Adding a 70’s kick | part II

In thinking about how I wanted to furnish and illuminate this space, I knew I wanted to use some vintage pieces and a lot of vintage-inspired pieces but I wanted to be careful to balance the elements so it didn’t skew too retro. The pieces I have started to select for the space certainly are rooted in the era but have a timeless, modern quality about them. Here’s a glimpse into some of the options we are looking at…

Lighting

When I think of lighting from the 60s and 70s, I tend to envision glowing spheres and sculptural shapes. While I have my eye on a vintage fixture for the Great Room, I’m always a bit hesitant about vintage lighting, especially if it’s from overseas. Getting the right bulb and converting the power can be a bit of a hassle. There are a lot of great options for lighting fixtures that are either a recreation or reinterpretation of something from that era or a modern take on some of the same themes.

For statement lighting throughout the house, i’m looking at a lot of stunning fixtures that have a 70s undertone to them from Allied Maker. They truly make some of the most beautiful lighting and I highly recommend checking out their full range. Here are a few I have my eye on…

Another vendor I love is Workstead. Their pieces are really unique and very well crafted. Here are a few I’ve pulled for the A-frame:

The Noguchi Akari light sculptures from the 50s are something I’ve always had my eye on. I love the weightlessness and ambiance these lights bring to a space.

There are so many other great lighting shops out there and on a budget, CB2, West Elm and Etsy are great options. France and Son carries replicas of a lot of the more mainstream iconic and classic fixtures and for the real deal you can always head to DWR.

Furniture

I have loved the Camaleonda sofa for ages. The vintage ones are a pretty penny and I’ve been on the hunt at auction houses to see if I can find a good deal as I want to reupholster anyway. B&B Italia, the original manufacturer just reissued the iconic sofa and I’m finalizing the fabric for ours.

There are a few reasons why this sofa is a good fit for this home and project aside from the 70s aesthetic. First, it doesn’t have cushions or loose pillows. I hate seeing cushions and pillows messy in a more formal setting so having a sofa without them ensures that your space always looks put together. This is a good trick when looking for a kid-friendly sofa too! I’ll always have that sink-into-it cozy couch somewhere in my home for a lazy day but it isn’t great for entertaining. Second, this piece is the most modular system I’ve ever seen in a sofa. All the units have the same base module and the back supports and arms are attached with a well-detailed bungee system. It’s genius. This allows you to rearrange the modules from time to time and allows for us to update the layout easily when we bring in our monster Christmas tree each November. Finally, this is a timeless piece that we will have in our home for years to come, even if we move into a space that isn’t 70s inspired. This sofa ‘plays well with others’ and can easily sit next to a range of styles.

A trick I have when upholstering my own pieces is to use treated fabric, performance fabric or even outdoor fabric on indoor furnishings. This is especially great for dining banquettes where you know there will be lots of spills. We’re looking at performance fabrics here so we don’t have to worry about spills and stains and can just enjoy the home once its finished. I’ll share some of my favorites as we start finalizing upholstery for the project.

Above: Vintage Mario Bellini’s Camaleonda sofa by B&B Italia; Below: Vintage Albini Rattan Lounge Chair

It’s not a 70s inspired getaway without a little rattan. Its easy to go overboard with rattan because there are so many fun pieces out there and they’re often very reasonably priced but its important to keep it edited. One of the pieces I have my eye on is this incredible sculpted Albini rattan chair. It would sit like this during the warm months and I’d throw a sheepskin over the seat in the winter months to make it feel a bit more cozy. This is a great accent for a cozy corner somewhere in the house.

I love to have a few little poufs or ottomans available to pull up to the coffee table when we have guests over or for a game night. I adore these hide ottomans by Forsyth Art - a company out of my home town of St. Louis that specializes in sourcing incredible vintage furniture and giving it a second life with these hides. Check them out online here. For this project, I’m loving the ivory, beige and camel colors.

Ottomans by Forsyth art available here

I’ll be sharing more about the furniture selections and layouts in the coming weeks. You’ll see how I’m working to balance these sculptural special pieces from the era with a clean modern aesthetic.