Tuesday's customer inspiration - David's designer home!

Thanks for stopping by for Tuesday customer inspiration where I showcase something a customer has purchased from Jubilee Furniture and how it looks in their home - either exactly as it looked leaving the store or how it's been transformed into something better! Just email me at sgalbraith@outreachcommin.org with a photo (or two or more!) and I'd be obliged to you!

What a treat I have for you today! Here's David's email:

Hey! I'm a pro designer who lives Chicago...but I do love a nice voyage out to Jubilee. It allows me to both indulge in affordable furniture finds as well as make a pit stop at the Olive Garden...a place that does not exist in Chicago.

Here is a snap of my living room, furnished with a large amount of Jubilee finds. The love seat is a great piece from the 40s that was covered in a worn out fabric. It honestly looked like a disaster. I had it redone in a beautiful silk mohair blend fabric and it is ready for another 50 years of service. The little hand peeking out from the cushion adds a little bit of comic relief.


The coffee table was a pretty teak piece that had been used and abused for a lot of years; it was covered in cigarette burns and was sitting in the back of Jubilee marked $15. I had it refinished in a dark tone with the grain picked out in a cerused technique...quite striking.

The unorthodox "lamp" by the love seat is a chandelier that I found at Jubilee. It was suffering from badly discolored white paint on it. I spray painted it a matte finish black, removed the chain, put a plug end on the wire, and found some unusual bulbs for it. It never fails to get a reaction from people!

On one side of my family room is a great cabinet that is meant to be in a dining room. I could not resist the bubbly glass panes...nor could I resist the price when I found it at Jubilee! It is the perfect spot to hold my collection of hand made pottery.

This chair is my favorite Jubilee find. When I found it the seat was covered in hideous harvest gold colored vinyl..I wire brushed the teak frame and had it reupholstered in deep red colored fuzzy cow hide. It is also the cats favorite hideout and gives a nice informal note to my family room.

Here is my bedroom, with a great floor lamp from Jubilee and a terrific little side table that was spray painted gold when I bought it...I layered about 10 coats of dark brown glaze on it over the gold and came out with a piece that sort of glows. The curtains in the window are super inexpensive cotton panels, but the look is striking.

If you have an open mind, you can buy pieces at Jubilee, customize them in really terrific ways, and end up with something completely unique for less than a generic new piece at Crate and Barrel.

I hope this provides a little bit of inspiration!

After I sent David a gushing email (well, let's be honest - his place is amazing) he sent me the following:

Thanks for the nice compliment...I think not having a big pile of money makes me be a little bit more creative about things. I guess if I had less limited funds my place would have turned out differently.

I just wish that you guys were closer. Actually, on second thought...maybe having you outside of the city is good for my wallet!

Here are a couple of other pictures of my place...but there is no real Jubilee to be found in them.

I look forward to making the trip out there again soon...I am still on the quest for a few more things.

Unbelievable. Gorgeous. Fantastic. Yet the kind of home where you could plop down and put your feet up!

David - thank you so much for providing a photo tour of your fabulous - and very inspiring - home!