I’m still plowing through my list of freelance articles (all 30 of them), so today I worked on a tutorial showing how to reupholster a small armchair. See that yellow French chair under the window? That was my subject.
It took a couple of hours to get her all stripped down and ready for a nice new look. I decided to leave the wood frame as it was. It was a pretty, dark wood and there really wasn’t a reason to paint it. (See…I do leave some things alone! Well, I did reupholster the chair, but you know what I mean.)
…and here it is in all of its grain sack glory…
…with a little surprise on the sides and back…
The full tutorial will be available on HGTV.com in a while and I’ll link to it when it’s live. I also still have plans to make a separate video tutorial series that will be available here on my blog. Don’t even ask me if I’ll be selling this chair. The answer is no. I will be working on some more chairs to sell at the Lucketts Antique Market in May and will hopefully have some to sell online, too. Eventually.
I also wanted to share how awesome the back splash over the stove looks now it’s grouted.
Here’s how it looked without the grout…
..and with…
I love grout. It made all of the irregular gaps just disappear. Hurray for grout!
I also primed the sides of the cabinets, since they’ll be visible under the new custom range hood we’ll be making in a couple of weeks.
Tomorrow, the work on the counters begins…
The chair looks beautiful. I have one question, when re-upholstering furniture do you have to use upholstery fabric?
Rayna
Great job on the chair! Love the use of your new fabric and the new cream braid. You just never rest, do you!
Look forward to the tutorial. I have a chair that I was going to make a slipcover for, but now I think it need to reupholster because of a%$@* cat. A friend gave us her cat to replace our missing one and he didn’t seem to like our litter box (and he is not welcome in the house anymore). There is nothing, nothing worse than cat urine smell. I’ve been trying to get it out of the chair, but it seems hopeless. It’s either throw out the chair or reupholster!
Just beautiful chair and grout a winner!!
I love how that pretty blue fabric looks with the grain sacks! Happy accident or are you really that good at reading color online? Well, bravo either way.
The tile is spectacular. Now. You have me itching to tile something. I am already making a floor cloth and contemplating painting my family room and master bath. You know how one day something inside just kinda snaps and you realize that NOW actually is a good time to do all those things you’ve been meaning to get to for years?
And I got brave and signed up to be a vendor at the Luckett’s fair this year! So you have to talk Jami from Freckled Laundry into coming so I can meet her.
Good work lady!
From one Marian to another
Okay can I ask a question? I’m in middle of pulling fabric off a chair to reupholster and I can’t get all the staples out. I’ve already spent hours on it and I just don’t know how I’m going to get the rest out! Do you ever leave some stubborn staples in?
Yes, if the staples are flat and aren’t going to interfere with new staples, I just leave them in. There is no sense in spending hours getting out every last one when no one will ever see them.
Oh La La. Very good. Very.
Oh my, that is one gorgeous chair! Tile/grout look really pretty too!
Jeanette
Gorgeous chair ,Wow! love the surprise if that gorgeous fabric on the back. Your tile is looking great too. I’m about to tile my back splash I’ll remember your words about grout when I start to freak out because it doesn’t look perfect to me.
Oh your chair is lovely. I have one torn apart and need to put it back together. It needs all new stuffing and foam and whatever! Do you have a good place to recommend that i could buy the stuff I need? The springs are ok but the rest of it had to go. I’ve been ignoring it because I don’t know for sure where to get what I need. Don’t know for sure what all I need either – LOL!
The chair is amazing! You are so talented.
Thank you for continuing to inspire and teach! Just bought a dining room set and will need to upholster the chairs in the future. Would love to get some grain sack…..any ideas?
Robin
What a beautiful transformation! I love the fun ‘pop’ with the 2 fabrics. Amazing! Can’t wait to see what you have at the Lucketts Fair!
Chair is beautiful and the tile is sooooo much better with the grout!
Your chair and your tiles are gorgeous. I love how you used your wall fabric on the side of the chair 🙂
Love love love. *sigh* It’s beautiful. Well done!
Ahhhh, I love it so much! What an amazing eye you have.
I Love your chair and it looks fabulous with the sides to match your room. You have such ingenious ideas!! And the herringbone tile in your kitchen, is such a great change from the usual tile, looks great in your house. I thought I might get to meet you at Knot Too Shabby in
March, but that was Easter weekend, so maybe in the near future you will be out here
in So Cal. It would be great to meet you in person. I look forward to all your blogs and am excited for all your things that you are doing for HGTV…..can’t wait to read about those tutorials. You really have inspired me………thank you! Where are some of the places that
you get your grainsacks from? I have a chair to do also, it was my grandmothers and needs some TLC……I am really excited to “Joaneeze” it……thanks again for the inspiration!!
That chair is Fabulous! I’m wondering where you got the grain sack fabric. It’s not something I’ve seen in my local fabric store . . .
Your designs are just always breathtaking. I love that you kept the wood as is on this one. The pop of pattern on the sides is perfect and makes this chair even better. I have a pair of similar chairs I bought for $25. I couldn’t believe it! When I found them I told my sister I am going to reupholster these babies just like Miss Mustard Seed. Gosh I hope I can do just as a good of job! Thanks for always inspiring!
That chair is stunning! I don’t blame you for keeping it for yourself. The sides and back are such a lovely unexpected detail. Your backsplash tile is beautiful, you did a great job on the installation!
Your chair looks beautiful, love the colors! You always seem to have the right timing with your posts, Marian. I’m in the process of reupholstering my first chair and it is a bit fightening…but coming to your page today gives me the kick I need to tackle the rest today.
Happy redoing!
Loads of crazy goodness here. Is there anything you won’t tackle? Wow
I love, love the chair, and am looking forward to the tuitorial!! I have been so in love with your tile, even showed it to my husband. And am even more excited about the countertops. CAN’T WAIT TO SEE!!!
I love this chair! I have a wing back chair I have been wanting to change, right now it is navy blue leather, that a cat has had enough fun with. Was wondering where did you find the feed sack material?
One day I’ll see your furniture line when I walk into Thomasville or Ethan Allen!
I love your chair, I have 4 wingbacks around my dining table I would love to change, but I am not that brave, one question…..Are you planning on sealing your tile and grout, some do, some don’t….wonder what is your thoughts…you are a whirlwind, or so it seems…I agree, I see a country modern furniture line in your future,
Your back splash looks great! I’m a little nervous to do mine because I’m planning to use a dark grout, so any mistakes or large gaps will be really noticeable. I probably should have chose a more forgiving project for my first tiling job!
You are so brave to tackle upholstery- I have a chair stripped down and just can’t seem to get going on it…maybe after your HGTV tutorial comes out!
Beautiful upholstery work. Chair came out great!!
I absolutely love how that chair turned out! Definitely my favorite of all the ones you’ve shown here, which is saying something.
I smiled when I saw that monogram pillow on the chair, too! I got the “EO” version in IKEA’s clearance section years ago. It was only $0.99 (including the feather insert!!) because someone had spilled some coffee on it. Now it’s gorgeously white again and it makes me really happy that you’ve got one too 🙂 And yours at least has one of your initials! Ha, my husband thought I was so weird for buying a random monogram pillow that has nothing to do w/ my initials.
Marian I LOVE what you’ve done with the chair! Forget selling it, I may have to take a road trip and just steal it! LOL (was that enough exclamation points for you?)
The tile looks fabulous – grout is a wonderful, wonderful thing 🙂
Beautiful chair! Everything you touch sings happy!
Have a wonderful day
The chair is great looking! I wouldn’t sell it either!
The tile backsplash looks wonderful with the grout – terrific color choice!
I love the chair and look forward to the tutorial.
So beautiful – all of it!! I love the grainsack chair and the pillow on it is so sweet! And the kitchen looks amazing. I’m hoping to update my backsplash in the coming weeks but haven’t settled on what to use yet! Your kitchen really inspires me!!! Thanks! ~ Jennifer
oh WOW …. that little surprise on the sides and back of the chair is just beautiful!!! I have to take a break now…. Just “Thinking” about all that you are busy at makes me tired!! LOL (btw…. bought your book… and soooooooooooooo enjoying it!!)
Um yes please! Love the chair- that blue on the back just makes it. The tile looks perfect to me…
Great job on the chair! Wow the grout really does make a difference, really brings out the color and design.
Your tile/grout looks awesome!!!! Nice job. My son who is a carpenter (among many other great and helpful things 😉 ) told me, when I was a little discouraged with a trim job I was doing, said that all good carpenters, tilers, etc. know how to hide their mistakes. 🙂 I am getting pretty good at it. lol I realized if I didn’t say anything, nobody noticed. And that chair is superb! I love the feel of grainsack. And the coordinating material on sides and back make it pop. (PS Although you may not remember, I want to thank you for the sweet comment a few days ago!!)
Your chair is so beautiful! I love the grain sack front paired with the floral back 🙂 Thank you for continuing to inspire!!
xo, Tanya
twelveOeight
Love the chair!!
i love your reupholstery job, and the blue stripe with the outer floral is just so. very inspiring. i noticed that you used decorative trim, and chose not to use self fabric piping. share your thought process about that as each gives a different finished look. thanks for sharing, karen
I have only recently stumbled upon your amazing blog. Since that day, however, I have more than made up for lost time – drinking in all your old blog posts and tutorials, and eagerly waiting for the newest post to come up.
I don’t need to tell you how talented you are, Marian – but, I will, anyway! Also, you seem to be a very nice gal, to boot! I would describe your style as ‘refined country’ – and I love it! Bravo! Thank you.
Love, love, LOVE the tile backsplash! Maybe someday…
You are AMAZING!!! You keep outdoing yourself!! 🙂
Wow, I think that chair is one of your best items ever! Beautiful and good on ya for the tiling, grouting, etc!!
That chair KNOCKS ME OUT!!!!! I sure wish I could find a couple here in St. Louis. They seem to be rare as hen’s teeth.. as do the French dining room chairs and the barrel back chairs with cane sides. Ugghhh… so frustrating. But this chair is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
LVM! (LOVE VERY MUCH) 🙂
Did you just say “custom range hood?!”
Hi Marian,
I’m sure you’ll clue us all in when the tutorials are available and where to find them. I look forward to seeing them… You’re a good teacher!
Wow! I love the chair.
That chair is really beautiful. I’m having trouble finding some reasonably priced grain sacks but I have a lot of ticking that I pulled off the box springs of my grandmothers old mattress (with the label I think, by the writing, from the 40’s). How do you think that would look?
That sounds really cool, if you think you would have enough fabric!
The grain sack look is very pretty and my mind was trying to come up with where I can find some…but your surprise sides and back …blew me away. What a sassy great look!! Thank you for all your great ideas!!
Love the chair! I have 6 or so chairs of my great grandmothers’
They have great lines and bones. My husband and I renovated
my grandmother’s farmhouse. I have saved the chairs until something
perfect came along, and here you are!!! Thank you for your inspiration
and savvy!
Just love the chair! Where do you get the fabric?
I would love to see a tutorial on reupholstering a chair like this. Have 2 metal framed chairs with arms and no idea how the cushions would be attached since it cannot be stapled..(?)
Your chair is lovely and I love the use of 2 fabrics. Very charming!
Love the chair. Can’t wait to see the tutorial.
I saw your title and thought “How does she plow through this stuff?” And how do you start your article??? Plowing through! The chair is beautiful! I love the side surprise. You are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!!! You must have found those extra hours in the day I have been looking for!
WOW M.M… what a difference the grout made, I have tiled floors and backsplash before, with larger tiles and NEVER noticed a huge difference, when you look @ both the pics it looks like totally DIFFERENT tile! GREAT JOB! PS. can`t Wait for the video tutorial on the grain fabric chair…although I can NOT SEW!! Ha :-))
Wow…that chair is gorgeous…you did a great job Marian!…love the surprise of the coordinating fabric on the sides…looking forward to the video!
Absolutely beautiful!
Did you have the counter top cut to fit?
I really need a countertop since mine well … remember butcher block formica? ….that’s me hehehe. This house was built in 1949 and the kitchen never got a facelift…just new appliances except for one…you remember the wall oven that was in Samantha’s (Bewitched) kitchen? It’s a Modern Maid…the door on hers lifts up (mine opens from the right). I am looking for someone to fix it up..(any clues at all will be greatly appreciated since I have had no success…..it worked so well until only a couple years ago… anyway I call it my jetson stove lol.
thanks so much for sharing!
hugs,
Deb
Dear Deb, I just saw your comment about your butcher block Formica. My solution was to paint my counter tops. I lightly sanded them and then started painting. I used Rustoleum high gloss oil base enamel in black, I can’t remember but in think I gave them two coats. After they dried, I took some white, grey and a dark blue craft paint and sponged it on in a granite effect. The final steps were three coats of Helmsman high gloss marine varnish with a very very light sanding between coats. Oh, I did have some gold flecks that I randomly sprinkled on, not too much. The counters have lasted me four years and still fool anyone who sees them. I may be doing a remodel soon and will get the real deal but in the meantime the faux granite has served me well. Another caveat, the cost was less than $40. I am available if you have any questions. Smiles to you.
Oh, how I WISH I had your energy and know how! lol I will have to settle for a much slower method and lots of tutorials. I just love your style… Everything looks so effortlessly put together. Seriously, I wish I could hire you to help me decorate my house. Sigh In the meantime, FABULOUS WORK… Keep it comin’! 😉
Marian, You are an amazing young woman! The chair is fabulous and I love the backsplash!
The tile looks fantastic! Grout is a beautiful thing! I have 2 chairs that I am wanting to have reupholstered that are very similar to your chair. I am trying to decide if I should do it myself? I look forward to the tutorial! Life to the full, Melissa
Whoa, the chair looks amazing! and I’m glad you chose the white grout! it looks so bright and pretty! It was smart, and well, like you said, a “duh” to do a sample piece with the two grout colors… ! I’m excited about your bedroom, and can’t wait to see it all done!
Cindy
I think I have the exact same stove as you….how do you keep yours so clean?
Love the backsplash by the way.
Your Home is Looking so Beautiful!!!! I Love what you did with the Chair!!!
That chair is gorgeous! I love the look of the warm wood with the fabrics. So pretty. The backsplash is so classic and clean. Love it all!
I’m looking forward to your tutorial on how to reupholster the chair, I have one similar from my parents that is desperately in need of new material. I have no idea how to, and I’m a little intimidated, but I would like to try…just so I can say I did it. I love how yours turned out, love the 2 materials.
Debbie 🙂
That little chair turned out absolutely beautiful. I love the floral fabric on the sides and back. Thank you for sharing and I can hardly wait for the tutorial. Blessings to you dear Marian. Patti@OldThingsNew
everything you do just has a way of turning out so beautifully! I am sooooooo loving that tile!
I have to agree with Jessica, you have a way with making anything look gorgeous, I adore grain sack fabric and that tile is stunning!
That chair is freaking awesome.
Beautiful job…I want to learn how to do this..it is gorgeous!
Just how many hours do you have in your day!?! I can’t even come close to your completion schedule, but you are an inspiration to get er done. Love the chair, the humbleness of the grain sacks counterpointed by the elegance of your drape fabric is brilliant. Finding your email in my box is like getting a little surprise present to open!
I love the look and the sides of the chair! Great job! Great inspiration for the project chair in my bedroom…
The chair and the backsplash look great – don’t you love it when a plan comes together like you see it in your head?
Love this chair, and can’t wait to see the tutorial!
Hello
Just looked at the grain sack chair you did and turned out lovely! I was just wondering about that pretty persian rug in one of the shots; did you happen to get that at Pottery Barn; the reason I ask is that I want to get a rug for my breakfast area; it is too much expense to not like the rug or find that it is not good quality. Thank you
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I just love the fabric you used for the sides of the chair! What is it called? I doubt if we can get anything like it in the uk – but it’s worth asking! I am an upholsterer and always looking for unusual fabrics and textiles. Thank you for sharing!
What is the manufacturer and pattern of the blue fabric you used on the side of the chair and for the curtains? Thanks!
I know it’s been a couple years since you posted this blog, but I would really love to know the name of the indigo fabric you used on the chair panels and curtains. Please please please share with us! 🙂
The grain sack chair is simply amazing, I have been bouncing around your blog and delighted at such beauty when it comes to design. I had to post on the grain sack chair though, I just love it.
I love the design, absolutely beautiful.