I need feedback on this

I'm thinking of picking this up off Craigslist. It's isn't exactly tiki, but I love the funky look. I don't want it to ruin the look of my tiki house, though, so I thought I'd ask for the opinions of the Seasoned Tikiphiles. Could I make this work? Would it ruin everything?

oh dear...

looks kinda 80's sorority house to me. Just my opinion.

In my opinion, I would buy fabric and reupholster it. Some darker tropcal print where the original "confetti" looking material is, and maybe add a bamboo slat base where the black base(bottom of couch)is or even cut one of those reed fences(about $20) to fit the running length..They can be found at garden centers/hardware stores. The reeds look like miniature bamboo woven with wire to create a privacy fence.

Just cut it out to run the base of the couch, and it should enhance the theme. If you cant find tropical material, burlap could be a possibility.

Looks like it came straight from Pee Wee's playhouse! Is that a talking couch? Personaly, I wouldn't buy it. You would have to put money into and then would it be worth it?

using that bamboo fencing will only create a hazard for you, while sitting on the couch and for the new upholstery, which no doubt will get torn as a result of coming in contact with the fencing over time.....better to post this on craigs list again and try to break even...

I would wait and see what Sven has to say.

i think you guys are falling for a "GOTCHA"

I would invest my cash in a nice timber bamboo set instead.

Hmmmm.........

It would be quit a bit of work so it really depends on how much you can get it for.

If you change the fabric, take off the throw pillows entirely, and very possibly replace the back cushions you could get something quite spiffy for a tiki home.

I would switch out the back cushions for something more square and vintage looking.

I would change the confetti part of the fabric for something like a bark cloth in a vintage pattern.

I would take the odd looking head-rests off entirely.

And that leaves you with almost nothing from the original couch so it may be better to pass on it. The amount of money and time you will spend 'fixing' this one may be better spent on rattan or bamboo set.

So, what do they want for it on Craig's list?

I just saw a sofa like that go at a Modern Auction for $20,000. Nice find.

I say go for it! It's radically bad, in an '80s camp kind of way. And if you can properly mix it without being too purist, well, then... maybe something unique would come out of it.

Hahahahahahahahaha!

I like the shape of it, but agree that the fabric would need to be changed at least in the print area. I would go with a 50's Tropical-Print Barkcloth and pick up colors that will match your planned environment.

I think important aspects of furniture buying are comfort and functionality. If a couch/chair is comfortable to you and your guests, then they will enjoy visiting you and you will feel more at home. "Color and Style follows Form and Function" as they say in the design field. First of all is the form of the furniture a good fit for your room...secondly will it support the function that you intend to use it for...then look at color and how you can match it to your environment or your environment to it...lastly style can be in the statement of the form & color or you can adjust the style through fabric prints and textures, throws and pillows.

If you do buy it and change the fabric, get enough yardage to use on cushions for your bar stools and throw pillows. This is my favorite site for Barkcloth. Best of luck and I look forward to seeing how your decorating takes shape.
TIKI ON :tiki:

Don't!

I think Unga's on a roll.

Even if you werent trying to do a tiki house its just not that cool. its very dated in the wrong way, I see hundreds of couch mistakes listed on craigslist everyday. keep looking and you will find something undeniably great! I got a 6 band rattan set FOR FREE!!!!

worth the trip and worth re-upholstering

I know what you are getting at with the "dated in a not so good way" kind of thing. But, well, I kinda hope the purist aspect falls to the wayside at some point. Maybe that's just me. Were this couch in the hands of the right person, with a good sense of humour... no telling what good could come out of it.

I just remember a Shag exhibit that was taking place at the Soap Plant on Hollywood Blvd. about five years ago. Everyone was dressed to the nines, looking decidedly swing or hipster goth or lounge or mod. And in walks Daniel Paul, and he's got on a Michael Jackson t-shirt from the "Thriller" tour. I don't even know if it was a t-shirt. I kinda remember it being like a white sweatshirt, with the sleeves ripped off. He walked around that exhibit with not an air of embarassment.

I agree Im not the ultimate purist and I have seen amazing things done with bad couches sometimes it just needs a fabric change. all depends on how much work you are willing to put into it

Brian, you are just too far advanced in your aesthetic concepts, we can't quite follow...
I am fighting every day to instill some sense of style in the newbies here, and you come along suggesting un-style. We're not there yet. :)

And regarding the 80s: I know, everybody is saying that after the 50s, 60s and 70s had their revival, the 80s will come back...but sorry, not for me....ever, baby. That is a notion born out of aesthetic boredom, for the style seekers that have done it all and are looking for new kicks.

80s cartoons are the best and they all need to come back and No on the thing referred to as a couch

First, it wasn't a joke. I really liked the flow of this sofa, with the gentle curve and a nice wide lounge area on the end where Eric and I could cuddle up and watch TV. I've been looking a lot at rattan furniture. It's very attractive and totally tiki, but it isn't cuddle-up comfortable. I want something that has a retro look and feel but is still comfortable to curl up on for hours. I've been to a lot of vintage shops in the area and most of that era sofa just isn't that nice to sit on.

I would have to recover it, definitely. But I was wondering if the overall shape will work in a tiki-style house.

Oh, and she wants $325 for it.

[ Edited by: JanetMermaid 2008-01-29 18:38 ]

don't do it!!...buy a kitten instead....they are quite cuddly and cheaper than this sofa!!

Seriously, there is no way this piece of furniture would fit in a tiki style room. You can change the fabric, you can separate the pieces, you can put bamboo around the edges, you can put tikis on it. It will not work simply because it is a different style. Just look at it. If you want cuddly buy it and use it, but it will not work with tiki stuff.

Janet, you should look at other posts and see that ANYBODY, including me, is being made fun of here...it comes with the territory. You post here, and you are LUCKY if you get a serious reply, especially when Unga is on the loose, and Grog has honed in on ya. And you have to consider the possibility that for some of us here, the aesthetic consciousness gap is so big that they looked at that couch question in disbelief.

The problem with that sofa is that, beginning with the 80s, American furniture design and quality just went down the toilet. IKEA had to come along and give the whole industry a breath of fresh air. This couch looks all foamy and very cheap, I would not buy anything via the internet like that, where you can't touch it and sit on it, it's too risky...what do you do with it if you don't like it?
There actually is a photo book out just on couches that were abandoned on the street.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-01-29 19:21 ]

On 2008-01-29 18:37, JanetMermaid wrote:
....I would have to recover it, definitely. But I was wondering if the overall shape will work in a tiki-style house.

Oh, and she wants $325 for it.

Ask around your area and get an idea about what it would cost to reupholster. I have a feeling that at $325 for the couch and a guess at another $300 ish for the redo you might be able to find something just as comfortable new.

As to making it work in a Tiki room... absolutely! It is going to take some work and will really depend on the fabric choice combined with the colors of the room. If there is desire there is possibility.... and it is your room/lounge/house so make it yours. No matter what you decide, share pictures of the process of creation!

Still, see if you can talk them down in price because you have the reupholster costs to add to the 'final' price.

C and A, your sinister plan to drive people to insanity with your Lawrence Welkian cheerful positivity will eventually succeed. I appreciate your tenacity! :D

It would need a complete trim job to attempt to pass it as tiki, and even then the results would be questionable. Its a lot of effort and money to throw at such a risk. But I do agree, it does look super comfy. Only you can decide whats more important - snuggle-ability or style. I'd be happy with a retrim job in a normal loungeroom. I don't think I'd be happy with it in a tiki bar.

Janet,

It seems you are looking for a mid-century modern look to go with your Tiki style. The couch doesn't really fall into that category. But you can still find mid-century mod furniture for fairly cheap (although the price for the stuff is rising). If you regularly visit your local thrift stores, you will be amazed what neat treasures you can find.

I think you can get an ides of what TC members think from the other threads, that this set of furniture really does not fit in with Tiki. But if you are patient and keep looking, you just might find the right thing. And if you do your homework by reading up on the style, it really becomes quite rewarding to learn about.

On 2008-01-29 19:43, bigbrotiki wrote:
Lawrence Welkian cheerful positivity

May I quote you?

On 2008-01-29 16:19, Sophista-tiki wrote:
I got a 6 band rattan set FOR FREE!!!!

worth the trip and worth re-upholstering

Sophista, is that,um...a parking lot or street in the right of your picture? So some one could just walk up eh? And what time do you head off to work?

Serious, do you really leave Paul Frankl 6-band outdoors?

Um, Does Greg Brady's hip attic pad mean anything to you??

I agree on looking for more of a mid century modern sofa, maybe something kidney shaped. A quick search turned up this on Craigslist,

and it's part of an entire living room set that's only $250 total. You could do more with reupholstering a sofa like that, I think. There are better things out there for a cheaper price, and in my opinion $325 for that one you're interested in is way too much.

But remember that in the end it's your sofa, and your decision, so do what makes you happy. And let us know what your final decision is, and how the project turns out - we all love to see stuff like that around here.

Mai tai, that's a very cool sofa. I currently have La-Z-Boy overstuffed and although it's comfortable I really don't like the look. I much prefer swoopy-shaped furniture than straight, blocky stuff. I'll likely never be a tiki purist, because I LIKE funky stuff. I finally have a place where I can go all out and have some fun decorating. So although I'm going to go for a tiki theme, it'll never end up looking like one of Ben's awesome creations.

Hmmmm, yes, it’s not tiki, but is does have interesting lines and I like the low back. Without seeing your space, I really couldn't say if it will ruin your tiki look. It wouldn't work in my space at all, but you don't live here so that point is moot. :)

Whether or not it works for you depends on what your design approach has been. If you're decorating to recreate a typical MCM home of that time period, then this piece has no place in your home.

If you’re going for a tiki aesthetic without adhering to certain specific poly-pop rules, this could work (ouch, was that a poison dart?) Although it would be nice to have both tiki and comfy, I suspect from your posting that that you need something very functional for everyday use and having it be MCM is aplus, not a need. So on that premise, the contemporary unit would work with a few changes:

1.Pillow-backs are dated and tend to make a room look messy (unless it’s a casual family room). I’d see about possibly replacing the pillow-back with wedge-shaped, non-tufted cushions for a clean MCM line (provided the unit design allows this.) If it has bun feet, I'd change them for something tapered or blocky if at all possible. A good upholsterer can steer you in the right direction.

2. To help the unit blend with your tiki space and not be the focal point, select an upholstery that blends with the predominant color - i.e. if the walls are dark brown and the couch will be against it, select a dark brown fabric. If the ceilings are high or the unit will be centered, select upholstery in the same color range as the floor. Never match the color exactly, just go a few shades darker or lighter (depending on your style.)

3. Upholster the whole unit in a uniform color, or if the overall space needs more texture, select a solid for the base and a pattern with the same ground (i.e. the solid black base would work with a foliage-patterned, black-background barkcloth.)

4. Get a price estimate from your upholsterer before buying ANYTHING. Find out as much as you can about it (overall dimensions, leg style, construction, mechanics, age, manufacturer, where purchased) because these things will help you price out the overall cost of upholstering.

A note on fabric yardage: the size of the sofa, cushions, details and the fabric pattern will determine how much yardage you need. Non-patterned solid upholstery is much less costly than patterned since there’s a lot of waste associated with pattern repeats.

Hope you don’t mind a designer’s advice. Although it would be fabulous to find the perfect MCM seating with form and function, sometimes the only thing to do is improvise. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Gina H.

PS, I gotta disagree with folks who are identifying this as an 80s style: this design is more contemporary (probably 90s). Are the sections with headrests recliners?

On 2008-01-29 19:43, bigbrotiki wrote:
C and A, your sinister plan to drive people to insanity with your Lawrence Welkian cheerful positivity will eventually succeed. I appreciate your tenacity! :D

You ruined my masterplan! You fiend! Now everyone knows the plan.......

I'll get you for this! And your little tiki too.......... Bwahhaahaahaahaahaa

[insert sinister music here]

Don't listen to me, I drink.

Lots.

On 2008-01-29 18:01, bigbrotiki wrote:

And regarding the 80s: I know, everybody is saying that after the 50s, 60s and 70s had their revival, the 80s will come back...but sorry, not for me....ever, baby. That is a notion born out of aesthetic boredom, for the style seekers that have done it all and are looking for new kicks.

Amen to that.

I agree with all the other posters about getting something midcentury. That green sofa is rad! it just needs new fabric. If you can't get vintage then go for a reproduction....never buy "RETRO". To me it's just a lame attempt at a classic design that never ever works. Kind of like how Denny's has tried to recreate their old Armet & Davis designed coffee shops with the new "retro" diner decor. It's phoney and looks craptacular.

Here is something more along the line of the other posted above. True retro and would work perfectly.

This is listed on craigslist in Sacramento for $1,200.00. I sat on this sofa and it is in excellent shape. You could snuggle for days or ignore each other from each end of the sofa, given your particular mood at the time.

Here is the link: http://sacramento.craigslist.org/fur/553947204.html
PTD

[ Edited by: Psycho Tiki D 2008-01-30 13:12 ]

bananabob ha ha very funny mister! The rattan set was only outside last summer when I first brought it home. the upholstery was too skanky to bring it in the house, plus I had to make room for it . Now it lives in the Bamboo Grove of Westwood. and I work at home AND I have a big German Shepard who would most likely NOT let you in the yard.

notice the new upholstery!
If someone was gonna lift it Sticky Fingers Riviera would have done it by now!