Sunday, September 7, 2008

Confessions of a Chair Junkie...

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... Okay, so here goes....
Yesterday hubby and I went to an auction and right before the chairs that I had been drooling at came up for bid, he tells me that he is tired and ready to go home....

I am not a happy camper. I figured that they would go for a good chunk of change and I wouldn't get them, but I at least wanted to see them in all their glory, posing before the hungry masses with the same little.. um...problem that I have..... "gotta-have-that-chair-syndrome". Anyway, so he sees that I'm not happy and says , " You might want to think about getting help for your chair addiction... !

Needless to say the ride home was a very loooong silent drive. His attempts at changing the subject didn't work. I answered in curt "yes", "no" fashion. I didn't want to let it go.........

How did this compulsion start, you might ask ?
It was just an innocent little leopard.. I was decorating the master bedroom about 5 years ago, in a British Colonial flair and I wanted a chair next to my bedside table . Being the thrifty gal that I am, I took a floral chair from the living room and decided to see if it had any potential. Obviously, the rose and blue flower fabric was not going to work in this new setting. To make a long story a little shorter, I ended up finding the perfect leopard print fabric and without previous experience, set out to recover it. ... Well, to say that I was pleased was an understatement... I had created a whole new chair in just a couple of hours and this is how my addiction started:



So, I was feeling quite confident and the search for a new chair was constantly on my mind. I found the next chair at a garage sale for $1 and brought it home with no idea of what to do. I needed a little accent chair for my dining room
to go with my blue and white dishes, so after painting
it white, I decoupaged it with spode napkins....
Add Imageand "voila"... the next chair was born...perfect for my room. (It's the one with the sunflowers at the begining of the post...still don't know how to move things around... )







So this was the next.... ahem.... victim. Somebody's old dining room chair donated to GoodWill.
A little white paint, black accents and a dashing black and white damask cover was all it took to get Cinderella to the ball. So you might call me the Fairy Godmother... LOL...
Here she is :







... Frannie Fringe.... before




And here she is AFTER.............................



I used different fabric on the underside , so I could flip it for a different look.....








This is an antique gooseneck rocker that I recovered for a neighbor... I wish I had taken a before picture... it was dark and dingy with brown and maroon stripes. This fabric was gorgeous.




This beautiful wingback chair was given to me from my mother-in-law. What a great gift. I love it . It's a needle point fabric.



Okay, so the next chairs are waiting for makeovers.... Any suggestions? I might put them in a local antique mall or keep them....he he

So there you have it. .... Do you want to join me in Chair Junkie's therapy?..... Pull up a chair! Oh....no, not THAT one, I need to add a little more fringe to it... On second thought why don't we just go to the antique store and see what kind of "damage" we can do!!!

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26 comments:

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Girl, you are good. Next time you get ready to upholster a piece, call me...I want to watch and learn! Yes, I'm serious! Easiest way I've found to move a pic is to click on the html tab, go to the very top where the pic has loaded...they usually start with an arrow thingy followed by the letter a....I think they end with an a, too. Any way, using cut and paste, cut out the pic, find where you want it to go and paste it. Sometimes I will switch over to compose for a minute to see where I want the pic...then you have to go back to html and paste it where you want it. Hope this helps...let me know if you need help. I'll try and do a better job of explaining it or I can walk you through it on the phone. Blogger isn't always user friendly. You are doing fabulous, my dear! I have a clock addiction! I might just have to post on my clock addiction! :-) Susan

Bo said...

Oh wow, wow, wow, and wow! I am blown away by your eye for design and your upholstery skills...I would love to have any one or all of your beauties in my home...just gorgeous! ;-) Bo

EmBee said...

I think you should've named the blog 'Chair Junkie'... Anyway, tell Frannie my a~~ is hers for the weekend.
:-)

nikkicrumpet said...

First of all you do an AMAZING job on those chairs. I remember the black and white one from RMS. Secondly I was laffin through the whole post because I started the same way...with one auction chair that I recovered for my red toile guest room. Now EVERY chair I see NEEDS ME...THEY REALLY NEED ME! My hubby gives me "the face" everytime I talk about going to the auction. I'd never dare tackle the hard ones you've done...I don't have that kind of patience or ability. The ones with the multiple fabrics are unbelievable!!!

Naz said...

At least with your "addiction" it gives people a place to sit lol. You really have a gift in transferring future landfill trash into beautiful, unique and useful chairs. Sometimes husbands just don't understand our "addictions".

charmaine said...

wow! your blog is beautiful. i love your work. you are blessed with a beautiful talent.it's amaizing how they looked before and the after is just gorgeous. i look forward to seeing more of your beautiful work. thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a nice comment.

God Bless,
charmaine

Four Paws and Co said...

You are just too cute! I chuckled through your whole post!

I can't even mention wanting to re-do something to my husband because he starts the eye rolling & grumping about not to bring anything else home.

Question, when you recover a chair, do you put the new fabric over the old or take the seams apart to use the old fabric for a pattern??? I have an old swivel rocker that either needs to be reupholstered or donated. :0{

Diane

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

You are the chair makeover queen! You are truly amazing at that. I love them all but my two favorites are the country French ones on your porch. LOVE THEM!
Penny

bj said...

hahahahaha...I love this post.
I was drinking coffee and spit all over my screen when I read what your hubby said about your obsession with chairs. Hahaha...too cute.
I LOVE EVERYONE OF YOUR CHAIRS. and, I so wish I had the nerve to strip the fabric off the two chairs and ottoman in my living room. The blue doesn't go well in here and I can't afford new chairs, slipcovers NEVER seem to look good and I guess I could put quilts over them thru the winter...I don't really like THAT look either, tho. I NEED TO LEARN TO RECOVER FURNITURE!! Oh, well, guess I can struggle thru another winter with these pitiful, blue chairs, while YOU have ALL the pretty ones!! (we are getting the most wonderful rain this morning)..
love bj

Anonymous said...

Oh, I'm so glad I've found your blog! I remember you from RMS ~ I'm Picklepoo and have a blog now, too! I remember all your beautiful Santas you make!
And I see you can do many other things! Oh, all of your chairs are just beautiful! I love how you know how to mix the fabrics to put together! You're very talented at this. You are the Chair Diva!!
Be a sweetie and come to see me sometimes!
Shelia aka Picklepoo ;)

bj said...

ooo, meant to say that all you need do to a photo to move it is click on it, holding down and drag it to the bottom...or wherever you want it. Not hard at all....

Michele said...

I wandered over to your blog from BJ's and wanted to stop and say 'hi'. You do beautiful work with chairs...oh my! And I laughed through your last post..too funny!

Hugz...and stop and visit when you have time!

Michele

Jean said...

You are really good at rescueing and revamping chairs. You have done some real beauties. Keep on keeping on doing what you are doing. Its paying off.
Jean in Virginia

Tricia said...

Congratulations on being published! Now, if we can find a magazine that offers help for chair addictions...my favorite is the goose neck rocker as well as the country french. I loved reading the post.

Judy said...

Well, Susan took the words right out of my mouth! I've been following you lately on RMS (I used to post on there but not since I became a blogging addict last Dec!). You are in the Atlanta area? Some of us southern gals need to get together. I have a sister in Peachtree City and I'm in Montgomery.

I'm adding you to my blog roll. Check mine out if you get a chance.

XOXO
Judy

www.gracioussouthernliving.blogspot.com

Janet said...

I love all your chairs, but Miss, or is it Ms. T. Tassel is the best! I love the choice of fabrics. I have two mauve wing chairs that need to become something different, but alas I don't sew.

Janet@Housepeepers

Jerri Lynn @ Southern Sassyness said...

Absolutely gorgeous! ALL of them - you have done an amazing job! I, too have a chair addiction. I don't know what it is about them, but I love chairs in many shapes and sizes.

Justine said...

Hey there! Did you ever TELL me you had a blog for me to visit? LOL! Well,now I've got you bookmarked to read tomorrow, 'cause I'm going to bed now! Nite nite!

Justine :o )

Justine said...

Oh my, I just read through this and I remember that black and white chair, plus the seashell one from RMS! And OMG, how I love them both! I wish I had some sort of creative talent like that. You've done amazing jobs on these once ugly chairs! I'm jealous! Send some my way! I've still got more posts to read, but I'm already loving your blog and going to add it to my blog roll!

Justine :o )

Kathysue said...

Wow, I am so impressed. you taught yourself to reupholster chairs. That is amazing and I love them all.I have the same problem with mirrors and lamps. they just seem to follow me home, I don't know how that happens. You are a very talented lady. I am so glad you started your blog it is a fun stop in my day. Smiles kathysue[rms]

A said...

Can you please share the details in how you stapled to the wood? All the chairs look absolutely fabulous! I think we all have are own harmless 'addictions', I went to a big charity consignment sale today that will last for 6 weeks. My new 'thing' is the Audubon prints & plates (I also love ebay). I found some great bird & botanical pictures & the blue & white flower pots today. Hubby just bit his tongue & gave me that 'look' when he saw what I brought home. I just told him not to worry, I'm consigning some of the other stuff to pay for the new stuff - he loves it when I say I'm just 'recycling' - haha

Rue said...

And here I thought I was the only one LOL

I'm really impressed that you recovered them yourself. I think a tutorial is needed. That way you can get a new chair and say it's for teaching purposes ;)

rue

Raxx - A day in the life said...

These chairs are amazeing!! The 'afters' take my breath away!! Loving your blog!

Carrie said...

You've done an amazing job with each chair!
Might you have another photo of the first chair with the blue and white decoupage? I've been looking for ideas for an old wood chair.

Christie said...

Oh Girl, You are a hoot, I love the way you describe things and word things.....You are so much fun! I just love all of the redo's on the chairs...you are good and I mean real good! I especially love the rooster one's~ how unique. They are all so pretty and you are talented. Thanks so much for coming to my blog and for all you said. I don't do hair anymore sweetie, but It would have been quite a drive for you anyway. LOL! I am in the Northwest Florida Panhandle. How lucky you are to live in Atlanta! I loved the tour of homes that you showed. I really love your blog and all of your pretties...your home is gorgeous and hey it's okay to be a perfectionist....some of the things you said in that post really reminded me of me! LOL! Don't ever worry about being up past midnight tweaking....I do my best tweaking in the wee hours. LOL! I'll be back to your blog again soon. Have a great day!
xoxo
Queenie!

Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity said...

Great chairs. I wish I had that talent!!