I've heard folks talk about how they like the mid-century style of some of the homes in SC. If you are one of those folks, and want to keep the mid-century theme or if you have some mid-century stuff you are looking to sell, take a look at this: http://www.wayfair.com/daily-sales/Mid-Century-Furniture-for-Less~E22054.html The furnishings in my mom's house is worth a fortune based on those prices.
Mid-century modern is an intriguing term, and one I sometimes get confused by. During my final year as president of the Del Webb Sun Cities Museum we decided to try and finish decorating the living room with a final piece. I spent hours on line looking at sideboards and dining room hutches to serve as a holding place for all of our information as people enter the museum. There were tons of items out there, and the more I looked, the more confused I got. The variety of styles, shapes and sizes were staggering, but no where near is staggering as the prices people wanted for them. Apparently lots of folks got hyped by that catch-all term mid-century modern. The Mad-Men craze had just started and perhaps it was partly attributable to the rise in interest. I never did buy one before I left. The board bought a new piece after that and it looks fine. The only regret was my wife and I went to look at a sideboard that was advertised in the paper in Cave Creek. The thing was ornate, in beautiful shape, but massive. The cost wasn't bad, given the quality. The oddity was the guy selling it once had been employed at an architect for the Webb Corporation back in the 70's. I usually don't walk away from a good deal, especially one where the karma is right. My concern was the museum is small and the thing would have stood out like a sore thumb. I still regret not pulling the plug on it. The funny thing about stuff you don't buy is, 10 minutes later, it's just part of yesterday's news. I guess in a museum, yesterday's news isn't a bad thing eh?
The Mad Men furniture in the offices and Don Drapers apt was very cool mid-mod. However some of the furniture looked like hold overs from the 50s...the colonial style. I did see that in many Sun City homes I looked at too. There is a wide range of mid-mod furniture types. I love the good stuff.
I suspect what you would find in Sun City homes furnished in the 60's more often than not was from the 50's. People in those days were frugal and dragging all the old stuff with them was what they did. Of course furniture from back in those days was built better and meant to last forever. So much of the true mid-century modern had sleek lines and not all of the ornate look from the 40's and 50's. The furniture in the living room of the museum has the Queen Anne legs and the tufted and buttoned couch's popular in those years. Almost invariably when folks stop in we hear this" "I had that same set back in the 60's" or from the younger folks; "my aunt had that set." It's all part of the joy's of visiting the Del; Webb Sun Cities Museum, memories of days gone by and the whole potential of recapturing a more simple way of life.
We're starting to think about furnishing the new condo and we like the mid-century and modern, sleek lines. Any recommendations for stores to check out in the area? We're not averse to quality used but those shops are generally hit and miss if you're looking for a specific furniture type. What say you, Sun City residents?
We've bought furniture from a half a dozen (or more) different stores. In the early days we shopped local stores and they have gone by the bye. There's now one in the shopping center on 103rd and 99th and the Amish store on Grand Ave and 107th. There's several consignment shops that we have sold stuff through, but we haven't bought much from them. Bell Road heading east has dozens of furniture stores, and their sales are pretty good. But if you want a shopping experience, you need to pop on over to The American Furniture Warehouse. It's down by the Cardinals stadium in Glendale on 99th Ave just off the 101. It truly is a monster of a store that is a one-stop shop. Their prices are competitive or better than most. As for quality, today's furniture isn't what yester-years was, but then the cost is better when adjusted for inflation. Just another of the joys of moving here, especially if you aren't trucking down tons of stuff that may or may not fit what you want here. Of course because you are keeping a place back home, that won't be a problem Mick. It's all going to be new or gently used. One of the things that cracks me up is to go to an estate sale and see their prices (usually off the charts till the last day when it's half off). But the real head scratcher is to watch people trying to sell their 20 year old mattresses. Really?
I love mid century modern, but my mom loved the turned wood/maple cowboy wagon wheel tea cart crap when I was growing up lol. We look online now and then and find some fantastic modern couches for $5,000 that need help. The dog does not need a $5,000 couch.....
