Jan 28, 2013

Updating Old Furniture

As our journey continues with Maka Maka, we constantly try to create new things for our patrons to discover.  We were recently featured on a popular local channel in Kolkata (Calcutta) called News Time and one of the topics covered was how to update old furniture to make them a part of our modern lifestyles.

I thought it was great topic to discuss as Kolkata has a lot of the old, not only in it's colonial British architecture, but also in the interiors of many homes.  Chest of drawers, almirahs, travel trunks, chairs, and much more, have been handed down from generation to generation.  I've found that the current owners sometimes find it difficult to integrate these pieces into their modern lifestyles and homes.  These pieces of the old world are usually beautifully crafted and can have some very interesting contemporary features that are timeless.

We suggest you give such pieces a facelift. A bright color paint, maybe, with a slightly distressed look could do wonders for an older looking chest of drawers.  Changing out the old hardware on the drawers for funky new ceramic knobs can be a fun and interesting way of creating a great new look.  This otherwise neglected piece of furniture could then become the conversation piece in your living room!
A travel trunk that carries many memories from many generations can function as a great new coffee table with storage for board games, books, etc.  A fresh coat of paint or an interesting mural painted on it can give it a new life and function.  Same goes for these old Burma teak chairs we had found in a very cluttered old furniture shop in Calcutta. It's great bones and structure appealed to me and a few coats of red lacquer paint and new seats upholstered in Black-Grey Ahimsa Silk, helped create a fabulous new look for these occasional chairs.