New Addition

I recently came across a set of 3 bamboo chairs on Kijiji, and immediately I knew I had to have them!! They were just like the chairs I wrote about in this April 2009 post. Since I didn't need all 3 chairs for myself, I forwarded the ad to my friend Tim of Design Maze and we decided that we would split them between us. And so a deal was struck!

Ooh la la, bamboo goodness...

The caning is in excellent condition, but since I'm keeping this chair at my office until the new condo is ready, I've thrown a colourful cushion (from HomeSense) on the seat to protect it from wear and tear.


Eventually I'll be using this chair in my home office, so I will end up giving it a coat of paint and having a proper seat cushion made. Piece by piece, it's already coming together.

Project Recovery: 5 Months Later

Okay, okay, I admit it - I procrastinate. If I was really motivated, this project would have been done months ago (and without the help of Mom, my trusty volunteer, it still wouldn't be done). The root of the problem is that I do not actually enjoy DIY projects. Regardless, Project Recovery is now complete, and I can cross one more task off the to-do list.

Here's the cost breakdown:

Set of 5 Chairs: $180
Paint: $22.55
Foam: $25.00
Fabric: $63.53
Labour: Priceless
Total Project Cost: $291.08
Total Cost per Chair: $58.22

When I sell my Ikea Gilbert chairs on Craigslist, I can subtract that amount from the total cost and these chairs will be practically free!!

This is the step by step photo diary of the process:

Refinishing the Wooden Chair Frames

Remove seats from chair frames:

Sand and apply 2 coats of primer:

Apply 2 coats of paint
(Left side is primer, Right side is painted):

Recovering the Seats

Remove all 4 layers of fabric from seats:

Purchase new foam seats or have pieces cut to size.
I took one seat to De Cutting Edge to have 5 pieces of foam custom cut:


Purchase new fabric for seat covers.
I chose fabric #2 from bb bargoons:

Add 4"-5" inches along each edge, mark and cut the fabric:

Staple Fabric to Seat Base:

Reattach seat to frame:

Sit Down & Relax:

All photos by Pamela Graham for Cherish Toronto.

Elusive Chair Now Safe at Home

It has been one year since I first posted about my quest to find an affordable occasional chair for use as additional living room seating and as head chair at the dining table. As of today, the quest is finally complete, and Project "Elusive Chair" has been put to bed.

First Post:
"Projects 2009", January 18, 2009

Second Post:
"Coming Up Next", March 12, 2009

Third Post:
"Unfinished Business", December 29, 2009

Final Post:
This is it!!!

Before

After

Fabric Detail

Dark Stain & Double Piping Finish

Here are the step by step details of the project:

• Shop numerous home decor retailers for an occasional chair, but discover price tags of approximately $795.00 (January/February 2009).

• Discover similar style chair on Craigslist for $50.00. Chair will require reupholstering, but I buy it anyway (March 2009).

• Chair sits in living room of my condo for more than ten months while I contemplate taking an upholstery class and recovering it myself.
  

• Decide against treating this as a DIY project, and Google Toronto Upholstery (December 30, 2009).

• Call World Upholstery, get an in-home quote of $200.00 for seat rebuild, reupholstering & refinishing (January 2, 2010).
  

• Find suitable fabric at Designer Fabric Outlet for $26.99/yd (110" wide). Purchase 1 1/2 yards (January 2, 2010).

• Drop off chair & fabric at World Upholstery (January 2, 2010).

• Pick up completed chair at World Upholstery (January 18, 2010).

Cost breakdown:
Chair $50.00
Fabric: $45.75
Labour: $200.00
Total Cost: $295.75

What's the best part? It's done and I love it!!!

Working On It

Another day, another project that needs to be finished. This time it's Project Recovery, which is a work in progress. Hey, give me some credit, at least I've started working on this one!!

Goal #3
Complete Project Recovery

This set of 5 antique shield back chairs will be my new dining chairs as soon as I sand them, paint them and recover them in a pretty fabric. Looking forward to the final results!!

Unfinished Business

Apparently I suffer from procrastination...who knew? I didn't discover it myself until I started on my 2010 goal setting expedition. When I took a look at last year's projects I realized that of the four projects discussed here on January 18th, 2009, only two have been crossed off the "to-do" list. That's a lousy percent complete!!!

Goal #2
Complete Project Elusive Chair

Reupholster this chair...

...in this Kravet fabric
(or something similar)...

...to look just like these beauties.

Getting it done in 2010!!!

Project Recovery

They may not look all that glamorous now, but just wait until I get finished with this set of 5 shield back chairs which I discovered by chance at Captain's Treasures this past Saturday:

Photo courtesy of CaptainsTreasures.biz

The plan is to sand the wood and paint it white, then recover the seat cushions in a new fabric. Everyone's doing it - check these fine examples:

The dining table in Sarah's House Season 1 featured a set of 4 antique chairs painted a dove grey with seats recovered in a modern tonal print.

Photos courtesy of sarahrichardsondesign.com

Earlier this year, Eddie Ross updated a set of two upholstered seat shield back chairs which he found at Goodwill:

Before

After

Photos courtesy of EddieRoss.com

If my project turns out as well as these I'll be a happy girl!! Just give me a few months to work on this one - I have no idea where I'll be doing the messy sanding and painting.

Coming soon to Craigslist: Set of 4 White Ikea Gilbert chairs, gently used!!

I'm Loving...Bamboo Chairs

By no means do I have room for any more furniture, but recently I'm drawn to the look of bamboo chairs (remember this?)...there's just something about them. I think I'll add a pair to my "I'll buy these when I move to a house" list.

Style at Home

Sarah's Cottage

Canadian House & Home

ebay

Jonathan Adler

Williams Sonoma Home

Pier 1

Coming up Next

Project Elusive Chair is now well under way.

If you'll recall, this is the original chair I had in mind for use as an occasional chair:

And here's the chair I found yesterday on Craigslist:


It's in good shape, it's just the right size, and it's about to undergo a little makeover. I'm currently getting upholstery quotes and considering what fabric to go with. I've already been browsing online for something in a stripe...




Guess where I'll be this Saturday morning? Here's a clue:

Seeking Armchair $20 or Less?

I have a good imagination. My mind's eye can see how a room will look finished, even when it's completely empty and void of all personality. But one thing I do have trouble with is mentally converting a "vintage" (aka crappy) piece of furniture into a beautiful new heirloom piece. But it's been done time and time again, and the results never cease to amaze me!!

Here are a few inspirational furniture makeover projects completed by my style hero, Eddie Ross:

Shield Back Chairs BEFORE

Shield Back Chairs AFTER

Greek Key Chairs BEFORE

Greek Key Chairs AFTER

As you may recall, I'm in the market for a single armchair to tuck into the living room, which can also be pulled up to the dinner table. I have checked several shops, and it seems the chair I have in mind runs about $700 once sprayed white and upholstered in a custom fabric. Seriously????? For one chair?????? I'm determined to complete a DIY makeover...now I just need to find the right chair...

HGTV Shoestring Makeover Feature

BEFORE
($9 Value Village)

AFTER

A Craftster.org Makeover

BEFORE
($4.99 Thrift Store)

AFTER

For those who can afford professional reupholstering:

Featured in Dominomag

BEFORE

AFTER

Featured on Casasugar.com

BEFORE

AFTER