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Hellloooooo Hoomans!
Lucy here. All hunkered down with Colene. This "stay at home" stuff is really good for me. I get more walks and lap time than ever! Colene, on the other hand, is starting to go a little cuckoo being cooped up inside. She is painting like a crazy person. Then she gets all worn out and watches TV a lot. That’s OK by me cuz I get even more lap time during TV time!
Anyway, part of this furniture biz is getting out there and finding the furniture. Colene and I used to go out all the time looking for stuff or picking up stuff she found. Colene really honored the Stay Home ruling. We are starting to get back out there now, though! She also spends a lot of time “saving” pieces on different garage sale websites so when things change, we are ready - pedal to the metal the old folks say! As a furniture refinisher/upcycler/artist, Colene chooses lots of different kinds of furniture. Your method of selecting furniture for yourself would look a bit different. I will write a whole story about ALL the places to search for a piece to refinish later. Stay tuned for that one!
OK, so today let's focus on how you decide on a piece of furniture. Let's start with one question at a time so you can decide which one you are!
#1 PRACTICAL SHOPPER SEEKING STORAGE: "I want something I can put all my heavy winter coats in when we aren't using them and we don't have a coat closet." Sounds like if you're hoping to solve this scenario, you are looking for storage, right?
#2 SHOPPER SEEKING STATEMENT PIECE: "Our new house has a two-story entryway and I want something super duper striking for people to see when they walk in."
See the difference? This person does not need something practical - they want something that will grab your attention.
#3 CAKE EATER: Oh, yea, there's a third group - someone that wants both practical and useful as well as drop dead gorgeous. You folks are a little harder to satisfy - it can be done - just know that those pieces are fewer and farther between. Or the piece may start as a practical piece and then Colene spends a little extra time dressing it up with special painting techniques or additional mouldings. Additional hardware, moulding and time tend to increase the price, of course. Colene is always sourcing these things to get the best prices available. When you are creating a statement piece you want striking, unusual and when possible, unique decor (you know, like moldings and hardware and stuff) so sometimes it takes a minute to find all of that.
Let's start with the PRACTICAL SEEKING STORAGE people. Things to consider:
1) How much space do I have for this piece of furniture - height, depth and width - measure and be precise?
2) Which room is it going in - kitchen, gameroom, bathroom, bedroom, family room? Will it fit through the door?
3) What will best hold my stuff? Shelves, a hanging bar, hooks, drawers or who knows what? Or a combination of which ones? Are you getting the idea?
This gorgeous buffet has loads of storage and is the perfect size to fit most anywhere - this would be considered PRACTICAL.
Now for the SEEKING STATEMENT PIECE peeps. Some of the same questions apply.
1) How much space do I have for this piece of furniture - height, depth and width, again, be precise?
2) Which room is it going in - kitchen, gameroom, bathroom, bedroom, family room? Will it fit through the door?
3) For it to match my style, which era should I look for - Mid Century Modern era, or from the Art Deco era, or whatever era. BTW, watch for the blog on FURNITURE ERAS. There will be clear links and examples in that one!
4) Because I want to show off my Waterford crystal collection should I look for glass doors and a light?
5) I want this to be a showpiece with some badass ombre painting technique, or maybe just a super bright RED.
This photo of a Heritage Sepia Sideboard is an excellent example of a statement piece. To see more go to the Boca do Lobo website.
Are you getting the idea? These possibilities could go on for a long time, I'm just giving you a starting place. And guess what? These are the types of conversations Colene has with her clients all the time. How do I know? Because I’m a really smart dog and she always talks to her peeps with the phone on speaker!
We keep a bunch of inventory on hand and LOVE looking for that special piece you want so we can create a unique, one of a kind piece of furniture just for you.
PLEASE check out https://lucysfurniturecreations.com for a gallery of sold and available pieces. There’s also a group of pieces that are NAKED and ready for customization!
For a dog, I have some interesting stuff to share - would you like to know when I have new stuff on the blog? Subscribe here on the website!
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