Jeanne Coppers with her chair, 'Surfers Paradise,'
at IFDA fundraiser in Boca Raton.
Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Mary Thurwachter
When designers and artists combine their skills and talents to give an old chair new life, they can come up with fetching creations. And when those creations are put up for auction and proceeds go to a good cause, well, that’s a pretty picture for all concerned.
That’s what happened last month when the International Furnishings and Design Association Florida hosted its inaugural Take A Seat project.
Caroline Baer Rogow, president of IFDA Florida, said the local chapter was following what chapters in Japan and New York did for the first time last year. Japan raised money for tsunami victims and New York gave proceeds to victims of Hurricane Sandy.
“We were so impressed,” said Rogow, of Panache Designs Inc. “We wanted to do one this year, and we plan to make it an annual event. Our chapters from around the world worked together to conduct local exhibitions at the same time.”
Participants began by taking a new or vintage chair and up-cycled it to create unique pieces of art. The chairs were displayed at Capitol Lighting through Oct. 11 after an Oct 1 kick-off party at Rosenbaum Fine Art Décor in Boca Raton.
On Oct. 11, the organization raised more than $10,000 during a gala charity auction in the sculpture garden at the Boca Raton Museum of Art. Proceeds, in fitting with the worldwide Heroes at Home theme, are going to Habitat for Humanity for veterans housing.
Chair designs ranged from whimsical to elegant.
One of the designers, Jeanne Coppers of That’s It Designs by Jeannie in Ocean Ridge, called her piece “Surfers Paradise” after the Australian town where her son, a surfer who grew up in Ocean Ridge, currently lives.
“I bought a chair for $6 from the Habitat thrift shop, took the seat off of it and replaced it with skim board,” she said. She also attached a skim board to the back and hung a little grass skirt around the seat. Then she under-lit the chair with blue light, which she said showed up nicely for the auction, held outside at night.
“Because I’m such a water sports person, the surfing theme was perfect for me,” she said.
Her whimsical chair fetched $250 at the auction.
Rogow’s chair featured a donated original canvas painting by artist Salvatore Principe, known for his use of hearts.
“We took an unloved chair and transformed it,” said Rogow, who lives in Hillsboro Beach. “Now it has a heart — a purple heart synonymous with warriors” and a good fit for the theme.”
It also has new upholstery and a new owner — it sold for $1,500 at the auction.
Rogow said the local project involved 25 designers and artists.
“Most submissions came from designers, but some were from well-known artists (e.g., Kris Smith, Andres Conde, Jeff Whyman) who helped us a lot.”
Exactly how much money was raised has yet to be tabulated, Rogow said. “Money is still coming in.”
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