Welcome to #FoundAndChairished, our weekly series where we talk to designers about an incredible piece they found on Chairish. Be on the lookout for new #FoundAndChairished stories here on the blog as well as on our Instagram account.
As a busy Chicago-based designer, Crystal Blackshaw had a tall order to fill: designing her own living space. She browsed Chairish for a vintage sofa with good bones and a unique silhouette — one that she knew she could reupholster to fit her eclectic and colorful living room. After some hunting, she found the perfect fit in a shallow, long settee. Read on to learn more about her search and find your own sofa right here on Chairish.
What Chairish item did you buy that you’d like to share a story about?
A vintage sofa
In what room did you use it in?
Living room
In a few words, how would you describe your interior design style?
Fun, eclectic, colorful, zesty, and original
How did you find the item you bought on Chairish, and what made you choose it? Did you have a specific search or were you just browsing?
I was looking for a shallow sofa that was also long, which is hard to come by, and I needed space behind to walk from the entry into the living room, so this required a specific and unusual size. I am a vintage fan, so finding a piece with character and an interesting silhouette was a priority. The fabric could, and I knew it would be changed, so I looked past all of the eye candy and stuck to checking off all the boxes for the perfect piece, which is a tall order for a designer’s living room.
Did you know where you’d put this piece in your home when you bought it, or did you figure you’d find the right spot?
I scoured Chairish for the perfect piece for a very specific spot… and found it!
Why do you love shopping vintage? And how does sustainability factor into your choices of new products vs. vintage finds?
I previously owned an antique store and as a designer, I advocate vintage all the time to my clients. Reduce, reuse, and resale are words to live by nowadays. There’s a certain authenticity and originality with vintage and antique pieces. There might be another one out there like it, but after age, love, and wear, it takes on its own life and has a history that you can’t get with new pieces.
Are there any dream vintage or antique pieces you wish you could have?
It changes like the wind, but if it were my birthday and I could ask for just one thing: it would be any vintage British classic convertible, which would be a dream! If I came back down to earth and could have something special for my home, I would say a set of late 1800s or early 1900s English porcelain plates. I am crazy for dish sets and need another one like I need a third eye.
