Now is the time when everything I started gets finished. Well, it’s also the time I buy new things that need to be finished, because it’s my biggest event of the year and I have to give it everything I’ve got, but that’s another post.
One thing I finished this week was the sibling to my French twins of 2017…
I finished one of them a few weeks ago, but then I shelved upholstery work for a while and opted to work on painted furniture.
While upholstery is something I can do, it’s not something I enjoy. I like the end result of the transformation and, unfortunately, the process has to happen in order to get to the finish line. So, I give myself a pep talk and make it happen.
They turned out great. The second one, that I had been avoiding for weeks, ended up being a piece of cake. I already had the pieces cut and the double-welting made, so it was just a matter of stapling everything in place.
I don’t have as many upholstered chairs as I usually do at Lucketts, but I just didn’t have much luck finding them at a good price this year. It ended up being a good thing, because I was not in the mood for a ton of upholstery!
I painted the frames of the chairs in Farmhouse White, distressed the edges, and upholstered them in antique windowpane toweling.
I like the height and scale of these chairs. They would be good for occasional chairs, but could also be used as end chairs at a dining table. I like pieces like this that offer some options to a buyer.
This is another working weekend.
We have new goodies to paint, price and pack…
27 Responses
Marian,
These should sell in a flash! If I could make it to Lucketts, I would buy them in a heartbeat. Great color combination, blue and white, good size, etc… Sigh…
Best wishes for a great Lucketts sale.
Judith
Love the fabric! Great look!
It bothers me that the fabric doesn’t match on the fronts of the seats. Used as a pair, I would want them to match. Sorry!
I agree! I do this for a living and if I were to give my customer a matching set that isn’t identical….. probably wouldn’t get paid. I do like the fabric! Possibly you won’t sell them as a set?
They are actually already sold as a set. And, this is why I am not an upholsterer. My pieces aren’t perfect and I don’t want the pressure to try to make them that way!
there is a whole world of people out there that want the more rustic and certainly not perfect or well matched upholstery. I know it boggles the minds of the pros, but money speaks!
I think they look wonderful I’m going to try the double piping now I’ve watched your tutorial ! but it would bother me too that the seat patterns don’t match…. out of interest whats the guide price for two chairs ? not that I could have them shipped or anything …
I’m waiting and hoping to see some Chinese inspired work ?
You work so hard on pieces of furniture, I don’t know how you sell them! Everything is so beautiful. You are a true furniture artist & see the potential in pieces that I can’t comprehend!!
Like others, I wish I lived a little closer to Lucketts. It sounds like a great place and event. I admire your talent and the individual character of each piece of your work. Wishing you a great show and a true sense of accomplishment!
They look great!!
Will the antique toweling be a durable
choice for seating?
Oh yes, this is very thick toweling. It’s very durable and forgiving.
Well, they are fraternal twins , not identical . ?
Yes, exactly. That way, people can tell them apart and they can’t play pranks. 🙂
LOL very witty!
Not matching wouldn’t bother me a bit. I think they look awesome.
I thought the same thing when I first saw the chairs….they don’t match! However, after I pondered about it a bit, I changed my mind. If they will be used at the table ends, it doesn’t matter, as they are far enough apart and under the table, anyway… and, decorating is more lax these days… used to be everything needed to be matchy matchy…not any more! Gives the chairs character of their own.
Who cares? All that matters is that they were made by Miss Mustard Seed!! How great is THAT?
Love you, Marian!
Ha, I love it! I knew these chairs would drive some people batty, but I was using antique toweling, so they are non-identical twins. And I don’t mind that one bit.
I LOVE THEM! I think they are my favourite.
Super talented! Beautiful!
they look beautiful. I love that they are a little different..they are upcycled and I love them
Absolutely LOVELY!
Hi there from rainy uk!,
Did you have some formal upholstery teaching? Just wondering as you make it all look so easy.
Love Paula
So often I can relate to what you are doing, and your post ends up being an encouragement to me. ? I was struggling with upholstering a chair last week that was the second of twins as well, only I did not cut out both sets of new fabric when I did the first one — a whole year ago — so I had to go back through thousands of pictures on my phone to see how it looked as I took it apart, so that I could put it back together in the right way. Plus I had decided with the first one to modify the design a little, making it extra difficult. (Why do I take on these kinds of challenges?!). So thanks for your post today that expressed your similar feelings that you really don’t enjoy the process, but you love the outcome. ? So true! And then when you see the fun projects on Pinterest it makes you want to do more! Your chairs came out beautifully. ?
I also wanted to mention something I learned last week in a bas relief class taught by Oregon based plaster artist Ellie Ellis of Elite Artistry by Ellie. One product she introduced us to was a clay that you can mold, heat and adhere to furniture, picture frames, etc. So you can add details like the ones on your chairs if you find some that have pieces missing, or that you want to dress up a bit more. The company is Bomar Designs, and the Clay is called compo.
Love these! I am finishing up a huge upholstery project (upholstering over cane back dining chairs). I have to agree with you when it comes to upholstery; love the end result, but not the work!
I’ve been doing a bit of upholstery, thanks to you. And, i don’t really enjoy it either so I’m glad you said it first. But, like you, I enjoy the end result.
These chairs look amazing. I think half the character is that the fabric does not match perfectly. What a perfectly imperfect matching pair. Isn’t that the beauty of vintage/ antique furniture? All of the little imperfections here and there make them unique. If one wants “perfection”, shop a chain store!