The Blue Chair

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I think it was meant to be. Remember when I told you about 'the blue chair'? The one from Goodwill that was sooo amazing...

Photo via Apartment Therapy

Well I went back to Goodwill a few days later, looking for some 'vintage' tablecloths and guess who was still there?! The blue chair. I felt like he was waiting for me.

So for $30 I left Goodwill with yet another "furniture rescue" and drove home with a smile on my face.  I told my husband not to look until I had a chance to freshen him (this chair is a definitely a  "him" don't you think?!) up a bit. He needed to be dusted off and vacuumed. I decided to paint his wooden legs brown too. And then there was the issue of the wax. I wish had taken a photo of this part, but I was trying to work fast :)

There were wax drippings across the arm of the chair. So after a quick google search, I found you can easily remove wax from velvet. I set my iron on warm, and put a folded piece of paper towel between the iron and the chair. The heat from the iron melted the wax and the paper towel absorbed the melted wax. I was amazed, it actually worked! (See the full instructions for removing wax from velvet here.)
Once I had him fixed up, I knew right where he needed to go.

I love the color in our bedroom. The 'blue' looks different shades throughout the day, depending on the amount of light in the room. Then I stumbled upon this rug at TJ Maxx. The green, ivory, black and blue hues are perfect for the room.

I rearranged the accessories on our night tables and found a blue pillow from Target for the striped chair.

This room is a good example that decorating takes a long time! I have been trying to get this project done since January of 2011. In fact it made my resolution list for 2011. 

 Now it is April of 2012 and I am still working! Getting a room just right takes time. It started with the ruffled lamp shades, then I added the drapes from Ikea, we had plantation shutters installed, the 'side of the road' wingback and window cushion were reupholstered, and finally the blue chair and the rug are here. I think our room is 'done'.

The blue chair was definitely meant to come home with me :)
Do you have any projects that 'never seem to end'?


Sharing my bedroom here: Thrifty Decor Chick,  Home Stories A to Z , Tatertots and Jello,
The 36th Avenue,  Serenity Now

Furniture Rescue

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I have gotten in a pretty good habit of going to Goodwill at least once a month. Not sure my husband would agree that it is a 'good' habit, but if you are someone who enjoys the hunt of thrifting... then you know:) Everyday people are literally throwing away furniture, perfectly good furniture. And if you want to find it, then you have to be looking for it.

Some ends up on the side of the road... like this chair.

 
And some ends up in second-hand stores like Goodwill. Remember this chair?

 
I was in Goodwill yesterday and I found a beautiful tufted blue velvet chair. It was only $35, but I couldn't think where I would put it. I mentally went from room to room in my house and decided that if I brought home the chair, I might end up on "Hoarders". (Although now that I am looking at this photo, which is very similar to the chair in question, it might have been worth it!)

Source: google.com via Samantha on Pinterest

 How do you know when enough is enough? How many vintage chairs does one house really need?

Source: writingrainbows.blogspot.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Let's see...

I needed one for my craft room table.

Then I needed another one for my sewing desk.

Of course my computer desk had to have a chair.

And then Afton needed one for her projects.

And I had to have two for our 'breakfast nook' turned 'reading corner'.

Hmm....I think you can see where this is going. But the prices are so low and isn't recycling (or 'furniture rescue' as I like to call it) a noble act in itself?!!

Most recently the wooden chairs that came with the little table broke. So I went in search of two small vintage chairs.  When you thrift, the best part is that you aren't looking for matching sets. And when you don't have to match, you are free to choose pieces based on shape, style, and well--- just a feeling of 'love'.

I love these antique school chairs. I haven't painted them, I like the colors and distressed look.

Wanting to make your house feel more 'homey'? Wanting to give 'unwanted furniture' a good home?  Then try adding a vintage chair.  It can add a new layer of interest to your decor. And everyone loves great furniture with a little history.

Do you own any vintage chairs? Where did you find them?

Sharing my love of chairs at these great blogs: -Too Much Time on My Hands, Home Stories A to Z , Tatertots and Jello, The 36th Avenue, -Whipperberry, Serenity Now, Under the Table and Dreaming  

 PS. Come back later for "Cowgirl Up!"-- the original linked linky party. This week, it is my turn to show-off some of the best posts from the party. And I chose 11 of your projects to feature!

Reupholsetry Revisited

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About a month ago I wrote about my newest reupholstery projects. I had found two chairs- one literally on the side of the road- and the other at Goodwill. I also had a foam cushion for my bay window that was desperately in need of an update. My furniture is now done and I couldn't be more pleased!

Before: Light blue stripe and natural stain legs

After: Black and white ticking with black painted legs

 Before: Green velvet and natural stain legs

After: Dove gray velvet and white painted legs

 Before: Red and yellow print

After: Cream velvet

A much better fit with my neutral bedding!

Marc Holmes of All Around Upholstery is my 'go-to-guy' when it comes to furniture. The business was passed down to him through the family. He is a stickler for perfection and even picks up/ delivers for free!

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Kirsten on Pinterest

Some of my Crafty readers have emailed me questions about upholstery. So, here are few tips for you are who new to the recovering game.

Where to purchase fabric?
If you live in DFW, there are lots of choices. And thanks to the internet, these places are available to everyone- even if you don't live in Texas :)

Source: google.com via Samantha on Pinterest

 

Here are a few of my favorite places for fabric:
- Childress
-Cutting Corners
-Best Fabrics
-Pottery Barn
-Ballards
-Interior Alternative

Is it cost effective to recover vs. buy new?
Yes! Shop Craigslist, local garage sales, antique stores, Goodwill etc. for furntiure. Most pieces can be purchased for under $50.  My 'side of the road' wingback chair cost $250 to recover. I found a good price on fabric, $11 a yard x 6 yards. So the total cost of the chair was $316. For custom furniture, this is unbeatable.

What fabric should  I choose?
Look at the other pieces in your home. If you have a lot of solid colors furniture, add some pattern with an accent chair. Geometric prints, stripes or even florals can be a great way to add layers to your home. And since you are creating a custom piece of furniture, feel free to have a little fun. Create something you couldn't find at the department store.

Source: fabric.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: fabric.com via Samantha on Pinterest

If large prints scare you, you can add a little drama with a pop of color on the cording. Or consider covering the back of the cushion in a different print than the rest of the chair. I have a friend who did the seat of her wingback in leopard print. Depending on her accent pillows or mood, she could flip the cushion over for a new look.

Source: re-nest.com via Lindsay on Pinterest

With that being said, I would recommend looking through catalogs, blogs, and magazines before you buy your fabric. Whenever you are going to spend $300 on a project, you want to make sure that it won't look dated in a year.

Source: emmacooper.tumblr.com via Annalee on Pinterest

A Few More Things...
-Don't forget about the details! Nailhead trim, painted legs, a skirt, tufting, and buttons all add a more custom look to your furniture. These add the finishing touch to your pieces and can usually be done for around $25-$75.

Source: chairs1000.com via Julie on Pinterest

Oh and a word of warning: When Marc dropped the chairs off, my 20 month-old happily sat on the dove-gray chair while I paid for the work and chatted for a few minutes. During that time, she managed to scribble on my newly covered chair with a bright orange crayon. What?! I know. Thankfully, it was a washable crayon. So if you haven't already, replace all art supplies with washable ones- you never know when an orange crayon will strike! 

Have a great week:)

Reupholstered Chairs

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I love beautiful, custom furniture.

Source: grahamandgreen.co.uk via Samantha on Pinterest

You know, the kind you could never buy off the showcase floor.

Source: thecreativemaven.net via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: eismandesign.com via Samantha on Pinterest

The kind where you hunt forever to find the piece and then spend forever looking for the perfect fabric.

Source: tumview.inucara.net via Samantha on Pinterest

I have had this chair sitting in my bedroom for almost a year. I literally picked it up off the street one night in Fort Worth. And yes- I was able to fit it into the back of an Impala all by myself :)

My husband finally said, "Are you ever going to get that thing covered? It's gross!" So I went fabric shopping. I chose a black and white ticking.

And then  I randomly ended up at Goodwill and I found this chair for $15. I tried, I mean really tried to leave without it. But for such a great price... I took it home. So I went fabric shopping again.

The buttons and stitching cost a bit more when it comes to reupholstery prices, but I think that detail is what gives the chair it's character.  I am having this one done in a light brown velvet.

Finally there was this cushion. It came with the house and now that I am "cozying up" our master bedroom, it seemed like a good idea to re-cover it too.

This cushion will be done in an ivory velvet.

Locally, we have lots of great places to buy fabric in the DFW area. My favorites are "Cutting Corners" and "Best Fabrics" in Dallas. But if you don't have any nearby, there are a lot of great options online too- Ballards, Pottery Barn, Etsy.

Source: potterybarn.com via Samantha on Pinterest

And as usual, my favorite fabrics are always the ones that are $30+ a yard fabrics. However my budget/conscience insists that I keep the fabric around $9-15 a yard.

Source: potterybarn.com via Samantha on Pinterest

When I go fabric shopping, I am always drawn to large florals. But, since I already did a set of 'wild floral wing backs'--I decided to follow Nate Berkus' advice and go with a neutral. I can always change them up with pillows covered in ikat, chevron, or some crazy pattern. Much easier and cheaper to replace pillows :)

Some talented DIYers have succeeded at recovering upholstered chairs- even wing backs! But I know my limits.

Read about the desk chair here.

Crafty Room Re-do here.

For big upholstery jobs like this I am relying on the professionals! Overall it's not a cheap project, even with a good deal on the chair and the fabric, the labor is several hundred dollars.  But for a custom piece, that I will really, really love- I don't mind saving up for it. My custom chairs and cushion back should be back in about a month.

Source: allthingsthrifty.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Do you have a piece that you want recovered? Or have I tempted you to run to Goodwill today to find something with character for a new project?

--Be sure to stop by "The Stories of A to Z"- my ruffled lamp tutorial was featured!! along with lots of other great creative projects.