From the Silver Screen to "Mad Men": LA Vintage Furnishings

When we were young and growing up, every few years, we watched our mother work with her interior decorators. (That's what they were called then: none of this "designer" stuff; these women were decorators). Bolts of fabric littered the floor while swatches of wallpaper and paint chips were affixed to the walls; everything was going to be new again.

Recently, we came across some photographs of furnishings that recalled the glossy images those interior decorators would bring over. Photographs of rooms that evoked Hollywood films from the Thirties where the heroine sails on the Cunard line, bound for Europe - and romance. Photographs that fueled our interior re-design fantasies.

It turns out these photographs came from a Los Angeles store called LA Vintage Furnishings - and so we got in touch with the purveyors of these splendid furnishings to find out what's happening in the design world.

EDGE: First of all, how would you describe your store?

LA Vintage Furnishings (LAVF): LA Vintage Furnishings is your source for one-of-a-kind antique and vintage furnishings. Whether you are a set decorator, interior designer, photographer, prop stylist, or simply an avid collector, you'll love our exclusive, vintage furniture and accessories.

EDGE: And you're located where?

LAVF: In Los Angeles, California, near Culver City. Our main showroom has over 4,500 square feet of furnishing and accessories highlighting the styles from the Twenties to Mid-Century - and everything in between.

EDGE: That's a lot of style.

LAVF: You can visit our dramatic warehouse where each vintage piece is showcased within a set from television shows such as "Samantha Who" and Kelsey Grammar's "Back to You."

EDGE: Very cool.

LAVF: Our location is unique and expansive, and ideal for movie and television filming or holding special events and parties.

EDGE: What are you seeing in the market at the moment?

LAVF: Right now, the biggest trend that we are seeing is that the love our customers have for mid-century furnishings is sill very strong - but in an updated way.

EDGE: What does that mean?

LAVF: It means that we're looking at re-upholstered pieces, in fresh linen, for example, both in bright solids and soft prints. We are also seeing a new direction in mixing traditional styles with the Fifties/Sixties vintage.

EDGE: Mad Men is such an influence on everyone's style these days.

LAVF: The combination of traditional and Sixties makes everything look current and new again.

EDGE: Let's look at some photos of your items. Maybe you can tell us a little bit about them.

Vintage Furnishings and Accessories

Here we're looking down on the main showroom of L.A. Vintage Furnishings store in Los Angeles, California.

We have over 4500 square feet of unique vintage furnishing and accessories highlighting the styles from the Twenties to Mid-Century - and everything in between.

Forties French Sideboard

French Deco mirror $750

Beautiful Forties French sideboard $3800

Pair of twist chrome lamps with black base and cap $950

Antiqued gold opened air base and light wood top tide table $495

Signed D.H. Chiparius authorized reproduction of two cast bronze dancers with ivory hands and faces on a marble base $8250

Lap Strip Velvet

Glass top square gold tone iron scroll table $450

Pair of high back chairs covered in lap strip velvet $1495

Unique two-piece sectional sofa $3850

Porcelain Whippet Dog

Deco vintage print club chair $800

Three small and one large hand blown glass bottles attributed to Otto Brauer $250

Charming and pretty Terra cotta Asian lady sculpture $165

Beautiful porcelain "Whippet" dog is attributed to the Marbro Lamp Company $1200

Late 17th-century Flanders hammered metal mirror with subtle gilding. $4180