Bought a Couch!

I bought a couch off of kijiji for $70. Here are the pictures from the poster's ad. Please ignore the poor styling. I'm planning a much prettier look for this piece:

I love that it's white for all of the colorful accent pillows I'm planning to add. It's also on the smaller side (which will be perfect for my new rental space in the fall). The seller was asking $100 originally but because she really wanted it gone to make room for new furniture, she let it go for 70. 
The only problem is the cushion covers are DIRTY y'all...but I think a good bleaching and scrub will have them looking good as new! Do you have any tips for washing cushion covers from IKEA?
I'm also thinking about painting the wooden frame black..any thoughts?
xox
Tiffany Leigh
ps. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and happy mother's day to all the mums out there!

Favourite Furniture Friday: Landi from The Lifestyle Guide

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm Landi from The Lifestyle Guide & I'm thrilled to be here at The Designer Lifestyle to post about my favorite piece of furniture. When I moved back to Texas this past December, I had to buy a lot of furniture because I rented the furniture where I had been living. I tried to be as money conscious as possible because I knew that the bigger things (a couch, a bed, TV, etc.) were probably going to cost the most. In a little town called North Richland Hills about 25-30 minutes away, I was told about this amazing shabby chic/vintage furniture store called Golighty's Antiques. We drove out there and scored majorly. I found this dresser and hutch (shown below) that was refinished by a local women and bought it for $280. What a steal! It fits perfectly in my room, & I love it. I also like that it has the mirror because then I didn't have to worry about finding another mirror for my room {besides my full length one}. I apologize for you being able to see my pup lying on my bed in the mirror ;)

Although the drawers are a little stiff {and there's one that refuses to stay on track}, I love the vintage knobs and the color that it was refinished with.

I also enjoy being able to display odds and ends on the tiny shelves of the hutch. It adds character to the piece & also let's me add my personality to it as well! {Again, a photo of Harlie ha ha}

Thanks again to Tiffany for inviting me to guest post for her -- she's such a doll! Hope you guys enjoyed learning about my favorite piece of furniture... and that you'll stop by The Lifestyle Guide to hear more from me! Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

xoxo Landi

 Thanks so much to Landi for participating in the series! You all need to check out her blog asap, it's fabulous and she is so sweet! If you would like to be featured in this series, please e-mail me at thedesignerlifestyle@gmail.com.

-Tiffany Leigh 

Favourite Furniture Fridays Revamp

I've decided that Favourite Furniture Fridays could use a little revamp. Sure it's fun to drool over iconic investment pieces together like we have been for the past few months, but I thought it might be MORE fun to feature the favourite furniture pieces OWNED by some of our favourite design bloggers.

I'll get the ball rolling.

I'll admit, I don't own much furniture because I'm still living at home to save money. Even if I owned a full houseload though, this dresser would still rank near the top for me. It needs to be refinished...badly, the top is scratched up and the varnish is foggy in many places.

Despite these imperfections, it's solid, with dove tailed drawers, and it has a gorgeous shape. Also, its  got the cutest little wooden caster feet, and an adorable keyhole on the top drawer. I added some pretty crystal knobs for sparkle. Most importantly, it's a beautiful antique that I got out of my grandmother's basement. Sentimental value goes a long way with me.

If you'd like to have your fave featured, please e-mail me at thedesignerlifestyle@gmail.com
xox
Tiffany Leigh

Favourite Furniture Fridays: Swan Chair

What do you think of it? I'm completely smitten. Unfortunately, it's almost $4,000. A girl can dream though!
Read and see more HERE
xox Tiffany Leigh

 

 

 

 

 

Favourite Furniture Fridays: The Wishbone Chair

A Brief History:
The wishbone chair was designed in 1949 by Danish designer Hans J. Wegner. Since it's invention, it has been in constant production by the fine furniture company Carl Hansen and Son. It gets its name from the unique centre piece on the back of the chair, which literally resembles the forked clavicle or collar bone found in most birds, commonly called a wishbone. There was an ancient belief that chickens were fortune tellers, and that when two people hold the wishbone and pull it until it breaks, the person left with the longer piece will have their wish granted. Kinda cool!

For the more practical minded, it's also known as the Y-chair. Officially the CH24. Easily customizable and made from steam bent beechwood. Priced at around $800. It's name is totally appropriate because although it's way out of my budget, one can always wish.

What I love about these chairs is their delicate, gorgeous frame, and their tremendous customizability.

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I'm going to wish on a wishbone for a wishbone chair. How about you?
xox
Tiffany Leigh

Favourite Furniture Fridays: The Louis Chair

Lately I've been featuring alot of mid-century modern furniture, such as the Eames Lounge, the Tulip Table and Danish Teak Credenzas. Today, I'm switching focus to the classic and traditional Louis Chair. Literally named for Louis XV and Louis XVI, 18th Century French Kings, this chair definitely gives off a regal vibe. There are many different styles of the chair, attributable to differing King Louis. The most notable differences is the shape of the back. My personal favourite is the medallion (aka round) back. Absolutely stunning, but simple and understated enough to blend seamlessly with most decor styles.

via Layla Grace

via Samantha Pynn

^ Designer Samantha Pynn cleverly adds extra seating to this living room with a pair of Louis chairs in front of the glass doors. They are delicate enough to feel like they aren't a major view blocker, and light enough to move for easy access to the outdoor space.

via

 If these looks are a little bit too traditional for your taste, you can have the chair reupholstered in a trendy and contemporary fabric, like this zebra example:

via decorpad

 OR for an even more modern look, you could consider the Louis ghost chair.

The Louis ghost armchair was designed in 2002 by Philippe Starck for Kartell, and perfectly combines historic style and modern aesthetics. Plus, they're stackable, and now available in a variety of tints. Genious!

via

via decorpad

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So which one do you prefer? The traditional? The modern? Neither? Or BOTH (like me)!?
Oh and a fair warning! If you get a ghost chair, it really does look like it vanishes sometimes. Kind of haunting, but in a good way.

xox
Tiffany Leigh

Favourite Furniture Fridays: Eero Saarinen Tulip Table / IKEA Docksta table

 Take a look at this beauty:

via IKEA

Last Favourite Furniture Friday, I took a look back at the history of the iconic Eame's Lounge. I can certainly do the same of today's Furniture Favourite because the IKEA Docksta table is in fact a fairly obvious replica of the very famous Tulip Table designed by Eero Saarinen for Knoll. Although IKEA has achieved the table at a much more affordable price, Saarinen deserves full credit for this beauty. The Finnish American designer created an entire Tulip line around 1956. The modernist piece is still popular today, and the Knoll Tulip dining tables range in price from $1,800 to a whopping $14,000 depending on size and finishes. See Knoll's version below!

via Utility Design

 So, let me outline the obvious and not so obvious differences:
1. The 'stem', or table leg, is considerably narrower in the original Tulip Table. Also, you can also see two seams on the IKEA version's stem where it connects to the table top and the base. The original is seamless.
2. Table top material: The IKEA table top is made of fiberboard and acrylic paint, whereas the Knoll version is available in laminate with the option to upgrade to a marble top.
3. Table base material: The IKEA base is made of Reinforced Polyamide, the Knoll uses heavy cast molded aluminum.
4. While the Docksta comes standard, the Tulip Table comes in a variety of sizes, finishes, and shapes, including oval (like the photo below).

via Decor Pad

 But perhaps most importantly for the forever budget-minded like myself, the IKEA version amazingly retails at only $229.

I much prefer the price tag of the IKEA table, so its gets my vote! At 41 3/8" it's the perfect size for tighter spaces. It's also a multi-use piece. Check out the following examples of IKEA's Docksta in action:

via Decor Pad

^Perfect set up for working or dining. The neutral table pairs well with the bright bursts of colour, and the simplicity of the design allows its modern aesthetic to compliment, rather than contrast, with more traditional pieces.

^ Bachelorette Jillian Harris's living and dining space. See the Docksta table tucked in the back there? Well, okay, I'll admit that it might be an original Tulip Table, but the stem looks a bit thick in this photo. Either way, the table is the perfect size for Jillian's compact little eat-in kitchen. The entire space is to die for. Amazing taste!

So, who wants to go to IKEA with me? Any takers? Do you like this table?
Happy Friday! xo Tiffany Leigh

Favourite Furniture Fridays: Eames Lounge Chair

EAMES LOUNGE

To kick off my very first Favourite Furniture Fridays I wanted to pick a piece that reshaped the history of the furniture world. I had to pick the classic Eames Lounge 670 and Ottoman 671. I recently saw the handcrafted process of making this lounge chair on HGTV’s ‘Design DNA’ and learnt that the construction hasn’t changed much since it first hit the market in 1956. This iconic beauty was designed for the Herman Miller furniture company by Charles and Ray Eames (a married couple) who were inspired by a baseball glove. The design took years of planning, trial and error. In the end, the final design was a keeper, and hasn’t been messed with for over 60 years! The only major changes are switching from rosewood veneer to a more environmentally friendly plywood, and from five layers of wood fused together to seven. In fact, it is part of New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) PERMANANTLY, making it not only an ingenious piece of design, but a work of art in itself. What an honour! Just looking at it you can see why. 

Its molded plywood shell is what makes it truly beautiful, and keeps each chair unique. The cushions are made to maximize comfort, and rubber shock mounts allow the chair to flex slightly for a discrete rocking motion. It also swivels 360 degrees. The leather is cinched for a worn look. The classic black leather is a popular choice (and my personal favourite), but Herman Miller now offers the Eames Lounge in a variety of colours and finishes. It makes my favourite list because I love its masculine, industrial and yet comfortable look and feel. It is an iconic piece instantly recognizable in any space.

Warning:
Before you fall completely head over heels in love with this furniture piece (maybe I should have cautioned earlier), I should warn you that it is pricey! In 1956, it retailed at a bit over 300 dollars. Now, a newly constructed Eames Lounge will run you about $4500 before tax in the United States, with some classics selling in auction for close to the $7000 mark! Even high quality and convincing replicas approach two grand. The European Vitra version is even more expensive. But hey, we can dream right? If you’re ever blessed enough to purchase one of these beauties, however, the attention to detail and high quality, hand crafted construction will last decades making it an heirloom to be passed on from generation to generation.

This chair made its TV debut in 1956 on NBC’s broadcast of Arlene Francis’s ‘Home’. You can watch the videos of this vintage appearance on Youtube. Part one here and part two here for those interested. 

This chair is often quoted for its prominent appearance in the hit show Frasier (reportedly seen in all episodes but one!). I'm not the hugest Frasier fan, however, so my favourite guest appearance of the chair is on Gossip Girl, where it was recovered in a gorgeous Missoni fabric. 

I hope you enjoyed reading all about this iconic and historical piece of furniture as much as I enjoyed researching it! Stay tuned every Friday for an edition of Favourite Furniture Fridays.

Love always, Tiffany Leigh