chair help
i have no idea why it's taken me so long to reupholster the kofod larsen rocking chair i bought at modhaus. the cats have had a field day with the nubby upholstery currently gracing its curves (i hated the fabric so i didn't waste any feliway on it). and now i'm stuck and thought i'd see if you guys could help. i'm picking up a staple gun today and figured i'd do a little DIY reupholstery with a yard of colorful fabric. my favorites are below, what do you guys think? it won't be a high traffic chair so the embroidery below will survive well. i wish i could use a cream colored boucle but the cats love anything nubby and well, who am i kidding- we'd spill something on it in a heartbeat.
[embroidered indian fabric from purl soho. i love the colors]
[linen "bead" fabric in espresso by hable construction. i know i already have a couch in this but these little dots make me smile.]
[embroidered fabric from madeline weinrib. ok, this would admittedly be a HUGE splurge but that's what tiny projects like these are for. i could only ever afford a yard of this anyway. maybe it would be better for a square cushion, though...]
["fig" in chocolate by hable construction.]
[an older repro fabric i picked up last year for next to nothing]
Labels: furniture, interior design, textiles
posted by design*sponge @ 12.6.07
56 Comments:
My vote is for the pink from Purl Soho or the Hable Fig.
I vote for the pink from Purl as well. I think that it is perfect, and the little bit of texture from the embroidery will be such a lovely, luxe treat. The suzani pattern is flat out gorgeous, but I would be sick with worry that something would happen to it and that's just no way to live with furniture.
And the credenza looks great with those peonies! I have been so disappointed this year. All of the peonies that I have bought have been stubborn and completely failed to open, despite all the tricks in my arsenal. Jealous!
thanks robin
i haven't been able to find any either, but my parents managed to track down a florist with some good ones for my birthday. they were such a nice surprise :)
d*s
I love the pink purl soho too but I think either hable construction would make a lovely statement and contrast against the wood.
Good luck deciding!
My first choice is the splurge - madeline weinrib - but next to that would be pink from Purl Soho. Afterall, you are on a hot pink kick.
You really can't go wrong with any of those choices! I love the indian fabric from purl and the two from hable. The bit of pink would just pop and look fantastic!
So does that feliway stuff work well to prevent your cats from scratching at your furniture?
My first question is where will the chair go? What does other fabric that will be around it look like? Or maybe what color are the walls? Furniture?
Besides the context issue, my favorite is the last one because the color just yells pow! at you (great for a small area) and because it will probably handle spills well.
Good luck! Show us when you're done!
top and bottom photos are my personal favourites. embroidered thread could also pose a problem with the cats though. Maybe the fabric in the last photo? (orange and grey). the other fabrics are either too safe and boring or too busy (i.e. the pink flowers). for a chair seat, something bold and graphic seems just right.
fig!
thirding pink purl. I like the repro, but worried about how warmth/cool with the wood.
A colleague just came into comment on the posy of peonies on my desk and informed me that its the ants that open them naturally??
also grace super amazing congrats on the apple vid.
I agree. I love embroidered fabric! It really stands out from the rest. BTW, does feliway really work? I just got a new kitten and she's already torn two holes in my curtains.
My vote is for Fig -- but if you want a splash of colour I'd go with the Purl!
thanks guys-
most likely the chair will be in our bedroom or our music room. both room have neutral taupe walls. the bedroom has pink marimekko curtains but everything else is pretty neutral and cream/beige. so i like the hot pink to pop against all that ;)
the feliway works really well for one of our cats. he's a boy so i'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. ms. jackson, the girl, just sort of walks right by it and scratches anyway. it's pricey but if it makes at least one of them stop it's worth it for me. but they're mostly interested in our nubbly boucle "grace" chair from room and board.
d*s
A vote for either pink embroidery. Aren't you always saying AC loves pink in the house, because it complements the guitars? ; - )
ha- well there WILL be a red guitar on the wall in this room ;)
d*s
i love love love that hot pink. the color with the wooden parts would just sing. imho...;-)
Oh my gosh!! That Madeline Weinrib fabric is beautiful! I understand what you mean though, that it might work better for a square cushion.. What if you cover the chair with the bead fabric in experesso and then have a pillow made with the madeline weinrib fabric. I like mixing patterns, and I'd love to see those together! :)
all of the fabrics would look stunning, but i vote for the repro fabric. something about the colors would work well with the shape of the chair and the color of the wood.
i LOVE the idea of the espresso beads with the weinrib pillow. thank you!!
d*s
I like the last one with the orange best. I think it would really pop! Second the one from hable construction. I love the chair.
Oh, tough choices! Love the pink from Purl Soho! 2nd choice would be the orange repro. Love your blog BTW!
My vote is for the orange and grey, or the pink embroidered from purl. both are lovely!
I agree with the beads/pillow combo - you really need to stick with something pink if you go in the bedroom, but too much pink would be too matchy-match. I personally love the last one, but it sounds like it wouldn't flow right.
can you recommend a good upholster in nyc?
thanks
I think the espresso Hable print would be an understated elegant look. You could easily mix and match the piece later in other rooms or with colorful throw pillwos- something you might not be able to do with other the bright, bold fabrics.
I would go for the embroidered madeline weinrib. I think it's a great contrast to the bent plywood back.
http://www.loredecorators.com/
d*s
The pink from Purl Soho!
I'd go with the Hable Fig -- bold but not too bold. Though I love the Madeline Weinrib for a different project -- maybe a pillow?
I would check out a simple knoll fabric or untanned leather or PLAID, so hot.
I like the repro fabric. I agree with Amanda above that those colors would look nice with the wood. Plus the small-ish pattern won't distract too much from the shape of the chair.
(Also, this is my first comment but I love the blog and read it all time :)
BTW, the peonies at the grand army plaza farmers market have been gorgeous--they are in full bloom on my credenza now!
Grace, you are seriously hurting my wallet with these delicous posts. Between Jayson Home and Madeline Weinrib, I am seriously thinking of some new purchases. Can I find Weinrib's work at ABC Carpet and Home?
I like the idea of untanned leather too.
hey grace,
i love the hable fig pattern (i almost got that one for my mid-century chair) esp. since you already have the beads, the fig is a nice compliment if they are ever in the same room in the future. i also love the embroidered one, but the cats will def. do some damage - it would go great as an accent pillow instead as someone else suggested! i also love the amy butler print (grey/orange from repro - i have desk chair cushions in that fo!) but i think the colors of fig are more neutral and the pop can come from that lovely pillow!
-joy
I'm glad you like that idea! Also, as a pillow, it would show off the pattern/pink even more! ..and the beads fabric will always compliment the style of the chair. I'm excited for whatever you do- just do it quick so we can see! haha.
thanks so much for all the tips and ideas guys! i'm thinking i might do the fig or espresso bead and then do the weinrib as a pillow.
i already bought the indian purl fabric so i think i'll use that to make a long cushion for my kitchen bench.
min- yup! she's in abc home. was going to email you to see if you want to go check her out. shoot me a line if you do :)
d*s
"fig"'s yer best bet!
I vote for 'Fig' in chocolate by Hable Construction -or- 'Linen Bead' in espresso by Hable Construction. Both fabrics pick up on the color of the metal legs and the fabrics seem appropriate in scale for the small seat custion. The textile from Madeline Weinrib Atelier is gooorgeous, but would definitely be better suited to another application (i.e. accent pillow or draped over a headboard). Have fun with the DIY-ing!
I think the older Repro fabric one rocks. Yowsa! love it.
Fig would be perfect. Please make sure that you pick a sturdy fabric-- thin cottom will not be ideal, even if it is low traffic-- and especially with cats. Upholestery grade is best.
I vote for fig and bead from Hable for the sensible choices but the madeline weinrib is beautiful....
I vote for the orange and grey or the pink embroidery.
Oh, that's hard! I say the embroidered stuff from Globalweave. I've actually used a little bit of that (but in blue) to re-cover a stool and it's actually stood up nicely. Cats, however, might be another story :)
Sam
(Also, I couldn't be anymore jealous you picked up that Amy Butler fabric for 'next to nothing'! Ugh, no fair!)
Beads for me. It fits the the chairs modern lines, it
looks to be a pretty durable fabric and the print
covers alot of surface area and it is dark enough to
deal with what the cats have to offer and the class
of wine you may spill on it some day. Practicality
rules...in this case!
Why not do something fun and upholster it in the yellow fig from Hable Construction. Since you say your room is mostly neutral anyhow, it might add a little "pop". And really who couldn't use a little "pop" in their lives?
I love the repro colors and pattern too much to vote for anything else. They really are all beautiful though.
-Lisa
The fig...got to say, all the way. The other fabrics are lovely, but knowing you have the green polka dot sofa, I think the fig will be a gorgeous addition. Good luck!
Linen bead or fig
I'm partial to the pink (it would be a nice pop of color) but if you want something more neutral i would go with the fig.
I like the repro. Isn't picking fabric like the hardest thing? It has kept me from finishing many a project...or wishing I had taken more time for some...have fun!
As the rocking chair is already such an eyecatching piece it could look a little fussy if upholstered in anything too bright or busy, so I think Nice-etc's Espresso bead upholstery with Weinrib pillow suggestion is the ideal solution!
I think that subtle refernces to patterns already used in other rooms adds a nice harmony to a place too.
I vote for Fig- one of my all time favorite Hable patterns.
Do you know about Softpaws? I starting using them on my three cats when we redecorated and they are amazing! took a few weeks for them to get used to it, but now they don't seem to mind. your scratching worries will be over! Check them out here- http://www.softpaws.com/
i vote for the first or last fabric pictured.
I think the pink Indian fabric or the repro fabric would look really beautiful on the chair. Both provide a sweet dash of colour that's not outsized to the chair's retro style.
all of these fabrics are lovely and that chair is awesome, but i'd consider hewing close to what is currently on it. the vertical striping on the chair currently gives it a sense of energy and motion (the stripes match the rocking direction), but it's nubby wear and tear give it warmth and softness.
i think the bead fabric most retains the vertical energy (the beads make stripes) & the softness, and it won't take away from the shape of the chair. but fig & the pink purl might work, too. i love the weintraub but it feels like 50s and the chair feels 60s and i don't think it will work.
hable has some nice skittery stripes and repro has a couple of "seaweed" stripes that i'd consider if it were mine. but it's not!
Fig!
Post a Comment
<< Home