From :"Not So Pretty" to "Really Pretty"

What is that mess on the floor?

Well, you might remember these bargain chairs

(two of them) we bought for $11 each.

This is a pic before it was completely

ripped apart to begin the transformation.

He has recovered simple chairs before

but this was a bit more difficult.

We are a Do-It-Yourself" couple.

Saves $$$ and we must admit -

we just like a project.

But, as we tore each part of the upholstery

off the wooden frame, we made a picture

so we could remember how to put it back together.

Pink and Green

I still like this color combination - but

for a little girl's room - and not on these chairs.

Excuse me, I forgot to rotate this one,

but you can see the back of the chair in its

pinky state.

Although the wood wasn't too bad, it did

have several scratches and areas

where the finish was worn.

At one time in this chair's life,

it had been covered with burgandy.

(Had that at color in my house once, too.)

Details of the pretty leg after

hubby got hold of it with the sander.

It took lots of sanding. 

His paint stripper doesn't work when it's cold. 

And, cold it is and getting colder.

B-r-r-r

A trip in search of just the right fabric

and I found these options. 

I really like the wide stripe fabric with

the print,

but the small stripe was heavier and

doesn't wrinkle.

Sweet friends helped me decide.

Yeah for friends and advice!!!

Our "upholstery shop" sewing room.

What a mess!

My sweet husband did all the refinishing,

fitting, stapling and gluing to get

to this state.

I did the cutting out -

using the old pieces as patterns,

which we marked as we took them off the chair.

And, I made the cushion -

which was a bit more challenging than I anticipated.

I wanted the contrast and fell in love

 with this chenille-feeling floral to go with the stripe.

Here she is all spiffy and sittin' pretty.

(My sweet daughter told me to redo the chairs in a

natural linen.  I looked and couldn't find the right neutral, and you know what - that just

seemed boring to me.)  She's got a wonderful eye for decorating and I might be sorry I didn't follow her advise.  (Sorry sweet daughter.) 

Her reasoning was that I

could use these chairs anywhere in my house.

TRUE, but

I have reds and golds throughout and I

don't see myself changing my color theme

anytime soon - unless we win the lottery or

the Reader's Digest guy shows up at my door

with a big check for me.  And, if that happens,

I will just be like some of you fellow bloggers

and give these chairs away.

Now, I've cleaned the "upholstery shop"

sewing room and we've (he has)

stripped the other chair - it sits

naked in the garage waiting for

the sanding,

staining

and finishing coats.

Then, they will both have a new home in

my home somewhere - now, I've just gotta

decide exactly where that is going to be.

I'm linking to A La Carte:  Junkin Finds

http://ljm-alacarte.blogspot.com/2011/01/junkin-finds-friday-12.html

Southern in My Heart Inspiration Friday

http://southerninmyheart.blogspot.com/

My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/2011/01/show-and-tell-friday_20.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20MyRomanticHome%20(My%20Romantic%20Home)