Hi!
I am a long-time admirer of the arts and crafts style - but still have much to learn, and need the assistance of this forum with some furniture advice!

Some time ago I inherited this table from my grandparents. I am not really sure it is "arts and crafts", having a round base I guess not -- but it is beautiful (refinished)oak from around the turn of the century. It has 5 leaves and the base splits apart to accommodate the 5th leaf. It's a bit darker than it looks in the picture. Right now we are using it as our kitchen table, but will be moving it into the dining room.


I also inherited this sideboard - the finish is in terrible condition, but I think it is the most beautiful thing! I love it and plan to refinish it and use it in the dining room with the table. I have no idea of the maker or year(any ideas?) but I imagine that it would have been purchased by my grandparents around the same time as the table.


My question is (finally!)-- what chairs would look right with this table and sideboard? I have found some chairs that I really love (see picture) but I am not sure that they would be suitable for the style of the table and sideboard.


Any comments on how my various pieces will mix and match, and any idea whether the chairs I have in mind will look ok?

Thanks in advance - I really appreciate any advice!

heather

Would the table even be considered "arts and crafts"? The bases on other tables I have seen described as arts and crafts do not have rounded pedestals.

I am pretty sure the sideboard would be - I have seen pictures of similar ones in many of my "bungalow" books....

... any thoughts would be appreciated!
thanks!
heather

Your sideboard is very A&C and the dining table is pretty close (same age). There are lots of round A&C diners with round pedestals but often the legs will be squared off more than the ones yours has, but its still a very nice table. Changing the chairs to the ones like your bottom picture will be your best move to tie the look together, no question. Hang on to the table for now but if someday you find a table you like better then make a swap with the dealer, or sell the one you have some other way.

...and nice fireplace and floors and trim, looks like a nice place..

Dear Heather,

Once you put those chairs underneath the table, you are not going to notice the table legs that much.

Since this table has been passed down through the family, I would find a way to keep it. That makes the table special. You can make it blend better by surrounding the table with those chairs. Add an arts & crafts table runner. Place a piece of A & C pottery (something Roseville that goes with the needlework) or a copper vase, in the center of the table.

Unless your guests are willing to crawl on their hands and knees to snoop, you'll be fine. You can even finish off the dinning room with one of those nice reproduction carpets by places like Jax
http://www.jaxrugs.com/

or the Mission Motif shop.
http://www.missionmotif.com/index.cfm?action=store&sub=category&id=134#

or the Persian Carpet
http://www.artsandcraftscarpets.com/gallery.cfm?VarCatID=1

I have always really enjoyed looking at those rugs. It would set off your furniture nicely.

Have fun.

Bev.

The table looks more country than A/C style in my opinion, because as Stonecat already commented, the feet are curved rather than squared/flat. But also what catches my eye is the rounded over edge of the table top, which you don't really see on A/C pieces. However, the apron has really nice quartered oak flake which helps bring it over to the A/C side a bit. As Bev pointed out, you could make it work by adding furishings such as rugs, runners, and copper accessories. Plus your fireplace and tilework also add to the overall A/C feel. Changing the chairs will make the biggest difference though.

One thing that also catches my eye on the sideboard is the bevel in the raised door panels, which isn't typical of A/C pieces I've seen. If possible, you might try swapping both sides to display the reverse instead if that works better (assuming the back side isn't also beveled also). I'd also either change the knobs to pyramid wood or better yet something metal, which will also help it appear more A/C. None of these things should hurt the value and can be easily changed back at any time.

the door Idea is great..

maybe just having 2 new doors made with an arts and crafts stained glass design inset.. By just replacing the door, and still save the old ones, you won;t ruin the value of the piece.

Dear Heather and Jeremy,

Even Lowes and Home Depot have inexpensive pyramid shaped metal knobs with fake dimples or ballpen hammer texture. Woodworker's Warehouse has a number of really nice knobs. Ace Hardware now has a series of nice copper knobs. Then, there are the real expensive manufactures--if you want to spend that much.

For a small amount of money, you can really accent the mission qualities of your buffet.

I like the idea of having some mission doors made with stained glass centers. You could even make sure that your choice of knob enhances or echoes the stained glass design. Then, any pottery displayed on top can go with color/design of the glass and knobs.

This may sound like a lot of work, but it looks really good when you can pull it all together. The more mission stuff you can put on your table and buffet, the more the dinning room starts to turn the corner. Then everything in the room will begin to look like authentic mission. You will know when you have reach that point.

Good luck.

Bev.

Thanks to all of you for your comments! I am so glad that I posted the question and my pictures - you have given me so many great ideas!

Bev is right -- I will definitely be keeping the table, even if it is not quite "arts & crafts" - it has so much value to me just because it belonged to my grandparents, and I would never want to part with it - even my late uncle's cigarette burns on the tabletop are part of the charm to me! But I think you are right, that with the right chairs, the curved base won't be noticed anyway... especially if I can enhance it with some table runners, pottery, rugs, lighting, etc. I am currently trying to find chairs, having a very difficult time (hence my question in another post about the quality of reproductions!) But I will keep looking.

I love the idea of changing the knobs and doors on the buffet. Of course I have a lot of sanding and repair ahead of me before i get to that stage!
But I do stained glass work myself, so all I would need is new door frames, and I could make the glass panels myself (and even windows for my dining room to match!!)

The fireplace that you noticed in the background of my table picture was my latest big refinishing project! I spotted that old mantle leaning up against the side of an old barn, in the rain, and fell in love with it at first sight. I gave the owner $50 (including delivery) and I am sure he was laughing at me -- it really was in horrible shape. The whole thing had been painted a greenish colour, so it was a huge sanding job.... plus it was pretty warped and a lot of the bottom molding pieces had rotted -- and the top crown molding was pretty beat up too. A lot of work, but I'm really happy with how it turned out.

I have another question for you -- I am not sure if it belongs here, or in the "defining the movement", or "glass and lighting" forums.
As I mentioned, I do stained glass work, and have done a lot of windows and lamps for my house. Until recently, I didn't think much about what style of stained glass "went" with what style of furniture -- I was just making things I loved, and collecting things I loved.

I recently realized that almost all the stained glass I've made for my house is "art nouveau" -- at least I think so!

I am wondering if all the art nouveau glass work is going to look bizarre next to my "arts and crafts" furniture - my fireplace, sideboard, and (hopefully soon-to-be-found) dining chairs.

I have noticed that a lot of the arts and crafts pottery is very "art nouveau" looking - inspired by leaves, flower petals, etc. And I have also seen a lot of very "nouveau"-looking wallpaper and stencil designs in many of the "bungalow" books I've been looking through. I know it's from a different time period and different place, and has a very different look -- but is it at all compatible? There seem to be so many nouveau elements in some of the arts and crafts rooms that appear in the magazines and books, but it is not clear to me what the 'rules' are about how to use them. Do I have to make some new lamps and windows?!

Any opinions on nouveau glass mixed with arts and crafts furnishings? Thanks again - this has been so valuable for me!

heather

Ok, Heather, here you go.

The Art Nouveau windows you have done, just take a portion of that design, change it slightly, and you can make the rest of your stained glass look more like mission. Focus on the lines that are more geometric.

The design motifs of Art Nouveau were based on the curvilinear shapes of nature--leaves, trees, flowers, etc. While Art Deco (1920-1930) was based on sharp geometric shapes that echoed the new artichtectural forms constructed with steel. Think of the Empire State Building. Think of Erte and his elongated, simplified female forms or remember tall, thin Fred Astaire dancing in a tux and top hat.

Art Nouveau style predates and overlaps Mission (1900-1920). Tiffany stained glass lamps and fixtures were found in A & C/Mission homes. They were often based on the organic forms of nature. Frank L. Wright has a very, very Art Deco feel to the stained glass that he put in his Prairie style homes. He was very much influenced by the shapes and forms of the industrial age when it came to lamps, furniture, fireplaces, windows, etc.

In summary, Mission stained glass often straddled both Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles. The thing to watch is your choice of color and tone down all the curves.

To throw another wrench into your design process, look up some of the rugs or fabric designs of the English artist, William Morris. This stuff looks a lot like Art Nouveau. But, he is considered to be one of the early giants of A & C.

One thing you can do is make your dining room chandelier,scones, buffet and windows all go together. Put your time and energy in that room since the dining room and parlor is where people spent their "show money" to impress the neighbors.

Bev.

Good Morning,


Hrton brass www.hortonbrass.com has gome great Mackintosh style knobs. Some of the knobs can run $30-$40 each.. But after working with them, they are such a fantastic addition, they are worth every penny.

The mission knobs Bev speaks of are fantastic.. i use them on a good number of pieces. They are solid brass, and you can get them with more of a copper tint... or pewter color. They run about $5 each... and have a very authentic look.


There is a lady here in town that makes all of my Mackintosh windows. Her work is first rate, and her quality is excellent. Her prices are very reasonable as well.. She just finished a 4ft long Mackintosh window.. All lead (no copper foil) and charged $350. very reasonable for all of the time and expense she put into the piece.