Daily Inspiration: Meet Marla Kiley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marla Kiley.

Hi Marla, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
In the Fall of 2008, I was starting to go back to work after a few years home with my preschool kids when the economy went into a free-fall collapse. My industry – the world of publishing, writing, and editing – was taking a major hit with newspapers and magazines folding by the hour. I had done a little freelance work, but not enough to compete for a job with veteran writers and editors who flooded the market with current resumes.

I had been collecting 1960s furniture for a few years (it wasn’t called Mid Century Modern back then, it was called “old junk” by most people.) However, I didn’t mean to start collecting anything and I didn’t realize that I was collecting a specific style.

My “collecting” began when I needed some dressers and money was tight. So, I went to an ARC thrift store and two items caught my eye only they were in such bad shape — literally stained, chipped, and partially painted. I didn’t buy them. I came home and talked about them. And I talked. And I talked. And I talked. Now, the kids were really little, they didn’t listen to me which left only one person to take all my chatter – my very patient husband.

The next week, I found myself back at that Thrift Store and those two pieces were still there. (That was back when you could find MCM furniture at the Thrift store and nobody wanted it). I called that patient partner again and started to talk about the furniture.

I debated spending $40 for the two items while he kept telling me to buy them. I stood in the store for about thirty minutes until I heard an echo of my husband’s voice behind me. As we had been talking on our cell phones, he had left work and driven to the store. I think he must have been reaching a mental breaking point and could not take another second of my indecision.

He hung up, bought the two pieces of furniture, and loaded them in my car. After that, whenever I could, I grabbed up furniture that had that same streamlined look. Back then it was everywhere – in alleys, garage sales, family basements, junk stores….I was grabbing all I could find and refinishing them. I felt a sense of purpose in saving beautiful furniture and making them ready for another life.

If there was a style called Mid-Century Modern Hoarder – I was the inventor. My house was so crammed with MCM furniture that I refinished it defeated the MCM look of open space with simple lines.

A friend of mine told me to put some of my excess pieces of furniture on Craigslist. So I did. Within an hour, they sold. I had many, many items to sell and so I started listing them like crazy. They all sold quickly. Then along came Peter….Peter the Picker…Peter found me through Craigslist. Peter buys all sorts of stuff from furniture to bikes to vintage clothes and then sells them to interested buyers. Peter saw all my listings and thought I had a store.

He offered to sell me furniture “In-my-style” that needed repair. That week, Peter brought me a truck full of MCM furniture in various states of disrepair. I bought it all. I met more Pickers. I met dealers. I met Estate Liquidators. Eventually, I hired help, and I started shipping and placing items in stores.

Now I’m closing in on 17 years in the business – I refinish vintage pieces from any era and I love it – but I never expected I would still be doing it after so many years. I just can’t give it up.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The struggles change, right now finding quality pieces can be a problem, finding new finishes when old ones are discontinued is also a current problem– nothing too crazy – just normal stuff all small businesses face.

My biggest struggle is forcing myself to take time off – when you work at home, on your own hours, you can be a bit of a workaholic. My hobby is my business and I run it from my home/garage which makes getting away from work very difficult.

Every business has ups and downs, but overall it’s been an amazing ride.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I refinish vintage furniture – it’s a small business and I work from home – my two-car garage is my shop and I always have at least one employee who helps with the work.

Most of my experience before this business was in corporate America and now, doing something creative that gives a tattered old piece of furniture a new life is very rewarding. It’s not changing the world dramatically, but it’s saving items from the landfill and I take great joy and pride in that little step.

The thing that sets me apart from others is that I’m willing to train other people to do what I do for free – and I have shown many people how to do what I do — I have no trade secrets. There is plenty of furniture out there that could use a facelift and a new home. I encourage other people to do what I do, but, as many people have discovered, it’s not easy. It’s hard, physical work. It’s not for everyone.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
That’s a funny question because I listen to podcasts and books all day as I work – there is no one book or show that helps me do my best – continuing to learn, stimulating creative thinking, both help me stay interested in what I do and look for new  solutions to old problems. Ongoing education in any field makes a huge difference in my life satisfaction.

In 2023, my favorite book was Project Hail Mary – my favorite podcasts are Jonathan Goldstein’s Heavyweight, The Moth, and This American Life – although, yes, I listen to all the murder podcasts and suspense stories with a healthy dose of history and health/science podcasts to keep my brain from atrophying.

The app that changed my life was Quickbooks mile tracker – that was a lifesaver because I’m constantly on the road picking up furniture.

Contact Info:

• Website: modmidcentury.blogspot.com
• Instagram: @circafurniture