Garage sale castoff meets vintage chic

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • October 7, 2013
  • 425
                        
Everyone wants their home to be stylish and comfortable, trendy yet classic and of course, reflect their personality with the perfect amount of whimsy and elegance. It sounds simple enough. It also sounds expensive. Mixing transitional and relaxed looks with one of a kind treasures and repurposed items is all the rage. Funky furniture that is not exactly junk, but not exactly antique either is a hot trend now. Somewhere between vintage chic and garage sale castoff, this new category of furniture might be something that would have gone in the trash but not anymore. Diane Donahew started making her own stylish furniture pieces when what she wanted cost more than she wanted to pay. Her daughter Charlotte, now 20, recently bought her first home and felt the same way. “We like the shabby chic and French style look and we like a lot of color,” said Diane Donahew. “What typically is seen as junk might be a well-made piece of furniture that just needs a little work. We look for all wood construction and we find quality pieces at flea markets, second hand stores, thrift shops and sometimes even on the curb. It is nearly impossible to paint veneer and we will pass up some nice looking pieces if they are veneer simply because we know they will scratch easily. Our furniture is meant to be used, not just looked at.” Donahew has always been a do-it-herself kind of woman. “It is fun, environmentally friendly and affordable,” said Donahew. “Right now, dressers are very popular and anything robin’s egg blue. That color is so in right now because it works with everything.” Social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram have made it easier for artists to share ideas and inspire each other. More and more people are turning to refurbishing quality pieces of furniture and home décor because it is harder and harder to find well-made items that are affordable. Nowadays a dresser does not have to be a dresser; it can serve as a place to store art supplies or gardening tools. A nightstand might be just at home and just as functional in a bathroom as a place to store cosmetics and linens. Rules are meant to be broken and the mother daughter team demonstrates this with every piece they create. “We have learned different techniques for painting, distressing and antiquing but it is more than that,” said Diane Donahew. “Sometimes repairs have to be made so we have learned how furniture is made and we can tell if it is worth saving or ready for the trash. We can generally tell from a distance is there is any life left in a piece.” The Donahew’s have taken their artisan skills one-step further by opening Charlotte’s Web, a venue where they can highlight their one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. “We call it vintage with a twist,” said Diane Donahew. They are located at 111 S. Broadway, New Philadelphia.


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