Objects of Lust: Bus Sign Wingback Chairs

The transit sign trend has finally made its way onto furniture: These leather wingback chairs from Sydney design company Davidmet Nicole have been upholstered with authentic vintage English and Australian bus scroll signs.

They're a mere £3,995 apiece (about $6,083) from London's Atelier Abigail Ahern (where the red turned-wood side table also pictured above is a relative bargain at £1,500, or about $2,284).

Objects of Lust: Jayson Home & Garden Fantasy Shopping Spree

Sorry I am so, so late with this post today -- I have an awful flu complete with ear infection and ruptured eardrum, the pain of which made childbirth pale in comparison. Nick, bless his heart, got the kids off to school this morning so I could sleep until the absolutely unheard of hour of noon. (He is the best nurse, and his kindness and patience with me makes my crankiness and impatience during his own recent bout with this virus all the more unforgivable.)

Anyway, to distract myself from my clogged head, aching body, and hacking cough, I indulged in a little fantasy shopping spree at Chicago's sublime Jayson Home & Garden, putting together a virtual ladies' salon that's equal parts refined and romantic.

The elements, clockwise from top left: Caravan Chandelier, $1,295; Lotus Flower Dishes, $24 to $48 each; Antique Carved Mirror, $11,995; Barnard Lamp, $575; Vintage French Chair, $1,150; Cerise Pillow, $315; Frank Table, $3,695; Faux Zebra Hide Rug, $1,095; Amalfi Sofa, $2,316; Vintage Wooden Shoes, $295; Petrified Wood Table, $1,495; Moroccan Wedding Blanket, $795; and Factory Light Sculptures, $85 to $225 each

The grand total for my fantasy space? A mere $25,703. Le sigh ...

Cool Stuff: New from Henry Road

Some brand-new lovelies from Los Angeles-based Henry Road (as with Lotus Bleu, I'm loving this foray into reupholstered vintage furniture):

Slipper Chair, $350

Pair of End Chairs in Patch, $1,400

Black Armchair, $1,400

Olde Sofa, $3,200

English Armchair, $880

Remnant Lampshades, $175 and up

Union Jack Pillow, $85

Fleur Grande Pillow in Purple, $90

Circles Grande Pillow in Purple and Koi Pillow in Indigo, $90 each

Garden Pillow in Ocean, $90

Ceramic Acorns, $12 for three

And with that, my imaginary shopping list grows ever longer ...

Objects of Lust: Revamped Vintage at Lotus Bleu

I'm positively drooling over the latest crop of reinvented vintage chairs from San Francisco boutique Lotus Bleu (earlier versions blogged here). The French/Vietnamese-flavored Hayes Valley shop takes pedigreed midcentury seating and updates it with vibrant and feminine fabrics, to gorgeous effect. Above: Slipper Chair, $1,550

Midcentury Sprung Rocker, $1,350

Reclining Lounge With Ottoman, $1,550

Vintage Armchair, $750

Rocker and Ottoman, $1,650

Wingback Lounge Chair, $2,450

Armchair, $750

Danish Armchair, $750

Danish Modern Armchair, $1,550

Granted, I'll probably never be in a position to drop $1,500 or more on a single chair, but these are inspiring me to take a fresh look at flea market furniture and fun fabrics. (In fact, Lotus Bleu can even reupholster that hand-me-down from Grandma for you in one of these amazing Robert Le Heros fabrics.)

See more of Lotus Bleu's updated vintage seating here -- and peruse the shop's other beautiful offerings here.

eBay Find of the Day: French-Style Chairs

Ignore the tacky "Granny Glam" sofa in the background ... These velvet-upholstered, circa-1930s or '40s French-style armchairs are tres chic, non?

Current bid: $550 for the pair. (The auction ends Tuesday evening, October 28.)

Cool Stuff: Orla Kiely for Heals

London-based design darling Orla Kiely's brand-new furniture pieces for UK home furnishings chain Heal's have been making their way around the blogosphere over the last few days. And for good reason -- Kiely's femmed-up, midcentury-inspired chairs, tables, and sideboards are seriously cute.

Unfortunately, with the current exchange rate they're also seriously out of reach. The Cupboard at top, for instance is 1,395 pounds (or about $2,474), while the Dining Chair and Occasional Table above are 250 and 495 pounds ($443 and $878).

But I was clicking around on the Heal's site admiring them, anyway, when I saw that Kiely has also designed some great bedding, bath linens, and office storage items for the British retailer. And those wares, at least, are actually reasonably affordable:

Flower Blossom Print Bedding, 28 to 85 pounds ($50 to $151)

Large Storage Box, 40 pounds ($71)

Multi Stem Embroidered Towels, 6 to 26 pounds ($11 to $46)

Scribble Stem Print Bedding, 24 to 85 pounds ($43 to $151)

Sadly, Heal's won't ship outside of the UK. But maybe you have an extra-nice British friend who could post a packet off to you or smuggle over a bit of Orla goodness on his or her next visit? (Jo-Anne, David, and Amanda: Yes, I'm talking to you.)

Check out the entire Orla Kiely collection for Heal's right here.

Design Dilemma: We Need Furniture That Won't Make Our Living Room Too Dark and Heavy

More Ways to Waste Time reader Heather writes, "My fiance and I recently moved to Los Angeles, where I'm attending grad school. We scored a beautiful apartment in a 1928 building that has all the original fixtures and details. It was so gorgeous I almost didn't want to put anything in it -- except I did, and now I have a problem.

See, I bought this desk. It's a great desk, and it looks great in the living room. But now it needs a chair. As I discovered upon bringing the desk home, along with the TV cabinet below, the finish is very close to the finish of the window frames, beamed ceilings, and other woodwork. So to add a chair in a dark finish would be putting another piece of heavy-feeling furniture in a room that doesn't have much else (aside from a white sofa). I worry that the space is beginning to veer dangerously close to 'stodgy.'

Can you suggest a desk chair that will keep the vintage spirit of this room alive, or something that will liven up the place without looking, well, out of place? We're also agonizing over what to do about a bookcase. All of my books need to get off the floor!

I absolutely love this apartment, but it's got a very specific look and I'm not sure how to maintain that and still make it young and fun. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!"

First, Heather, the apartment is gorgeous! You totally lucked out on that one. Still, it's a tough nut to crack in terms of decorating.

Like you, I love vintage architecture -- and I especially love vintage homes that maintain their original features but are decorated with modern furnishings. But that dark stain on all the woodwork makes it a little tricky. In magazine spreads featuring modern interiors housed within classic spaces, all of the woodwork is usually painted the same chalky white or charcoal gray as the walls. I wouldn't recommend doing that here -- not just because you're renting, but because it disrespects the wonderful Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of your new home.

Top photo from Domino magazine; bottom photo from House to Home

The way I see it, you have two options for decorating in a way that will make the space feel younger and a bit more lively: Go with the old-world vibe of the place but take it in a sort of rich, bohemian, "souk-chic" direction -- using white and jewel-toned furnishings as a base and layering on lots of details like filigreed metal and exotically patterned textiles.

Photo from Point Click Home

Or go for contrast and keep everything but the woodwork light, bright, and a bit more modern -- which would provide a clean palette that lets the dramatic woodwork be the star of the show.

Your white couch is a great start for the light-and-bright option. Follow suit by swapping out the desk for a white one, painting it (if you don't think that would ruin the piece), or leaving it as is but partnering it with a light-colored chair. You could give a nod to the historic style of the room in a surprising way, for instance, by splurging on Philippe Starck's Louis Ghost Chair ($410 at Design Within Reach). It has a simplified Rococo form but is rendered in crystal clear plastic, so it won't add an ounce of visual weigh to the space.

Alternately, Restoration Hardware's Martine Chair in white linen ($495) has more unabashedly traditional styling, but the light upholstery keeps the look from getting too heavy and old-fashioned. For a less-expensive option, pick up a traditional-style occasional chair at a thrift store or garage sale and spray paint it glossy white.

As for a place to stash those books, you can't go wrong with IKEA's white Expedit Bookshelves ($199) in any kind of space -- modern or classic -- because they're simple, clean-lined, and affordable, but have tons of storage and display space.

Finish off the room with simple, creamy curtains (I love IKEA's Aina Curtain Panels, $50 a pair, in white or unbleached linen); a light-colored rug (a sisal, white flokati or felted shag, or even a graphic cowhide would be great); and possibly some streamlined modern light fixtures. (Just be sure to carefully disconnect and store the original ones you have now so you can reinstall them before you move out.)

Readers, any other thoughts on how Heather can honor the vintage architecture of her apartment without veering into the realm of heavy, dark decor -- as well as specific desk chair or bookcase suggestions? If so, please post a comment and share them!

(P.S. Have a Design Dilemma of your own? Send it in, along with a snapshot or two showing what you're dealing with, and I'll put it up here for a communal brainstorming session.)

eBay Find of the Day: Updated Vintage Armchair

If you ever find yourself drooling over the gorgeous furniture makeovers featured on design*sponge, here's your chance to own one of those clever revamps -- without having to wrestle with a sander, paintbrush, or staple gun.

This Swedish-style armchair, lacquered white and reupholstered with kicky modern fabric by eBay seller modernhaus, was a featured "Before & After" project on design*sponge last week. Luckily for us less-handy types, it's now up for grabs on the auction super-site.

Current bid: $202.50. (Note: The auction ends Wednesday evening, September 10.)

Objects of Lust: Burlap Upholstered French Chairs

Totally hot. (And yes, I do realize that many of you will disagree ... Feel free to discuss in the comments area.)

$1,400 for the pair from Paris Hotel Boutique.

Or maybe inspiration for your next DIY chair-rehab project?

Update: Raging debate over these very chairs going on courtesy of the (cough) always-polite commenters at Apartment Therapy: San Francisco.

Etsy Find of the Day: Vintage Renewal Chairs

I'm totally lusting after the latest chair rehabs by Etsy seller Vintage Renewal. Aren't they fab? Plus, what better way to be green than to find new life for old things? Bonus: Shipping is free! Above: White Linen and Floral Bird Applique Chair, $580

Louis XVI Green Paisley Chair, $580

Vintage Leaves on Linen Chair, $600

Check out more of Vintage Renewal's reinvented furniture finds right here.

Cool Stuff: MetroSofa Repurposed Classic Furniture

One part of the "Green" equation ("Reduce, Reuse, Recycle") that often seems to be overlooked is repurposing older things instead of replacing them with new ones. (No joke: I recently received a glossy press release for a new, "green" home here in Oakland. Great -- except that the place was over 5,000 square feet and no doubt replaced a much more modest vintage home that had been torn down to make way for the supposedly eco-conscious behemoth. Honestly, how green is that?)

Luckily, the folks at MetroSofa have taken the "Reuse" mantra to heart in an incredibly stylish way. The brainchild of MetroShed founder and green building pioneer David Ballinger, MetroSofa rescues vintage sofas and chairs that would otherwise be headed for a landfill and reinvents them with new, eco-friendly cushions, upholstery (many of the fabrics used are remnants left over from big commercial projects), and paint.

The results may be certifiably green, but they're anything but crunchy. Take a look:

Green and White Striped Chair

Green/Numbers Louis Armchair

Pink and Black Modern Sofa

Red and White Curved-Back Modern Armchair

Black and White Retro Lounge Chair

Red/Multistripe Modern Louis Settee

Chairs range from about $700 to $1,100 apiece, and sofas run about $1,900 to $3,600 each. See all of MetroSofa's eco-fabulous seating right here -- and contact the company directly for exact pricing and shipping details. (Pssst -- if you're in the Portland area, Flutter stocks a few MetroSofa designs, as does Seattle's Revival Home & Garden.)