Club Chair Makeover...
For those of you who are old enough to remember 45 records, you know what it is like to buy a record for the "A" side, only to find you love the song on the "B" side.
That is basically what I did when I found the perfect upholstery for my big club chair and ottoman....
No I did not find inspiration in a song. I brought home 4-5 fabric samples I thought I might like. IIICKKKK! They were all awful so I tossed them on the chair, only to find exactly what I wanted on the flip side of one of my selections!
Magnolia Fabric Lemuel Mushroom
I knew I needed a lighter fabric...anything dark would just be too "heavy" for the space since the addition of the brown leather couch (reasons for the hulking brown leather couch here.) "Light" is kind of a problem in a house with a dog that sheds like a dead pine tree and thinks ALL the furniture in the house is for her comfort. You think kids are a mess...HA!
So I really couldn't go with anything "off white" but I desperately needed a fabric that was "light" and would go with any color.
This chair is really "not my style." It is oak...strike one. It is "queen anneish"...strike two. But what keeps it in the game is the comfort...this chair is soooo comfortable. I bought it 26 years ago and this is it's second makeover, the last being 16 years ago. I have read many books in this chair, watched many movies in this chair, and even spent a few restless nights in this chair!
Originally it was in the den....
...but when the "combining of the households" went down, it was moved into the living room to make room for Brian's leather chair and ottoman!
I still love the black and gold fabric but again, big brown couch! Major "dark and dank!"
Since I knew it would be a major chore to makeover, I wanted to make sure I picked a fabric that I really love, could handle a lot of wear and use and one that would stand the test of time!
I think this fabric fits the bill...super durable, not too light and not a "fad." It coordinates with any accent color I throw at it...teal, red, black, white, whatever!
And more importantly, I really do love it!
First I removed all the old fabric and set it aside to use as patterns for the new fabric.
To mask the "oakiness" I stripped the old finish using this process and then stained it with gel stain. I used a gel stain to ensure I would get a deep, rich color. I actually layered several different colors to finally get the look I wanted...one of the reasons I advocate using a stain without a sealer! A few coats of tung oil finish and it was ready to reupholstery.
Again, I could give you a long-winded tutorial...but every chair is different and I really think you can find a perfect tutorial just by searching for a chair/couch/bench very similar to what you have!
In my opinion, the hardest part of upholstery is stripping the old fabric and pulling the million plus nails and staples. But it is important to remove ALL the old nails and staples! Also, don't forget...NOW is the time to make repairs...wobbly leg...glue and clamp...broken frame...glue and clamp. If it needs new springs or batting or cushions...do it NOW!
I added a little fresh batting and tightened the strapping in the ottoman...but other than that, it was pretty solid!
Make the PROPER repairs before you start upholstering! If you don't know how to fix it, google it! I promise you will find a tutorial to fix anything!
Now that the chair is done, the other things I want to change are all the more apparent...the window seat cushions and a few accent pillows...and of course the flooring and wall color. IT NEVER ENDS!!!
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I told Brian to just take me shopping if I EVER mentioned reupholstering a piece again. But the truth is, I love this chair...not the oak, not the style...just "the chair." And now that it is recovered in a fabric I really love, I love the chair even more! So I guess the two weeks of hell was all worth the effort...
...I think!
