Monday, September 24, 2012

Old to New



We finally finished our restoration project and couldn't be happier.

After nearly a year of searching for the perfect piece, the lovely blonde found a vintage Baker Sofa on craigslist.  We thought $100 was a steal of a deal.  Only one owner who bought it brand new in 1960 and after several years in the family, they were ready to part with it.  The piece meant a lot to her because it belonged to her mom and was the couch she grew up on.  She shared stories and told us that it was originally called a "conversational" sofa because of its size (9 ft long) and the way it was designed with a curve which made it easier for people sitting on the ends to converse.  

We knew we had our work cut out for us, but we decided on a restoration project rather than paying upwards of $5-$10K (no joke) for something similar that someone else restored. The sofa was originally a yellow/green color that we loved, but the fabric was pretty worn.  We decided we wanted something more durable and a little funkier.  We searched online and in every local fabric store until we finally found this really great orange pattern.  It fits perfectly with the vintage/modern vibe we dig right now.  Another three weeks later, we had all of the foam replaced, restored a few broken legs and had it reupholstered just like the original tufted design.

We entertained family over the weekend and were happy to show off our "new" piece.  Made me wish we had one more so they could face each other and be even more conversational.  I love breathing life back into old furniture.  Sometimes it's better to go out with the NEW and in with the OLD.