Just so’s you know, there are those days where I sacrifice aesthetics for: functionality. Six or seven years ago we pulled the aged blue plush carpet off the stairs to the basement and had the stairs refinished. Oh, the gleaming oak treads were sooooo pretty. We use the basement every day — our TV and two offices are down there, so this is heavily used staircase. Ummm, I only just about killed myself slipping on the oak three or four times a year, but it was my calculated risk in the name of beauty. Then enter: Astro the retro wonder dog. Little mister only had to slip-slide down the the stairs twice before we realized this situation would no longer work. We started carrying Astro up and down the stairs, and I went looking for carpet.

The next Saturday I went to the local carpet store. I wanted something: durable, inexpensive, and neutral-ish in a way that would connect the original cork flooring in the foyer upstairs and the gold plush carpet in the basement. Oh, and I didn’t want it to show the dirt. I wandered around until I found myself in the commercial carpet section. There were a gazillion books and boards, so I asked the nice sales woman for help. I gave her my “want” list. She handed me a little binder with about 16 designs – I thought one of the colorways looked like it would work. I took the binder home. A different colorway — now installed as shown — turned out to be better. Dave the carpet guy came to measure, gave me the price, and I ordered.

Honestly, I have not made a design decision this fast EVER. I could have tortured myself and gone back to the store and looked at 46 million more samples. But, I didn’t have the time. And I guess I knew from all my experience, that this commercial berber-y looking whatever would be FINE.

The only thing I changed my mind on, was that I originally thought I would carpet all the way across the stairs, rather than have a runner. That’s because Astro likes to walk up and down the stairs hugging the wall. So, that’s what I originally ordered. But when I told my husband that night, he suggested a runner instead, because he thought it would be nice to see some of the wood. When I told him not too much wood could show because Astro would still slip on the side, he got all grouchy and started murmuring about how he hated carpet on stairs and never mind expletive deleted. In any case, he had planted a seed (my husband has very good design sensibilities) so I slept on the question. The next morning I called the carpet store, and there was still time to make the change. I was literally on the phone with Dave the carpet guy asking how wide we should make the runner. My stairs are 42″ wide… I just wanted a few inches of wood to show… I slapped down a yardstick, centered it, and it looked fine… so we made the runner 36″. What color did I want the binding, Dave asked. I said: Make it match, like, neutral, surprise me. Can you believe I said that???? It’s beige. It looks fine. The runner was installed yesterday. I had John, the carpet installer, wrapped it tight around the tread, the bull-nosey part that sticks out — but we kept the trim under the tread. If you pull that out, there likely is not stain underneath.

I can’t say I love the carpet runner. But, it looks FINE. And Astro, he’s scurrying up and down on his own again. I even feel safer.  Sometimes: You just gotta make your choices quickly — and get on with your life.

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Retro is rockin’ — even in Korea, where consumers can now buy this LG Classic TV in orange or woodtone for the equivalent of US$215. Snaps to readers Jane and Alisa, who both sent in this tip hours apart yesterday. Oh my. Love, of course. Here’s more info that Jane picked up on the radio and her web research:

Hello!
I heard about this new retro 1960s television from LG on NPR this morning. Since I’m a huge fan of mid-century gadgets and decor, this  sounded like it would be right up my alley. I looked it up as soon as I got to work and am now in love.  So far is only sold in South Korea. You can bet, though, that when it comes to the U.S., I will be purchasing one!

It is called the Retro Classic TV and it’s a 14 inch CRT. It looks like it’s straight out of the 1960s and even allows the viewer the option of watching television in black and white or sepia instead of color!  The screen is fairly small and the television is not so compact, but I think it would be perfect for any vintage home.  It also has a remote and is compatible with a cable box or dvd player. Apparently, though, the rabbit ears are designed for the Korean broadcast system and wouldn’t work in the U.S.  Hopefully, they’ll modify it and send some over!

You can read more technical details about the LG Classic TV at PC World. And, you can get more photos of this retro style television at this Korean shopping site. Keep the tips and finds coming, readers — this is fun.

Meanwhile, know that you CAN get reproduction Predicta tv’s for sale in the U.S. They are costly, though — so much so, that they don’t even seem to list the prices on the website. Or at least, I can’t find them….

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Bargello needpoint pillows were this week’s big learning for me. If you don’t have the time to look for vintage, and you have a little dough re mi to play with, head straight for all the mid-mod Bargello needlepoint pillows available from Jonathan Adler.  These pillows are bold punctuation marks to pull all of the colors in your room together. Adler has lots of oranges, teals and blues in this line, and a few “colors of the rainbow” designs. Unfortunately — no orange and danish modern mint for Rebecca… nor any orange and avocado for the fans of this classic 60/70s color combination. One tip: Vintage or new, be sure not to go all “square” look for rectangles like this, too, to add variety.

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Run, don’t walk, and start snapping up vintage Bargello needlepoint pillows before the rest of the design world goes nuts for them. These pillow are gorgeous. They are high-quality, handmade, graphic, backed with velvet or corduroy, assembled like a couture dress — and quite inexpensive. What more can you ask for? The incredible 1975 Bargello needlepoint “sampler” pillow above is currently on ebay and is featured in the next post. 

Above: Bargello needlepoint pillow from zhiozaki on etsy, $15.

Seems like every time I turn around I learn something new and exciting and fabulously wonderful about mid-century decor. These Bargello needlepoint pillows are my most recent discovery. I bought two (not knowing what I had) at the recent Adams estate sale time capsule. Above: Mod Bargello needlepoint pillow from farfallashop on etsy, $22.

Yesterday — thinking about pillows for Rachel, I thought of my pillows and went hunting on etsy and ebay. That’s where I spotted the term “Bargello.” Seems like Bargello has a long history. Also known as Florentine stitch or Hungarian point, it dates back to the 15th century. It’s also known as the easiest of needlepoint stitches — look closely above and you can see it is long stitches often taken across numerous holes in the canvas and usually to form very graphic patterns. Lots of zig zags.

Of course, you can get “regular” needlepoint pillows, too — nothin’ wrong with them, I have quite a few. But I’m all excited about these Bargellos, now that I know about them.

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I am not sure yet where this will go in my home. But it will, I love it so.

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It looks like Daltile is specifying these for living area floors  — not bathrooms or kitchens or places where water would likely spill and the terrazzo could get slippery. And, you can put them on walls. Remember, this is essentially polished marble — the terrazzo are ‘marble chips’. In my mind, terrazzo always has been a floor most appropropriate for warm climates … it’s a cold surface. In fact, get yourself a 24″ square of this tile – and you could use it to roll out pie crusts, I bet! Many thanks to reader Kimberly — a new homeowner (woo hoo!) for spotting these tiles first, I saw them in her flickr photostream. Can’t wait to see your house, K! Here’s the link to the Daltile page.

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A reader recently wrote to ask, “What color stain would be most appropriate or authentic for a mid-century oak floor?” Drats, I cannot find the email. And, I am not academically sure what the correct answer is. I would guess… a “natural” stain.

Natural meaning – virtually no color. Matte or gloss finish. Gloss, though, would show more scratches. When we refinished the oak parquet floor in our dining room, above, the floor guy said, “All the old floors were done with a natural finish.” We chose matte finish and have been very happy with it. Our oak is getting a nice golden hue as time goes on. Under all the carpets, it’s a lighter color — the sunlight is affecting the color.

I think I may consult with some mid-century historic homes to discern the proper academic answer. But meanwhile: Readers — what do you think? What are you finding in your homes, with original wood floors, including what may have been hidden underneath carpet that’s been there for ages? What is the “authentic” color for mid-century oak flooring?

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