The Stray Sofa

I encountered something really inspiring recently, a young girl came in and mentioned how she had found this antique love seat in an alley, she explained how she inspected it and then took it home in hopes to recreate the worn piece for her bedroom. While looking through magazines she came across a picture of a sofa covered in a beautiful chintz print from Robert Allen and decided that it was definitely the fabric she was going to use, and no other. Later she phoned me and asked if I could redo this alley love seat for her. I willingly accepted the challenge of turning some persons trash into this girls treasure.

Realizing the wood needed some staining in order to look renewed, the girl and her father decided that they would help restore the little love seat and re-stain the carved wood trim. With the staining done it was my turn to help turn this alley cat  love seat into the bell of the ball.

Using the exact fabric seen in the magazine my team and I began re upholstering. The transformation was stunning, the poor beat up little alley love seat was now brilliantly shining as though brand new. What a treasure, and all because some one saw the potential in alley's garbage.

It was HOOT !!

This is my latest fun project.
 I came across this big comfy chair on craigslist for $40, re-upholstered it in white canvas and got creative! When I started I thought I was painting a large flower and this is what came out of it. I hand stitched a piece of red leather from an altered skirt onto the chair for the large heart, and adorned the chair with buttons I found in my antique sewing machine box. I took apart my old charm bracelet and gave the owl a silver heart broach.

 It was so much fun to stand in front of a chair with a black marker, fabric paint and play. It is what my mother always told me not to do to the furniture !

 As I was having fun with it I couldn't help but think about how much fun kids would have decorating their own piece of furniture. I encourage everyone to think outside of the box and free the creativity we all have inside. It is hard and took me a year to touch paint to the canvas but I tell you it is so liberating and exiting. I hope to play again soon.

Vancouver Film Festival openning night Gala

Last Thursday I attended The Vancouver Film Festival opening gala. What a different world to be exposed to. I had a blast. Moving art displays, 3 amazing live bands, open bar!, delicious food , lots of media and celebs. There were so many beautiful and interesting people there.

I am so grateful my dear friend from Can Am Importique invited me. All I could think about was how I wished I had the guts to show up wearing a dress shaped as a chair and pass out my business cards!

Happy New Year

Hello and Happy New years to everyone. What and exiting and growing year it was for me and my company. I tend to forget so many details unless I really stop, sit down and write out a list and things that happened in 2009. So I thought I would share some of the exiting highlights.

The year started off with a bang !

Febuary Vancouver Sun did an article on my company in the business section.

Fabulous Furnishings exhibited in the Vancouver Home and Garden trade show where I displayed my first designed and custom built piece of furniture.

In April we were featured in in Vancouver Magazine, next to the likes of Elton John and Dianna Krall!

Expanded the shop working space, taking over the down stairs in the building. What an improvement, along with many other shop upgrades and machinery.

Purchased a brand new Cargo Van.

Started to paint a mural on the face of the building.

Reupholstering for the film industry such as:

Alice, Hot tub time machine, Santa Paws, Santa Buddies, Tooth Ferry, Tron, Smallville, 3 Barbie commercials, Elise Estrada music Video poison, Sucker Punch, Always a bridesmaid, Baker Twins, Halle Berry set trailer, Ben Stiller's set trailer, Custom made furniture for Dianna Krall and Elvis Costello.

Along with all the other referral work that kept us busy!

We are working on expanding our expertise and also striving to improve our service and quality, which is something I have always and will always work towards. That is very important to our entire staff.

So there we are. I hope the growth continues in 2010 and beyond. All the best to all of you.

green with envy!!

Green with Envy! How I love this color I simply cant get enough.

My Sofa

I wanted to share the sofa I designed and built for myself. I love it! About 6 months ago I finally got around to making myself a custom built piece of furniture. It was a great experience for me, seeing as I over the last few years have been doing this for other people. Talk about testing the product. We do everyday. There was so much to think about. From foam densities, to sizes, pitch, depth, fabric to color,and style.

It gave me a chance to see how exiting it is to completely create exactly what you want with no compromises.

Love it. One wide arm for the laptop to rest on, Firm seat, soft back, my favorite colors, soft fabric mixed with the durability and look of leather. The toss cushions are feather with a new Robert Allen fabric. I also had a simple square ottoman built and upholstered in a fun new Maxwell leafy print. The sofa was built with 100% natural latex foam, and all natural fibers and materials.

And the frame well but it this way if there was an earthquake the first place I would hide is under this sofa!

I have never wanted to be a couch potato until now!

The start of something interactive

Well I want to start an experiment. I am terible with a computer and as my sister just pointed out I better learn to use all my fingers on the key board!

Any ways I am starting a blog today.

I find it interesting to get others perspectives and thoughts, and to update my wonderful client and friends on all the fun and exiting projects.

Wish me luck!

Celina