You know the old adage “you get what you pay for”? I tell my clients that all the time. Buy the best quality you can afford. Especially when it comes to upholstered furniture. It’s a big investment and should hold up for years.
When my mother-in-law moved from her home to an apartment, she didn’t have room for all of her furniture. So she let the family take the left-overs. None of the grand-kids wanted a pair of woven, barrel back, arm chairs with a spatter paint finish and gold velvet seats. They were expensive chairs in beautiful condition (after all, she only used her living room a couple times a year) but they were definably reminiscent of the early 1970s.
They didn’t go in my house either, but I could see great potential. I wanted a fun fabric, in a pattern and color totally unexpected. I kept coming back to a cut velour damask in fuchsia and grey with silver dots. A traditional pattern with a twist.
I don’t mind painting walls, but these chairs called for a professional finish, after all I want them to last another 40 years! (OK, I’m sure I’ll change the fabric again at some point!) So my friend, Bryan Albert, painter extraordinaire, blended a custom shade of grey and Grace’s Upholstery did a stellar job on the seats.
The result? Unexpectedly fabulous and funky! I could have played it safe and used a traditional fabric and neutral finish, but these are so much more fun.
If you need help “thinking outside the box” when upholstering old furniture, call me. I’ll help you out of your comfort zone. You won’t regret it!
Leave a Reply