LA Design Mart's Fall Furniture Sample Sale

Mark your calendars Los Angelenos!  The L.A. Mart Design Center is hosting its Furniture Sample Sale this coming weekend.  If you know anything about design centers, this is where the serious goods are: The ones that are normally only available to interior designers and wind up gracing the pages of Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Arch. Digest, etc.  Good news is that this sale is open to the public, and you can find amazing furnishings, rugs, lighting, art and accessories at up to 70% off. 

Designer Preview:
Friday, October 1st from 9am - 5pm

Open to the Public:
Saturday, October 2nd from 10am - 5pm
Sunday, October 3rd from 11am - 4pm

Admission is $10 and parking is free.

For more information click here.

Furniture Flip: New Desk

It's been a few years since I moved into my apartment, and I was feeling I had outgrown the space: it just wasn't functioning like I needed it to, something felt off, and it had to be fixed.  What I really needed was a desk--or at least a decent work area where I can sit, surf the web, write notes, and not burn the tops of my thighs with my MacBook.  I had scouted around for desks at all my usual suspects: West Elm, CB2, Ikea, CraigsList, Housing Works, but for my tiny L-shaped room they were all much too deep.  Not to mention I would be plunking down at least $100 and it would require that I ditch my cozy red chair.  What's a girl to do!?  I had an Ah-Ha moment last weekend that my CB2 console table could function just perfectly as a slim writing/computering desk.  I had recently purchased a set of two orange folding seats (that can also function as little tables) from OneKingsLane.com and one works perfectly as a desk chair.  It doesn't take up visual space as a chair with a back would, and I can fold it up and put away if needed.  The next time you find yourself in a furniture freak-out, just think if you can repurpose pieces to fit the bill.  

Before...

(two years ago when I had just moved in)

After...

(obviously possessions have been accumulated) 

 

Images by Barbara K.

Fabulous Finds at Former Furniture.com

Does your furniture need a refresh?  Tired of living in a perpetual state of 'dorm-dom' with your Ikea functional finds?  Or, maybe you just can't stand that (insert leg lamp, lay-z-boy, shag rug, etc. here) for one more bloody second.   While trying to clean out my excessively cluttered inbox this morning, I came across a link to an article from the New York Times website about a very cool online furniture reseller called FormerFurniture.com.

Here's how it works:  Started by interior designer Lindsay Dann Miller, Former Furniture features a great variety of designer and trade pieces that are slightly worn or have come directly from high-end furniture companies.  This includes lighting, furniture, accessories, art, and the list goes on and on. Unlike E-Bay or Craigslist,  all the items have been vetted by Lindsay herself and they only come from the Los Angeles area so she can see them in person and take her own measurements and photographs to post online.  So you may very well find a sofa from the home of a well-known actress, a side table shown in Elle Decor, or throw pillows straight from an uber-exclusive trade only showroom....all for a fraction of the price.  Luckily for those of us outside of LA, Former Furniture ships nationwide.  

FormerFurniture.com

info@formerfurniture.com

310-444-5522

Here are some of my favorite finds:

Barclay Butera - Marble Table lamps

FF Price: $200      Valued at: $2000

A. Rudin Sofa

FF Price: $2340     Valued at: $6,000

Vintage Lucite and Brass Console Table

FF Price: $550     Valued at: $1730

Jonathan Adler - Pear throw pillows pair

FF Price: $198     Valued at: $356

Images courtesy of FormerFurniture.com