She Finds Retro

Mystery Broyhill Dining Set!

2017-03-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

Hello! Once upon a time I was a retro furniture machine. And then my husband got cancer and we had a surprise baby number 4 and I was a sidelined retro furniture machine who drove my family crazy pointing out Broyhill Brasilia furniture in tv shows and just being generally unproductive and unhappy. Now that the fourth or fifth spring has come since those rather lame days... I'm toying with reinvesting in something that used to keep me chipper and busy. We shall see.
So today I give you.... a mysterious Broyhill dining set that I seriously should have been able to find the name of somewhere online. It is all that any hip modern urbanite from the Denver Highlands could dream of. It can accommodate from 2 to 8 chairs but comes with six. They are amazingly strong. The table is drop leaf with I've always been leery of but that was because I'd never seen a Broyhill designed drop leaf. Each side has two steel supports that slide out making it rock solid. Gotta love that mid century modern furniture and it's amazing integrity coupled with sleek lines. The set has some scratches and dings but mostly on the leaf oddly. They must have stored it in the corner of a closet and thrown shoes against it or something...only a mother of four would make such a speculation. Anyway, I don't know if the pictures really capture it but the leaves have this really subtle angle which give it a surf board shape. Love this set and love the lines. The seat cushions are easily removed to reupholster (in black pleather of course).

Swanky Black Vintage Couch and Chair.

2013-08-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

I can't hold out on you any more. I've had this for almost a week and shampooed it even though it wasn't dirty, sat on it, pretended it was my fainting couch, thought about hosting a wine and cheese party in my office where it's sitting just so I could use it but alas, this set is not for a family of six with a yellow lab and a perpetually crumby little one year old. No, I could never do that to this set. Then I missed the best light and got pretty bad pictures that make it look sun faded which it isn't. So, maybe I'll redo the pics this evening when I can get lovely glowing natural light to highlight its gorgeous lines.
It's the most comfortable and well preserved and beautiful mid century modern furniture I've ever seen. Quite simply, I can't believe it exists. It has one flaw. On the arm of the chair there is something stuck in the upholstery. My husband thinks it might be super glue. I think it might be elmers glue. Well, I don't know what it is but I'm not an expert and just hate to hurt the chair.
So, if you are looking for a mid century set in black with super soft cushions and incredibly sexy lines, look no further. This set will knock your socks off.

A little lesson on the value of money

2013-08-18T21:33:00.003-07:00

At the beginning of summer my kids made a giant list of things they wanted to do this summer.

They put Elitch Gardens on that list. I winced and told them it's really not going to happen unless they earn the money because all of our expendable cash this summer is going into a home renovation so everyone can have their own bedrooms. Eden told me she would just sell some furniture like me. I told her that if they found something I'd spot them $50 to get started. She was happy with that and so the search began. We scouted thrift stores for a couple weeks and all three of the older kids pushed my patience to the limit. They asked if everything they saw was very valuable. From an old plastic portable chess game to a vintage sewing machine, to a plastic laminate book case. It seemed to never end. Finally one day at the ReStore Eden ran up to me with the same fresh shining expression saying the same thing "Mommy, I found it! I really really found it!"

I felt the same little faint flutter of hope smothered by the need to count to ten for patience. We walked over to a corner I hadn't canvased yet and there she was... the perfect starter piece and only $45. I was so thrilled and relieved all at once.

There they are in the store with their "find!"

After we got it home, they polished it, photographed it and created a craigslist ad:

"This beautiful dresser is in great condition and would love to be welcomed into your house, it is in flawless condition and has big drawers that glide open easily. Another feature of this 1960's dresser is that it is made from solid walnut. This delightful dresser also comes with some cabinetry at the top for bulky items.The measurements for it are

Hight: 44 inches
Depth: 17inches
Width: 42inches"

Here's their pics:

Needless to say, I didn't correct anything or micro manage them other than to give my opinion on the value of the piece. Eden slaved over the ad for at least 2 hours with Kaitlyn popping in and giving her 2 cents now and then as well.

Within a week and a half someone came and bought the dresser. A week in I probably would have dropped the price but the kids held strong at $300. I'm very fluid with my business and change my mind about how much somethings is going to sell for on a minute by minute basis. Not the kids, they were firm that $300 was the magic number on that dresser. Well, the man who bought it seemed a little cynical of us, he told Eden it was hard to dicker with a 10 year old. She gave him a confused smile and said she didn't know what that meant. He looked at me and said "unless this is just some ploy you use to sell your stuff." I laughed, completely unoffended and told him that no, this was the first piece of furniture that she's ever sold. So he handed her the cash and they left. She walked inside paging off my money that I had spotted her with. She was bitter I could tell. She casually said "so what do I owe you? $30?" I said "no ma'am, it's $45 actually $46 but we'll call it good at $45." She started to argue then slumped and handed me three twenties. I made change for her. She originally thought I was just giving them their start (which would essentially be like me saying I'll pay for $50 of your trip to Elitch Gardens...which I never said). I told them no way, when they make the big bucks they have to pay the piper. After getting over giving me back my money she looked at me and said "that was way easier than a lemonade stand."

Two weeks ago the kids got their dream. Hello Elitch Gardens, fancy hotel in Downtown Denver and... bonus Mom and Dad treated them to the Zoo the next day! Just have to add that we got the Elitch tickets for $10 off apiece through a local school and the hotel through Priceline. The best part is that they still have $60 to reinvest for their next dream vacation. How many parents can say their kids put them up in a 4 Star hotel and treated them to Elitch Gardens? I've got some resilient little people I have to say.

Heywood Wakefield and Drexel by Jon Van Koert!

2013-07-15T00:02:00.001-07:00

I have fun stuff right now guys! Get it while it's hot!
Lovely Stanley dining table with six beautiful chairs. One captains, five armless. Dining Table has a hidden butterfly leaf as well as two additional leaves making it incredibly versatile. Adjusts from 60 to 96 inches long. This set is in marvelous vintage condition with very little use.
Buffet has three large drawers and two large cabinets for storage with a felted silver ware tray as well.
Stanley is one of the finest furniture companies America has ever known. Obviously this is made in America and I believe it's made from walnut.
NOTE: Due to damage I didn't see when I purchased this, I am dropping the price and will text you a picture before setting an appointment to see it.

I would like $500 for the set but will sell the table and chairs for $400 and the buffet for $150 separately.

Very striking Lane mid mod coffee table measures 15" high X 60" long X 30" wide. $60

Bedroom Set SOLD!
Stunning 5 piece mid century modern bedroom set. Drexel Profile designed by John Van Koert
http://retrorenovation.com/product-guides/furniture-favorites/drexel-profile/
This beautiful bedroom set was gently used the last 50 years so there are minor signs of wear. Includes highboy (chest of drawers),low dresser, mirror with beautiful details and two impossible to find petite night stands (side tables) Nice thing about this set is it doesn't come with a headboard so you can use it for a king, queen, full or twin bedroom.

$1200
This is a classic! Heywood Wakefield furniture is solid birch. No veneer here, just beautiful solid refinished wood in a dark espresso stain that I think came out more along the lines of walnut to compliment your mid century modern home. Table is 42 inches wide X 61 inches long with two 15 inch leaves. The glides are solid wood, very unique. This is a full on banquet table with supporting middle leg when the two leaves are added. The table legs are an eye catching elliptical shape and the chairs have rich curves in the front and iconic dogbone chair backs. My husband just refinished this table but left the chairs as they were since they were still in very nice condition and required no attention.

I also have a coordinating Heywood Wakefield credenza that was also refinished by my husband for $350

Retro Eames Style Lounge Chair and Mid Century Broyhill Sculptra Dresser

2013-06-18T16:51:00.002-07:00

Gorgeous vintage Eames style easy chair with ottoman. Fantastic reproduction without the $5000 price tag. Has been well cared for but is authentically vintage.

This beautiful dresser is in great condition and would love to be welcomed into your house, it is in flawless condition and has big drawers that glide open easily. Another feature of this 1960's dresser is that it is made from solid walnut. This delightful dresser also comes with some cabinetry at the top for bulky items.The measurements for it are

Hight: 44 inches

Depth: 17inches

Width: 42inches

Mid Century Lane Acclaim Dining Set China Hutch

2013-03-13T22:46:00.002-07:00

Gorgeous!
Dining set $1000 (SOLD)
Hutch $500

Lovely Traditional Cherry Dining Set by Ethan Allen

2013-02-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

This is a lovely set by Ethan Allen. If you know Ethan Allen, you know they use high quality wood, are made in the USA and cost a bundle. This set is no longer being manufactured but a comparable set would cost about $1700 for the table and $350 per chair which totals to about $3,800 plus tax. This table has a lovely cherry wood grain on the top and adjusts from 66 inches X 44 up to 100 inches X 44 with the two 17 inch leaves in it. It has minimal wear, no water rings or heat marks. Just a couple of small scratches in the leaves.
There are six chairs with upholstered seats in a cranberry, cream and gray fabric. All are unstained and in very nice condition. All are beautiful and rock solid. One very nice feature is the arm chairs can be pushed all the way up to the table and both leaves are apron leaves which are very finished looking. I have taken photographs with both leaves in and this will easily seat up to ten people.
I give this set about an 8 out of 10. which is a great value for the price.

2012-12-26T21:00:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous vintage credenza, beautiful gold color. Made by Robinson Furniture. 5 drawers and two cabinets. Top drawer is felted and divided for flatware. This piece is vintage so it does show some scratches and marks from age. Measures 58X19X31

Mid Century Buffet and Colonial Dining Set

2012-08-19T15:14:00.001-07:00

Hi, we have a lovely mid century buffet made from walnut. It's in very nice vintage condition with minor flaws here and there. Beautiful piece and a rare size. 62 inches long X 18 inches deep X 30 inches tall. It's made by Basset and has simple clean lines and smooth details. $500

I also have a fantastic Pottery Barn style Rock Maple dining set. The chairs and table have: CO-412-14-0558 carved on the bottom and the style exactly matches Hitchcock furniture. The table is wildly versatile with drop leaves and two removable leaves. It adjusts down to small enough for two people and up to large enough for eight people. I don't know the maker or the time it was made but it's in simply beautiful condition. $800 Flawless. Pictures cannot do this fine set justice. Four matching chairs are included though I added some non matching so you could see how easily they fit with the leaves in. This is a very finely made table with clasps underneath for holding the leaves together and a fine high gloss original finish on everything. Measures 52 inches across and can adjust from 24 inches long up to 82 inches long. Measures 60 inches long without the removable leaves. $600

Kent Coffey SavonaFrench Regency Bedroom Set

2012-07-03T16:19:00.001-07:00

Featuring a stunning rare Kent Coffey Savona French Regency Bedroom Set. I am pricing the large dresser separately if a person is interested in a large buffet/credenza/sideboard with marble insets or it can all be purchased together as a set. The set consists of a large dresser with rare Italian marble insets and two large mirrors, a full size bed frame, two nightstands with Italian marble insets and a highboy chest of drawers. This is a rare find! A complete set of 7 pieces all in fantastic condition. Solid fruitwood and natural cherry woods with gold detailing and curving serpentine design. This is made by Kent Coffey, an iconic designer of the mid century era. Large dresser is available separately for $600. dimensions are: 77 1/2" wide x 21" deep x 33 1/2" tall. 2 Mirrors: 50" tall x 24" wide

5 piece Queen Mid Century Walnut Bedroom Set SOLD

2012-06-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

A tantalizing little taste of Brasilia

2012-05-04T22:15:00.001-07:00

Broyhill Brasilia Cathedral Coffee Table SOLD

Broyhill Brsilia Dining Table, 4 chairs and 3 leaves SOLD

Broyhill Brasilia Serving Cart SOLD

Broyhill Brasilia Desk SOLD

Broyhill Brasilia Room divider SOLD

Broyhill Brasilia China Cabinet SOLD

Mid Century Modern Dream Furniture SOLD

2012-04-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

SOLD! Ok Retro Junkies, you might want to put on a bib and have your smelling salts nearby. You are going to verge between drooling and fits of ecstasy that might end in a dead faint. I have been entrusted with the most divine assortment of estate furniture ever imagined. For now I will post about the Kent Coffey king size bedroom set, but I will post at least a list with a complete inventory of what I will be selling at the bottom, so you can clasp your hands in anticipation. This is a stunning Kent Coffey 5 piece Bedroom Set from the Wharton line. It is in mint condition. It was owned by one very particular owner for the last 60+ years. This is a very rare opportunity. I personally have never seen a mid century bedroom set preserved this well. You don't find much mid century furniture that hasn't been knocked around and moved a few times. Dimensions are as follows: 1. Long 9 drawer dresser. 64 inches long X 30 1/2 inches tall X 20 inches deep. 2. Mirror (can be attached to the dresser long ways or hung on the wall sideways depending on the look you want) 32 X 51 3. Gentlemans 4 drawer chest of drawers (this one has extremely deep drawers for sweaters. 38 inches wide X 44 1/2 inches tall X 20 inches deep. 4. Nightstand. 23 inches wide X 25 inches tall X 17 inches deep. 5. King size bookcase headboard with outlets for alarm clock or lamps. 82 1/4 inches wide X 40 1/4 inches tall X 11 1/4 inches deep. 303-507-4835

Danish modern shelf and nursery rocker!

2012-04-26T21:25:00.003-07:00

I have two very fun pieces I've picked up lately. SOLD Very pretty tangerine Nursery Works baby rocker. These retail for $700 - $900 plus tax. This one has a few small marks from the little monkeys but still looks very nice and some crafty people even make slipcovers for these. I've seen them on blogs.

SOLD Lovely danish teak shelf with credenza. The bottom cabinet has sliding doors with shelves and the top piece has adjustable shelves to any configuration you choose. Dimensions of overall piece are: 48 inches wide X 19 1/4 inches deep and 72 inches tall. The bottom piece is 25 inches tall and the top piece is 47 inches tall. Please visit my blog or like me on Facebook. I always seem to find fun retro pieces. www.shefindsretro.blogspot.com

Craigslist Greenhorn?

2012-03-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

I have a great friend who is a complete craigslist greenhorn. For the sake of anonymity, we will call her Bart. About a year ago she mentioned to me that she wished she could find a buffet of certain dimensions and qualities. This was an easy thing for me to add to my constant searching for mid century furniture because buffets and dining sets are my bread and butter. After many months of casual searching, I finally found a buffet of the right proportions. The only problem being, that the thing was painted in a garish green and white faux finish done with the infamous "rag technique" with further embellishments of hand painted flowers. The item could be described as nothing other than downright ugly but she had told me that she intended to paint it black. I sent her the link and she agreed that it was within her dimensions though hideous. On a gloomy January day, we began our quest. After stopping by the mattress store for her first ever Groupon purchase, (yes she's a bit sheltered) we headed to the furthest corner of the earth, otherwise known as Aurora. As we turned onto a shabby street, the gloom didn't do much to the curb appeal of the dark brown duplex with a "Beware of Dog" sign surrounded by an array of pet dishes on the front stoop. We looked at each other and struggled wordlessly with our preconceived notions. I asked her if she was good and she said yes. I caught her eye and gave her a stern lecture "DO NOT BUY IT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT OK?" Her eyes slid to the side and she assented that she heard me. She pinched her top lip with her teeth and lunged out of the truck. I could see the writing on the wall and I knew this little Napoleon was going to need some rescuing and it was going to be FUNNY!!! I watched her ring the doorbell with her back stiff and I started to giggle. I watched with a mixture of horror and fascination as she walked into the garage and began surveying the piece. It seemed to be a cursory inspection followed by gestures at the back of the truck which indicated to me that she was discussing putting the thing in the truck. After pulling out my camera and snapping a picture of her in front of the buffet while texting it to our friends with many "LOL" and "LMAO" epitaphs, I got out of the truck and looked the piece over. I said "Bart, did you see that the moulding is mangled?" She nodded and said it wouldn't show much with the black paint. I said "but you know it's not solid wood right?" She nodded and choked out that it didn't really need to be. This piece was to be for a formal dining room in a high end home which hosts parties for crowds of up to 50 so I found that a bit unbelievable. I swung a door open and was unable to re-close it no matter how hard I tried until the lady took over and wedged it back into place. I gave "Bart" an eyebrow raise and she said she was sure it just needed some screws tightened. I opened and closed the drawers and rested my hand on the top of it and asked her again if she really thought this was the one. She gave a shaky nod and proceeded to discuss how we could fit it in the back of the truck. We strolled over and discussed the fitting and I finally just came out and told her flat out that I thought it was the wrong piece. I told the lady so and she shrugged and said that she certainly didn't mind if we didn't want it. "Bart" seemed to wrestle with herself and then went limp and assented that she really wanted to keep looking. I slammed the tailgate shut, we scooted the buffet back into the corner of the lady's garage and we hightailed it out of there. We vacillated between bouts of hysterical laughter and abject horror at her near miss with being saddled with a piece of complete junk at the expense of a precious Ben Franklin all the way home.
I wouldn't take the experience back for anything but I have to say there's a lesson to be learned here for the craigslist greenhorns. Create a safety net people! By no means am I saying to judge a book by it's cover. I recently rescued two rare and beautiful Broyhill Brasilia pieces from a tenement style situation complete with a pit bull and someone wearing an ankle bracelet. The credenza was being used as a plant stand and had random holes drilled in the back for electronics. Never the less, it was a great find!!! But have your safety net, create your exit strategy. Don't commit to buying until you KNOW what you're buying and feel comfortable with your purchase!

Gorgeous Walnut Credenza

2012-03-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

Measures 6 feet long by 19 1/2 inches deep by 30 inches tall. This is walnut would make a gorgeous console for your tv. My husband has painstakingly refinished this piece. It has two deep drawers that could be used for files or storage, two sliding doors to store media equipment or serving ware in a dining room and two shallow drawers for incidentals.

Jody never disappoints!

2012-03-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

I picked up a Broyhill Brasilia credenza a couple of weeks ago and it had been used as a plant stand! Can you believe it? I was traumatized by the abuse anyone would put such a special piece through. Somehow my darling Jody was able to save it, revive it and bring back all of the luster it once showed. He painstakingly stripped it, applied three coats of dark walnut stain and three coats of poly. It's a show stopper. I am so happy to say that it was purchased by the owner of a gorgeous midcentury modern home in Denver who is so excited that she sent me pics of it in her FANTASTIC house! Check it out! Thanks Tory for being my first ever customer to send me pics of how your furniture looks in it's new home!
Here is what she said:
"I LOVE our new credenza – it looks fantastic in the entry!!! I took a few pics. Let me know if you want more close ups for your website. Thanks again! So glad I met you. Hope we do many more things together in the future."

Lane Mid Century Modern Dining Set SOLD

2012-03-08T21:18:00.001-08:00

This is a simply stunning formal mid century modern dining set. This table was never used except for Thanksgiving and Christmas for the last 61 years. It is in flawless condition and was lovingly cared for and treasured all of those years. The two apron leaves are 18 inches each and it measures 94 inches fully extended which means you can adjust it down to 58 inches long. It comes with six chairs without arms so you could put them along the sides and put two different armed chairs on the ends to seat 8. You could probably even seat 10 people in a pinch. I am relatively certain it's walnut and oak but it turned out so red in my pictures that it looks cherry. Maybe I will try retaking them in full daylight.

Excellent Drexel Projection Series Dining Set with Buffet Credenza $1000

2012-02-29T11:26:00.003-08:00

Look at this lovely find! It's a Drexel Projection series dining table, six chairs, three leaves and a fantastic storage buffet. The table adjusts from 56 inches long to 92 inches long!

Broyhill Brasilia Credenza or Buffet

2012-02-25T16:07:00.001-08:00

Hello Retro Enthusiasts!
I have a Broyhill Brasilia credenza that my darling husband will be refinishing in the next couple of weeks. He's quite accomplished at refinishing. I'll post some examples below. But for now, just so you know, this thing is going to be killer and I'm going to price it at $700.

Examples of Jody's refinishing projects.

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Broyhill Brasilia Table SOLD!

2012-02-19T17:27:00.002-08:00

This incredible table was sold to me by a person with a Brasilia credenza that I haven't polished up to photograph yet. This table is larger than the typical round Brasilia tables and is an oval with two huge apron leaves and it is heavier and thicker than a typical Brasilia table; I've sold a couple. I know it's a Brasilia table but I was puzzled why I couldn't2 find any pictures of one like it and why it's not in the pdf of the Brasilia line that everyone has all over the internet. As you can see in the Brasilia Ad, all of the numbers on dining furniture start with 6140 but this table is 6141. I put some feelers out there on the internet and got some feedback from other retro enthusiasts. The best input I got was from Facebook where someone told me that the 72 is likely the year of production and that it was probably a Brasilia II table and from Mr. Modtomic:

I wrote to Broyhill and got this response:

Elizabeth,

Unfortunately, I was unable to find any information on the item number 6141-43 that your provided. I reached out to Broyhill plant and Broyhill's Historian and they also were unable to find any information.

We do not have any information that goes back to the 60's that is readily available to us in customer service. Most of our information only goes back as far as to early 90's.

Thank you for contacting Broyhill.

Denise Aston
Furniture Brands Customer Support
Ph: (800) 327-6944

In conclusion, I believe this is a Broyhill Brasilia II table. I believe it is incredibly rare and basically impossible to find. Sometime between mopping up spit up and carting kids to karate and gymnastics I will sit down at a library and go through old newspapers and find an ad with it in it... or maybe not! Until then I will wish my table well with it's new home in a Mid Century renovation project! Enjoy Heather!

I'm back in the saddle! Teak Set SOLD so quickly! Enjoy Brooke!

2012-02-18T16:45:00.000-08:00

Okay for real people! I just had my fourth kid and it put a major kink in my furniture biz! I really wasn't sure I was going to be able to rise up out of the poopy diapers and burp cloths but here I am! A shining knight in the realm of Retro Saves! Today I took my steed, I mean my Ram and saved a beautiful and rare Broyhill Brasilia dining table and credenza. It is so exciting! It came with these completely random parsons upholstered chairs. It was such an odd collection. The owners preferred their black metal and glass Walmart dining set over it, so here it sits until I have it polished and ready. In the mean time I'm selling a very pretty teak dining set with six chairs and the self storing leaves. The table top has been a little abused so it will need some TLC. I have polished it with orange oil several times which it had been starving for and it's lovely red/gold color is already coming back. One chair has a stain on the upholstery. Overall, the chairs are rock solid, the table leaves are perfect and the table is a rock, so I think this is a great find!
The table is stamped Denmark and the chairs are stamped Svegards Markayd Sweden. $450 for the set.

Mid Century Mod Christmas Decor $70

2011-12-05T20:41:00.000-08:00

These are in perfect condition and both work great with their original boxes/packaging.
Penetray Motorized Color Wheel. Blue, Green, Yellow, Red.

Penetray Blue indoor/outdoor light.

Mid Century Oak Surfboard Style Coffee Table $100

2011-09-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

This coffee table has been restored by my husband. As you can see, there are imperfections but it's very pretty, he put a walnut stain and three coats of poly on it so you know it's well protected.
Measures 70 inches long by 22 inches wide by 15 inches tall.
It can be picked up in Erie or Boulder.

Not so Retro solid cherry dining set! (sold!)

2011-09-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

I know it's not retro, but if this gorgeous set came close to fitting in my kitchen and I had even a little confidence that my children wouldn't destroy it beyond recognition, I'd keep it forever.
Measures 68 X42 and has two additional leaves that each add a foot.