versatile vintage theater seats

First of all, is it theater or theatre?  I have always been compelled to write theatre but it turns out the American English spelling is theater.  What is your preference?

My preference is most certainly vintage but we already knew that!  I’ve mentioned my unofficial conquest list of must-finds which is always changing.  However, vintage theater seats have always ranked high on the list.  A few weeks ago I was able to mark it off because I found them!

They’re an attached pair of wood and metal seats that fold up.  Not just the seat bottoms fold but the chair legs collapse like a folding chair allowing the pair to flatten for storage purposes.  That function leads me to believe that these were part of a venue where the seating configuration would change frequently.  The chairs were never permanent fixtures and as a result the set is not too heavy.

A coat of hemp oil brought the wood back to life and really makes them shine again.  This set is available for sale at The West End Garage.

There are a number of places in the home that I can think to style vintage theater seats.  I’ve compiled a list to get your wheels turning!  (Please pin from original source by clicking photo.)

Entryway/Foyer

Dining Room

Kitchen

Bedroom

Which is your favorite room showcasing theater seats?

library nerd

Often I’m asked, “Where did you find that?” in regards to my latest vintage score.  Serious pickers rarely give up their sources.  Just know that we’re always on the hunt.  However, today is your lucky day because I am going to reveal where I found these vintage library chairs.  You’ll never believe it.  Ready for my big source for these truly fabulous mid-century vintage library chairs?

The library.

You never know when inspiration will strike.  Or when the coolest find will present itself.  You could be minding your own business and returning a library book when out of the corner of your eye, you see the ‘for sale sign’ and your chairs in a dim corner next to a box of $.50 books.  Suddenly you’re short of breath.  Palms are sweating.  You’re tearing down the ‘for sale’ sign and scrambling for cash while nearly shouting to the elderly librarian, “I’ll take them!” as if you’re at an estate sale and everyone is aware of the treasure around you and not just minding their business reading their periodical.

Or something like that.

After forking over the money and sprinting home for the truck with fear that the librarian would somehow resell the chairs out from under me because I outed their fabulousness, I tucked them into storage for safekeeping.  Very safekeeping.  I’ve been hoarding them ever since allowing only a few cameos.

I imagined that the set of four would make the perfect kitschy kitchen chairs.  And they do.  I just don’t have a place for them nor can I keep them all.  Its time to reintroduce them to the world and find them a home.

I’ve paired the birch & vinyl chairs with a wood dining table from a similar era.  The table, which is sold separately, was updated with milk paint.  First, stained dark with curio and then dry brushed with grainsack and marzipan.

But those chairs…aren’t they fantastic?  They are now up for grabs at The West End Garage.

 

the chair bench evolution

Once upon a time we took 3 cast off yard sale chairs and upcycled them into a custom bench that is a perfect fit in our dining nook. 

You can review the bench tutorial here.

As the space evolved it was inevitable for the bench to evolve too.  When we updated the kitchen, the colors took on an earthy, neutral palette with lots of texture.  The kitchen continues to be the room that changes the most frequently around here…

When the floors were redone this winter, I updated the bench by giving each chair a coat of MMSMP Grainsack over the bold colored chalk paint.  The milk paint resisted the chalk paint in a few places giving just a subtle distressed look.

Also, I came across 3 neutral toile printed pillows that were perfectly sized for each chair.  They were only a buck for each pillow cover.  I found some inserts and boom! 

It’s like a new bench for little cost (again)!  What have you upcycled lately?