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Three Things from the Warehouse

Last week, Scott stumbled across an ad for a Mid-century Modern warehouse sale way south on Western Ave. We woke up bright and early Saturday morning, assuming there’d be a big long line around the building, only to arrive 5 minutes after opening and find that we were two of, oh, maybe six people! Better safe than sorry, because we totally scored. Here’s what came home with us:

ONE. An authentic Milo chair! Technically, two Milo chairs, as they were a set – no splits. (Funny how when you want a pair of chairs, they don’t exist, and when you only want one? Pairs of chairs abound!) It pains us to see them separated*, but we knew that this guy would be the coziest, sweetest chair for our funny little nook – once and for all! It’s fine as-is for now, but the foam in the frame could be replaced, and so we’ll ultimately upholster down the road. But – those adorable legs! The teeny castors! The fluffy cushions!

warehouse-finds-01

TWO. This fabric! The warehouse was stuffed with rolls of vintage fabric and leather, and not exactly being an expert at the sewing machine, I restrained myself from grabbing more. We both gravitated towards this super thick roll with a navy and cream graphic pattern, and in my excitement, I screamed, couldn’t you just see this on the Milo chair?! I don’t think there’s enough of it (there’s about 5 yards at most), but seriously, wouldn’t a super punchy fabric be too much on this chair? I mean this in the best way, you know.

warehouse-finds-03warehouse-finds-04

THREE. These sconces! They could use a little Nevr-Dull, but the patina is pretty charming, too. We’ll set these aside until we start on the bedroom, which at this point, feels like a pipe dream. We’ll get there eventually!

warehouse-finds-06

Prices were fair and negotiable, and although we didn’t score ourselves a hutch or island, we’re over the moon with our finds. That said – from here on out! – we’re all eyes for the kitchen only. Kitch-en! Kitch-en!

*In Chicago and interested in the other Milo chair? Send us an email, and let’s talk.

**Update! We’ve received a lot of emails on the chair, and we have a taker! Thank you to everyone who got in touch!

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  • Alli12.12.14 - 8:11 AM

    No idea how much fabric is actually required to upholster things, but the navy/cream would be amazing along the back and sides of the chair with maybe solid navy cushions. I’d also feel a little bit safer about that. Do the cushions with some hard-wearing navy, so it gets the most wear, but by doing the back/sides you get bang for you buck out of the amazing vintage fabric.ReplyCancel

    • carswell12.12.14 - 12:45 PM

      I would prefer to see it go the other way – with a solid on the sides/back and the pattern on the seat and back cushions. It’s a subjective thing.

      That said – the navy/cream pattern is to die for.ReplyCancel

  • Lindsey d.12.12.14 - 9:16 AM

    Like Alli, I was going to suggest a matching or contrasting fabric for the seat of the chair. I’d like to see the back cushion in the fab pattern, but you could save a bit of fabric by doing the side panels on the back cushion in the same coordinating fabric you do the seat in. No idea whether there would be enough of the fab fabric to even do the outsides of the chair or if you could find the same navy in the same weight of fabric.ReplyCancel

    • Kim12.12.14 - 9:18 AM

      These are great suggestions – thank you! Something to consider. We’ll have to look at a few photos of similar upholstery to see if we can get on board with that look.ReplyCancel

      • Dusa12.12.14 - 11:26 AM

        I immediately thought the opposite: seat and back pad in the print, and the outer shell in a solid navy. Are the cushions reversible?ReplyCancel

        • Kim12.12.14 - 11:38 AM

          The cushions are reversible, and I like this idea too!ReplyCancel

  • Lucas12.12.14 - 9:21 AM

    Kim: Can you give us any more information on the MCM sale? I looked it up when you posted it on IG but couldn’t make it. Is it a retailer? Are they open regularly? Etc, etc.
    Thanks! I’m in hot pursuit of a credenza!ReplyCancel

    • Kim12.12.14 - 9:27 AM

      Hi Lucas, I think it was a one-off, sadly. Scott found it via this Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MCModChicago/

      It seems that it was just a group of vintage sellers that wanted to unload a bunch of stuff, but if it makes you feel any better, there weren’t really any credenzas – mostly chairs, fabric and small tables.

      A great place to check for a credenza would be searching Krrb.com. That’s where we picked up my desk and we’ve been checking that site a few times a week for something in the kitchen as well!ReplyCancel

    • Angela12.12.14 - 9:31 AM

      I found this spot while searching for some Christmas gifts. It’s not right around the corner but if you find yourself on a trip to Wisconsin, it looks like it might be a good place to check out for some MCM pieces.

      https://www.facebook.com/brewcitysalvagemkeReplyCancel

  • AP12.12.14 - 10:32 AM

    Ok, as a Chicago native who grew up a lot further south off Western Ave, it bugs me that a transplant would emphasize 15th and Western as being *way* south. That’s not even a mile and half south of Madison, and at MOST five miles south of the northernmost part of Logan Square.ReplyCancel

  • I love this so much! The comments about about contrasting fabrics for the inside/outside of the chair remind me of a pic in the restoration hardware catalog that i fell in love with and immediately pinned. someday. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/268667933996019664/ReplyCancel

  • Ryan12.12.14 - 4:10 PM

    If there really is 5 yards of the fabric, it might be enough for that chair. Especially if you use a solid for the piping. Chairs usually take 5-8 yards of 55″ wide fabric. Charts like this help give you an idea of how much fabric might be required. Of course matching the pattern may mean you need more than if it was a solid.

    I was about to embark on the epic process of reupholstering my couch and 2 arm chairs but was waylaid by an elderly dog that has taken to chewing on the chairs! luckily they were both slated to be recovered anyway. I’m just afraid to redo them and have my hard work undone.ReplyCancel

    • Kim12.16.14 - 1:18 PM

      I had meant to circle back around and thank you for that link! And good point about the print vs. a solid fabric. Our upholsterer said this chair could take up to 8 yds. Looks like this vintage fabric is out if we want to do the WHOLE thing, so we will see!ReplyCancel

  • Amy12.12.14 - 4:26 PM

    I vote for doing a little pattern-mixing when you upholster the chair: That great navy and white fabric mixed with another navy and white print (small-scale print? large scale stripes?) and/or using some of the fabric for cushions on your sofa–I think this print would look great with your carpet.ReplyCancel

  • Kara12.14.14 - 1:17 AM

    Agreed with many of the above… Pattern fabric for the chair, navy for the cushions. Cool print!ReplyCancel

  • Kara12.14.14 - 1:19 AM

    Or, you could always keep the chair yellow and use the print on the cushions. I’m partial to my Swedish heritage, so I love blue and yellow together. It would also be much cheaper!ReplyCancel

  • Carrie @DreamGreenDIY12.15.14 - 7:12 AM

    Oh, how I wish we had events like this near us!! Love your scores! =)ReplyCancel

  • Karen @ year of serendipity12.16.14 - 6:39 AM

    Awesome finds!!ReplyCancel

  • kristin12.16.14 - 10:39 AM

    i LOVE that fabric. i have been looking for the perfect fabric for a vintage danish chair i have and now i am green with envy! while i love the navy and cream against the yellow, i think you should reupholster the chair in the fabric and accent that corner with the marigold color. and now, i really want to know where i could get a few yards of that fabric for myself!ReplyCancel

  • Kathy1.9.15 - 8:52 AM

    Although that fabric is GORGEOUS, I’m going to play the devil’s advocate and say that I wouldn’t do such a bold pattern on that chair. That chair has such amazing shape and lines and they would get lost in a strong pattern like that.

    I also think that particular pattern is going to be very hard to align with the top, arm rest sections of the chair. If it’s done right, it looks great, but even if it’s off a little bit, it will be very obvious.ReplyCancel

    • Kim1.9.15 - 4:02 PM

      Thanks, Kathy! We love our upholsterer SO much, and they’ve always done such a fabulous job (they’re very meticulous), so we’re not too worried about that. But we are on the fence because, as you’ve said, the lines of this chair is so beautiful that it’s a statement in itself! Hmm. What to do, what to do.ReplyCancel

  • Love the fabric, love the chair and so jealous of you visit to the a MCM warehouse sale. Love the idea of mixing pattern and solids on this chair. I scored some vintage fabric for $1 a yard from an upholster which I also used on a MCM chair. My fabric (as yours appears to be)was equally nice but opposite on each side. Rather than mix fabrics I chose to create contrast using both sides of the fabric, with a dark cording to break it up this could be fabulous on your chair.ReplyCancel

    • Kim1.9.15 - 4:01 PM

      Oh, that sounds awesome! Do you have a link?

      Sadly, there’s not nearly enough of this fabric to make that happen. Womp.ReplyCancel

      • Hunted down the photos but let me add the disclaimer that this was my very first upholstery project ever so the photos are not great and they were not really meant for public consumption.

        I think your fabric has a lot more contrast so the different sides would be more apparent.

        http://www.pinterest.com/pin/227150374931427836/

        I have to admit I love the yellow that is already on it too.ReplyCancel

        • Kim1.10.15 - 8:23 AM

          That’s so fun! Love how you contrasted both sides of the vintage fabric. Ugh, how I’m wishing we had more of the fabric so we could just cover the whole chair in pattern. I normally wouldn’t lean that way, but it would really make a statement.

          Thank you so much for sharing, Maggie!ReplyCancel

  • Steph H.5.5.15 - 8:53 AM

    Ok, so I just came back to this post to look at the fabric. Now that you don’t have enough for the chair, any interest in selling part of it? I’m wanting to recover our dining room chairs, and think this could look great! If it’s a possibility, let me know! I wouldn’t need anymore than a yard.ReplyCancel

    • Kim5.5.15 - 9:53 AM

      Thanks, Steph! Although it’s not enough for the chair, we’re considering the fabric for a different chair that we have, for which we’ll need 3 yds of fabric. Either that, or potentially a few ottomans… if we go the route where we don’t need all of it, I can definitely let you know! Recently, I came across this fabric, which is somewhat similar in design: http://www.housefabric.com/Leira-Aegean-Nate-Berkus-Fabric-P224200C3638.aspxReplyCancel

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We’re Kim + Scott, Chicago based content creators behind the Home + Lifestyle brand Yellow Brick Home.

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