Transformation of a Chair

A couple of months ago I was up in my Grammy's attic which is chalk full of furniture, artwork, and things from the past.  My Grandparents are at that point in their life where they are trying to de-clutter, so every time we go up they make us take something home from the attic.  I'm always on the lookout for interesting furniture that needs a little love and a makeover.   This was the perfect chair.

Once I brought it home, the chair continued to sit in my basement for a couple more months.  As it normally goes, I was waiting for the perfect moment with the perfect idea to start the project.  I got the vision right before our trip out to Wisconsin, so I had plenty of time to plan it out and let it simmer.  I got pretty antsy having to wait until I got home, usually when I get an idea I start it right away (I'm not very patient) so this was good for me.  But as soon as I got home the sanders came out and deconstruction began.

As you can see this is a pretty sturdy chair with minimal damage to the frame.  It just needed refinishing to the arms and new cushions and upholstery.

My father, who is my refinishing expert, helped me sand down the arms.  From sanding the stain off and exposing the natural wood, we discovered that this chair was made of maple.  I then went to match the stain.  On my first try it was a perfect match.  A couple layers of varnish and it was good as new.

I then practiced my cushion making and deciding on the perfect color combination.  I love the look of the cream against the wood but I did not have enough of the fabric to cover the entire cushions.  I went back to the store to find that same fabric but it was not there.  I instead came back with this rusty brown fabric that I absolutely love.  Now I had the dilemma of which fabric to use.  I settled on using both.

My next dilemma was the piping.  As you saw in earlier posts I experimented with natural dyes.  Onion skin vs rust.  The both look very nice, so it now depended on the look I wanted to achieve.

The final product.  I am very pleased with how this chair turned out, it was exactly how I envisioned. This was my first attempt at cushion upholstery and it was a huge success!  As you can see I went with the onion skin piping which really makes the chair pop!

If you flip the cushions over the rusty color is exposed.  A reversible cushion was created out of necessity but turned into something pretty cool.

This was a great project that didn't take too long to complete.  I can't wait to put this in my new apartment, it will fit in perfectly.  When each element is thought out, planned and created it is easy for everything to come together nicely.  (More on the apartment design to come!)

Be Inspired. Be Bold.

peace&love

Rebecca