband snuck back to the store to surprise me with it.

002 — Someday I’d love to have swag lamps on either side to maximize our small side tables, but for now, the Marshall’s bubble lamps will do. It can’t ALL be vintage, right?

Vera Sheets found at a local estate sale.

The bed spread isn’t my favorite, but I love the vintage Vera sheets. I found these at an estate sale hosted by FindersKeepers. I’m not usually a pattern fan, but these seem to fit right in with the scheme. I originally bought them for our guest bedroom, but brought them home to discover they were king sized. Apparently dumb luck can also play a part in design. They come in different colors and can also be found on Etsy.com. (Here’s a link to my version online from favorite Etsy seller heartkeyologie.) I think as soon as I can, I’ll be ordering a set in green.

The bed? Well, suffice it to say it works just fine and my husband isn’t a fan of change. While I’d prefer a vintage frame and king sized headboard….this might be one thing I have to compromise on to keep the peace. After all, that’s what we’re going for here….in this lovingly curated space; peace and quiet.

Mystery Guests

The guestroom “re-deco” is finished, and I’m not sure which designer to thank. I recently found this headboard on Craigslist and decided to jump on it. I likened the guest room to a puzzle, and a headboard was the missing piece. This headboard listing read, “possibly Kent Coffey or Kroehler.” (Both mid-century big shots) Personally, it doesn’t matter to me who the maker is, it would just be fun to know the history behind this piece. I’ve looked, and I can’t find anything out there like it right now. My biggest thanks go to the seller for working with me on price, and my husband for driving to San Diego to pick up this treasure without complaint.

Picked this guy up for $100. Pretty good deal for vintage MCM.

I selected this headboard for the following reasons: 1. It’s fab. 2. Price was right. 3. The swoops in the top match the drawer pulls on my night stands. Slightly psychotic, I know.

Before and After Shots:

Not a t.v. makeover, by any stretch, but it’s a cozier spot now in my humble opinion. I’m glad our tiny guest room is done, and that it’s ready to receive visitors. However mismatched and mysterious the pieces, I think it they alll came together pretty well.

Before I sign off, though I have one more fun piece of trivia for all those Crazy MCM’ers out there:

Who made this…..and have you ever seen anything like it? This is something I found on Etsy.com and the colors were too perfect a fit for my home to pass up:

The description read: ” Unbelievable mid-century modern atomic table lamp with gorgeous teal blue and green colors. This was created in a drip fashion. The interior has a wool-type burlap surround. In the style of Royal Haeger, though it is unmarked and a little more wild than their typical style. I have not found any information for this very elusive lamp on the internet.”

Also, there’s a tiny switch on the back of the lamp in addition to the one under the harp that indicates that the base may also have lit up at one time.

It’s so marvelous, it could only go one place…..on “Nana’s” credenza. I do believe when I was debating about the necessity of buying a third lamp for one room, my grandmother helped me decide . Usually I am a very frugal and practical gal. If I don’t really need whatever the item in question, I won’t get it. This lamp just grabbed me and stuck with me for days before I decided. When I finally came around and asked myself…”Geez..should I spring for it? Do I really want this?” My answer came swiftly and as if from someone else, “Does a bear shit in the woods?”

I heard you Nana. Loud and clear.

Something’s New!

Couple weeks ago, I received the most reader feedback I have ever had when I asked for helpful tips on decorating my guest bedroom. (Click here for original story: Something’s Missing). I was delighted to read all the suggestions, and put some of them into action.

Disclaimer: Because of the size and layout of the room, the bed and side tables had to stay put. Also: I’m not done…but I’m really excited about the search for lighting and bedding being over with. I can look at mid-century furniture all day, but I’m a search-and-destroy kind of gal when it comes to fabric. Who has time for that, really?

Here’s the before…where basically everything in this room was wrong. The lamp was too big, the painting too big, the moulding too horrible. I was so lost….but so wanting to set up this room to be a guest retreat people would enjoy staying in. Not to mention we just learned that very soon, my husband’s folks are visiting from Ireland and staying with us for two weeks! Pressure is on, people!

Something's missing. — Something’s missing.

Everything you see above (except for the blinds and atomic clock) went on the auction block. Even the giant painting that inspired my color palette had to go. Have to pay for the change! I grabbed my handy dandy camera, set to clicking, added some stuff to Craigslist and Etsy to sell…which had my husband quite confused and concerned for my sanity. I don’t mean to sound sexist but generally it’s been my experience that men think, “Room, Good. Light, Good. Bed, Gooooood.” Then they wonder why we want to change any of it. Ever. Like doing something different is some crazy thing. Women, on the other hand could look at that first shot and be like, “Oh no, girlfriend. No you didn’t. Here’s what you need to do….”

Craigslist and Etsy winnings in hand, I set to Ebay and the local stores to hunt down lighting and bedding. As I mentioned before, I am really not the most patient shopper. Crowds, cars, wasted time. Why not do it from the couch if you can? Why do you think God made the internet?

I’ll sum up. Aside from the obvious subtractions, the new additions featured above are:

Vintage Orange-to-die-for- Guzzini (we think) lamps -found on Ebay. They were shipped all the way from Canada and packaged beautifully. I was delighted to get them, but bummed to find when one of them wasn’t working. I don’t think it’s anything a new lighting kit won’t fix.

Night Stands stayed – Craigslist

White Bedskirt – Target

White Honeycomb light bought for more practical lighting – Lowe’s for $15! Couldn’t believe it. But as it turns out, the damn light flickers. Guess we’ll be taking that one back. They don’t make ’em like they used to.

Bedding/Pillows/Shams in a Bag, Baby – Max Studio – HomeGoods

**Explanation for new bedding: What I had wasn’t terrible….but it was a down comforter with a drab quilt over it. Two people from Ireland coming for the summer are not going to be comfortable with DOWN in 80-90 degree weather. Besides, it has the added bonus of being meant to be. It’s my entire color palette in one piece. Now I don’t have to worry about patterns and crap like that I’m not qualified for.**

FUTURE Additions:

This guy will go in the corner once I have him refinished and recovered…