OLD Whidbey Life Magazine

Tag: Storied Stylist

The Storied Stylist | Unearthing those hidden gems in your own backyard

BY JULIE CUNHA
May 9, 2014

Several years ago, a friend (also a design enthusiast) told me about a store that sold gently-used furniture and building materials for the home—at next to nothing prices! I had stopped listening to her talking about “all these incredible deals” because I was wondering: how on earth had I missed a store like this?

Here is the best part: it was in my own backyard. NOT, literally but—if it’s anywhere on the island—it might as well be.

“What are we waiting for,” I said to her.“Let’s go NOW and check out this new place in Freeland, called Habitat for Humanity!”

In case you happen to be like me and you let this wonderful store slip under your radar, and if you don’t have a clue what this organization is all about, please allow me to give you a VERY brief explanation: It’s a non-profit that provides affordable housing for people regardless of their race or religion by selling household furnishings and building materials to the public from their restore outlets.

Okay, that explanation may be a little clunky, but I wholeheartedly encourage you to read a bit more about this wonderful organization by visiting their website.

My friend was in the process of building her own home and she wanted to cut down on her expenses by furnishing her home with items purchased at Habitat. And I became her sidekick for the next several months.

We went to the Freeland location on a regular basis and then, on the weekends, we went to other stores such as Oak Harbor, Mount Vernon, Port Townsend and Seattle. Needless to say, we were able to find some amazing things. It wasn’t unusual for me to end up on the floor of her car, sandwiched between a chair and a light fixture. On one occasion we had managed to stuff her car to the limit and I was beginning to get a little concerned about our safety. Sure enough, our last stop resulted in a major find that we simply could not pass up! Originally a light fixture resembling a mini version of the space needle, it was now going to live the second half of its life transformed into a fountain for her back yard.

We wrestled this bulky thing into the front seat of her mid-sized car. The only possible way it would fit was for me ultimately to ride shotgun, lying down with this monstrosity between my legs. Oh, did I forget to mention? We found this industrial looking sculpture in Mount Vernon and I had to assume this position all the way to LANGLEY.

Most people would find this kind of behavior dangerous and ridiculous. What can I say? Collecting artifacts from the underbelly of the American sophisticate is not for the faint of heart.

Here is a small glimpse of those items we discovered on our adventures. Please note: all of them (with the exception of the hairpin legs on the coffee table) are from Habitat for Humanity stores.

Some of our findings need a lot of work but if you happen to have a few skills, then the results can be truly breathtaking!

The mid-century chair covered in black vinyl had a super high gloss finish that virtually destroyed the true beauty of the wood (maple), so I wet-sanded tirelessly, for a couple of weeks, and this is the result!

I found a bunch of doors that screamed “we want to be something else for a change!” So, I converted one into a coffee table. The hairpin legs came from another table that was rescued from the garbage. Also, all of these items pictured were purchased for $35 or less.

I hope I’ve inspired you enough to take a look inside these fabulous stores and—who knows? You might get lucky and find some hidden gems in your own backyard!

To get more information about Habitat stores, or to find locations near you, click here.

Julie Cunha Interiors specializes in expertly edited restyled vintage and modern interiors. Lucky to be living and working on Whidbey Island, she is currently working on a memoir.

CLICK HERE to read more entertaining and informative WLM stories and blogs.

WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.

May 8, 2014
The Storied Stylist: Much Ado about DOGS!

BY JULIE CUNHA
Feb. 28, 2014

Years ago, when I was a program manager for a small non-profit, we were in need of a new look so I scoured the local want ads for furniture. A friend of mine told me her neighbor was planning an estate sale and had invited her for a preview sale. So guess who she brought along? It was fate meets destiny.

I was told the woman had kept most of her furniture since she was married in 1968. And she was ready to part with it. I was beside myself. Could this be a time-capsule moment?

That night, I rode home in the back of our truck, sandwiched between an avocado green and blue floral circular sofa and a red velvet captain’s chair straight out of Graceland. The furniture was, indeed, from another time and it was in MINT condition.

But there was a sad part to the story: Before I was allowed to write her a check, she sat me down, took both of my hands in hers and said: “Do you have any idea why this furniture is in such excellent shape?”

It felt as though the purchase was contingent on my ability to listen to her story. Her eyes began to water and she said, “I never allowed my pets or children on the sofa without those darn plastic slip covers.” And then she added, “I regret that decision, and I wish that I could have put my children and pets first.”

I was a puddle of pudding in her hands. I had never met anyone who had been haunted for over 40 years by plastic slipcovers.

She made me take a vow that I would never do this to my family or my pets, and then she accepted my check.

The author’s furry, four-legged family member, Fifi

Speaking of pets, when it comes to Whidbey Island residents and their relationship with animals (specifically on the south end), there are basically two camps: those who have “pets” and those who have family members who happen to have four legs and fur from head to toe.

There is no doubt which camp I’m in.

Case in point: Several years ago I was grocery shopping and was standing at the meat department, looking frustrated enough to catch the attention of an employee. She asked if I needed help. I told her I was looking for a minimally processed, extra-lean hamburger for my dog.

She threw her head back and laughed! And said, scornfully: “I should have known. Most dogs on the south end eat better then most people!”

How does one respond to a statement like that? I decided not to make an issue out of it, so I quickly scampered away.

In our household, the dog has virtually no boundaries. It is what it is. When it comes to lounging on the sofa, it’s equal opportunity for everyone, including the dog. But I’ve learned over the years that we don’t have to allow our homes to look or smell like dog kennels.

We just need to know a few tricks.

I have two velvet sofas; by most standards that’s not a good idea when you have pets. But I discovered I didn’t have to sacrifice my personal style because I have animals. Instead, I developed a strategy that enabled me to preserve the integrity of the sofa and maintain the aesthetic consistency of my home.

My sofa is red, so I have a collection of red “throws” that I rotate on a frequent basis. And when I say “throw,” I mean a sheet or bedspread. A sheet is much easier to match; you can almost always find a sheet in a solid color. Besides, a sheet washes better.

Now, we don’t need to run out to our favorite big-box store and snap up every color that matches our sofas. My recommendation is to go to the local thrift stores. Over the years, I’ve managed to acquire 10 sheets in this way. If you decide to go this route, you’ll be saving big bucks!

Repurposed dog bed by local artist, Nora Harrell.

Or how about creating a space for your dog that is just as appealing as the sofa? This is just one fabulous example from a local artist, Nora Harrell. This item is currently for sale at Red Rooster Antiques in Freeland.

I’d like to take a moment here to destroy the vision of perfection many of us have, because of the media, of incredibly beautiful homes. Here is the truth: IT’S ALL FANTASY! There is no household on this earth that looks like it came out of the pages of a magazine.

Wouldn’t it be a great idea for a coffee table book to create side-by-side images of pre-staged rooms and post-staged rooms? The truth of the matter is: most of us are slobs to a certain degree. And, gone are the days of sterile perfection that took its shape in the form of plastic lampshades and plastic sofa covers!

As for the lady at the store who made that remark? If she’s right, we may need to re- evaluate our diets and—consider eating more like our dogs.

Julie Cunha Interiors specializes in expertly edited restyled vintage and modern designs. She lives and works on Whidbey Island.

CLICK HERE to read more entertaining and informative WLM stories and blogs.

WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.

February 28, 2014
The Storied Stylist | True confessions of a collector

BY JULIE CUNHA
Dec. 6, 2013

While I was a student at Everett community college, I took a job as the front desk receptionist at a local art gallery. I thought it was a natural fit for me since I already had an insatiable appetite for art. It might have been my child-like sense of wonder; or the manic enthusiasm that I displayed that quickly endeared me to the gallery director, because it did not take long before I landed the position as the “unofficial” gallery assistant. Believe me when I say there was some serious talent that walked through those gallery doors.

Ironically, I found myself surrounded by all this fantastic artwork, but I could not afford a single piece. The truth of the matter was, I had developed the taste for champagne, but I subsisted on a Budweiser budget. Life can be cruel at times.

Meanwhile, I had met an art student in my social studies class that talked non-stop about how fabulous her art professor was. It was mid-way through the semester when I finally broke down and promised her a studio visit, if she would just SHUT UP.

Ten minutes with professor Sandra Lepper was all it took, before I had signed myself up in every class she had to offer (with the exception of oils, because I could not afford to buy them!!).

Not only was she fabulous, but she turned out to be one of the best teachers that I ever had. One class in particular was to become the catalyst in my experience as a young artist. She told us one day in class that art is for everyone. It was not just for the wealthy, but for anyone interested in collecting it. Then she went on to say that “no matter how bad it is, one should try to have artwork made by an artist, instead of settling for prints.” As if by cue, one student asked how to go about it, when even mid-range art was out of their reach? Professor Lepper smiled and, with the fluid motion of a “Price is Right” TV model, she gestured toward the walls of her class and said, “You can start by making your own!” It took several nano seconds before it all started to sink in. I looked around the classroom and saw something truly amazing … only weeks before, she had us reproduce any artist of our choice using any medium, and the results were no less then stunning.

On the walls, were respectable replicas of da Vinci, Van Gogh, Cornell, Cassatt and Leger, to name a few. Every single piece had been done by her students, and most (including me) had never taken a drawing class before.

Inevitably, one student suggested that going to the thrift store was a good place to start. Believe it or not, their comment raised a few eyebrows and a few students even laughed. As for me, well, I had already “left” the classroom … I was busy thinking of the ways that I could steal away from the gallery where I worked, to run across the street to the thrift store! I suddenly realized that I had worked at the gallery for months, and had not made a single visit to that store.

Sometimes the most obvious thing can be the most overlooked.

The next day, I arrived a half hour early before I started work so that I could make a quick trip to the thrift store. If I had not lifted my head up in the last second, I would have collided into the wall of bodies that were lined up shoulder by shoulder to serve as an effective barrier to the front entrance of the store.

No one was getting out and there certainly was no chance in hell that anyone was getting in either.

If it weren’t for the copy of “ The Art of War” that I kept as a reliable fallback, when nothing else was interesting to read in my bathroom, I would have waved the white flag a long time ago.

One can enter “the ultimate impenetrable fortress if you do not fight your opponent, but instead infiltrate them.”

In other words, if you can’t fight ‘em, JOIN them!

The next day, I returned with a renewed sense determination, arriving an hour early and wheeling a walker onto the front lines.

It worked, at least for a little while. Sadly, it was only a matter time before the veteran shoppers had figured out that I was a total fraud. The next time I pulled this stunt, they responded by forming a defensive formation, which drove me directly into the circular clothes racks, where I somehow managed to flip over and land on my back. It was there among the scarves and purses where my mangled body lay motionless like a helpless sea-turtle only to get finished off by a hungry seagull.

Eventually, I figured it out and after a few months or so, I earned myself a position somewhere in the back of the line.

Oh, I did manage to find a few good pieces of artwork. Over the next couple of years, my collection of art quickly grew. In addition, to buying REAL art, I started to make my own by adopting my step-father’s technique of using pressed-board prints with the frame still intact and gessoing over it. I’ve been doing this continually for more than 17 years.

Just for the record, I am aware that this technique has existed for a while now. How long? Who knows? Who cares? Moreover, this style is often referred to as “outsider” art or faux art. The term I prefer to use and the most popular way to describe this method is to call it “altered art.”

Occasionally, I’ll find a nice piece, but for obvious reasons those days are (mostly) a thing of the past. Now, I spend my time in the dusty corridors of the aisles somewhere between forgotten items and dust bunnies the size of small children. I am looking for spectacular frames with horrific images of “’things” conjured up by whomever was responsible for creating it in the first place. If by chance it’s a painting, I’ve been known to conduct thorough research BEFORE altering the piece. Most of the time, out of respect for the artist, I won’t alter it.

My most recent acquisition is a rather unusual find, because the frame has an odd combination of Art Deco and geometric motif that was popular in the 1960’s. The print (33×26) is of a young woman gazing upward, while her transparent gown floats around her body in a ghostly wisp-like apparition. No doubt the artist painstakingly performed this amazing procedure so that the viewer’s eyes would go directly to her breasts. In short, most people would find this perfectly grotesque, myself included.

The Art Deco and geometric motif that was popular in the 1960’s is one thrift-store print find of the author’s.

I haven’t made any plans at the moment for this find. However, I just found out a week ago that my husband’s parents are coming up for the holidays. I suddenly feel compelled to allocate a space for this picture by the front door.

With regards to collecting artwork, whether it’s good or not is purely subjective. I happen have both “real” art and “reproduced” art in my home. In my opinion, when we mix both the “high and low” this increases the potential for a discourse between the subject matter and the viewer.

I also happen to believe that this is an essential ingredient to any great design and story.

Here are a few examples:

Here is a mid-century print by unknown artist (36×13) turned into a Fernando Leger inspired altered-art piece (20×16) with acrylic and paper.

Here’s where I placed a piece using the inside sleeves of vinyl records. (Collage and acrylic by Julie Cunha.)

Julie Cunha Interiors, specializes in expertly edited restyled vintage and modern interiors. She lives and works on Whidbey island. To inquire, or make an appointment contact by cell (360) 969-9921 or by emailing at JulieCunha5@gmail.com.

December 6, 2013
The Storied Stylist remembers her awakening to the deep, lush Oz of green

BY JULIE CUNHA, Oct. 13, 2012

“Passionate collector ─ meet the Lady in Green”

The other day I was in the local thrift store looking for something I needed, and ended up with something that I did not need.

I bought it anyway, because it reminded me of someone I used to know long ago.

The item was three 1970’s Colonial Park Lane water goblets. I’m not a fan of this particular style. They are much too small, and awkward to hold, unless you are a Hobbit.

No, I would not recommend them.

However, they have one single, redeeming quality: They are avocado green, the exact color that reminds me of that person I mentioned. I will forever associate her with this tone of green. In fact, for me she is: The Lady in Green. Her name is Patricia G. And, no, the G does not stand for green. (Her last name does begin with a G. Let’s just leave it at that.)

The chunky, avocado goblets will forever remind me of the Lady in Green. / Photos by Julie Cunha

Patricia G, was one of the travel clients of the family business, who quickly became a close friend of the family. I’ll never forget the first time I visited her home to deliver airline tickets.

Yes, her house was green.

But nothing seemed particularly out of the ordinary ─ EXCEPT ─ when we rang her door bell, instead of the standard yellow or orange glow, it had a green one! I am NOT! kidding.

The sight of that glowing green orb made the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up. My tongue went dry and my fingers curled a little tighter around the airline tickets. I had a feeling something was going to be different about this client!

The door opened.

Everything happened in slow motion. I looked at my mother, and she blinked in slow motion. I looked back in slo-mo…

Standing in front of us, framed in a backdrop of countless shades of green, stood “The Lady in Green.” She was elf-like; her features sharp and delicate. Think Audrey Hepburn, but all in green. And yes, everything she wore (including her tortoise-shell glasses) were green!

I was mesmerized by the woman standing before me; something was triggered in me.

My trance was momentarily broken by mother grabbing me from behind, and stepping forward to introduce herself (and her half-witted, daughter; the still mesmerized me). All I could do was nod, and partially close my mouth. I noticed that my mother, too, was dazzled by this exquisitely dressed “woodland creature” I had already named The Lady in Green forever.

Fortunately for us, The Lady in Green invited my mother and me into her home for a glass of tea.

Now, before I launch into detail about her house, I just need to tell you that if you guessed that everything in the house was green, you would be correct. Well, with the exception of the family dog, her children’s rooms, and the black-and-white checkered floors in the living room. EVERYTHING WAS GLORIOUSLY GREEN!

The Lady in Green seated us in her kitchen, where we sat on these mint-green enameled, metal-looking stools, which resembled praying mantises. Directly in front of me, sat a small television encased in plastic the shade of “army” green. If there ever was such a thing as a “cute” T.V., this one was off-the-charts cute.

As I looked around her kitchen, I suddenly realized the mundane had been transformed by a single color, and done so, beautifully. Especially the contents of her kitchen cabinets. All of her glasses… in every shape and size, were all drenched in liquid Jell-O lime-green. I was in green heaven.

Her living room was also a kind of shrine to the color green. I was beginning to think The Lady in Green really was a woodland elf. She had a baby grand piano in the corner. Guess, the color? And her sofa ─ a perfect shade of moss-green. The objects on the mantel and on her coffee table, were layered in tones of green that sparkled with an odd kind of magnificent brilliance; like genuine souvenirs straight out of the Emerald City at Oz.

I understand now, that nothing in her house was gratuitous. In other words, she carefully chose each item that best represented her passion for the color green. The Lady in Green collected and curated this color like no other person I’ve ever known.

Most people would never pay that much attention to a single color. Yet, she did. And she did it well. I regret to this day, that I never asked her why she loved the color green so much. I wish I had.

The whole idea of submerging oneself in a single color, might be a bit too much for most people. I might agree, to a certain point. Nonetheless, The Lady in Green woke me up to the countless possibilities that a single color could achieve. It’s like looking at a color for the first time. Thank you, Lady in Green.

I smile and think of the Lady in Green every time I reach for one of these goblets.

So, remember those Colonial Park goblets that I didn’t care too much for? Well, they sit proudly in my kitchen cabinet with their stout little-avocado green chests puffed out because they are in the most prominent place.

I can’t help but smile every time I reach for one of those goblets and fondly remember the collector who had a passion for the color green.

Julie Cunha Interiors, specializes in expertly edited restyled vintage and modern interiors. She lives and works on Whidbey Island. To inquire, or make an appointment: Juliecunha5@gmail.com or cell, (360)969-9921.

October 13, 2013