Random chairs + Table = Cottage Dining Set

So here's an old chair I found in the alley not too long ago.

It's been stored in my garage.

Pretty yukko, but it's sturdy….

Do you think perhaps the previous owner 

had a dog in the home?

Nothing a little sanding can't fix……..

I sanded, 

then painted the frame in Annie Sloan Old White.

Then I distressed and waxed.

Finally I rebuilt the cushion 

by adding batting and then covering in

a sweet pink Schumacher fabric sample.

So cottagey!

And here's random chair number two…

I think I paid a few bucks for this one at a sale.

Honestly, I can't remember!

 But it has really cool urn legs.

 So, I did a similar treatment: I painted,

then rebuilt the seat and covered in another

Schumacher fabric sample.

And then I used an old vintage scarf to upholster

the chair front.

 Sweet, sweet.

 Here's the pair, and even though they don't match,

they certainly go together!!!!!

Especially when you put them with a little cottage table!

I love this sweet little set!

I wish I had a place for it…it is so ME.

The set is for sale in my Greenwood Booth.

$189

Reupholstering an Empire Bench with Non-Traditional Materials.

One of my favorite things to do 

is to reinvent something in a unique way.

You know, 

take a leap of faith……

And pleasantly surprise yourself!

Here's a perfect example of a piece I had to rebuild recently,  

so I took the challenge!

I purchased this old antique upholstered bench at a yard sale.

It was covered in an old raggedy gold velour…

It had a glorious wood frame with lots of detail

But boy was it a mess!

I had to take everything off….

 

I removed the springs.

(Easily made 7 times my investment on this piece by just

repurposing the springs into candle holders…added some

fabric scraps and ball candles and put in my booths.)

But I digress. 

Back to the bench.

One of the sides had a broken frame 

so I wood glued it.

Then I removed everything from the seat. 

The original stuffing, burlap, etc,

I left the upholstered sides 

because they were still in good shape..

I rebuilt the seat using scrap lumber pieces, and

painted the frame in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Cream.

 After the cream paint had dried, I dry brushed an overcoat of Paris Grey

and then I distress sanded. 

 I rebuilt the seat with layers and layers of batting.

Here you can see the frame after I added dark wax

to all the nooks and crannies…

(Sorry for the dark photo…I was working late…)

Okay, on to the finish!

I found this awesome printed canvas rug at Ross.

I decided to use this for the upholstery.

 

I stapled and trimmed the rug…

(and treated myself to an IPA…)

And instead of using traditional gimp, 

I decided to just fold up and glue the raw edges.

Then I used galvanized roofing nails 

to adorn and secure the edges.

Getting close….now to the sides…...

 I used a grey and white ticking to upholster the sides,

after adding a layer of batting.

Then I used gimp to edge.

And it's done!

It's in my booth at Greenwood Antiques & Uniques.

$249

Papa Bear Chairs….(or are they Mama Bear??) With Painted Vinyl Seats

 So I picked up these two chairs recently off of Craigslist….

They have the strangest scale:

Massive Papa Bear seats….

 …with Mama Bear backs……..

The seats are a tan vinyl.

 And the front/back are an upholstered yellow swirly fabric...

 The backs are really cool, 

with this "x."

Okay, so how to make 

these weird chairs sing?

 This makeover started with a coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey.

I painted the seat and the wood frame.

 I also painted the upholstered fabric on the chair back.

Next, another coat of paint.

But this time, 

I top coated the wood "x" in Old White.

Then I waxed and distress sanded the chairs.

Here's a side by side of the back. 

Already an improvement.

So now it's time to tackle that nasty old chair front!!

 Which fabric will SheShe choose?

 SO many choices….

 Can you guess?

 (Actually, at this point in the process, I didn't even know!)

 It helps to take photos of the different options, 

and then review them….

 So…………

can you guess which one I went with???

And the winner…..

 is…….

 THE OCTOPI!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's just too funky weird not to use. Ha…

I love the orange with the cool grey.

And yes, you can paint vinyl.

The seats feel like butter 

after painting, sanding, waxing,

and buffing.

Here is the matching pair in my booth.

Incredibly comfy….(for Mama Bear.)

and roomy, (for Papa Bear.)

Or vice versa;)

At this rate, with such happy bears,

there just may be a Baby Bear soon!

For sale: $249 each or $450 for the pair.

(That's just the source light that makes them appear different colors…)

Candace's Chest of Drawers Makeover

What a dreary, rainy day it's been here in Richmond, VA.

Thank goodness my project for the past two days 

has been in a client/neighbor's garage!

Instead of my typical work space: 

My sidewalk.

Candace had this old chest of drawers 

that she wanted to have painted for her daughter's bedroom.

It had lots of issues: 

All the drawer runners had come unglued 

and most had been rigged with duct tape! 

(I'm not naming names here!)

And the back of the piece had separated from the rest.

So before I could paint, 

I had to tackle the structural issues.

I wood glued all the loose pieces….

and glued and carefully nudged the piece back together 

and clamped everything.

I removed all the hardware, 

and cleaned and lightly sanded everything.

 I painted the piece with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - 

50% French Linen/50% Old White.

Here it is after one coat.

 After it dried, 

I painted a second coat.

 And then I left the piece clamped overnight.

 Today, while listening to the pitter patter of the rain on the garage roof,

(and dreaming of having a place like this to work all the time!)

I finished her up!

I distress sanded all the areas,

and waxed with clear wax.

And then I added dark wax in the grooves and along the edges,

to simulate age.

 And here's a little visual trick you can try:

Since we weren't particularly fond of these "flying eagle" pulls,

I painted the back plates in the same paint as the dresser...

 …and then painted the pulls in a teal color: Provence.

Then I added lots of dark wax to build up a patina.

It sort of tricks your eye to only see the pulls.

(You know the old saying:

"Accentuate the positive/eliminate the negative….")

I hate seeing unpainted sides of drawers 

on a painted piece….

so I also painted all the drawer sides and the interiors.

 For inside, I  chose this intense Greek Blue. 

I love this burst of color when you open a drawer!

All the insides and the runners got waxed too,

so the drawers are much easier to open and close now.

I think it looks pretty great.

Too bad it's spending its first gussied-up night

all alone...

in the garage.

;(