New Beginnings?

This past year at Redeux has seen some remarkable developments: the introduction of our Redeux chalk-painted Cottage Furniture line, the addition of more art and accessories to our inventory, the restoration of more higher-end pieces and the offering of more one-of-a-kind period pieces. The most remarkable development of all was of a personal nature, when The Red Head became, Mrs. Red Head.

But, there have been other developments as well. Redeux has been honored that a very high percentage of visitors to our shop have become customers and avid fans of what we do. Unfortunately, the number of visitors to our area (not only our shop) has decreased. When surveyed, quite a few of our customers have told us that the area does not work for them. The adage, “location, location”, is true.

After months of weighing our options, we have come to a decision. 

Redeux will be closing at our present location.  Our last official day of business will be Sunday, December 30^th.   

We will be open Friday and Saturday, December 28^th & 29^th, from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and Sunday, December 30^th, from 12:00 to 4:00 P.M.. 

We’ll be having very special pricing on the inventory pieces that are finished and are up in the shop.

Please stop by to say hello – not goodbye!

Also, I will be working in the shop during the first two weeks of January, completing work on some special pieces. Please, call the shop if you’d like to stop by. We'd also appreciate your comments or ideas.

Finally, while we are disappointed in having to make this decision, we are not sad. We know it is part of a plan, unknown at this time to us. Just as some changes that took place in our “garage days” led us to opening Redeux, the Shop, these present changes will lead to something else. Of that I am confident. Working on the furniture – touching history – has become a very important part of my life. That will continue. Where and how it will continue remains to be seen.  You will be kept informed of all developments.

Hoping to see you this weekend.

Bill

Pleasing Writers

Our recent storms, if nothing else, have shown us that getting by with less is not only possible but can lead us to discover something forgotten: living more simply.

Compared to what many of our neighbors suffered, television, texting and the internet were minor losses. But, these temporary absences were noticed – and compensated for.   

Television was temporarily replaced by radio; users of the internet went back to basics and read printed pages and the loss of texting (some may have considered it a blessing) required us to have real, face to face conversations with real people. 

Ah, the joys of being old fashioned! 

Bill Giblin working on a recent piece

Redeux revels in the old fashioned: Old fashioned furniture, workmanship and our way of doing business. Each piece of furniture that has come into our shop has a story. We learn these stories by touching them, cleaning them, restoring them. We are then honored to pass their stories onto you.

Spinet Desk

The Redeux Spa has been burning the “midnight oil” so to speak. Our back-log of special pieces have been coming upstairs and are now ready for new homes.

One of our newest pieces that should be pleasing to writers is a spinet-style desk, circa 1930’s. It has elegantly turned legs, three drawers, a center and two deep side drawers. The graining and color are rich. The original finish has been preserved.

Mission style library/school desk/table

Another good writer’s desk is a Mission style oak library / school table that is painted black.  The names of students that wrote their names in the center- drawer bottom have been left intact. This desk has lots of character with authentic “distressed, chippy paint” and some “battle scars”. It is, however, very sturdy and ready for a writer’s use or as an interesting hall piece. 

Art-deco Andirons

Our art-deco andirons are ready for work in your fireplace. They are a useful gift idea, too! 

Pair of Mahogany End Tables

An exceptionally beautiful pair of mahogany end tables await the right home. Fantastic graining!

1948 Halton Table Radio

The restored 1948 Halton table radio is a beauty and sounds great - you may not be able to listen to The Great Gildersleeve on it anymore (unless you can channel a few old spirits!) but The Prairie Home Companion and Car Talk will come alive!

For smaller goodies, we have several wood boxes, an assortment of wood type-setting letters and numbers, candles and… 

So many treasures from the past!

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Bill

Durable Good

Don’t read the papers. Turn off the news - at least for the next month. We are entering a very special season... one of continuing hope, joy and light.

Working on pieces of furniture in the Redeux Spa workshop, one gets a better sense of what is real: A wise use of natural resources, pride of craftsmanship, the dignity of labor.

There is not one piece in the shop that has not witnessed at least one war. Many have seen several. Economic depressions, good times and times not so good have come and gone. They have survived. They continue to serve. At the end of the day that’s all we need do – use what we have been given wisely, as best we can and help one another. 

Spend some time in the Redeux workshop and you may give your therapist a vacation!

Speaking of therapy, several pieces of furniture here have just been given a little TLC Therapy. 

The off-white makeup vanity (that had been up on the floor) has been given a whole new look with a great shade of custom green Redeux chalk paint. This piece might also look good as a hallway table - plenty of room for keys and mail!

This same color paint has also been used on the really charming night table, pictured above, that still retains its natural maple wood top.

There are several new painted pieces – a red child’s rocking chair with a hand-drawn design. Absolutely one of a kind! 

Also, recently up from “The Spa” is a Lane cedar chest with an artist- painted floral design on a black background. It's stunning and perfect as a blanket chest or coffee table.

The Empire-period server that has been at the back of the shop awaiting “The Redeux Treatment” for some time is now ready for a new home. It is a great piece for a dining room, large hallway and perhaps even a living room. The top section is detachable, so this period - piece is very versatile. It has the original glass mirror – “character” and all.

We have several new lamps available, including a pair of cut glass bedside lamps and a black iron floor lamp.

For those looking for extra seating for holiday guests, we have an assortment of side and dining chairs.

Our assortment of vintage glass jars and containers are very versatile as gifts… and affordable! Fill them with potpourri, shells, sea glass and other collectibles or just as they are. Most have the labels from the original tobacconist shop from whence they came.

As the holidays and Holy Days fast approach it is easy to get caught up in all the hectic activity. For too many of us, because of dire economic and social reports, it will be a season of uncertainty and concern. Not to worry. By the kindness we show one another – family, friends and strangers – we can make our own report – that of truly "Durable Goods".

Please stop by, tea/coffee is always on!

Wishing you a very happy Hanukkah (December 8 - 16) and Advent & Christmas season (December 2- 25). 

Bill

Mission Style

Kiss Furniture.

Now, before you think I want you to run to the living room and hug and kiss your sofa like The Redhead smooches every shaggy-haired mongrel she comes across – stop!

In this case, Kiss means, “Keep it simple, silly”, the philosophy behind the Arts and Crafts, Mission and Craftsman styles of furniture. While there are some differences between the styles, there are more similarities, thus blurring the lines and causing a bit of uncertainty in labeling a particular piece of furniture as belonging to one style or another.

Starting in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, furniture buyers, designers and makers had grown weary of many of the excesses of the Victorian style. Ornamentation of furniture with carvings, reliefs and turnings had become easier and less expensive with the machinery of The Industrial Age. Too often, these elements were added simply because they could be.

Gustav Stickley, Joseph McHugh and other furniture designer/builders began creating furniture that emphasized quality craftsmanship and materials, simple lines - often exposing joints and other construction techniques – and the pieces’ function greatly dictating its form.

So, what’s the difference between the styles? Using the KISS principal, here is my take.  

Mission style is almost always constructed of oak. It is a bit chunky, has straight lines, often has exposed joinery and lacks ornamentation. See the desk above and chairs below for an example.

Arts and Crafts furniture has much of the Mission style but is a bit less chunky, utilizes various woods, has a bit more of a “refined, yet rustic” look and very often has some decorative elements – cut outs, carvings – often inspired by nature. Leaf and flower cutouts on the furniture sides, clover patterned tops, some animal figuring are indicative of Arts and Crafts style. See the following pieces.

Craftsman Style is very closely related to Mission. Interestingly, Stickley strongly disliked the term although his pieces are often referred to as being of the Mission style. Simple lines, less bulky, excellent construction and utilizing various woods, Craftsman style was the American version of Arts and Crafts that had originated in England.  This style, too, emphasized form determined by function.

So, when viewing an Arts and Crafts, Mission or Craftsman style piece of furniture think of The Redhead and a stray dog – just give it a KISS!

Hope to see you soon,

Bill

Teachable Moments

Working with wood often results in teachable moments - if we pay attention.

Chopped, sliced, ground down, cut to pieces - trees of oak, cherry, maple and every other variety have become the things of beauty found at Redeux Vintage Furniture. 50, 75, 100 and more years old, they have outlived those that took them from the forest and those that changed them. Interesting what happens when change comes. Weak, defective trees can wind up as scrap. Strong ones with character can wind up as things of beauty – more useful because of the change than without it. A teachable moment? Maybe. 

Work continues at Redeux. We’ve had to change some plans regarding our painted furniture. Our “artist series” has been postponed – for now. We are, of course, continuing with our cottage - painted pieces.

Our latest painted piece is a “Hoosier” style cupboard. Made in the 1930’s, this piece was likely manufactured by the Sellers Company. These cupboards came in various styles and originally were part of a mid-west (thus, Hoosier) grocery chain’s marketing scheme. Points were awarded to customers so they could buy one of these cabinets at a “discount”.  Of course, since they had various shelves, bins and cubbyholes for food items the owners would become more frequent and loyal customers of the grocery store. Decades later Plaid, Green and other “bonus stamps” would be given out by other grocery store chains to redeem for merchandise. But, nothing was quite like getting a Hoosier cabinet. This interesting piece of Americana would be a nice addition to a kitchen or even a sun-room potting area. It has been cleaned and given an updated paint job (from a poor job added sometime in the 1950’s or so). The original enamel work top surface is intact. 

For you Mission Furniture aficionados we now have a desk in excellent condition. It has original hardware, side book shelves and great patina. It’s a real beauty.

For end tables we have a few interesting pieces in. A “Jamestown Lounge Company” oak table is a solid beauty with interesting carvings. It also has a drawer and a storage shelf. 

Another is an oak table with elegantly shaped legs, bent wood elements and a center drawer. A matching pair of mahogany tables should be ready very soon. The grain on this pair is exceptionally beautiful. Stop by to take a look – even before it is given the “spa treatment”. 

For those interested in some useful collectibles we have just gotten in a rather large assortment of jars - of various sizes, shapes and designs - that came from a tobacco shop. Most have the original labeling on them with the names of the tobacco. A few can be seen on the photo of the Hoosier cabinet.

I’m working on all the special items many of you have asked for. Wendy, Emily, Kathy and Joanne – I’m working overtime!!

This coming week, October 2 through 6, Redeux will be celebrating our “Year and a Half Anniversary”. Yes, we’ve been here for one and a half years already! We’ll be having some “very specials” on many items, refreshments and “The Redhead” will be here on Saturday the 6^th to greet you all. 

Finally, let me ask each of you to please spread the word about Redeux. If you like what we do tell a friend.  If there is something we can or should have done better – please tell me.

Hope to see you soon. Don't forget to stop by during our "Year- and- a- Half Anniversary" Celebrations!

Bill