Geometric Bedside Tables

It's been a loooong time..

We haven't given up on this furniture business but we did pack it in for a while during these past few months. 

We have had a LOT going on in our lives. Some really good things and some downright awful. 2015 went out with it's share of negative crap under it's belt and 2016 has introduced itself as a bit of a shit as well. If only the New Year could pan out as perfectly as we always hope it will, but hey, it is just a flip of the calender after all...

My brother and his wife welcomed their second little bundle, Ellyotte Mae, in late October. She is the sweetest, most laid back, perfect little girl. Only weeks after her arrival, my brother had a very serious accident while working with a saw and life was turned upside down for a while. It has been a whirlwind of emotions for the family for a few months here and we are trying to get back on our feet and keep on keepin' on. 

 For those of you who haven't jumped off the wagon yet (from the long 3 month pause or from the garble I just spewed at you in above vent-sesh), we do have a few little projects that we have been slowly working on in between life's considerate little curve-balls.

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We have had the pleasure of working with a super sweet client for the last year now and she always has the most exciting ideas. She really lets us "do our thang" creatively and is super open to bold and out-of-the-box, fabulous ideas!

She asked us several months ago if we would build some bedside tables for her new place. She loves the mid-century mod look which works perfectly because it's my absolute fave.

She sent this picture as an idea:

She was also feelin' the geometric, retro vibe and the paint/stain combo. I love working with stain and bringing out a beautiful grain but when I can add a creative touch and bust out the paint as well, I'm always game.

We knew that we wouldn't find a true, vintage set of these tables in good condition without spending a whole lotta dough. We also didn't want to use something that was constructed out of cheap, crappy veneer or particle board..yuck. So we decided to have one of our structural dudes (Ryan), make these beauties from scratch out of pine.
 It was the right choice.

Once they were constructed, I set off on painting and staining..

I love the geometric pattern with the grain peeking through.

We put all the pieces together and voila!

They are the cutest little tables.

We are so pleased with how they turned out.

Thank you ALL for your patience and we hope you will still come by once in a while to check out what we're up to!

oh, hey!

How are you all adjusting to this new season?

I don't know, we're really not so sad about the change this time around. The chillier weather and changing of the leaves seems to have brought out a re-energized, determination in us.

Because we're all about the positivity around here 

(unless it's Monday...or that time of month..or tax season..)

we've compiled a list of reasons that summer being over isn't so bad!

- The kids are back at school (Hallelujah!!!)

- That bikini that's been staring you down all judgemental, daring you to slip into it for the last three months can finally eff off and be put back in the closet until next year (See yah! Ain't going to miss yah!) Oh yah, there's some bitterness there..

- There are less distractions and you can refocus and get those goals back up and headed in the right direction again!

-Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING

-Sweater weather!! There's nothing I love more than a tunic sweater, leggings and boots! Comfy, and I look like I kind of try! Whaaat! 

-Did I mention, the kids are back at school..? That's my favourite!

Anyway, since we know you don't stop by here for positive affirmations or cheesy lists, we will move on to furniture.

Remember those funky little midcentury tables we just redid?
Well, there was also a dresser!

We wanted to do it a little differently while still sticking to the same vibe.
We used the same colours that were used for the little tables but went a slightly different direction..

This piece took a lot of precision and even more patience.

All of those lines needed to be sharp for the overall pattern to come together.
(how cute is the little built-in jewelry/change/junk holder?)

The patience paid off, because she turned out great!

I love that this pattern holds true to the retro era of the piece but is still fresh and modern..
(midcentury + modern = naaiillled it)

So, there's another transformation for the books!

And guess what?!
There'll be more very soon!


Thanks for stopping by again, Folks!

Mid-Century Teak Tables

I found two of these gems at a thrift shop a while ago.

Pure. 

Midcentury. 

Gold.

I'm pretty sure James Bond set his Martini atop these retro beauties 

before I was lucky enough to get my paws on them..

They are really solid, extremely well-built, Sklar Peppler tables.

One helluva score!

I wanted to really soak up that sleek, retro-ness of these mid-century pieces.

So I added to that by doing..

This!

I added a hand-painted triangle pattern and it fit the MCM vibe to a T! The muted shades work so well with the colour of the teak.

They turned out even better than what I had envisioned in my head. 

Gotta love when a plan comes together!

Not a bad transformation at all!

Thanks again for stopping by, Peeps!

Until next time!

Retro Children's Desk

Happy Friday, Guys!

We're at it again! We have another reveal for you!

This one goes out to all the school-aged homies..

in the form of a really cool place to study (exactly what you wanted, you're welcome).

She is just way too cute.

Painted in Country Chic's chalkpaint in "Full Bloom", a really cheery coral colour and stained in "Dark Wanut". The colour combination makes it so full of retro goodness! And check out the legs on this gal. Awesome.

She is constructed of birch and the grain is so varied and pretty.

 

It has been so well built and has the dovetail joints to prove it! (It's always a treat to see dovetail joints!)

So! There yah go! A cute little transformation to end your week!

Have a great weekend, friends.

Polka Partners!

Hi, Guys!

It's been a while. I had a busy weekend but had a wonderful time shared with family and friends. I hope you all had a great Easter and indulged guilt-free on chocolate eggs!

I am loving the fact that today feels like we really just may be approaching Spring! Can I get an "amen", Calgarians?  As I'm sitting here blogging, I can hear the little birdies chirping away in the backyard. Makes me so happy!

I am so excited to show you guys the latest tables we've been working on!

These are another set made from scratch by Sparrow Layne! Very exciting!

So, as promised, we went with polka dots...

Tada!!!

They were covered with gorgeous natural coloured decorative paper with faded black polka dots. We painted them a striking matte black shade called "Limousine Leather", which just makes them even cooler! The tops were stained using a medium walnut shade that compliments the papered inside beautifully!

Here's a view of the grain with walnut stain. I've never used a light stain but I looove it!

They turned out wonderfully! I love when a project exceeds your expectations!! 

These guys will be up in the shop soon!

Custom Sparrow Pieces!

So, I know this is a bit late, but remember how I mentioned that Sparrow Layne was going to be creating our very own pieces? Well that time has come!

We are so excited to show you our first set of custom tables!

Here they are!

Constructed of pine, these tables are sturdy, heavy and oh-so-beautiful!

I love that they are classic with a bit of a mid-century modern vibe going on.

They have been painted in a high gloss white.

The backs and tops have been stained in a dark espresso, waxed with Annie Sloan soft wax and buffed to perfection!

We currently have unfinished tables the same as these as well, so if you would like a set (or just one) and have your own ideas as to what you'd like them to look like, please let us know!

Oh! And some of you were confused as to how to vote on yesterday's post. On the right side of the blog page right underneath my photo, there are 3 options. You can click on as many as you want!

One more day left until the weekend, Folks!

Mid Century Mod Tables

Hey guys! Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

We had a wonderful trip to the mountains and indulged in some great food and shopping (yah know, things you do in the mountains...) and have spent the weekend treasure hunting at furniture stores!

Anywho, do you remember these tables that were in "Blank Canvases" forever?

Well they threw us off a little to say the least.

They are very mid-century modern but at the same time they have a bit of an asian flare.

My partner in crime over at Sparrow Layne tackled these puppies and I must say, she did a fantastic job!

She did the curvy tops in a pretty gold, papered the top with some really neat paper on which she did a glazing technique on that makes it look even neater. 

The little raindrop "feet" on these tables are sooo unique, I love them!

So, just as we were thinking that these pieces were so structurally unique, we spotted very similar nesting tables at Pottery Barn! Whaaaa?! We must be onto something here at Sparrow Layne! It's almost like we know what we're doing or something...

These tables will be up in the shop soon!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

I am absolutely in love with retro modern furniture.

Most of us know that mid-century modern has come back with a vengeance. Every Style at Home and House & Home magazine's pages are flooded with this retro goodness.

Some people are resistant, I am welcoming it with open arms (that could be because I never lived through it the first time, but I adore it!).

If I could redecorate and turn my house into a mod-century modern haven, I'd be on that like flies on...well, yah know..

For those of you who have browsed for this kind of decor, you're well aware of the fact that because it's now so sought after now by style chasers like us, it has driven the price tag through the roof! 

Sadly, teak is not cheap, my friends...

The good news? Sparrow Layne has started creating our very own pieces!!! Hurray!

And yes, you are quite correct...this just may be another one of those lead up posts!

We are very excited to be creating some brand new, retro inspired pieces, because hey, we can't all afford to have thousand dollar pieces in our homes, but we can have the same flare for less! *Props to all the penny pinching style gurus out there*

So stay tuned for a pretty exciting reveal this week and some shiny new/retro pieces in the shop!

Enjoy your Sunday, Peeps!

Transformation...err...Wednesday?

I bombed at delivering for yesterday's "Transformation Tuesday", guys. 

I'm sorry!

But! To make up for it, let's switch it up for one week only *promise* and do it on a Wednesday, kay?

This retro dresser was a great find and even though it is old, it was in really impressive condition. The lady even had old school paper lining the drawers (wasn't my style but showed it was cared for). 

As I mentioned in my last post, I knew I wanted this baby done using the ombre technique. I still wanted something that was a nuetral though, so I settled on grey!

I started with black and white paint and hand mixed three shades I was pleased with. I kept the original hardware because, hey, you don't mess with a good thing and they really worked well.

So, *drumroll, please*.......

this is her after some revamp love:

She will be up in the shop a little later this week!

Email, if you're interesting in this beaut.

New Kids in Town

Have yah heard? 

There are some new kids in town...

(anyone else just get The Eagles classic stuck in their head?)

We are slowly but surely starting to get more stock in "Blank Canvases"! Very exciting!

These guys are just hangin' out waiting for a new home and a fresh new makeover.

Let me introduce you to the new lineup...

My love for mid-century modern furniture is no secret and these newbies have got me really excited. I can just picture this set with some funky lamps on them, gleaming all fresh and new in someone's living room...or bedroom...oooh, or office!! As I've said too many times already, it's hard for me to not get attached to certain pieces, and these two will be hard to part with. My mom found them and right when she showed them to me I was already envisioning them beside my couch. Ah well, I'll get over it...

So I guess this wasn't necessarily made to be a bench, but that's where I went when I first laid eyes on her. A chunky cushion covered in some cool fabric and some detailing on drawers with some fresh new knobs, oh boy!!!!! Could be a super cute place to sit and put your boots on, just sayin'...

Ya....she's pretty gorgeous. 'Nough said, but I'll keep going anyway....This dresser is very old but is in unbelievable condition....like perfect. I love the original hardware on it too. The pulls have so much detail that you don't see in hardware today. I swear back in the day things were made better and more attention was paid to all those pretty little details that make vintage pieces so beautiful. The little key holes in each drawer and the mirror that tilts forward and back are pretty awesome too. What would you make of this beauty?

Transformation Tuesday!

It's that time of week again!

 Sooo, not going to lie, I completely forgot about "Transformation Tuesday" until my friends reminded me. That's how I roll..fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of gal.. It's a good thing I have no shortage of furniture pictures on my iPhone. My phone is 60% furniture and 40% my pups. 

Anywho, these old beasts were a total score at a nearby thrift shop. They were previously loved, and had the dings and scratches to prove it, but were calling my name. 

They were the perfect mid-century-mod shape, but had zip for personality. I absolutely love gold accents and the look  of  a clean, fresh coat of high gloss white paint, so I took that pallet and away I went.

Here they are before, looking a little gloomy and undressed...

and here they are after their transformation...

BAM! 

These babies are all dressed up and ready to part-ay! Or at least spend some time beside your couch or bed side. 

Check these pretties out in the shop!