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grain sack chair – before & almost after

I’m stingy with a few of my finds…ironstone, grain sacks and French chairs mainly.  I do part with them, but it’s always tough.  If you ever buy a piece of ironstone or a French chair or something made out of a European grain sack from me, you can know I really, really loved it and it was very tough for me to put a tag on it. 
Today, I took two of my favorite things and made something for myself. 
Two European grain sacks…
…one French chair…

…and voila!  (Well, almost.  I ran out of trim and I need to touch up the paint in some places, but I was too excited to save this reveal.)
I painted the frame of the chair in one sloppy coat of Annie Sloan’s Old White and distressed it.  I wanted a soft, worn look, so I didn’t wax it.  I then upholstered the chair using only two grain sacks.  One of them covered the seat, back and arms and the other covered the seat back and wings of the chair.

I finished it all off with some bright white trim.  I’ve had some doubters about the white gimp I like to use on my furniture.  It’s just a personal preference.  I think it frames out the flax colored grain sack fabric, but that’s just my take.  If you like your trim to blend in with the fabric, then go for it!  You have my blessing. 

So, where to put the fabulous chair?  I slid it around my house and tucked it in a few places, but it looked best in my living room.  The problem is that I already have a great pair of French chairs for the living room.  I slid one of my new yard sale chairs into the room to pair with my new grain sack chair.  It worked.  I love the eclectic, somewhat quirky look of it, so I’m going to live with it for a while.  Don’t get in line to buy my other French chairs, yet.  I put one in my guest room and one in the home office.  I told you I’m greedy with them. 

So, what do you think?  A little quirky? (Above.)
Or a little more traditional? 

I linked up to Sarah’s Before and After Party.  It’s a hoppin’ place.

Marian Parsons 

Paint Enthusiast | Writer | Artist | Designer

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110 Responses

  2. I love your chair. can't imagine finding chairs like that at a garage sale. Normally, I'm very traditional but I'm loving the kind of funky room. Great shade of green.

  7. I Love the room both ways because you have ammmmazing style & talent, but I do prefer the quirky room more. Love your blog so much. You are so inspirational!! – Liz Marie

  9. First, the grain sack wing back is fabulous!!!! I LOVE the well thought out striping!!! But, I prefer the traditional look for the living room, only because the size/height of the wingback seems so bulky next to the lovely frenchy chair, the large back facing out is less inviting into the room….
    Ellery

  10. Head over heels in love with your new grain sack chair. LOVE! I like the lines of your new yardsale chair, but I think I'll LOVE it if/when you redo the upholstery. Maybe some more grain sacks?! A girl can dream can't she….

  11. I say more traditional…only because I'm hoping you eventually do part with the new awesome/beautiful wingback and I don't want you to love the quirky look too much!
    Really though, you did a fabulous job…it looks amazing!

  13. Quirky! I love to mix my pieces. I think it is more homey. BTW, I love the green pillows. I have always mixed green & blue. My dining room is cream walls with that same(as your pillows)color green trim, and flo blue plates on the plate rail. After ten years, it is still my favorite room in the house. Terry

  18. FAN-stinkin-TASTIC!!! WOO! That grain sack chair is TO DIE FOR. 🙂 I love the room BOTH ways…but for some reason, I feel like the traditional matching chairs fit your living room better, but what do I know?!? I just want to steal that chair!
    Blessings!
    Mary

  19. I love them both….I couldnt decide! I have like 8 chairs in my garage that I need to get to. Im waiting for my Paris Grey to arrive. I wish you would have workshops on redesigns on chairs. I love this one because its a big more rustic. Im not a finished kinda girl. lol

    MJ
    Lucky 7 Design

  21. I love the chair! Question though, if you don't wax over the paint, how do you keep it from chipping. I am in my first experience of using Annie Sloan's paint (& it's Old White). I am enjoying it, but it seems the paint will chip easily or scratch off if I don't seal/wax it.

    I like the traditional set up better. Although, if the other French chair was in white it could make a difference.

  23. I vote traditional for sure. I love the new chair, but have to agree with the comments about scale. The two matching chairs seem made for that room to me!

  27. OMG! I love it! You are extremely talented.. Where did you learn to upohlster?
    oh, and the chair looks fabulous in your room. I am a new follower of yours and I cant wait to see some more of your projects. I hope you will follow me too.

  28. At first glance I didn't like the greenish chair with it but that is soooo much better than the matchy-matchy! Love the French sack chair.

  30. I'm going for traditional too. That room looks complete and at peace. I sort of felt like the grren chair was fighting with the cushions for attention in the quirky set-up. Do love the new chair though. What does your husband think?

  31. I like the quirky, but I don't think that green chair fits as is. I'm not sure why. Maybe the wood is competing too much with the piano?

    The traditional set-up is lovely, too.

  32. My vote goes for the traditional, I love the scale of those matching chairs! You get more done in one day with two little kiddos than anyone I have ever met 🙂 So fun to see your work in progress!

  34. You finished the wing chair in one day? Fabulous! I wouldn't worry about what chairs to put in the living room. Both options are nice. I just know that your living room and dining rooms are in permanent flux. I can hardly wait to see where you put the cow painting. Over the piano? Just don't put it in the family room. I have a really unique large folk art painting by a really old lady. She made a distressed pale yellow barnboard frame for it. Years ago I hung it over my bed. One day as I was getting into bed I noticed something strange on the frame. Peanut butter. Some pre schooler decided to get a closer look at the wildly colored painting and climbed on the bed to inspect it. Ann

  35. the traditional is beautiful, but I love the eclectic mix. It's always more special and unique to see a room that is cohesive and yet not matchy. I vote for keeping it quirky! I purchased my first upholstery "project" today- although it may be more of a slipcover thing…I will be looking through your how to posts and hoping I can do it!

  36. For some reason I like the traditional better, which is surprising, even to myself! But I just think it flows better and is more pleasing to the eye. That new wingback chair is amazing, you definitely need to keep it 🙂

    Cheerio,
    Julie

  37. I love your chair and your green and blue living room. I have a green living room and a blue and white kitchen. The two rooms are separate but I would love to tie the two together. You put the green and blue together perfectly!!

  38. Prefer the green yard sale chair. The 'traditional' is too matchy-matchy, at least for summer with the new pillows…brings some energy to the room. Would look fine for winter, in my opinion.

    Two things I've been wondering about your blog, how do you decide what to part with out of all that you see/buy? I want to open a booth, but seem to be becoming a hoarder instead. LOL! And, generally I know why it's normally necessary, but was wondering why you think liability insurance is necessary for having a booth or barn show, etc. Guess I'm asking would the shop owner or show sponsor not have insurance to cover themselves on their property? Just trying to figure it all out. Thanks!

  43. I LOVE the green! Green is my favorite color and any chance I get I throw it in anywhere! Great job once again!

  46. I like them both! Do you replace the batting or do you use the existing as cushion between the fabric. I have a chair that was free in my garage and I am wanting to recover it but not sure where to begin?

  48. Quirky!!! The 'traditional' setting gets too clinical/sterile/boring/seen before'ish…. (not to be rude). You new chair is absolutely adoring!

  50. Symmetry makes me feel like there's a mirror in the room. Quirky all the way in my book! Makes things interesting and allows your eye to roll with the punches.

    LOVE the new chair!

    Donna

  53. Traditional for me…because I love the chairs!! Ha!! Put green in the room with a pillow or two…that would suffice
    Hugs
    SueAnn

  54. Hi Marian, I like both looks – the traditional look is soothing and gorgeous, but the quirky look is much more interesting and really grabs my attention. Whatever you do is always fabulous. Linda

  55. k I'm going to be completely honest here.I really think the piano has to go. It's taking away from the frenchy look. Your designs are beautiful but I really think the piano weighs down the room.I know I probably have some haters now. But just pull it out of the room for a minute and put your gorgeous chairs there instead maybe with your new cow painting when it arrives!!
    Mary
    RENONFL@YAHOO.COM

  56. My vote goes for quirky! I love how the green chair kinda goes with your green pillows to give it all some pop! I am just in love with those grain sacks, wish I could find some around here!

  57. Complimenti è molto bella l'idea di usare dei sacchi per ricoprire la tua bellissima poltrona.Mi piacerebbe trovare dei sacchi così anche qui in Italia.

  59. I vote for quirky! I love that you had already brought green in with the pillows and are carrying it through with the new french chair as well 🙂

  60. baby you can't lose either way because all the pieces to the puzzle are so fabulous. i love love love what you've done to this chair. really. the clouds parted when i got to that image of the finished chair.

    bravo.

    how long did the project take you? i am always curious about such things.

    hugs.

    michele

  64. I like BOTH and being able to change them as you please!! The grainsack chair should be in a place where you are a lot so you can enjoy the visual pleasure of it as much as possible. It is just beautiful!!

  66. I like the finished grain sack chair!

    Now I think the issue is the dress form, it needs to come to my house 🙂

  67. I am amazed at how those funky greens have turned that already beautiful room into an even better room. Wish I could find some chairs like that!

  68. Definitely, Absolutely, without a doubt, the eclectic version. I love that pea green punch, and I can't even believe how amazing that chair turned out. I couldn't love your living room one iota more.

  71. I love how just after you made green pillows for you room, you found the quirky green chairs at the yard sale. I personally LOVE green and blue, so I say go for the new set-up. Awesome!

  73. Looks great! I think Im going to have to go with the traditional option though. Would the wingback chair work in the guest room?

  74. Definitely quirky, but actually it's not quirky at all. The green chair helps tie in with the green pillows on the sofa & the blue in the other chair goes with the blue in the drapes to add balance in the room. The other way looks like too much color on one side of the room & too much white on the other side.

  75. You never cease to amaze!! FYI, I stopped into Home Goods today and found a chair, similar to yours, with faux grain sack "on sale" for $550!! Yikes! Needless to say, I did not buy it. Love the quirky look best in your living room. The green chair ties into your new green pillows – serendipity?! Why not paint the wood with AS old white on that chair and call it a day! Thanks for sharing. Maureen in NJ

  76. I want the 3rd option…keep the new chair in the living room and recover the little green chair next to it. 🙂
    Karen

  77. Love the quirky and that little pop of green color – my favorite color, by the way! I'm going to have to take an upholstery class. I tend to shy away from anything with upholstery simple because I'm way more comfortable with a paint brush in my hands than a sewing machine or stapler..lol. You keep inspiring me – love your style and sense of whimsy with your home!

  79. ummm….seriously, if there's a line for the French chairs I'd really like to be in it!

    I love the mis-matched….but I'd like to see the wood of the green chair painted.

  80. Love the grainsack wing back. I'd try it next to the piano for scale purposes.

    I am not a blue girl, but love your interiors done in blue…

  81. I love them both but I would put one of the traditional chairs and the new wing back. Just love what you did with it.

  82. I like the second version because it seems to be more balanced in scale (the two chairs). But i do like the green in the room on the smaller chair, its just to my eye the larger chair looks better with the new chair you just made.

  87. Hmmm…hard to say. I like the clean look of the French chairs, but I also really like the quirky balance that the new grain sack and yard sale chairs give to the room – less matchy matchy, more personality. The yard sale chair looks like its color goes really well with your new pillows too! Did you try other combinations as well, like grain sack chair with French chair, French chair with yard sale chair? I think that with these pieces, you're going to have a blast trying new arrangements – enjoy! Btw, outstanding job on the grain sack chair re-do – it's fantastic!! Oh! And I like the white trim =:)~Leena~

  89. I love the 'quirky' room. It is very real and inviting. I'd be afraid to sit in the 'traditional' room…it feels less welcoming.
    Still, both a charming beyond belief.

  91. Quirky, please! I am a sucker for contrasts and velvet chairs, and I love the life the wing chair and green velvet bring to the room. It just looks happier!

    Kate

  93. Love the new chair re-do you just did….looks fabulous! That being said, I still tend toward the traditional so I like the living room with the identical french chairs. Hmmmmm what about putting the new french chair in the guest bedroom?

  94. You know I love your style, but that yard sale chair looks old and tired. sorry. Just my opinion. Still I wonder…where do you buy your meth? My girlfriends always ask me that when I do something they think is incredible, and you are WAY OVER THE TOP INCREDIBLE. Your energy level is epic. 🙂

  95. The quirky look is great… the green chair matches your green pillows and the blue stripes in the grain sacks match the curtains. Those chairs might be a little more child-proof than the traditional, if that makes a difference!

  96. I am usually a quirky, but I kind of prefer the traditional this time: looks more clean to me, and I'm so DESPERATE to have a CLEAN house lately. But the quirky do look more child-proof…and I had to go back and forth 30 times to decide: honestly, it looks GREAT either way! 🙂 I wish you could help me redo my living room: it's SO weird: shape and size that is. You've made your living room look sooo amazing, and I love that b/c it's not a huge house, it's real, which is what so many of us have. 🙂

  97. The chair is WONDERFUL! I just finished a coffee sack chair and did the same thing…nothing but Annie Sloane's Old White. Love it and simple!! I'm selling it but if it was a wing back, I probably couldn't force myself to get it to the shop.

    Can't believe that I'm voting traditional but I definately am…I think it pays homage to the drapes (which I adore). Keep the chair, BTW! Great work

  100. I can just hear you…"go pick up your clothes, shoes, toys, (etc. etc. etc.) so I can take a picture for the blog!" Of, course directed to kids and husbands alike. 😉

  102. I like the traditional with the matching chairs alittle more, but I do love your addition of some green into the room! What a great shade!

  103. Well, I'm a little bit quirky myself. But, for some strange reason(maybe because I've been gone for over a week and I'm tired and glad to be home)I like the traditional chair look. It feels very inviting and restful. Love your stuff! Thanks for giving us such wonderful ideas and getting our creative juices flowing! Blessings and Hugs from Louisiana!

  104. I want those traditional french chairs! Please please please sell them to me!!!!!
    The new look is great too, but MY living room needs your old chairs!!

  107. Wow what a beautiful chair….I wish I could just happen across something like that! I love the quirky set up…your living room is so cozy and inviting. Where do you find most of the grain sacks?

  108. oh.my.gosh. so many comments! i couldn't read thru them all. looked like a lot of votes for quirky and one person telling you to loose the piano. (don't do it).

    I really liked the quirky – but – when i saw the traditional, wow. It was as if my soul sighed a contented sigh.

    As for the piano, if it's an important part of who you and your family are (which i'm guessing it is as a theatrical music major) then it doesn't matter if it doesn't go with the french theme. Nothing needs to "go" that much. I thought the room was beautiful including the piano.

  109. I’m wild for that chair. As a matter of fact, I’d like to find something similar for my dining room and would need to locate two. I’m not having any luck so far. Do you mind passing a long a couple of sites where I might stalk this chair? I think the fact that its a wood frame with an upholstered wing makes it ideal for what I want to do.

  110. What a beautiful chair…….. Where on earth did you ever find it? Very beautiful transformation, as always!!!

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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