Study Spaces

Now that school is back in session, the kids might need a study space, right?
For your viewing pleasure today, we have vintage desks and/or study areas, courtesy of my collection of vintage books and magazines.
Let's start with one of my personal favorites - just pull a Parsons style table up over your bed, add a back rest pillow and work away!
It's made even more fabulous by that wonderful vintage Bates bedspread!

I like the colors in this one, and the fab calendar on the wall - and it certainly doesn't hurt to have your guitar nearby, right?
I think I could save a heck of a lot of money for a rainy day - (please!) - in that huge and cool orange piggy bank:

Of course, the one thing you won't see in any of these vintage photos is a computer - but a laptop could easily be added.

A (hopefully, comfortable) chair and a good lamp are always very much appreciated:

Here's a French Provincial style desk from an advertisement for Bassett furniture:

This Early American style desk in the next photo is almost exactly like the one we have that was my husband's desk when he was a kid!
It's actually MY desk now, and, while this is my least-favorite style of furniture, it's a nice, sturdy and useful desk - which is precisely why it is still in use all these years later!

See -  simply switch out this typewriter, below for a computer and you're really all set......

(Sorry some of these pictures are not the best. I took photos of magazine pages.)
You could do any kind of work at this pretty orange table. Crafts, homework, sewing - whatever you like:

This last space appears to be meant for a young child - and yet it's the one I like the best!

I'm sure you're not surprised.
I'd love to add that vintage lady bank on the far left in the bottom shelf to my collection, and if you're a regular reader, you already know how I feel about those vintage cardboard boxes with all the little drawers!
 Is that a ball or a balloon up on the top? I love that, too.
It's such a bright, pretty, welcoming space.
I'll take it!
Chair, games, toys, and all.
Oh - and did you notice the floor?
 I don't know if that's carpeting or something else, but I'll take that, too, while I'm at it.......

More Sewing Spaces

I found some more photos of sewing spaces in my vintage books and magazines, so I decided to do another post about them.
How nice to have a dedicated work space where, perhaps, you can leave your sewing machine set up all the time, like in this cute blue and yellow space, below:

 This next one, from American Home magazine (1966) looks fabulous! So much space, all adjacent to the laundry area?
 Love it:

The amount of light coming in from this skylight window would help dramatically in the space below - but I happen to know from experience that those bentwood chairs are not all that comfortable.
They do LOOK nice, though:

The artist's rendering of another sewing space, (next photo), is VERY appealing to me.
All kinds of room!
 And a nice chair on wheels, a cutting table, lots of storage, a cool ottoman, and a full-length mirror - I love it!

This gal has a cute little TV handy, too, along with a typewriter, and well - rifles.
That's what happens when you have to share the den, (or whatever), I suppose:

Okay, now here in this space below from the cover of the Better Homes And Gardens book "Sewing For Your Home", you can see that she has been making pillows!
And she also quilts, and crafts, and knits - and she has a fabulous space to do it all in:

Below, in my last picture for today, we see another rendering of a nice work space in front of a window, with a pull-out ironing board handy nearby.
We have one of those here in our 1940 house.
But there isn't room for a sewing area next to it - in fact,we can't even open up the door, let alone use the ironing board inside.
You see, when this house was built 75 years ago, there was a zinc basin and a wringer washer in the laundry room - no dryer - and now that we have a "modern" washer and dryer in there, you can't use the old ironing board (the door's blocked).
 I wish I could!

 That looks like quite a pleasant little space in which to work.
Sketch by Bolin - I like the linoleum floor, too.
(Click HERE to see my previous post, "A Place To Sew".)

More Of Those Fabulous Peacock Chairs

I've done a post about these fabulous chairs before (click here), but I find more images all the time, so I felt they warranted another post!
Here's one in which a sweet little kitty cat has made himself or herself comfortable:

An advertisement, obviously - (I am  not encouraging smoking, just showing you the chair)  :

I like this one, below, in green - though you can't see all that much of it - and dig that gorgeous paisley lampshade and seat cushion!

An artist's rendering of a matching pair; I like it:

Here's a photo I saw on Instagram from the fabulous Retro Spectrum shop in Australia.
 (Yes, I asked permission before posting this.)
 Oh, how I wish I could transport myself there to shop in this gorgeous establishment!!

 (I only just now realized that I have every one of those books on the shelf).
And one more - just for fun.
I have been LOVING watching Columbo (one of my all-time favorite programs) on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel. Here is Peter Falk (miss him!) sitting in a fabulous pink chair.
 That happens to be Valerie Harper's backside, by the way!
I was already planning this post, and I simply had to try and snap a picture off of the television screen.

It's not a very good one, but you get the idea.
No matter what color, these iconic chairs are fabulous.
And Mr. Falk, if you were still here with us, you'd be welcome in my living room any time.

More Colorful Interiors

Here are a few more pictures of very colorful interiors.
As usual, I find myself wanting many of the things seen on the shelves, surfaces and walls in this photo below:

I want the lady head pin cushion, the colorful boxes, the mushrooms the bird print on the wall....   oh, who am I kidding?
I'll take it ALL.
Lots more color in the picture below:

That tree fabric is cute and bright, and there is a lot of room on those shelves for books and collections - works for me!
It's pretty much all about orange in this cozy living room corner in the next photo.
"Eggplant" paint on the wall, the orange and pink upholstery on the sectional sofa and the wood stove straight out of the Space Age, along with the shaggy rug combine to make a space that I think I'd be happy to spend the evening in.
I say, bring on the fondue pot!

In the last example, they used two wildly colorful fabrics all over.
Now, that'll brighten up a space real quick, won't it?

Now, the decor in every room seen here today might not be what I would choose - but what I do like is COLOR.
Can't get enough of it.
Have a bright and beautiful day!

More Bright Vintage Interiors, Just Because They Make Me Smile

We will start off today with two living rooms featuring bright sofas:

And a bedroom in full bloom:

And next, some kitchen spaces:

 Here's a better view of that dining nook:

 More bright blooms, below - on the wall, this time.
 And pink shutters, light fixture, table and chairs.
Oh, and one of my favorite vintage Counterpoint canisters on the counter.
 I'll take that, if you please, along with their tableware:

 Flowers on the curtains, here - lots of them!

 Okay, so - I don't know - maybe that's all the color you can handle this morning?
Perhaps it's time to go have some breakfast.....
....in a bright and sunny spot, if you possibly can.

Patterns From The Past: Something Different - Simplicity Decorator Patterns

Something a little different today!
 I found these pictures inside one of my vintage "Simplicity Fashion News' booklets.
Two different rooms were shown, in order to serve their purpose for
 "Introducing Simplicity's New Decorator Patterns".
They put together a couple of pretty cute rooms with their nice closet accessories, bed coverings, pillows, etc.
Here's the first one:

 I wanted to also show you the patterns that were available for creating all of these colorful and decorative items.
Close up on the window and the bed:

We have pattern 5551,  for the cafe curtains shown above:

And the slipcover and bolster for a twin bed or studio couch:

And then, the various closet organizing accessories you see in the picture below....

Are from these patterns - 5550:

And 5549:

Here's the other room, so pretty in yellow and green:

A closer look at the table toppers....

.....made with this pattern, number 5474:

Here's a little bit closer view of the shower curtain, on the right side of the photo below, and also the other version of the bed pillows or bolsters to top your twin bed, sofa bed or day bed:

And the pattern for that, 5545:

And these cute cube-shaped pillows under the bench.....

Were made from number 5328:

Depending on your fabric choices, the possibilities were endless!
(As always, I am loving all of the cool little vintage accessories and knickknacks that are shown in these photos, as well!)

OLE!, Once More...

I was shopping with my friend Jamie a little while back, and she picked up a decorating book in a thrift shop.
 I hadn't seen it, and she wasn't going to get it, so she asked me if I wanted it.
 I did.
( I have quite a collection of vintage home decorating and interiors books - and magazines. I adore them.)
When I got it home and really looked through it, guess what I found?
Another picture of my Ole furniture made by Stanley!
Yes!

This time, it's in a dining room setting.
Oh, how I love it!

It's the desk, with the hutch top, and then four chairs around the table:

It looks pretty great to me!
You can see all of the pieces in this advertisement below (which I have shown you before):

I go completely bonkers when I find a picture of it that I've never seen before.
Bonkers, I tell you!
Thanks for discovering the book, Jamie!
It was so nice to find a surprise inside.