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Happy September, dear friends! Can you believe the fall equinox has come and gone? I hope you had a fabulous summer! I didn’t mean to stay silent for so long, but I’ve been experiencing the longest writer’s block since the inception of Café Design. I could easily blame it on an incredibly busy summer, on the many fun-filled days and lazy afternoons spent by the pool or reading, but the truth is I had nothing pretty or finished to show you in terms of home décor, despite the many ongoing projects behind the scenes. Who wants to see the process of power washing our house? Or refinishing our deck? Or fixing our old gravel walkways? Or a pile of dirt as we’ve been clearing out the overgrown vegetation in our backyard? Maintenance, a necessary part of homeownership, can be too boring for words 🙂 But I missed writing and chatting with you guys so I’m back, eager to share with you a couple of things I’m passionate about these days. That is, if anyone is still out there and reading 🙂
Garden bounty
One of the things that’s new in my life is a deepened interest in upholstery, dictated in part by necessity, in part by frugality. (When you live in the boondocks, with no upholstery workroom in sight, you have no choice but to do it yourself 🙂 ) But my interest in upholstery is nothing new. As a decorator and furniture lover, I am constantly on the lookout for timeless pieces that I can reimagine in new and fresh ways for myself and for my clients. Some of you may remember that I’d taken Micaela Sharp’s Create Academy class on modern upholstery techniques a few summers ago. That class gave me the knowledge to reupholster a few furnishings around the house, beginner-friendly pieces that allowed my skills (and my confidence) to grow. I was happy with the course and what it empowered me to do, so I shared a review of it HERE.
Using Micaela’s easy-to-follow lessons, I’d managed reupholster an attractive old chair, an ottoman, as well as a headboard for my daughter’s bedroom. But the idea of upholstering more complex pieces – anything fiddly, with a curved back, or piping – was terrifying to me, which was a shame because I’d been hoarding old furniture for years, and most of it was in desperate need of a refresh.
Fast forward to this summer, when I discovered an informal group of enthusiastic women eager to learn upholstery together, right here in my neighborhood. Although online learning platforms have revolutionized the way we acquire knowledge and new skills, there is something to be said in favor of in-person learning, whenever that is an option. Just being around other people who share your interests, and having access to a knowledgeable guide who can save you from making irreparable mistakes, can be wonderfully comforting, and infinitely inspiring. Working with this group felt like having a safety net in place, where before there was a gaping hole of fear and procrastination. Over the course of six weeks I managed to take on a few old furniture pieces and transform them slowly, patiently, into something I now love.
I started small, with a couple of dining room chairs that needed new covers…
…and graduated to a more difficult armchair that took all my willpower, and six weeks of gorgeous summer weather to finish. But the armchair is done, and I cannot believe I was the one who reupholstered it. I had scratches and cuts on my arms to prove it, but it was a liberating experience, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Here’s a picture diary of how it went:
Stripping the chair was by far the most painful, time-consuming and tedious part of the process. The million staples required patience I didn’t know I had, but this heavy duty staple remover made my job infinitely easier.
And here is my new old chair, all finished. Isn’t she pretty?
The beautiful part of upholstery, to me at least, is its logical, almost algorithmic sequence of steps. Without sacrificing creativity, there’s a right order of doing things, and each step makes sense and leads logically into the next. Upholstery can be messy and time-consuming, and there’s an initial investment in the right tools and materials, but the outcome can a beautiful piece you’ll be proud of, that reflects your style and personality, and is tailor-made to fit your home.
Anyway, I’d love to hear your thoughts on upholstery. Have you ever taken on a project all by yourself? Would you consider it? Let me know in the comments below! And if you are interested in upholstery, here are some of the tools I’ve found indispensable:
A pneumatic upholstery gun and air compressor – the two most useful tools for this entire process. This pneumatic upholstery stapler was powerful, easy to use and gentle on the wrists. I’d tried several tools during the workshop, including an electrical upholstery stapler as well as a manual one, and the pneumatic one was infinitely faster and easier to work with.
Pneumatic Upholstery staple gun with long nose
As for fabrics, on the dining chairs I used this Waverly printed cotton:
For the armchair, I had a bolt of P Kaufman Dakari, a lovely print that’s been (sadly) discontinued.
Hi Eva,
Yes, I have done many reupholstering projects. Some I was proud of, others….. not so much! It has been about 30 years since I upholstered my last piece. It was so difficult in the beginning since I did not have any of the fancy tools you used. I could afford only hand tools, screwdriver, hand stapler and tacks when I first started. I learned so much but would do it again! I enjoyed your article. Your work is beautiful!
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Thank you so much, Barbara! You’re very kind!
Wow! First I have to say I did miss your articles popping up in my mailbox, and now happy to hear everything is alright- more than alright! That chair is fabulous- looks like new and I love the fabric you chose. Sounds like you had a wonderful summer, while still handling the boring, tedious home maintenance jobs we all encounter.
Keep sharing thoughts and pictures of projects. Happy FallL🍂
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Thank you for your kind message, Lynn! I appreciate it! The chair was touch and go for a while, but I’m glad it’s finished 🙂 The fabric is a favorite print that somehow goes with everything in our house. Happy Fall to you as well!
Glad to see you back! Great job on the upholstered chairs!
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Thank you so much, Shannon! I appreciate it!
Wow! I have done some dining chair seats but your big chair makeover is very impressive.
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Thank you so much, Deb!
You did a fantastic job. It looks beautiful.
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Thank you so much, Maureen!
So impressive!!
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Thank you so much!!!
Wow, what a beautiful makeover. You did a fabulous job and the fabric is perfect for the chair! Congratulations!!
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Thank you so much, Susan!
Wow!! You did incredible! I was talked into taking an upholstery class in Boston years ago, I was very happy with the results but I realized an upholsterer earns every penny!
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Thank you so much, Kathy! I had the same realization – an upholsterer’s job is worth every penny!
That chair looks amazing! I’m so glad you had a nice summer. I hope you have a lovely fall season ahead. Thanks!!
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Thank you so much, Sheena! I hope you have a lovely fall season as well!
Hi, Eva!
That chair looks fantastic and the fabric is beautiful! 🤩 Bravo!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Happy Autumn!🍂🌻🍁
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Thank you so much, Kathie! Happy Autumn to you too!
I love your chair and it appears your new skill is well honed! I have a pillow cover in that fabric that I learned about from you in a previous post. I do love my pillow cover, but the chair is even better🙂.
WOW!!! How beautiful is that chair! You really should be so proud of your work. Just wonderful! Congratulations!!!! Job well done!!!!
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Thank you so much Sylvie, I appreciate it!
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Thanks a million, Pamela! I’m so glad you like the fabric – it’s such a great pattern, isn’t it? I can’t tire of it! 🙂
Hi Eva, I was so happy to see “Cafe Design” in my inbox again! I’ve missed your posts, and like many others am glad that everything is all right with you and your family.
Your work is so meticulous and beautiful–I admire your talent and determination!
Hope to hear from you again very soon!
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Thank you so much for your kind words, Diana! I’ll try to post most regularly from now on 🙂
I’m so glad you’re back! I would love to see all the boring house maintenance stuff. I love how you show us all the processes from start to finish with your house and projects. Glad you had a lovely summer and your chair looks amazing!
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Thank you so much, Brandi! You’re very kind!
What kind of witch craft is this? Ha ha. It’s amazing what you have accomplished. Design goals for sure.
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Thank you so much, Susan! 🙂