The Living Room Furniture has Arrived! (Thanks to brother Frank)

 

Video of completed Living Room....

 After a year I'm completely moved in having finally sold my other home. All the rooms are pretty much set with minor touches here and there. It was a chore getting rid of so much furniture that I had collected through the years, just this side of seeing me on the next hoarders episode.
My previous home was more of an Art and Crafts bungalow, much of my furniture was heavy and large! The living room needed plaster work, painting, replacing and floating a new floor. The windows all leaked and had to be re-caulked. Here's what the living room looked like before the work began.

Brother Frank comes to help clean the walls and prime.... not a quick job. I believe the former owner smoke non stop for 53 years,,,,,,

nice patina white walls..

After the work was finished I needed to select the pieces I would keep or have to purchase for the space. My dear friend Donn sold me his Eames lounge chair and ottoman. I had a large credenza and one other chair and the small Herman miller side table I decided to keep.
The first piece of furniture I bought was a two seat er Steel Case couch from Rust Belt Market in Ferndale. A dealer had some mid century pieces, I got the piece for a steal but it needed to be reupholstered.  Before and After :

 The original fabric was a classic 50's woven wool.

My brother John suggested I have the piece tufted, it is stunning.
Johnny had introduced me to a friend of his in Chicago,  Mark Roe a dealer who along with John Gilligan own:
The Furniture Shop:
4259 S. Western Blvd.
Chicago, IL
773-376-2525 
Mark had reupholstered both of my couches. I had purchased a three seat-er Steel Case couch from Mark that was based off the Florence Knoll couch. He also carries many selections for upholstery, I selected Florence Knoll velvet for the three seat-er and a Crypton (Chinchilla color) for the two sea-er.

 

 When I first saw it I knew it was the one. I thought it was the Florence Knoll couch but was happy to find it was the Steel Case to match the two seat-er.
Mark had 5 yards of Florence Knoll velvet that he gave me a deal on, I  had to buy 9 yards. The finished piece tufted and the cushions are fixed. It's like a brand new couch, very solid the quality of work is beyond.

I also purchased a Stow Davis small credenza for my T.V. from Mark.
Another piece I purchased was from Parks Antiques on Mack in Detroit. It's my favorite Detroit antique house and the guys are terrific. I bought a Knoll table and am using it for a side table next to the large couch. Also, the floor lamp next to my couch. Mark had sent a a smaller Knoll table with a white marble top and chrome base. The marble was very white, not enough grey. My next trip to Chicago I picked up a Knoll table with a brushed base and white marble with lot's of grey in it.
Another thing that Frank did while he was here was to remove more of my clutter.....  He played with the space and arranged some of my art on my larger credenza. I have a lot of 50's ceramics and little treasures.

 Grace Bergey was a 50's Detroit Arts and Crafts ceramicist, I'm fortunate to  have a number of her pieces. The plaque is the 75th anniversary piece done for Orchestral Hall.

Here's the rest of the room with the final seating arrangement. We played with several ideas, it was harder then I thought it would be allowing some pieces to float.  The space works for me and I find it very comfortable. Just a few pieces of art and the table that will be coming and the living room will be complete.

At the bottom of the stairs sits the credenza with T.V. The corner chair was my grandmothers. I will eventually reupholster in the same black leather.

In this house I've had platforms made for my sculptures.  Alan Kaniarz who has a studio in Russel Industrial center made two of them for me along with the kitchen table.  I like the idea of keeping them on the floor and displaying art that way. Here's an example of how I placed two pieces I had done in the living room. This platform sits between the kitchen and living room.