Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Dining Chair Transformation: From Drab to White and Fab


I have a billion projects going at once.  I am so busy with them that have not been good about blogging about any of them!  In fact, today I went on a treasure hunt in consignment shops and forgot to take my camera!  I haven't posted in a week, so I thought I would share something that I am pretty excited about.

About a month ago, I was hunting around in a consignment store looking for all sorts of stuff, when I found these dining chairs.  Before we even closed on the new house, I knew that I wanted to make the foyer, living and dining room all in whites and neutrals.  Since my farmhouse dining table had red ladder back chairs, I knew I would have to switch them out.  Don't worry though, those red ladder backs are super happy in a new location that I might show you soon.
before
So back to the chair I found.  I knew the light wood was perfect for my farmhouse table and the wonderful shell motif across the top of the back added a nice tropical "I live in Florida" feel.  I didn't care about the fabric on them and it's a good thing because this fabric is u g l y!   I knew that I was most likely going to have them recovered.  I have the best upholsterer, Chris Green, so all I had to do was find the perfect chairs and fabric.  I knew these chairs were most likely pretty high end and after doing a little research, I found out that they were in fact, Bernhardt dining chairs that were originally about $425 each!  The gal selling them had marked them down three times and after speaking with her, she took $80 each for them. Steal!  

I checked out Calico Corners for fabric, but in the end used materials ordered through Chris.  Since white dining chairs can be a frightful thought.  I mean, what happens when Sloppy Poppy comes over and spills in his lap?!!  My solution?  White leather seat cushions, leaving the lovely white on white floral silk pattern for the backs.  The leather is easily wiped clean of any spills.

Chris just finished them this week and delivered them.  I'm in love! They look great in the dining room, which I will show you at another time.  It's still being re-designed.

After
After
One of the fun projects that is keeping me from blogging.  I am hoping to get better about this. I promise!

-The End-

8 comments:

Deneen@dreaming-n-color said...

Love the details on this chair! Is the top fabric embroidered? It looks beautiful. Glad we got to talk today :)

Vickie @ Ranger 911 said...

Oh, you are havin' some fun! The white really updates the chair. And where is that tile? Outdoors?! It's the same tile I have in our kitchen. :@

Rosemary@villabarnes said...

What you switched out that fab fabric. lol Yes, that was pretty ugly. Looks great now. Nice deal too, Lesley.

Cassie Bustamante said...

what a difference classic and clean fabric makes! and what a great chair!

Ann from On Sutton Place said...

Brilliant way to do white. Can't wait to see the finished dining room. Glad you're back even if it's only now and then. I missed you.

Twice Nice said...

gorgeous!

Grammy Goodwill said...

You are such a tease, keeping us guessing about the red chairs' location and now how these chairs will look in your dining room. That one looks fabulous on its own.

Unknown said...

Wow! what a deal from $425 to $80.Love the white color and look of chair you have changed it to.Share the pics of dining room to.
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