Who says getting sitting down, getting comfy and calling up your friend for a blether is a thing of the past? Social media may have taken the allure away from wondering how someone is getting on, but you just can't beat a good catch up over the telephone (if it's not possible to meet up in person of course!)
Once a practical hallway staple and now a quirky indulgence, telephone seats are wonderful pieces of furniture!
Remember Devon from The Velvet Peach, who had me do up a desk and chair for her? (Click here for the full story!) Well she had been given this vintage telephone seat and didn't know what to do with it, so sent it my way! It was a little scratched and washed out looking, but it had so much potential and I couldn't wait to start work on it!
I came across this image on Pinterest and loved how the antique gold complimented the rich, dusky violet/charcoal fabric... so I decided that this was the look I wanted to channel for the telephone seat!
And after lots of sanding, painting and getting fully reupholstered, here's how she looks!
And with her elegant shape, classic beauty and little gold crown, there was only one retro icon that this piece could be named after.... Princess Grace Kelly!
From this post's title, you may be getting a Bowie + Queen vibe and may well have the 'do do do dodo do do' beat of 'Under Pressure' running through your heads....
but it's actually another collaboration of epic proportions that I am referencing!
Ziggy Sawdust + pop up tea room, Queen of Tarts!
With beautiful food served in a secret pop-up parlour, Queen of Tarts takes afternoon tea to the next level! You get to devour up to 10 mini courses and everything is fresh and homemade by Angela (a.k.a Queenie) who is also my lovely cousin!
I know it might sound biased, but hand on heart, it's the best lunch I have ever had... Stick around for photos later in this post!!
A while back, Angela asked me if I would like to take on a little project of hers. She had a lovely flip-top cabinet which was bought with the intention of becoming Queen of Tarts' cutlery cabinet....
but the inside was fitted with felt covered compartments which didn't fit any of her cutlery...
so it wasn't very practical!
Angela was also keen to bring out it's quirky character and go bold with colour, which was right up my street!
I started by pulling out all the felt covered wooden sections from inside (which was quite a task!) and then sanded her down and primed her so she was ready for action...
Angela chose her colours based on my previously redesigned nest of tables, 'The Supremes', so we were going for grey, pink, turquoise and yellow.
But when I test ran the three colours together, I felt as though there was something missing and Angela agreed...
So we decided to paint the cabinet's 'curly' legs a lovely navy to match the interior:
excuse the mess!!
So while all this was drying, Angela invited me to Queen of Tarts as a thank-you... and I was quite frankly blown away by the whole experience!!
My friend Karen + I went along last Saturday with empty bellies and elasticated waist bands (true story!) and we were warmly welcomed into Angela's very own tea room...
We sat at a lovely table that was set with beautiful vintage crockery and I met the cutlery that I have been building a new home for!
We were served everything from Rhubarb Fizz and homemade Saffron Biscuits...
to homemade Wild Rice + Onion Rolls filled with Beetroot, Feta, Cucumber and Rocket...
And homemade Tomato and Watercress Pesto Quiche!
But not to forget the cakes! Oh the cakes! Angela made Chocolate Roulade, Chocolate florentines, Gooseberry Buns and even her own Marshmallows!
Needless to say they didn't last long, and all this was just for a table of 4!!
Karen + I had a wonderful afternoon. Thanks so much for having us Angela, you truly are the Queen of Tarts ♥
Wow, the thought of all that food is making me salivate! But back to Queenie's Ziggy-fied table...
So here she is in all her new found glory!
And in true Ziggy Sawdust style, this little wonder has been named after a star... Angela is also a jazz singer and idolises Peggy Lee, so we have named this piece 'Peggy Leggy' after Peggy Lee and to also make reference to the cabinet's curly legs!
Angela is delighted with 'Peggy' and will be sending me some photos of her in situ! I can't wait to see them :)
So after a rather lengthy blog post, I'd like to leave you with a little ditty from Angela's hero, the original Peggy!
P.S If you would like to book yourself onto the next Queen of Tarts, click here for updates and more info or email thequeensedinburgh@gmail.com!
I have my hands on a few more pieces to work some magic on! But what makes these items extra special is the story thats behind how they became mine...
I'll introduce you to them first and I'll tell the story afterwards!
First in my new batch of rescued furniture is this 1950s kidney bean shaped dressing table:
Next, we've got this 1930s well-loved chest of drawers:
Followed by this little 1950s kitchen chair which is authentically 'Shabby Chic'!!
So now for their story and how they became mine...
One sunny April morning, I was on the train, on my way to work in Aberdeen for the day. It was just a few days before I had to pitch my business idea for Ziggy Sawdust to the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust so I took the oppertunity to use my travel time to scribble down all my ideas for the pitch and prepare myself for any questions that I might get asked.
The man across from me was curious about what I was writing and he asked me if I was writing a story... I told him that yes, I was writing a story of sorts... a story about how I came up with my business idea and how I hope it's story will continue.
We got chatting all about Ziggy Sawdust, about photography, about family, about art-deco architecture...! We chatted the whole way up to Aberdeen!
The man's name was David and he told me about his sister Patricia, who was due to get her bedroom re-decorated and had a few pieces of furniture that she wanted to get rid off... and it turns out she lives just around the corner from me! He told me how the pieces of furniture had sentimental value and had been passed down from relatives, but Patricia just didn't have the room for them anymore... David was very interested in my ideas for Ziggy Sawdust so he took down my name and number and promised that he would pass on my details to his sister.
A few weeks later my telephone rang and it was Patricia! We both had a laugh at how surreal the situation was... I met her brother on a train and now she might be giving me some furniture! I was delighted to hear from her, the pieces of furniture sounded really lovely.
I went along to Patricia's house a few days later to take a look at the furniture and David happened to be visiting, so he was there too. It was lovely to see him again and I was so grateful that he organised the whole thing. It's amazing where a chat on a train can lead!!
The kidney bean dresser belonged to David and Patricia's mother and it has lots of nostalgia attached to it.
At the moment is has got a frilly curtain around it and a glass top:
It is a little dated but it has got lots of potential!
I am looking forward to playing with colour and fabric to help bring this piece up to date...
I love how much history this piece has... I really want to do Patricia proud with it's make-over!
She was also sad to see her chest of drawers go... Their deep drawers are a perfect size and it has been a fixture in her home for many years.
I love them, but sadly the are not in a resellable condition...
The back panel is missing, top surface is quite badly chipped, the drawers are pretty stiff and one of it's feet fell of in transit! It is definitely not a hopeless case (it's been around for 80 years after all!!) but it the restoration would be a huge project in its self and I would worry that it wouldn't last for years to come.
So, I have instead decided that I will work with the drawers individually. They have lots of character... I love their little lock details!
You may be wondering what on earth I am going to do with loose drawers (...no pun intended!!) but just trust me, I'm a furniture doctor! They will not be drawers once I am finished with them... they will be pieces of furniture in their own right!
I've already started to have a play with them and have popped in some Anthropologie drawer handles to get a feel for how they can be spruced up...
I absolutely love Anthropologie drawer handles and have a bag full of them (30 to be exact!)...
Only the best for Ziggy Sawdust!!
And my ideas for this little chair? It almost looks as though it has been made to look aged and well loved... but it really has been well loved for years and years! I've got a few ideas up my sleeve to transform this into a lovely chair to accompany the dresser.
I still can't believe that these all ended up in my hands after speaking to a friendly gentleman on a train. I am still in touch with Patricia and she is such a lovely lady- she even came along to the Funk Fair to see my stall! It's amazing where a little conversation can lead... you never know whats around the corner!
Along with my newly redesigned furniture, I'll also be selling some redesigned Brick-a-Brack!
I've got a thing for kitchy-clutter and can't go to a fair, flea market or charity shop without picking up some form of figurine or trinket box!
Here's the latest addition to my personal collection:
Brian + George
But china dogs aren't really Ziggy's thing (even though Diamond Dogs + China Girls are..!)
Instead, I've had some fun sourcing some dusty, vintage home accessories with hidden potential!
Here's the before shot of a few pieces:
And, Do-do-do-dooo! Here's they are in the after shots... fresh + fabulous!
Block coloured to match the furniture (as we can see from them being shown on top of 'Audrey'- the 1950s table!) they are now much more desirable and oh so retro chic!
They'll be up for grabs on Saturday at the Funk Fair at Holy Corner in Edinburgh. Come along!
