I'm not sure what is happening, but I keep running across Early American pieces of furniture that work for me.
The first piece I found was this end table. The size and shape work great. It's sturdy and functional. It's NOT a style I'm in love with, but I think it has possibilities. A paint job is coming soon. Maybe I'll love it then. I'm thinking of painting it an accent color - red maybe? Or robin's egg blue. I don't have anything in the room that color, but for some reason, I keep picturing that table in that color. I may go for it. I never liked following rules that seemed unnecessary. And I definitely have a hard time sticking to a color scheme.
I found these dining chairs at a thrift store. They, too, are heavy and sturdy, plus they are comfortable. I wasn't in love with the look, but with a little paint... The only problem is, I can't decide what color to paint them. Red? White? Black? Cream? Tan? Black would look good, but I think I'm leaning towards cream. That could change tomorrow.
I have been looking for family room chairs with a back and bottom cushion that I could slipcover. Since I live with cats and dogs, slipcovers are a necessity. I want chairs with simple cushions that I can recover easily anytime I want to update the look. It's also important to me that the chairs be comfortable. I've been looking without success for ages.
This past weekend I found this set at a garage sale. I wasn't looking for the stool, but it's a pretty comfy addition. The chair is very heavy and well made. Again, the style wasn't perfect - I had pictured a chair with simpler lines, but this one has possibilities. If I later find a more attractive chair, I can move this one. I have a number of places where it would work.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to paint it cream. Before I decide for sure, I'm going to pick out my fabric. Hopefully the fabric will be what gets noticed first.
I don't know a lot about this style of furniture. I don't know for sure if it's Early American or Colonial or something else. The pieces I keep finding are maple. They are all heavy and sturdy. The have turned legs. They are comfortable, well-thought-out, functional pieces. They seem to be taking over my home. I think it's "a good thing". Time will tell. Actually, paint and fabric will tell!