Refinishing and Re-upholstering a Chair {DIY Chair Project}

Here are a couple chairs that I found for SUPER cheap. The first was a set of six that I found at an estate sale through craigslist. I got all 6 for $25! The one pictured was in the worst shape.

This one I found at a consignment store for $20. I thought after I spiffed it up it could be a really cute prop when I'm taking children's portraits. I really like the turquoise velvet and it was in really good shape so all this one needed was a little paint.

I wish I would have taken more pictures of the entire process so you could see the "how to" but these will have to do. The painting is really a no-brainer. I used to paint furniture with brushes and oil paint. WHAT was I thinking? That was so tedious and really so unnecessary. Ever since I've discovered the magic of spray painting furniture, I've been addicted to furniture makeovers!! I have experimented with many different brands of spray paint but I have found Rustoleum Painters Touch to be by far the best. It comes in many shades and sheens and has the most ergonomically-finger-friendly (yes, I made that up!) sprayer.

Spray painting makes things quicker and easier, but its not the greenest of options, so I always make sure to paint over everything I spray with this eco-friendly lacquer. Three thin coats. I learned that trick from my idols over on the YHL blog. Love this stuff.

So, there she is after a couple coats of spray, then some hand-sanding on the edges to give it that antiquey, weathered look and a couple layers of safecoat acrylaq.  Of course, I carefully covered all the fabric on the chair during the painting process with tape and paper and when I removed it all, she looked as good as new. Much more modern looking, don't you think?

As for the dining chairs, most of the seats were in pretty good shape, so I simply removed all the seats by unscrewing them from underneath, and recovered them with new fabric from here, pulling it taut around the edges and using a staple gun to staple it onto the back.  For the ones that needed some extra love, I bought some foam at JoAnn Fabrics (I had a coupon!) and cut it in the shape of the chair. Then I realized I needed some batting on top of the foam to give it that extra-cushiony feel and the rounded edge shape so back to JoAnn's I went. I also had to make sure to pull the fabric really really taut around the edges as I stapled around the back otherwise the cushion felt too loose and the edges looked to squared off.

Now, you could stop there if you wanted to, and simply put the seats back on the freshly painted chairs... It would look fine. But I much prefer the completely tailored look with the rolled edge around the seat....So I used the cord from the old seats and cut strips of my new fabric. Since I don't have a sewing machine, my mom sewed the new fabric over the cording for me.

When the cording was ready, I stapled it around the edge of the bottom of the seats and voila.

This baby came a LONG way, don't you think?

And here she is with her three sisters sitting around my dining room table. I am pleased with the result. What do you think?

Oh...and the little velvet gal made her way into the corner of my living room for now. I'm actually envisioning an upholstered parsons chair in that spot sometime down the road....And in case you were wondering. I got that desk at a garage sale down the street from my house for $20. It was my birthday and I had taken the day off work to go to some doctor's appointments for myself and my kids. Not the best way to spend your birthday. Anyway, I was on my way to appointment numero uno when I drove past the garage sale and spotted this desk. It was calling my name. Hopped out and asked how much. $20??? Happy Birthday to me!! Of course it didn't look exactly like this. I painted it and added glass knobs, but it was seriously love at first sight. 

That darling pewter camera was a Christmas gift from my brother-in-law! Isn't it sweet? Thanks, Jeff! Its from Z Gallerie. The lamp was a great find at TJ Maxx and the painting is an original by yours truly. I know, I know, its pretty amateur. I don't claim to be a painter. Its sort of a "place-holder" of sorts until I find something better to go there. I made this masterpiece during a friend's bachelorette party at one of those cool wine and painting places in Chicago. Bottle and Botega. So fun. Wine and art. What could be better? I got the frame at a consignment shop near my house. Actually, I bought a framed painting for $10, but I bought it for the frame. It was dark wood so I just spray painted it with several coats of high gloss black.  What have you painted lately? Do you prefer spray or brushing on paint? Do you drink wine when you paint? Wine makes everything more fun, don't ya think?

Master Bedroom Progress

So its been a loooooong time since I've posted and its not because I am a slacker. Really, I'm not. I mean I wish my days had more than 24 hours and I could fit it all in, but I just can't. And I am not a slacker. I swaer. Since I last posted I have photographed and edited four weddings and at least a dozen family photo sessions, completed countless home improvement and diy projects, organized four closets and completely revamped my photography blog and website. Oh and did I mention that I also work full time as a teacher AND I had a baby this summer?! So much has changed in our lives and in our house since we've moved in... So...get posting already, right??

Okay okay, but just let me preface the following post with this....I have a problem. The perfectionist in me takes over and I don't want to share what I've done or post before and after pictures of ANYTHING until the room is completely finished.  However, I am finally beginning to realize that one is NEVER completely finished with their home. There is always something that needs to be done. And many times what needs to be done can break the bank! For example-- the new windows that we are getting in a few weeks!! --MUCHO DINERO, but I can't WAIT!!-- and that makes me feel SO old. Seriously. I will be like a kid on Christmas morning on the day we get these windows. Is that weird?  But as I was saying, there is always something one can change to make a house more of a home. I don't ever plan to be done.  I want to always find ways to fill my home with things that have meaning for us and empty out the things that don't.  I'm learning that it's more about the journey....SO, the perfectionist in me needs to say the following pictures will show improvement....but we've got a long way to go. And I do have a vision. Maybe you can see it too?

Let's start with the master bedroom today.


So here was our master bedroom when we bought the house:

And here it was right after we moved in:

Pathetic, huh?

Ay yay yay. That's what I say to my students when something just isn't right. And this ain't right. Do you see that mirror leaning in the corner? That's one of those cheapo target mirrors that I got back in college. I think I painted that design around the frame to "spiff" it up about 10 years ago. I think its about time we get a nice full length mirror, don't you? And yikes, doesn't that dresser look a little small for that space? I do love that dresser. I got it at a consignment shop called Legacies Limited about 8 or 9 years ago. I painted it white, back when I used oil (SO not necessary anymore) and added the knobs which I bought from this awesome artist.  So I moved this dresser to Lucia's room (now both girls' room) and I put the dresser that I originally had in the dining room here.

Better, right? But still not done. I plan to hang the mirror, mount the TV (which involves cutting holes in the wall to hide the cords or it would be done already!), find a way to conceal the cable box and DVR and hang some art. Better, but not done. Will let you know when this wall is El Finito.

So next we have this view. Found a rug and some lamps from Marshall's and some pillows to add some more color and texture to the space. The pillows are from Target and the Foundary and the pillow shams are from West Elm.

Next I added these curtains from Target. I had to order them online to get the length I needed since they don't sell the 96" length in the store. I still need to put up new curtain rods. These were cheap ones that were left by the previous owners. I have some nicer ones but I don't want to hang them until after I paint this room. Haven't decided on a color yet. Probably something beigey or creamy gold. Hmm. Actually neither of those sound good right now...so now you know half the reason why I haven't painted this room yet. The other half is I haven't found the time. Anyway. Rods. Plan to hang them after I paint. Will also hang some bamboo shades for some more texture.

Let's talk about that big girl mirror that you see here. LOVE her. This is one serious solid wood leaning wall mirror. Nothing like that little baby you saw in the other corner when we first moved in. And would you believe she was only $119??!! I am not kidding. I searched for SO long for a big beautiful floor mirror and I couldn't find anything less than $800 except for this baby. She is from IKEA and boy was it an experience to get her. Since we don't have and IKEA in Milwaukee (One of the only reasons you'll hear me say "BOO, Milwaukee!") I asked my mom to pick this up for us at the IKEA in Minneapolis. She gave it a good ol' college try and couldn't fit it in her car. For some reason, I didn't understand why...until the hubs and I made the trip down to the IKEA in Chicago with our JEEP commander and this baby barely fit and I mean BARE.LY. Hubby drove with the steering wheel up in his chest. But we got her home and I HEART her. Hmm. Just realized this picture isn't very recent because this is still a queen bed here...and last February my dream of slumbering in a king bed came true. Every night in a king bed. Dream. Come. True. Note to self. Photograph king bed.

Finally, here is a quick shot of some DIY art I created. Maps of Wisconsin, Mexico and Italy (Where we met, where we married and where we honeymooned) cut out in hearts and mounted on scrapbook paper). I like how they turned out but I am thinking of moving them somewhere else in the room. I'll let you guess where.

Has anyone else made some cool DIY art lately? Or driven over a hundred miles with the steering wheel in their ribs to get a big girl mirror?