Tag Archives: funeral home

Sep13

“New” Vintage Lamps

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“New” Vintage Lamps

Hello!!! Very much like our own personal styles, the decor in mine and Johnny’s apartment is… eclectic to say the least. We have Halloween everything up all year round and the furniture was almost all secondhand in some way shape or form. Seventy-five percent was thrifted and twenty percent was given to me by friends and neighbors. The remaining five percent? Those came from the funeral home that my grandparents so lovingly ran. As you can see, we clearly aren’t defined by one or two specific styles and the end result is what I like to call “funeral home chic” with a heavy handed pour of Halloween flare.

Obviously, Johnny and I revel in secondhand treasures and we got to add to our collection at the Labor Day cookout we enjoyed at his parents’ house. Johnny’s mom is in the process of a huge clean out, which is where I acquired my amazing stash of vintage gloves and clutches. Her latest offerings were three stunning lamps that belonged to Johnny’s grandma and I am in love:

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As you can see, these lamps definitely need a healthy dose of TLC but they sure are beautiful! I am extremely partial to the funeral home vibes of the first dusty rose lamp. However, the robin’s egg blue and gold deer adorned lamps take the cake and to make things even better – they came in a pair. I was so curious about the deer lamps and I ended up finding the exact same ones from a seller on Etsy who said they were made circa the 1950s. How cool is that?!

Unfortunately, tabletop space is something that Johnny and I don’t have a ton of at chez nous. We are both avid collectors of oddities and when our respective collections combined, all of our shelves became instantly full. That’s not to say that I don’t want to put these lamps somewhere special – but where, indeed?! For now, my plans are to get them cleaned up, acquire shades that will do them justice, and store them away safely. Inspired by his mom’s haul away mission, we will be doing some autumnal spring cleaning and I am hoping to find the perfect spot for them yet.

These lamps remind me so much of my own grandma and I just know she would have loved them too. Her funeral home is never far from my mind and I am sure she would be happy to know that that style still influences me to this day! ❤

How is your home decorated? What do you like to collect? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr16

New Chair, Who Dis?

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New Chair, Who Dis?

Hello!!! My grandparents ran a funeral home in Cleveland and it was my favorite place in the world. So much so, that I have several pieces of furniture and art from the home in my apartment. While a majority of the home decor I have is in excellent condition, one of the chairs that resided in my living room has definitely seen better days. The fabric was torn, the springs were shot, the cushions were worn, and it was basically a hot mess. So much so, that my in laws and aunt in law decided to have it reupholstered as mine and Johnny’s Christmas gift. Unfortunately, I didn’t think to take “before” pictures, but here is the end result:

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When Johnny’s mom came to pick up our chair last month, she also brought along at least thirty books of fabric swatches from the person she hired for the job. Johnny and I were hoping for some awesome spooky prints like bats or ghosts and found nothing that came even close. We were basically flipping through swatches that would have been more appropriate for a carpet for several evenings in a row. By the time we got to the very last book, we had resigned ourselves to choosing the least bad option and calling it a day. Then, we got to the last page and found the fabric that you see above. I am so happy that we kept on trucking through all of the books or we never would have found it!

The original fabric on the chair had a deep navy background with light pink and white flowers and green leaves. This chair dates back to 1969 and while it was gorgeous in its prime, it needed an update badly! I am in love with the new fabric featuring red pagodas, blooming cherry blossoms, twisting bonsai, and flowing rivers. As soon as we saw the swatch, we knew it was the one and were confident that it was going to turn out amazing. And, when we finally saw it in its completion, I couldn’t believe that it was better than we ever could have imagined.

The person who brought this chair to life is truly a master of their craft. The chair is much more sturdy and comfortable with fresh padding and the fabric is nice and soft but it feels so durable. We got two throw pillows that were made with leftover fabric too! Johnny’s dad also played a part in getting this chair back up to snuff by removing and replacing the rotted wood at the base. He is so handy and the effort from both of them gave us a chair that will surely last for another almost fifty-five years!

This belated Christmas gift is one of the best ones that Johnny and I have ever received and we are so thankful to our family for making it happen. I think that my grandparents would love it too!

Has any of your furniture gotten a makeover before? What is your favorite piece of furniture at your house? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah