A lotta 50's stuff lately

[sofadoc]

I've had quite a run on 50's style pieces the last couple of months.
Pieces from that era are usually well built with straight lines, and simple seams. An upholsterer's dream.
That style has attempted a comeback several times in the last 20 years with little success. But I'll bet I've done more of 'em in the last year than I did the last 10 years.

The "Baby Boomers" rejected it in favor of mass produced cheap crap. So the "50's modern" look faded into obscurity. But stores like Ikea have created a new interest in the style.  And young people have realized "Why buy some cheap POS from Ikea, when I've got the real thing in Grandma's attic?"

The style is more functional than it is comfortable. Too "low-to-the-ground"
for my tastes. But I'm certainly not going to turn it away.
Only drawback is....I need a helper to pick it up. It ain't like the new stuff that I can pick up by myself and twirl above my head.

Even though I don't want any of it  for my home, I hope the style sticks around for a while. Sure quicker than doing a bunch of pleats and gathers.

Anybody else seeing an increase in furniture from that era?

[fingers]

 I wouldn't say a lotta stuff but definitely a spike. One great old sectional constructed of 5/4 oak. The kids recovered what mom had bought new back in the early 60's. The cushions had been redone at least once but the body of the sectional still had it's original white vinyl intact. It was a pleasure to work on a solid pc like that and yes it went together pretty darned easy.
The other was two neat chairs from the early 70's. She also bought them new. They had that classic green tweed of sorts. What really sticks in my mind is a plastic molded shell designed especially for the OB just to conform to the unique contours of the design.

[bobbin]

The couch and the old man's armchair in our living "area" are both from the '50s.  They were handed down to us when we didn't have 2 dimes to rub together and were still in their original fabric, complete with shrunken foam cushions that were turning to dust inside the covers.  I always like the lines and recognized their quality.  When we had the money I had them reupholstered; stripped, rewebbed, resprung, the whole 9 yds..  They were beautiful!  It's now been nearly 13 yrs. and they need some "freshening up", I'm thinking of slipcovering them or maybe recovering them myself. 

It's not generally a style that jazzes me completely, but it does lend itself to being blended into an eclectic home nicely, and I find it quite comfortable, although the couch is a bit low to the ground now that I think about it!

(I always keep my eyes peeled for pcs. of that era set out on the kerb)

[gene]

Interesting comment, sofadoc. I was talking to a good customer, an Interior Designer, this past week and I told her the exact same thing. I'm doing a sofa now and it is indeed all straight lines.

She had mentioned that there seems to be less of the 50's and early 60's furniture being thrown away or given to thrift stores where she likes to look for good finds.


gene

[kodydog]

Last month we did matching one arm love seats in a gold tweed. They were kinda squaty. The seat and back were spring edge and they were both thick with little padding. My parents had two just like them when I was growing up.