I have no idea what it is about these purple chairs. It’s nice that not only do I gawk at them when I’m here, it’s the comfort they provide after a day of running around in North Hollywood in the sweltering heat and having bad food with gnats flying around and non-working bathrooms (I’m digressing again…..). They are sooooo comfy that when you sit in them, you just melt. These big chairs remind me of airplane pilot seats. I wish I could remember the details of who made them and what year, but that’s when Allee will step in here and provide some detail. This chair also happens to be a favorite resting spot for “Sweet Potato”, well, this is usually where I find him.
I haven’t spent much time sitting on the pink couches here but there is no need really. I can rest in one of the big “pilot chairs” and admire them from across the room while I sit and eat gobs of candy. (There is an endless supply of candy here at “Willis Wonderland”).
Note the italian silver ball ashtrays. They will be appearing by themselves in a later post.
How can any person not love a pink, shag couch?
This is one of my favorite corners at “Willis Wonderland” and I NEVER get sick of looking at these foot stools. There are some cool things here in this shot such as the “ball transistor radio”, the Ubangi bust which I think is for flowers? Then of course the ball tv that is still in perfect working condition. The painting hanging on the wall was featured in another post.
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Allee Willis
I don’t know how I missed this post but as I was about to publish your 9th installment of your August Willis Wonderland adventures I saw that I never published Part 1. I apologize for getting these out of order… My clerical responsibilities here at AWMOK sometimes swamp my brain.
I got the purple 70’s fiberglas chair when I was writing The Color Purple and needed a bunch of comfy chairs for the throngs of people who were constantly coming over for meetings. The cushions are ultra-suede. The shape is Atomic 70’s. Beautiful chair but not really balanced well. If you sit too far forward you end up in your neighbor’s lap.
The pink couches are 1950s and for the first 30 years I owned them they were covered with the original pink with silver and black flecked fabric. When I left town for 4 months when Color purple opened in Atlanta my cat, Niblet, got mad at me and used one of the couches as a toilet. I had the pink shaggy fake fur left over from a music video so had the couches stripped and recovered. I still had 2 months on the road so had them covered in plastic to Niblet-proof them. When I got home I loved the crushed “fur” under the plastic so much it still remains.
The ashtrays are Italian, 1952. The ball tops are magnetic so snap to the day in any position you want them.
The rugs are all from Ikea. IKEA used to have the best rugs. The buyers have unfortunately gotten too conservative in the rug department these days.
We should have lit up the inflatable footstool for the photo.
denny
Oh Niblet! You know, Ikea does have some good stuff and I never thought to check them out for rugs.
Those foot stools make me light up when I see them!
MyFunCloset
Few museums could hold my attention like your shots of Willis Wonderland. It just twinkles. House of Prudence comes in a close second.
denny
I have so much fun doing this! (is your profile pic a pair of tap shoes??)
MyFunCloset
You saw WW with “new eyes”. No, not tap shoes… can’t sing… can’t dance… just visual.
These are my most favorite summer shoes. A harvest photo will replace this soon.
k2dtw
Thank you Denny…Fabulous post.. Ikea??..what???…really??..
The Loveseat…really, ALL the furniture pieces are just beautiful… stunning collection.
Allee Willis
Only the rugs are from IKEA. Though my last trip there they had gotten very conservative in the rug department and there were no incredible Atomic designs.
Deembe
I LOVE the footstools. I used to have one and it got popped. It was a sad sad day.
Allee Willis
Oh yeah, popping is very depressing. Did you know that there’s also a matching couch and coffee table though I’ve never seen them.
denny
Popping? I want one of these foot stools so bad I can’t stand it.
Deembe
Matching couch? Wow! I wonder what that looks like.
New things to keep an eye out for.
Love this blog btw. Just found it today and it’s home sweet home.
Thanks so much for putting it together.
Allee Willis
My pleasure! Do you collect anything?
And I may as well give a plug for my new (thankfully gone viral) video seeing is it’s your first day here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQo8LMaeE8s Unfortunately, two of the footstools were just out of frame by inches in the footage that was shot in my studio (the one with the gold records). I have 10 of them, all slightly different from each other, and three of them are in the studio.
denny
Hi Deembe!
Deembe
I saw the video, it’s awesome I’m a fan of Pomplamoose so was very cool to see your collaboration with them.
My only active collection at the moment is Sillisculpts. I’ll post a pic for you soon. I moved to LA from Seattle 2 years ago and had a gigantic yard sale. Since we are moving around I try to keep my hoarding in check. I have been to some amazing yard sales here. It’s been a challenge to buy or not to buy.
The Kitch is my favorite part of the city, it’s so fun just to drive around. I am truly enjoying it.
Allee Willis
I also meant to say that I sure would love to see some of your Sillisculpts.