The Table

Every once in a while you get asked to make a piece over and it just makes you giddy. Not because the current piece is so pretty, but because the current piece would be heading for a garage sale soon if it wasn't made over ;)

I loathe tile on counters and table tops. LOATHE! Some think it is purely because of aesthetics, but if you know me really well you know it's because of the grout. The grout gets so dirty and collects crumbs and the tiles can crack if they weren't installed correctly. To me it's just not practical. This table was that way for me and I'm so glad that my client wanted me to make it over! A lot of people bought these tables in the early 90's. The legs are still fabulous but the tops...mercy me the tops!

Can you say dated?

So off to the lumber yard I went!

I picked out this gorgeous 7/8 poplar and went to my dad's shop to work.

I won't bore you with writing about each step but I'll show some pictures of them.

 I did some layering of stains to accomplish the color I needed and many many coats of satin finish.The legs were painted black. 

I want this table, I love it!!!

This was my favorite section of the whole table.

I am extremely pleased with how this turned out and am looking forward to what is about to come my way!

My Favorite Chair

Every once in a while I just have to do something for my own home so I don't burn out. A few years back my mother and I were out shopping at one of my favorite antique shops here in town. I was specifically looking for a chair, which usually means that I can't find one, but this time I did! I found this 100+ year old beauty.

I knew that I wanted a specific look for it. At the time my bedroom was black, silvery gray, and mineral green. The wood on the chair was pretty banged up. I know it doesn't show that much in the picture, but it was.  Took all the upholstery off and painted it a pearlized black. I then upholstered it with silvery gray velvet and used nickel nail head trim. It was pretty, but it was also the first time I had done a full reupholster or used nail heads...I chose the wrong type of fabric and made a zillion holes in the chair.

This was the only picture I could find of it that way.

Next I painted it a blue/green and upholstered it in gray tweed. It stayed unfinished for years!

Changing things up in my own home lately I realized that I wanted a different look altogether. I came across this photo and fell pretty hard for the look!

I found this on Pinterest and didn't save the link...bad little blogger!

So I went to work.  I stripped off the unfinished tweed upholstery and painted the chair frame with Annie Sloane Chalk Paint in old white.

You can see my fabric sewn together and flung over the chair in the background. The hard part was making the piping to match up perfectly with the chair. As you sew the piping cord it stretches a bit so this was a bit of trial and error. I also wanted an extremely clean look so every time the fabric color changed, I changed the thread color as well. That means that because I was doing double welt cord I changed the thread 10 times while sewing for the top of the chair and 10 times for the seat of the chair! This was not fun and took a lot of time, but I knew the look would make it worth while in the end!

I love how cute the pillow I made from my daughter's dress looks in this chair! For me it just makes it!

I LOVE this chair. It will be staying this way for many years!