Well, the bergere chairs are finally done! They were some of my earlier upholstery subjects. I was still at the stage when I would take apart a chair and then I would wonder what in the world I was thinking and how I was going to get it all back together. At the time, these were the most complicated pieces I had worked on, so I chickened out and didn’t take them apart all the way. That meant the fabric on the seat back and arm interiors was just tucked in at the bottom. Now that I’ve gotten better at upholstery, I redid them in antique hemp sheets and grain sack…double welting and all. And here they are…
It makes me a little sad, but after several years of enjoying them, I’m ready to let them go to a new home. They will be for sale at the Lucketts Spring Market next weekend. They are very nice chairs and we put a lot of work into them, so they are the highest priced items in my space this year – $950 for the pair.
(The table and hand painted sign are also coming to the fair, but I’ll share more about those in another post.)
Believe it or not, I still have a few more furniture makeovers to share…
And, in this week’s Design Ramblings, Kriste and I decided to chat about appreciating different design styles that aren’t our taste. We started talking about it as we were working and decided to put the conversation on hold, since it was a perfect DR topic…
We’re hoping to film a couple of new episodes of Design Ramblings while we’re at Lucketts, but I won’t have one posted next week. Look out for the next episode in 2 weeks.
11 Responses
I enjoy all your “ramblings,” but have one question which came to mind during this episode about style. What do you do when your husband’s ideas on style are not the same as your own?
I totay agree with your design rambling this week. I decorate with 1700/1800 primitive antiques (not a collector but an authenticator). Although my style is so totally different than yours, your blog is one of the first I read everyday. Partly because you live in my area, but mostly because I love seeing your design style. That yellow piece you just showed is my favorite of yours! The chippiness is the best and so authentic looking. Hope you have a great show.
Marian, Thank You for the beautiful email, although You & Kriste won’t be doing DR next week, I think I did a little solo session in Your replies of My own take on design ramblings..Diva-style! I knew You, of all people, would understand My excitement of My first’s (< Is that even a word?) I truly cannot contain My excitement of not only what I was able to find & at the prices I found them ALL at, But that the Dealer was so thankful for My business that He even threw in 20 burlap Brazilian & Mexican coffee sacks,too! Good luck @ Luckett's even though You certainly do not need it, Your talent speaks for itself.. I love the 2 chairs,But My favorite chairs now, Is Your newest one with the blue paisley P. Kauffman Fabric as the contrasting fabric on the back & Your high back wing chairs at the heads of Your dining table.( I'm contemplating getting a similar blue Paisley because #1..I LOVE it & how classically beautiful it is & #2 a small nod to My inspiration/ teacher who,Through a simple video series,Gave Me the courage & know how to embark on My newest adventure in Upholstery) But those original 2 chairs are similar to what caught My attention & made Me such a devoted Student of The School of Miss Mustard Seed!! That style is what made You MMS instead of Marian the determined DIY-er!! Although We always want to hold on to what We 1st found our niche in, Our tastes like Ourselves..Evolve! Let go & enjoy the memory of those beautiful chairs. Let them be a well-loved part of someone else's Home & get a 3rd Life..You gave them Their 2nd Life when You breathed Life back into dated but classic chairs..Let them become someone else's investment pieces!! Thankfully they will live FOREVER in pictures online, to always look back on & smile in fond memory. As for Me..Hopefully,I will have My new stapler & I'll be able to show off My 1st French chair within 2 weeks & the next DR. And not be in a straight jacket @ The Insane asylum for being too ambitious before I was ready!! ..But I'm confident in My teacher's skills & that she (along with Her loyal understudy @ the time of filming, Had never done anything like that before..Yet look at Kriste now!!) And that My Professor of Paisley, Print & Pleats has more faith in Us then We have in Ourselves sometimes..Just Enjoy Luckett's,You've EARNED it & May You both network Your tooshies off & make a ton of new friends,As well as business connections!!
You gave me enough knowledge to start my french chairs. And then you posted yours today! What inspiration. Thank you! Do you sell the paint you used on the wood? And where can I get the hemp material? Happy Mother’s Day!
Warmly,
Holly
These are lovely. What colors did you use?
They are lovely chairs- but to make your chairs look even better ( and more $$$ 🙂 as well as supremely comfortable, I would beef up the seat upholstery with padding and extra fill so it doesn’t look as flat..
Loved the Design Rambling topic this week. One subject you could address is whether you can style your home with more than one look. Most of my home is neutrals/farmhouse, but I also adore the colorful bohemian style and I’ve allowed one room to fulfill that desire. My art room has pink/green/florals etc. I think it’s okay to express multiple styles as long as the rooms are separate from each other and there is no visual conflict. What do you think? Can you use more than one style in your home? Would like to see you talk about this.
Beautiful! Do the grain sacks have those letters on them? I really need to investigate where to find something like that!
I have found so much inspiration on your blog I now have about 10 pieces of furniture that are candidates for a MMS makeover!
Beautiful work, Marian! You’ve graduated at the head of the upholstery class! I would never have the patience to tackle such a challenge, but thank goodness you do!
Barbara
I love these chairs!! I know it is bitter sweet to let them go, but I am sure you will find another great project to take their place. They will go to a great home. The Lucketts show is going to be awesome.
The chairs are beautiful! I love watching the Design Ramblings episodes. Kriste touched on something when she mentioned about seeing pieces set in a person’s home setting. It would be interesting to see a post showing pictures of various pieces that you’ve painted & sold and see how they’re used in their new owners’ settings.