Back-to-School Fun
As the school year approaches, we’re presenting a series of back-to-school vignettes to either get you in the mood to head back to class or to get you reminiscing about your school years. We’ve also got some ideas to help make your office a place that you’re excited about!
The First: Your at-home work space complete with all things to promote productivity. Clean and colorful.
Featured Products:
Petite Pine School Desk – $247// Remington Typewriter – $113 // Goodform Industrial Chair – $143
In-store only items:
Metal Card Filer – $6 // Rubik’s Cube – $8 // Stapler – $13 // Westclox Alarm Clock – $14 // Tennis Racket – $14
The Second: Savor your last bit of summer in this cool, creative, kids-only escape.
Featured Products:
Wood Locker Crate – $71 // Industrial Red Rolling Organizer – $106 // Tiled Fishy Wall Hanging – $54 // Mickey Mouse Bank – $54 // Lincoln Logs – $42 // Replogle Globe – $83
In-store only items:
Slinky – $8 // Painted Mason Jar – $3 each // Plastic Face Mug – $4 // Trucker Hat – $5
The Third: Get some home-office inspiration from one teacher’s school-desk sanctuary.
Featured Products:
Industrial Yellow Desk – $394 // Pumpkin and Chrome Mid Century Chair – $172 // Black Leather Briefcase – $64 // Gooseneck Desk Lamp – $121 // Petite Industrial Fan – $72 // Irish Setter Bookends – $46 // GE School Clock – $111 // Tea Cup (Part of a large china set) – $107
Dwellings Issue VI: Savannah, GA
As Winter sets in, and the city starts to freeze over, we take you down to Georgia for our latest Dwellings installment. Richards has been a Furnish Green regular for about 2 years now, and he has acquired an eclectic bunch of items for his permanent residence in New York as well as for his charming rental home in Savannah, known as the Jingle Bells Square House. He currently resides in Nyack, New York and has always got his eye on the Furnish Green site. Richards provided a brief account of his experience with Furnish Green:
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My wife and I have bought regularly and frequently from Furnish Green’s always interesting supply of carefully chosen objects and furniture. The pieces that we have acquired over several years appear in most of the rooms in our home.
We have a house in Savannah, GA that we have restored and furnished as a short-term vacation rental. We will stay there ourselves for some of the colder northeast winter. It is important to us that the house furnishings are eclectic and comfortable (like Savannah) – and that the overall result also be striking and unusual – a mixture of new and old.
The Living Room has a very comfortable sofa that becomes a fold-out queen size sofa-bed. We had it made in North Carolina by Rowe Furniture, with an “Air Dream” mattress – one that you would actually be happy sleeping on. We knew that there needed to be surfaces in proximity to the sofa and two upholstered chairs for drinks, magazines, etc. Since whatever we got would have to be moved around to use the sofa-bed a conventional coffee table didn’t seem like a good idea. Instead, we collected several interesting small tables from Furnish Green and put them in a group. They can be moved around individually as needed, or returned to their “community”.
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Richards has effectively utilized FG’s stock of petite tables and unique accent pieces. His home features assorted decorative items such as a board of mounted knots, a pair of cranes made from bone, some rustic baskets, a pair of ice skates, and various light fixtures and mirrors. Purchasing almost exclusively from our website, we at Furnish Green are always eager to see what quirky knick knack Richards will purchase next. You can view more photos and gather information about renting the Jingle Bells Square House here.
We hope you enjoyed this Dwellings trip down to Savannah, Georgia! Stay tuned for future posts, and email us at furnishgreen@gmail.com if you’d like us to feature your space!
Holiday Wish Lists
This holiday season we decided to bring you a handful of curated wish lists from some friends who have an eye for design. Enjoy!
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Casey’s Wish List
Casey DeBois, an interior designer for Homepolish, is a great supporter of Furnish Green, purchasing pieces not only for clients but for herself as well. She has put together her personal Furnish Green Christmas list to share with all of us. Some strong and beautifully designed pieces with a couple of fun quirky items mixed in:
1. Tufted Mustard Button Ottoman – “I could collect chairs and this one is small – so it’s ok. The yellow/brass combo is great and it is good for flexible seating, when you have company over.”
2. Chromcraft Creamsicle and Chrome Bench Settee – “I’ve been pitching this to everyone. These would look great in a small office waiting area, or an entry area of a home. Pair with a great wall covering or accent wall.”
3. Set of 4 Mid Century Knoll Wire Chairs – “KNOLL Chairs! Great classic timeless design, can easily re-do cushions and restore if needed.”
4. Mid Century Ridged 9-Drawer Dresser – “This. I love this piece and think it would be best in a bedroom or living room area, above it I would install an interesting gallery wall.”
5. Ivory Bush Coral – “This is great for bookcase styling. You can use as a chic bookend or you can display on top of pile of flat books.”
6. Peter the Tiger – “This is just awesome. I would maybe put it in my entry area, along side an umbrella holder. I think it would be fun to come home to Peter; he’s definitely more of a watch guard then my dog, Tuck.”
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Danielle’s Wish List
Danielle Arps, recently launched her own interior design firm and has been utilizing the FG inventory in a variety of design projects. She has provided us with some of her favorite pieces this holiday season. A mix of furniture and charming accents pieces, all with the potential to be great gifts. Take a look:
1. Danish Modern Style Peach Vinyl Armchair
2. Rustic Primitive Mexican Equipale Barrel Chair
4. Brass Accordion Wall Mounted Lamp
5. Set of Four Mid Century Chrome Rimmed Drinking Glasses
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Richards’ Wish List
Furnish Green regular customer, Richards Jarden, seems to constantly have his eye on our website. With a particular taste for accent pieces and small stands, it has not been uncommon for the FG staff to see such pieces depart for the land of Jarden shortly after being posted online.
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“I am a big fan of small things – in particular – small tables, benches, stools, etc. There is always room for something like that, and Furnish Green has a great inventory. A Wish List of these unique items – maybe for me – maybe as gifts.”
1. Primitive Pine Logs Petite Coffee Table
4. Rustic Painter’s Baby Farm Chair
5. Bronze Pillared Marble Top Side Table
6. Round Tiered Mahogany End Table
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Nathan’s Wish List
We asked Nathan Hescock, owner and buyer for Furnish Green, to put together a list of some of his most-loved pieces in the showroom right now. While we try not to pick favorites, it is only inevitable. Check out what he came up with:
1. Chromcraft Tomato and Chrome 2-Seater with Side Table – “This came from a dentist’s office that was closing after 60 years. It not only looks cool, but was made for heavy use.”
2. Antique Mission Tiger Oak Arts & Crafts Desk – “This piece came from an abandoned house very close to my own. I just love the classic Mission style and the idea that it had been spared the wear and tear of daily use.”
3. Al Pacino Scarface Framed Oil Painting – “I kind of just like the way he’s looking off into the distance figuring out his next move.”
4. Jade Stained Glass Art Deco Industrial Lamp – “I bought this piece from my friend Caesar, an art dealer. I’m thinking about taking it home to use in my own office.”
5. Rustic Industrial Machinist Cabinet – “I found this in the back of a garage from a house in my hometown. It was buried in a pile of rubbish.”
6. Metal Tornado Mid Century Table Lamp – “I love the wide twisting base and how it narrows until it hits the shade.”
7. Mid Century 3-Drawer 2-Door Credenza – “The slight convex top gives it the perfect combination of masculine and feminine. Some pieces just have ideal proportions, and I think this one’s got it.”
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We hope you found some inspiration within these distinctive and thoughtfully curated wish lists. Happy Holidays from the FG Team and a big thanks to all of our contributors!
Dwellings Issue V: West Village
For our freshest Dwellings issue, we take you to yet another new neighborhood with yet another stylin’ apartment. Nikolai resides in the West Village where the buildings are a bit lower, and a sense of history permeates the narrow meandering streets… The perfect place for a Fall FG Dwellings trip in our opinion.
The building, located in the historical West Village, has plenty of history itself, as it was constructed circa 1845. Walk up the four flights to find the apartment, a compact space with original crown molding and about a hundred antique locks on the front door.
Nikolai relocated from California and bounced around the many neighborhoods of Manhattan. Knowing that he had always wanted to end up in the West Village, Nikolai was pleased to move into his current apartment 3 years ago. He found Furnish Green on Yelp around the same time, giving him the opportunity to make the place his own. The apartment consists of a bedroom, kitchen, living room/office space and a bathroom. When working with a smaller space, it’s important to optimize your dimensions, and Nikolai has definitely achieved that, effectively utilizing the walls and vertical space.
Having an affinity for older styles and vintage furniture, Furnish Green was the perfect stop for him. The kitchen contains a couple of FG cabinets and a rustic kitchen table with iron base that works perfectly in the small space. His favorite purchase though (and ours) is a beautiful ornate shabby white desk with a unique double pedestal/trestle base that features a carved wood harp detail in the center. A real looker.
Some other vintage accents in the apartment are a couple of sturdy rustic folding chairs in the kitchen that once belonged to an armory and a great trunk from the 1930s that functions as his coffee table. (Cool tidbit: He actually picked up this trunk from the set of “Kill Your Darlings” when he worked as an assistant to the director, and the trunk may have been bled on by Michael C. Hall after a minor accident on set involving a broken wine glass).
Nikolai describes his design style as “shabby chic” with a mostly black, white and brown color palette. He explains that, being from Woodside, California, he has a strong inclination to incorporate some “woodsy” vibes into the space, and it shows. He has plenty of raw wood, an “in the woods” sort of drapery covering his bedroom wall and an attention-grabbing petrified wood tree stump side table.
As a filmmaker in New York City, Nikolai clearly pays attention to detail not only in the design of his apartment, but in his career as well. He has been writing and directing since he was 16 years old, and his first feature length film, “Before,” came out this year! His second will be coming out next year, so stay tuned. You can take a look at his work here.
some of Nikolia’s polaroid shots
vintage camera collection
As always, it’s nice to get a chance to learn a bit more about our customers and to see how our pieces have gotten acclimated to their new homes; it’s like visiting old friends.
Here are some more photos of the space. Enjoy.
some wall-mounted moose and deer, hand made by Nikolai
We hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of our Dwellings series! Stay tuned for future posts, and let us know if you’d like us to feature your space!
Dwellings Issue IV: East Williamsburg
We are excited to present the fourth installment of our Dwellings Series. This time we take you to a quaint corner of Brooklyn, into the home of a couple of Furnish Green regulars.
On a beautiful sunny fall morning, David, Amanda and Cat (their kitty who posed as a fixture in the window for most of our visit) welcomed us into their charming Brooklyn apartment. The newly married couple lives on a quiet street in East Williamsburg, a neighborhood that is of late in a constant state of flux, developing and expanding in all directions.
Years ago, Amanda was referred to Furnish Green by a friend. She still has her first purchase from the store – a darling little rustic bookshelf which resides in the kitchen and remains her favorite FG piece. Amanda has now been shopping with Furnish Green for about four years, and she has only become more enthusiastic about both vintage items and furniture, opening her own vintage focused Etsy Shop and taking a furniture appraisal course. David shares her enthusiasm, so when the couple found their new space they knew they’d be heading to Furnish Green to help furnish it, allowing them to find quality pieces within their budget. Both have certainly become familiar with our quick rate of turnover; Amanda unknowingly snatching a piece of interest to her friend, and David missing out on a Scandinavian Valet Chair by mere seconds.
Amanda’s favorite rustic shelving unit with a Mid Century umbrella stand.
David and Amanda moved into their apartment in January of 2014 and have fittingly come to define the theme of their space as “Knick Knack Attack.” Amanda, coming to New York from Florida, was unfortunately unable to bring some of her larger family heirloom furniture pieces, but the smaller knick knacks made the trip and have become fixtures in their home.
The first room we encountered was the kitchen. It features a Furnish Green farm table and great vintage folding chairs. Bright and sunshiny with marigolds, sunflowers and the walls painted a yellowish hue actually called “Sunflower”, this kitchen has an energizing effect, yet still manages to feel homey.
They explain that their honeymoon trip to India served as a source of inspiration in decorating the apartment with Indian artwork and knick knacks and a colorful paint palette.
David’s favorite piece: A Late Deco Chifferobe.
David, a life coach and massage therapist at Bodyworks DW, has taken advantage of the nature of his business and recently swapped sessions with an interior designer who is a client of his. She did a walk-through of their home, and while she approved of many of their design choices, she helped to guide them in some of the final decision making.
From desks and dressers to accent seating and compact storage pieces, these Furnish Green regulars have acquired a truly unique mix of items. Thanks to a variety of influences, outside perspectives and their own innate design sense, the apartment is becoming a comfortable and quirky space immediately welcoming guests to feel at home.
butler’s tray end table
Mid Century desk with Herman Miller desk chair
fire engine red formica top table
empire style dresser
The couple has been married one year this week, so we’d like to congratulate them on their marriage and on so stylishly furnishing their new home!
David’s guitar collection
** If you like what you see, you can get more information about the interior design company they worked with, Teri Breajewski Design, at www.twbdesign.com.
We love to see our pieces in action, and we hope you do too! So stay tuned for future Dwellings Features, and let us know if you’d like us to feature your space!
Lots o’ Crates!
You need crates? Well, we’ve got crates!
Crates of all shapes and sizes with varying amounts of rusticity. We’ve got big crates, small crates, deep crates and shallow crates. Crates with handles and those without. Pespi crates, Coke crates. Even Canada Dry crates! Use them for display, as a bookshelf or as a small side table. Store your records or your assorted knick knacks.
Stack ’em, hang ’em, gotta have ’em … the possibilities are endless. Crates.
Check out our crate stock HERE.
Below: Inspired by all of these rustic crates, one Furnish Green employee made his own “Enter-crate-ment Center” to serve as a station for his computer and other assorted items. Very innovative.
Shop Wall Hangings!
Are you walls looking bland? In New York apartments, we’re not exactly encouraged to paint our stark white walls. Our living spaces can feel a bit sterile. It’s time to make your place feel more like a home and to adorn those walls. Furnish Green has got plenty of wall hangings in an assortment of styles, from Shabby Chic to Mid Century Modern. Some artwork will bring a pop of color to a room that may otherwise be relatively dull, while hanging mirrors will bring depth to a flat wall and make a room seem larger and more open. Even empty vintage wood frames can give life to a blank wall.
We have wall hangings available for purchase online, but some of the artwork does not make it onto the website so you’ll have to come check out the walls of our showroom. Take a look at our selection HERE and don’t forget that we’ve got plenty more decorative pieces that can help you change the confines of your apartment into works of art.
Natural and Simple Fall Decorations
When living in the city, we often miss out on simple pleasures of nature. So this fall, plan an escape from the urban jungle. Get down and dirty on a hiking trip, or spend some time in a national park. And while you’re getting back in touch with the earth, think about bringing some of that nature back to your New York apartment. Here are some fun and easy ways to decorate your space the natural way.
Pressed leaves are a must. While you’re out and about, gather some of the biggest, brightest and most beautiful fall foliage you can find. Get a wide variety from different types of trees. When you get home, press them in a heavy book for 24 hours. Or, to save time and preserve more of the leaves’ colors, put each leaf in between 2 sheets of wax paper. Iron it until the wax paper sticks together. Peel apart the wax paper, and the leaf will be perfectly dried and pressed. Next is the fun part. Do whatever comes to mind with your pressed leaves. Paste them to a sheet of thick paper as artwork, or create a leafy mural on your wall. You can hang an empty frame on the wall and arrange some leaves inside. If you have a table or credenza with glass covering the top, arrange the leaves underneath the glass to add an autumnal flair to your furniture.
We also love the idea of using tree branches as decor.
Next time you’re strolling through the forest, pick up some fallen branches. Take them home and get creative. Spray paint them and mount some up on your wall. You can also glue small candles to a painted branch to create a one-of-a-kind lighting piece. Or one large, intricate tree branch mounted on its own can make quite a statement piece.
You can also display branches in a vase. Display a branch or two in your favorite glassware and secure them by placing some stones at the bottom. Decorate your branches with anything that suits your style. Hang nuts or pine cones for a natural vibe, or deck them out with chains and crystals for a more opulent look. Or just go with the simple beauty of the branches and stones themselves.
Is your favorite Fall scented candle running out? Try a new approach to satisfy your fragrance craving. Head to a farmer’s market and pick up some fresh rosemary and lavender, or any strong-scented herb of your choosing. Hang them upside down to dry overnight. The savory scent of the rosemary mingles nicely with the sweetness of the lavender to fill your home with a fresh aroma.
Decorate by placing these herbs in a wooden crate on your windowsill, or arrange them in a basket to create a simple centerpiece. You can also tack a bunch to an unused wall space. Maybe throw in some dried flowers and leaves for added color. Never underestimate the power of some simple plants to make your space charming and inviting.
Another fun way to decorate a surface is to make an autumnal display in a bell jar. Take some branches, leaves, maybe some moss and a gourd, and create a stunning centerpiece by placing them in the bell jar.
And we all know that small pumpkins and gourds are fall decorating staples. But you might be thinking, how can I do something new with these basic items? Here’s an idea: Get some old wire, preferably some that’s sort of rusted or tarnished. Wrap the wire around your pumpkins and gourds in varying styles to create a very simple but playful look. Curl the wire ends as a finishing touch. Or maybe you want something a little more eye-catching. Then iridescent spray paint and some fine glitter are your friends. Spray paint your pumpkins and gourds, and add a light sprinkling of glitter to a few of them. Now you’ll have some classic fall decorations with a touch of fantasy.
With so many stores selling mass-produced decor for every season, it’s easy to forget that there are plenty of ways to do it yourself. And these are just a few. So go outside, get creative, and fill your home with one-of-a-kind pieces you can truly call your own.