Stupid Late Hardware || 2018 Flip List Item No.4

A few months back, I had the privilege of working with a client on a custom order.

NY Bound Custom Order

November 2017

We had decided on these beautiful pulls but our timeline was tight so I put in a rush order.  

But by some quirk in the system, the hardware ended up taking the scenic route through who-knows-where snail mail land and I had to go with an unconventional alternative to meet my clients deadline.

Stupid Hardware.  Why you gotta play me like that?

I kid you not, as the shipping company was pulling away with my client’s precious dresser cargo... UPS pulled up and unceremoniously tossed my package of hardware at my feet then drove away.  

Practically.

I could have returned them.  I really could.  I didn’t charge my client for them so it'd be my money I’d be getting back. 

But they were so stupidly beautiful.

So I added the I-wanna-hate-you-but-I-love-you brass pulls to the 2018 Furniture Flip Bucket List and I waited for the next suitable piece...

This 6-foot 6-drawer dresser:

And transformed it to this:

Alright you brass pulls. You really can slay.

The color is our favorite "Scholar Green" by Ralph Lauren.

I was trying to recreate this fresh look from Chelsea's hunter green flip circa last year...

Mid-Century in 'Scholar Green'

January 2017

My original plan was to strip the base down and leave it bare blonde wood just like Chelsea did.  But when I sanded it down, I found that the legs and front bar where two very different types of wood and there was no sanding out that reddish color.  So I leaned into it and stained the whole base in a cabernet.

Plus those red wood tones make the perfect compliment to styling with my terracotta collection (like I need an excuse - I’m certifiably obsessed).

As I am also with plants.  Plus, to mix things up, I used the Tapti rug by Mela Artisans as a wall tapestry.

Well hardware, I’m a little less mad at you, but maybe helping me sell this big beautiful behemoth will officially get you out of the doghouse. Email me about picking up in Leesburg or about your third-party shipping options.

Hunter Green 6ft Dresser
Now Available for Sale
72"L x 18"D x 30"H
$695

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, please contact me at cate@stylemutthome.com.

Three down, Four to go.  Catch up on the 2018 Furniture Flip Bucket List:

Copycat Greige MCM Tallboy

One of the best things about working with Chelsea is her impeccable eye.  She's always on the lookout for good pieces that could really make a magical moment for a potential client - even scouting used unique pieces to get our clients the best deals.  And sometimes, she finds the most amazing mid-century modern tallboy for an unreal price at the thrift store and not only buys it for you, but throws it in her minivan and drops it off at your workshop so you have a new piece to play with...

SAAAY WHAT?!?!  Thanks boo!  And to top it all off, she even gave me the idea to go griege again.  Chelsea, I guess you could say you're my muse ;)

After custom-mixing a greige to refinish this piece from 2016, I have been kicking myself for not color matching the mix for future projects.

Gray MCM Tallboy

December 2016

I decided to try out Silver Drop by Behr Paint and found it to be a close match in warm undertones but definitely a lighter shade.

The piece features its original round tapered legs.  I originally thought I would paint them to complete the copycat look but once I started on this piece, I couldn't bring myself to.

I decided to also keep the original knobs but switched out the bar pulls for brass buckle-style ones I repurposed from another piece.

Do you recognize them?

I actually bought that other piece because of those pulls but once I got my hands on it, realized the body wasn't even worth saving.  So I kept the hardware and repurposed the drawers in an unconventional industrial shelving unit.  These pulls remind me of that scene from "PS I Love You" where she flings the belt buckle across the room and discovers she wants to design shoes - ha!

For styling I had some help from Spring (who finally decided to show up) and Mela Artisans who have some beautiful flat weave rugs...

...and these EPIC cutting boards in unusual shapes!

And if you're shopping our site today, email me about picking up in leesburg or about our third-party shipping options!

Greige MCM Tallboy
Now Available for Sale
32"W x 17.75"D x 43.25"H
Price: $545

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, please contact me at cate@stylemutthome.com. 

Geometric Tallboy

In all my furniture hunting, I have not seen a piece with that geometric detailing down the drawer fronts.  When I saw it on the Facebook marketplace, I just had to get my hands on it! 

Now I have a rather strict price-to-distance ratio where I am more willing to buy a piece if the pick-up is local.  This hit my price point just fine but was waaaay outside of my usual driving radius.  I decided to reach out to the seller anyway only to find out there was already a lot of interest (I figured as much) so I was ready to let it go and keep hunting.  A few weeks before the holidays I ran across the listing again.  It turns out the seller was preoccupied with selling a house and hadn't locked in a buyer yet.  I blew on my fingers, rubbed my hands together, and went to work... 

Despite her slow response rate, my persistence paid off and paid off big!  Turns out it was already loaded in the family van and her husband was going to be traveling my way for work.  Score!  Over a month of begging the seller for updates while weighing the logistics of driving deep into Maryland and her husband literally dropped it off at my garage door at no extra expense!

Once I had it in the workshop, I realized I had to do some serious repairs to the veneer on the sides - repairs which I could not mask without the help of paint.  And so I turned to my new favorite "Black Boudoir" by Behr Paint. 

But I wanted to save as much of the wood grain as possible (just look at it!!!) so I settled on a two-tone look:

While he was dropping it off, the husband told me it was his mother's dresser.  I tried to do her justice by bringing it back to life.

The original knobs got a quick refresh.

The exposed wood on the drawer front got some serious conditioning.

Because of the repaired damage, the top, sides, and geometric detailing got a coat of paint and sealed in a wax which I buffed to a satiny sheen. 

For styling, I decided to play with faces - literally.  I hung a few of my favorite Matisse portraits above an offset it with my new favorite home décor accessory: a Jonathan Adler-esque Dora Maar-inspired vase.

Geometric Tallboy
Now Available for Sale
36"W x 18"D x 42"H
$495

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com to ask about availability and our shipping policy.