Chair Makeover–Using the correct tools

Another faux bamboo Chippendale chair. There are two, but I’ve only managed to get one finished so far.

This chair required a new tool; a pneumatic stapler. Oh my, what a world of difference it makes in getting fabric stapled to wood. I thought that it would be out of my price range, so I never bothered to buy one, but it was very reasonable and I will have it for a long time to come.

This is the one I bought. Home Depot and Canadian Tire have them for $39.99. It easily fits on my small air compressor.

Because I had to staple the fabric to the exposed wood, I had to cover up the staples some how.

This was my second attempt at double welting and I’m learning the ropes (pardon the pun).

While at HD I found a bag of huge glue sticks. Oh my word, heaven! No longer will I have to stop what I’m doing to get just one more of those puny glue sticks as you run out at the very end of a job. These babies are 10” long.

 

The fabric I used is Robert Allen, Ming Dragon, purchased at Tonic Living. It’s so lovely

Here is a before and After

High/Low: Vintage brass bar cart

I’m back with another version of high/low, this time it’s a vintage brass bar cart.

HIGH:

 

this one, exactly like mine, at 1st dibs has sold and I bet it was for a whole lot of money

590 British Pounds is equivalent to $1,114 Canadian, similar

Low:

$95.00

Fits in this spot perfectly. I have to say, I was surprised at how petite these carts are. Not ever having seen one, I had assumed they were massive.

This one is in very good condition except for one of the smaller wheels will come off if there is not enough downward pressure. Meaning, I must keep it stocked.

Strange story; a few days after I had bought it, the original owner called to say that he is continuing to receive phone calls and emails (even though he removed the ad), offering him $300 or more. He wanted me to know that he was ok with me selling it if I wanted to.  Um, yes, I may one day, but I don’t need your permission, thankyouverymuch.

I love my kids. This Mother’s Day, my son made me dinner and my daughter made me some water colour pictures. She even framed them. Water colour is a new medium to her, and I think she did a great job.

Stylized Chinese scenes, which I hung up on the wall that you face as you leave my house. I couldn’t get great shots because of the reflection in the glass, but here they are. I will cherish them forever.

Some of the detail; love the pagoda building

Maybe it’s a mythical space, only found in her mind.

Cane barrel chair makeover

Last fall I picked up this chair for a few dollars. It was in desperate need of a makeover, but I had never upholstered the back of a chair; I knew it was possible I just didn’t know how. I used a couple of sites to help me figure it all out and now I have a much nicer chair.

Hard to believe, but I put a lot of time into this make over, mostly because of the learning curve to get the back done. I wasn’t thinking ahead when cutting my fabric, and didn’t have enough left to make the welting. Instead I used white to blend in to the painted wood. I did learn how to make double welt, though not perfectly, this time.

The fabric was purchased at Tonic Living and is Ashbury Ikat, ink.

The faux bamboo goes perfectly with my thrifted Thomasville Allegro desk. A match made in heaven.

The gold casters are just perfect. Squeal.