They look pretty clean in this picture but they were in bad shape. The fabric (quilted butter yellow) had large noticeable staining everywhere and had faded unevenly. The faux bamboo frame was painted a creamy yellow with gold flecks (meant to simulate bamboo? It wasn’t working).  They both smelled musty. And this was the charming sight underneath the seats:

The elastic supports were so dry and brittle that only one remained on each chair. The foam was slightly damaged from that, but not totally ruined.

So of course, I snapped them up and stuffed them in my car!

First up was stripping the chairs of all fabric (retaining the fabric so I could use it as a template for cutting out new fabric) and painting them. The stripping went something like this (I took a million iPhone photos so I could refer to them when I was putting it back together):

Then I primed and painted them both using spray paint (and my little nozzle gun to keep my pointer finger from cramping and hating me). I was literally adding a last coat of paint in the backyard while we were moving out of the house (these chairs, without cushions, were one of the last trips to the new place). For the life of me I can’t find my painting pictures so just picture me spray painting. It took at least two primer coats and 4-6 white paint coats plus a coat of spray sealant (which I wouldn’t use again, I’d use wipe-on poly next time).

After we moved the chair project sat a long time while Ryan got more and more annoyed by having two “chairs” that took up space but no one could sit in. Anyone else’s man get all huffy like that? Haha. (He was very patient. Love you, sweetie!)

I was hung up on fabric. I wanted to use this upholstery weight, gorgeous blue velvet I showed you in this picture (the solid navy). But at $35 a yard, not REALLY knowing what I was doing, and piping to sew from a diagonal cut… my yardage estimates were over $100 pretty fast (I was planning four yards but I like to buy an extra yard just-in-case unless I know for certain I’m not going to need it). So instead, we picked up a pair of cotton velvet navy curtains from Ikea for my yardage. This is not something I’d recommend to a client, probably. Upholstery weight fabric is heavier (and more expensive) because it’s thicker and more durable (the texture of the curtains was noticeably less plush to the touch). But I figure with the rate I change my mind about a design, by the time the chairs are worn out, I’ll be ready to reupholster them in something totally new anyway. And the curtains were $70. Win win.

First I had to rebuild the seat, with a few yards of burlap strap and my staple gun.

Then I tackled the actual upholstery. For how I built the back of the chair (which has fabric visible from front and back), I followed Jenny’s tutorials (I’m not going to rewrite the tutorial because she took great photos and explains it really really well). It was more physically demanding than I thought, but easier in concept than I expected.

When it came to covering the seat, I first cut out my fabric using the old yellow pieces as a guide, then stitched them together. I’m still a fairly novice sewer, so this ended up being an epic disaster. Here is my “finished” cushion that I realized immediately I’d have to re-do (there went $35 worth of fabric had I been using the pricier stuff). Something about corners threw me, and then I had all this extra fabric in the back that started puckering… no good.

Cue horns: Waaa Waaaa….

So then I tossed that out and laid my cushion top-down on the back of my fabric, trimmed around it, and then wrapped it up and stapled in place, being sure to pull tight and watching for any errant wrinkles that might be visible at the top of the cushion.

The back is secured from the front of the chair, made up of a layer of fabric that faces backward (stapled in place), a layer of thin foam (I used spray adhesive here), a layer of fabric that faces forward (stapled in place), and a trim glued in place to hide the staples (you can kind of see how it all comes together in my “dismantling”photo earlier). I sewed my own trim, a double-welt cord, but it only looks right on one of the chairs. I think I’ll used purchased trim (gimp) for the other chair – the trim is wonky, and I got glue on the front fabric, so that needs replacing).

Didn’t stop me from taking “after” pictures though!

Close-up of the welting that actually looks ok…

We love them, Thisbe LOVES them (it’s the only place she’s slept all week, practically), and I hope you like them! And since the chairs will be slightly mis-matched, and the fact that I hadn’t taken measurements of the room when I first bought them means we don’t have space for both… I’ll be selling one of the chairs. So if you’re in the Seattle area and are interested, let me know (if you hate the reupholstery and want to do it yourself, you’d save me the step of redoing the trim on the chair, so get in touch!).

So that was me tackling upholstery for the first time and being crappy about taking in-progress pictures whenever I was at the frustrating parts. Sorry about that. Hope you’re inspired to take on your own project. For only about $80 more than I paid for the chairs (and some blood, sweat and tears, quite literally), we have two beautiful chairs and kept something out of the landfill.

The finished result would be something like this…

Maybe I’ll just have to settle for a python tray in the meantime…

What do you think? Would you want to use a snakeskin pattern in your home, or would it give you the creepy-crawlies? I think Ryan thinks it’s a little too over-the-top.

Photos from Domino, Little Green Notebook, and Lonny.

Anyway, this print was one of my first decor purchases for the new apartment. We hadn’t even moved in yet. We both love that it’s kind of cheeky and retro… she has the most fantastic sneer. Fast-forward six weeks later and Wednesday night I made myself a drink, put on some episodes of “Felicity” and busted out my craft paint to make this Ikea mat navy blue instead of cream (that was just blending into the walls). I think the navy makes the picture pop a bit more, plus it ties into the living room (err, when I get those curtains done anyway). It took 5 or 6 thin coats of acrylic paint, maybe half of a small bottle? This is in our entry hallway.

This hallway is REALLY hard to photograph. No natural light except the kitchen window, which of course put a big glare in the middle of the picture. I have some plans for it though – a Turkish runner, maybe a new table (or finally FINALLY skirt this one), and I need to find a mirror for last-minute-out-the-door checks.

This post gets the “most parenthetical post ever” award.

So, how many of you have ever purchased drawer liners for yourself? You know those expensive, scented ones that come rolled up in the long box with a pretty bow & label attached. I know I have certainly purchased them — but ALWAYS FOR GIFTS, NEVER FOR MYSELF!!! I admire those of you that have spent between $20-$30 on a package of these, trimmed to size and put in your own drawers — I just can’t bring myself to doing it!

While I was flipping through 1 of my many favorite magazines preparing for this month’s projects, I came across this page of “Things to do This Month” in March 2011′s issue of Better Homes & Gardens. {Pardon the folded mess – but it’s been tucked inside an envelope in my “Projects Journal”}

& when I first glanced at this page, I pulled it out thinking it was part of a drawer liner tutorial… this is when I glanced to the bottom left corner of the page and saw this:

Yes, do you see that price? $25 for a set of 6?? Do you know how many rolls of white paper I can buy for $25??!!!

So, onward we must go — to the very tutorial that will save you lots of money & you’ll have plenty of money to purchase a fancy bow to give this project to a friend!!

DISCLAIMER {before we begin}: Make sure you use paper ink only for stamping and let your paper dry overnight before use. I do not claim any responsibility for the ink passing to your clothing or other items!

List of Materials:

• Paper roll… I used the kids Melissa & Doug Easel Paper, but have seen paper rolls for $1 at the Christmas Tree Shoppes!
• Ink {I purchased mine for .60 a piece by using a coupon at AC Moore}
• Stamp {I LOVE this stamp – again, used another coupon and purchased for $6. — will use for MANY more projects}
• Measuring tape, scissors, pen
  

If you want to add scent…

• Scented oil
• Cotton swabs

Step 1: Measure the drawer you wish to line — dresser drawer, utility drawer, closet or desk drawer! Measure the drawer size leaving two inches extra on each end for folding. Mark at the 2 inch march and fold under {this will help the liner from rolling under as you stamp & place in your drawer.

Step 2: Decide on a pattern and begin stamping. Press lightly on the ink pad and have fun…

Step 3: Let the paper liner hang or lay flat to let it dry overnight…

Step 4: Go on to the next drawer…

Step 5: Once the paper has dried overnight, rub your hand over the ink to be sure its set… then, place it in your drawer {or roll it up, add some ribbon & a tag and gift to a friend}.

Step 6: Dab some oil on the cotton swabs and place under the corner of your drawer liner.

Step 7: ENJOY!!! I love how the drawer liners look in my bedroom dresser… off to make some for my desk drawers!!!!

Let me know what you think by commenting below.

I was excited to finish this little project last week because it was for a gift for my good friend Laura. We’ve been working for a while on her bonus room in her new house that has an office and tv space, and I wanted to prepare a housewarming gift that took some of the elements from the room. Because we planned to upholster an ottoman coffee table in a blue floral, I used this fabric (which also appears covering some bulletin boards) to cover a tray to use for corralling remotes, snacks, etc. I just used a remnant! And I loved how it turned out so much that I bought two more trays to make one for myself and another lucky friend (yet to be determined!).

I bought the tray at Michael’s Craft Store – they also have them at Joann’s – in the little raw wood craft project section. They have things like plaques, letters, boxes, and little paints you can use to decorate them with. Because the tray is unfinished (and very lightweight), it was $7. Yes, SEVEN dollars.

I used a fine grit sandpaper to smooth down any splinters before applying a dark wood stain (just followed the stain directions). Took about 20 minutes, then I let it dry for two days.

I toyed with the idea of photocopying the fabric and using a print-out, but I finally opted to try using the fabric directly, and I’m so glad I did. The color is wonderfully rich. I ironed the fabric and cut it to size (see my note below) and applied using Mod Podge with a small foam brush (also from the craft store).  I applied the glue to the underside of the fabric AND to the wood of the tray before placing them together and smoothing out any bubbles. I did this in about 3 inch strips along the shorter edge.

Here’s the thing (Laura, now you know…) it was REALLY hard to cut the fabric just right, and then to my chagrin, the glue did cause the fabric to shrink ever so slightly. Annoying. Next time I’ll try cutting it close to size, gluing it down, and then trimming to get tight into the corners and edges using a rotary cutter. Play around with it.

After the glue dried and the fabric is attached, I applied a thin layer of Mod Podge OVER the fabric to protect it. Do this very thinly, and be sure to smooth out any bubbles or thick areas of glue. The glue won’t show unless it’s too thick. Otherwise it will dry clear.

Here you can see where the fabric shrunk up, along the bottom edge… (Sorry Laura!)

It’s a really simple and easy project, and I felt so accomplished after finishing it. Picking a vibrant color really helped too. And staining the tray isn’t the only option. Spray painting it any color would also look great.

I can’t wait to tackle this again! It’s so affordable (especially because it just uses a scrap of fabric and a $7 tray!) and provides chic and pretty results. Can’t beat that!

The before:

And the awesome after:

The legs were cut down, foam is cut to fit the top, then wrapped in batting. She also constructed upholstered panels for the sides (which I can see would be helpful in evening out the lip on the top and dealing with the drawer, but otherwise I don’t know would be necessary). They added tufting. LOVE the fabric she chose, and kudos for the attention to detail in aligning the pattern!

This is essentially what I’ve been wanting to do for a client, only starting with a coffee table, hopefully 3 feet square. Even cheaply made ottomans that size aren’t cheap, especially when you’re planning to reupholster it anyway. So we’re hoping to accomplish a similar DIY for under $75. We’re using an oversized floral print, so hopefully the upholstery process won’t be too hard either. Fingers crossed!

Let’s give it up for Kat and her hubby for taking on this project and coming up with a great result!

Photos from Maple Leaves and Sycamore Trees blog, also seen on Danielle Oakey Interiors.

Well, Thisbe’s not for sale, but she did serve as a lovely model for my latest project – a windowseat for the living room!

When we bought the Ikea shelf to house the records and record player (down there at the end), we thought it would also be a great way of bringing in a little more seating. Maybe not for four people at once, but in a pinch, someone a little heavier than Thisbe will have somewhere to sit besides the floor.

Using four-inch upholstery foam (you can see a hunk of leftover in the right side of the pic), I covered it with a cheapo fabric from Joann’s that I got originally for pillows for the sofa. Since the background color (the brown) matches the sofa EXACTLY, the pattern looked like it was floating on the couch. Weird effect. Luckily we had this spot waiting for some fabric.

I cut the foam to shape (wishing I’d had the ladies at Joann’s do this, as it would have been a cleaner cut) and wrapped the fabric around it like a present, using fabric glue to secure it. Do I wish I had the skills to sew a box-structured cover with piping and a zipper to remove it when someone spills? Yes. Am I going to Scotchguard the hell out of it because I didn’t take the time to learn to do that? Yes.

Luckily Thisbe seems to like her new sunny morning spot to perch. What do you think?

Here’s the cleared-out-room before:

Here’s a paint-still-drying shot:

And here is the best I can get to show what the color really looks like in person!

During the day it really looks gray, but under our lights (especially when we have the overhead light on) at night the purple really comes out. It’s a really rich and creamy tone that makes you stop and wonder “what color is that?”. I LOVE it.

Yesterday we touched up the trim and so we’re still getting the furniture back into place. I’m not totally sure that I want everything back exactly as it was. The new moodiness of the room is begging for some gold or brass accents and I’m ready to retire the frilliness of the white mirror that was above the dresser before. Not sure where we’ll land, but I’ll be hitting up some thrift shops and discount stores in the meanwhile!

The color is “Winter Calm” from Valspar, but we had the kind gents at Lowes mix it with Olympic’s No VOC paint (they can do Low VOC, but even the tints are VOC-free with No VOC). It was basically odorless, though we did keep a window open. Ryan and I slept in the room Friday night with the window closed and by then couldn’t smell a thing. Not only is it better for your body, it’s also a great solution for painting during the winter when you don’t want all the windows open overnight! I didn’t notice any difference in coverage or quality of paint.

The wall color really changes a lot with the light. Sometimes it’s gray, sometimes it’s more of a dark (not creepy) mauve, sometimes it reads a little pinker. The shade the far left is a close representative. The pale gray is seen in our current dresser. Eventually it will be replaced with something bigger and this smaller one will go to live in the closet as linen storage. The middle blue represents our lamps. Love them! The pink is really more of an accent, in the trim of our duvet and shams, in our For Like Ever print, and in the roman shade in the closet (which you haven’t seen yet!). The dark color is supposed to represent our Turkish rug that is over at the foot of the bed.

Add to this lots of white and some gold accents and we’re in business. Become a fan on facebook, because I shared a sneak peek of the color (a swatch on the wall!) over there!

P.S. Thanks to my pal Christina and her hubby who introduced me to Colour Lovers because I needed another way to waste hours upon hours on the internet!

This was actually sold as a coffee table at Target a few years ago when I bought it, but all the reviews said they used it as a tv stand. It was great for me when I had a tv and a dvd player. But boys come with toys, so we’re now storing a stereo, blu-ray player, xbox, apple tv…. etc. So it’s a little crowded and isn’t a “forever” piece. But it is a “right now” piece and I’m working with what we got. By the way, it’s photographing as much more “cherry” than it is in person. The wood is warm, but definitely a dark espresso stain, not cherry.

So I picked up two brass ring pulls from Lee Valley (pulls were cheap, shipping was a little high for only two items, but it was still under $15). They took me about 4 minutes to install last night while Ryan cooked dinner.

I LOVE them! The piece looks like it cost $100 more than it did. And what is inside? Man toys, of course!

Oh yes, I managed to fit all but three of the video games in there (and one controller lives with the remotes on the coffee table because I do like to stream Netflix on the xbox).

What else is going on in our living room?

Our new pillows have fluffy inserts! $10 for an 18×18 down pillow form at Crate and Barrel.

There’s the fourth. It will soon be sitting on a cushion that will be our new “window seat”. For now Thisbe has been sleeping on that fuzzy throw blanket. Speaking of which…

Thisbe says hello!