This gossip bench - which we've named Marge, in honor of its original owner - has a special place in our hearts. Gossip benches were commonplace during the early days of the telephone; they provided convenient seating for long conversations on the phone, which was placed on the tabletop. This one was purchased from a woman who grew up using it at her grandparents' Ohio farmhouse. (She even remembers that they had a party line!) A thick coat of heavy, dated brown lacquer was drowning this bench's clean, sophisticated lines. Using her 1940s wedding photo for inspiration, Marge's bench was painted a milky white reminiscent of her wedding gown. For the fabric, we chose a stylish and practical taupe linen that evoked the kind of smart suit material a 1940s Midwestern woman might have favored. After her makeover, this bench looks as fresh and radiant as the day her namesake was married!
Farmhouse Gossip Bench - White Paint & Taupe Linen Fabric
This bench most likely dates to the 1930s. This one was purchased from a woman who inherited it from her grandmother. It originated in an Ohio farmhouse, where the couple who owned it placed calls using a party line.