Alright, all of you Francophiles out there…sit down, take a deep breath and look at this baby…
Remember what she looked like a few days ago? Things don’t look too bad in this picture, but the fabric was worn and the finish was a dated blonde/pickled sort of wood.
I removed all of the upholstery except for the seat. I knew I wanted to slipcover that, so it would be washable and durable.
The frame received a thin coat of creamy paint, which was then sanded off. The result is a soft, aged and imperfect finish.
The back and arms were reupholstered in durable canvas drop cloth with a bright white trim. I took my new pneumatic upholstery staple gun for a spin and that gadget is worth every single stinkin’ penny I spent on it. About 80% of the frustration experienced during my last upholstery job was alleviated with this staple gun.
I know I would want to be able to wash the seat cover, so I chose a slipcover over upholstery, even though it meant a little more work. I know whoever buys it would feel relieved they could throw it in the washing machine after their toddler does a face plant on it after eating an Oreo, which inevitably happens with white furniture. I love the knife pleats on the mini skirt. This girl’s got great legs and I want to show them off.
Since the pleating was short, I could take it all the way around the legs and back and I love the flirty detail it adds. The skirt is tied on with bright white grosgrain ribbon with some no-fray applied to the edges.
Oh, French settee, why do I have to sell you?
(Can you tell how much I love this settee?) This may be one of my favorites pieces ever.
To recap, before…
…and after.
Sigh.
Thanks so much to all who have voted to win me a bathroom makeover. Please keep it up!
86 Responses
Gorgeous as usual!! Wish I lived close enough to take it home!
Trinity
Ohhh, I LOVE this settee! She is adorable. I love the color, and the little flirty trim. I am not even a francophile and I would be sorely tempted to keep this one instead of selling it. Beautiful job!
She is perfect!! You did an amazing job fixing her up.
Have a fun weekend!
Normally I would find a settee a little fussy for my rowdy kids/house, but that is just lovely. I adore how the drop cloth is juxtaposed against the bright whites and ruffles…and those legs!
Gorgeousness! Pure gorgeousness!
Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Gorgeous.
Gorgeous. Like the slipcover idea and the color is perfect. Are you going to be able to part with it?
It's beautiful, I wish I knew how to sew—it would open up so many new doors!! Great job!
Marian, She is absolutely gorgeous!! Love that it is a slipcover.
xo, Sherry
Beyond gorgeous!! Love it. Excellent job.
I stand in awe…You have really inspired me to make a move on my french seat! Thanks for sharing. Gorgeous
Just beautiful. You gave this piece just he treatment it needed!
Very nice! Wish I had your talent in the slipcover area. Jackie
Just beautiful! How can you bear to part with it?
Wow, you whipped that up quickly. I like the short pleats that work around the wood. (I have pickled wood, but I reupholstered the chairs a few years ago.) 🙁 There must be a way…
Just PERFECT!!!!
I love it!
Nancy
you did a beautiful job!
Love the frilly detailing around the edges.
I think you should keep it!
Love the frilly detailing around the edges.
I think you should keep it!
I think that is one of my favorite pieces that you've done, Marian! She is beautiful! I wish I lived closer. I would snatch her up. I have been looking for a settee for a long time.
Love it …looks so fresh and not dated.
Molly
BRAVO! I can't imagine how much work it was to transform this little beauty! What a talent you have!
Wow, I have to say that this is one of my favorites, too. Beautiful work!
There is no way I could give this one up!!!! Great job as usual.
OK. I am now living in sin. I am coveting that settee big time. I am not kidding! What is the price of that beauty? I may have to drive there to buy it, you know, so I won't be living in sin and all!
Oh yes I love this! Wow you did this soo fast!! I am still trying to figure out how to do one little measly chair are you do a whole settee!! I am in awe…
You have really brought that piece back from the dead! Great job. 😉
Oh, so very very beautiful! I love the little pleated ruffle. Was it fabric or more of the ribbon? I'm sure it will sell super fast!
Oh, it looks lovely! And fast! Man, you're fast! 🙂 I especially love this finish and I've been thinking of doing something similar to my bed (which is oak). So here's my question — did you deglaze or sand or liquid sand the original finish at all before you painted? Or did you just go for it? And did you topcoat it with poly or wax or anything afterwards?
Thank you so much for all you do and share with all of us. You are an inspiration!
~Angela 🙂
Oh this is without a doubt my favorite thing I've seen from you so far. Absolutely stunning job on the slip cover, too!
If you need anymore convincing that you should keep it I suggest you let it hang out in your house until the next time you get desperate and have to raid your house again. It is fantastic, I couldn't let it go! And that has to be a record time turnaround!!!
Absolutely gorgeous!
It looks fab! I love those little pleats and I think it is a stroke of genius to make the seat cover removable.
Be still my beating heart! If I didn't live in the midwest, I would be there today to buy it. You are simply one of the most talented gals around. You have been soooooo inspiring to me!! Love it, love it, love it!
Although it is not my style it is a pretty good job 😉
That is so gorgeous! It would have to be a keeper! You did such a fantastic job.
Kathy
Good grief – you're quick!! Makes me feel like a real slacker!! it looks great- perfect!
Prettiest. Settee. Ever.
LOVE!
Jenny
http://www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com
She looks so pretty in your home…
you're Miss Mustard Seed… you don't HAVE to sell her!
Is it terribly impolite to ask what you might GET for her up there though?
This is really pretty Marian. I used to have a pneumatic stapler too, and it was fabulous! I thought you had made all the knife pleating by hand but realize it is a ready made trim, how much easier is that? I was thinking, where on earth does this girl find the time to do mini pleats by hand??? I may use this trim idea myself! Thx!
Oh, you're killing me. If I lived closer, I would buy it ALL!
It is lovely!
You are a DIY Machine! I am smitten.
Deborah
BEYONE FABULOUS!! Love, love, love it. Can you tell I love it???
~mary~
Wow! She's beautiful! Yes I would LOVE to have her in my house! Great Job!
Tammy 🙂
She's a beauty!
Are you kidding??? It is absolutely breathtaking!! I really, really would purchase it if I lived near you (or if shipping wouldn't be outrageous)…and that's coming from a furniture refinisher…it would be wonderful to buy a piece so lovely and not have to touch a single thing. REALLY beautiful, Marian! And good call on the oreo face. -shaunna 🙂
Fast and Fabulous! (That is you are and it is).
Your talent is endless Marian, just fabulous!
OK…I will say it, I'm really jelious!!! I was looking for one of these beauties forever and finally gave up and bought a bench. If one day you wake up and it's gone you know who took it 🙂
Once again you have done a gorgeous transformation!
XO
Kristin
I LOVE IT!!!! Way to go Marian, you did a fantastic job!
That is beautiful! I love the white trim.
Fantastic job Marian. It looks so nice with your draperies, and since your house has been emptied with recent sells, I think you should keep it! It is the perfect height for your little ones to sit on.
Absolutely gorgeous, Marian!!
Amazingly beautiful. Your talents are inspiring!
I think you should keep it. It's too pretty with your blue draperies!
This is just stunning! Absolutely beautiful. I wish I had your talent!
LOVE IT!! Just beautiful! I think that was really clever to make a slipcover for her…I can see why this will be so hard to give her up! I couldn't agree more on a pneumatic stapler…I just did a sofa makeover…I would have been lost without it! It makes the job so much easier. Always love to see what amazing thing you have done…great job!
Hugs,
Victoria
Beautiful makeover. I'd love to know what kind of pneumatic stapler you bought. I'm sure I can speak for all your readers collectively that we'd love a short tutorial. Great job.
April @ HomeHinges.com
You're killing me, Smalls! This is far beyond gorgeous and goes straight to genius!
m ^..^
You just made me wish for a magic wallet (it fills up the way my magic laundry hamper does!)….I've got the PERFECT spot for that lovely lady right here in my she-cave. We could while away many happy hours chatting and doing embroidery, having tea & reading Bronte….*sigh*
♥hugs♥
I love it! The skirted ruffle makes it so practical and completely unique! So glad you brought her back to life. I'd love to have it myself!
Marian,
What a fabulous makeover. Was the little ruffle on the slip cover seat pre-made or did you have to make that tiny pleat? It really did turn out to be a beautiful piece–bet that will be bought as soon as it hits the booth.
Karen at Garden, Home and Party
Wow! It's fantastic! I love the drop cloth fabric. That saves it from being too "precious," somthing mere mortals can actually use and enjoy.
Marian, you are a force of nature! I still can't believe how much you can accomplish in a day. Amazing. And your French settee turned out wonderfully!
Ohh La la! Beautiful!!!
Turned out just lovely! If only I had room for more furniture. And yes, that air gun/stapler is a MUST. Had to cover a chair in muslin before slipping it…took NO time to do that with the air gun stapler. Redoing dining chairs with that is easy, too!
xox
Nancy
Amazing job! Very nicely updated and a very pretty & practical piece; bravo!!
so so so so gorgeous. Did I mention it is gorgeous?
xo
Kate
Stunning.
This is by far the cutest, most adorable slipcover for a setee that I've ever seen! Beautiful job!
I thought you were keeping this one?
She is so pretty to let go!
It is so beautiful! I am pretty much in love with it. Great job, as usual 🙂
Simply in awe. Please feature THIS next FFF! 🙂
Every square inch is so heavenly and so you. I had a tough time seeing you sell that last one with the matching pillows. And now this! Oy. This is killing me. LOL
Donna
Oh, my! This is gooorgeous!!! A piece worthy of passing down in your family! Oh-la-la!!
I love that you did a slipcover for the seat, and what a lovely slipcover!!
absolutely amazing, makes me want to go out and do that upholstery course for sure!
alicia
What a wonderful job you have done. The woodwork is so perfect and I love the pleating. Very clever!Fiona
I don't know who you do it, but you do. Fabulous job.
I wouldn't be able to give it up!!!
LOVE the pleats.
Oh Marian! She is just a stunner, to be sure!
Love the slipcover cushion, especially for those of us with kids who are always "fighting the battle" of the spills, etc. How I love taking the slipcover off my sofa and washing them!
I can see why this one is one of your fvoirtes…
Cori
Oh, I LOVE it! Would love to know more about your stapler! awesome!
Even though I'm no Francophile (more of a Frankenfurter) I love it!
That may be the most gorgeous piece of furniture I have ever seen. The slipcover absolutely makes it! I love the ruffles it creates around the arms. I have to keep this project in mind…it is fabulous!
Thank you for the awesome inspiration. I finally got to it and made over my wing chairs with drop cloths and a pleated trim.
http://thatsmyletter.blogspot.com/2011/01/w-is-for-wing-chairs.html
Please keep on blogging all the great projects.
Hi there, it’s genuinely a great tutorial you might have right here
I love this, it’s absolutely beautiful. I would like to try and make one myself, what was the ruffle trim (the white pleats) made out of? You are truly talented nada wonderful inspiration!
I meant you ate truly talented AND A wonderful inspiration!!