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Thank you so much for your kind notes and DMs, I didn’t mean to stay away for as long as I did but I needed some time off to feel inspired again, to clear my head and to enjoy the last couple of weeks of summer vacation with my girl. But I missed you all terribly. And while my time away from social media has been very productive, I am happy to be back with a number of new projects to share with you over the next couple of weeks.
Remember this chair I showed you earlier this summer? I found it on FB marketplace and the owner was willing to deliver, although somewhat surprised that someone wanted it badly enough to pay extra for delivery. Well, I managed to reupholster it without losing my sanity. I’ve been warned about upholstery projects and how they can bring skilled carpenters to tears but, fortunately for me, this chair was pretty straightforward and the project was completed without my shedding a tear. As for the actual upholstery process, I will not pretend to be an expert and provide a tutorial (that would be hilarious) but I will share with you a Youtube video I’ve found incredibly concise and useful – in case you’re interested. I watched it a couple of times before attaching the back piece – Change Your Chair’s Fabric – Tutorial.
I snapped this pic soon after it was done and, although I didn’t think of styling the shelves or the sofa at the time, it gives you an idea of the overall look & all the design elements in the room. With the large scale pattern on the sofa and the busy shelves, I wanted a solid color that would look and feel good, without speaking volumes. The blue I landed on is a departure from the more muted hues in the room, and I did it on purpose. I felt that a bit of chromatic tension would elevate the mix.
After much debate (thank you for your advice after this post – it is always harder to decorate for myself than for somebody else) I decided to look at one of my favorites – Schumacher’s Rocky Performance Velvet in Cornflower. It has a soft, cotton pile and it feels incredibly comfortable to touch. The chair ended up needing two whole yards. (Had I chosen a different fabric, I could have gotten away with one / one-and-a-half but working with velvet requires a bit of care and consistency in the direction of the pile so two yards were just about enough. ) What do you think of the result? 🙂
If for some reason you’re interested in the reupholstery process, here are a few helpful tips I’ve discovered in the process of redoing this chair (some of them the hard way):
1. Good tools make all the difference. This heavy duty staple remover was of great help when removing the old fabric. I started without it and got frustrated right away, until it occurred to me to research some helpful tools. I got this one from Amazon, and it made the removal quick and painless.
2. To clean off the grime, chipping lacquer and paint drips, an assortment of finer grit sanding papers (120, 180 and 220 grit) will do the trick. Rougher papers ended up scratching the wood and I have no idea how to fix those marks 🙂
3. Because I loved the existing finish but wanted to give it a bit of life and luster, I used this Restor-A-Finish solution recommended by a friend. I think it worked beautifully, if I may say so myself 🙂 There are different stain colors to chose from, but Walnut was a perfect match for this chair.
Anyway, I hope you had a fun Labor Day weekend and a great send off to summer! It’s time to store away our vacation clothes and return to our busy fall schedules. Excitement is in the air!
What a beautiful job you did on that chair! That room is simply gorgeous.
It looks wonderful !! Years ago I upholstered this old French chair in blue velvet . It seemed bold at the time but I love the life it brings to our hall .
I want to send a photo but not sure how I may post on my instagram account . If you have time , take a look !
Author
Thank you, Karen! Your chair must be lovely – one cannot go wrong with velvet, it’s as timeless as can be! I’ll look you up on Instagram – what is your handle?
You can also send it to me via direct message @cafedesignblog.
xo, Eva
Author
Thank you, Gina! Happy you like it!
xo, Eva
Great choice for the chair!
Author
Thank you, Patricia!
xo, Eva
Looks great, Eva, I love the color, and I love Schumacher fabrics!
I’m so glad that you took some time this summer to spend with your daughter–these times are precious and children grow so fast!
Happy Fall!
Author
Thank you, Diana!
Happy Fall!
xo, Eva
Hi Eva! Your upholstered chair turned out lovely. I love the color and especially love the velvet fabric. We purchased a new couch last year and I’m sorry I didn’t choose a soft beautiful velvet. Oh well!
Your room looks gorgeous. I can’t wait for the grand reveal! Blessings
Author
Thank you so much, Catherine!! Blessings to you and yours!
xo, Eva
Your chair turned out beautifully. You must feel very rewarded for your efforts. What a lovely room you’ve created!
Author
Thank you so much, Pamela! I appreciate it…
xo, Eva
I love the chair, Eva, and I appreciate the tips and tools, too. Thank you!
Author
Thank you, Sheena! It makes me very happy to hear it!
xo,
Eva
I love the bones of your chair. The gorgeous blue fabric makes for one gorgeous chair💕.
Author
Thank you so much, Cathleen!
xo, Eva
Eva,
The chair looks great. Excellent job!
Your room is magazine worthy.
I’m happy you’re back. I missed your posts.
Karen B.
Author
Thank you so much, Karen! You are vey kind!
Happy to be back!
xo, Eva
What a beautiful completed project! The chair looks great.
Author
Thank you, Susan! I’m glad you like it!
xo, Eva
Yay, she’s back! Absolutely love what you did with that chair, Eva! Such a pretty blue! And that Restor-A-Finish looks like a really great product.
Author
Thank you so much, Mary!!! You are so kind!
The Restore-A-Finish was nothing short of magic!! I was afraid I might have to strip the existing stain but with a single application, it brought out the grain and the warmth of the wood so I know I’ll be using it again and again.
xoxo,
Eva