I loved the previous space because it was happy and colorful. I didn't love that it was cluttered and the teenage bedroom I never had. So now the challenge is to bring in the color, but keep it a little more classic and clean. I started this process by painting the focal wall the same color as the rest of the walls, creating a more classic gallery wall of my favorite images and removing the too small workspace and building a new larger one. So far, I have nailed the simple and classic boring stuff... now it is time to bring back the color.
Here is a hint!
I have loved our thrift store chair since the day I brought her home. And when I say I loved her, I mean like really, really loved her. But after I started blank slating the studio and placed my desk facing out, the front of the chair was just another colorless item. Sure, the back had a little life, but it was never visible with the layout of the studio. Even with a small lumbar throw pillow, the teal-blue fabric was all that could be seen. The studio was shaping up to be solid on solid on solid and I knew I needed more. I needed life and pattern and pizzazz. I needed that pop of color that makes me happy. The chair would need to stay, but it would also need to be redone because a patterned chair was the missing link. Here is a reminder of how she looked after her first makeover.
Loved the nailhead trim, loved the painted frame, loved the floral pattern on the back of the chair. Wasn't crazy about the blue fabric front as it was sort of a micro-fiber finish you could write in with your finger, it showed everything and never looked clean. Lesson learned I suppose!
So, I decided to take what I loved about the back of the chair, and do the entire piece in a fun and vibrant floral. Unfortunately, the fabric I used for the back of the chair was no longer available, so I started my search from scratch. I searched for weeks and weeks and found nothing I loved within my budget. Sure, I found amazing fabrics in the $200 / yard range {seriously, people pay that at a two yard minimum? Sticker shock happened big time}. No way would I be covering my $15 thrift store chair in $400 worth of floral fabric. One day it finally hit me, the fabric I was desperately looking for had been in front of me the whole time. It was hanging in our guest bathroom as a shower curtain. No joke you guys! The colors, the pattern, the everything that makes my heart race a thousand pumps per second. I knew it was meant to be.
When I initially purchased the shower curtain for our guest bathroom makeover, I had purchased two curtains with the intention of using them in our dining room and living room {banding the bottom of solid colored drapes}. My husband challenged me on that and had no interest in floral curtains front and center of our home. Understandable.
So I returned one and used the other for the guest bathroom we were planning on renovating that very week. The curtain became the inspiration piece for the entire bathroom which is still my favorite bathroom in our home.
But the guest bathroom is in the most tucked away corner of our home and is only seen every other week during bi-weekly cleaning sprees {and by the occasional guest of course}. It was a shame that something I found to be so pretty and inspirational, was not being given the attention it deserved. So, I took it down and draped it over a chair in my studio. In that moment I knew it was meant to be.
The thing is, I know that the pattern and colors and fabric are not for everyone and that some of you may even think that I am driving the crazy train. But in a space that I need to work within each day, and that should reflect my personality and brand and vision, this chair was just what I needed.
The re-upholstery process went down just like it did during round one. I removed the nailheads and fabric and used a staple gun to upholster the chair with the shower curtain fabric. The fabric is thick and nice and stronger than typical shower curtains, so I am feeling quite comfortable with the material choice.
I really like the look of nailhead trim, but it can be fussy and the first time around we had a few challenges following all of the natural curves of the chair. My perfectionist side didn't love when the nail heads would fall out of line {even the slightest bit} and thought that this time around a nice and clean double welt would serve the chair better.
My neighbor is a sewing wiz {like it is her day job}, and she whipped up a double welt within 10 minutes which is far less time than it would have taken me to thread my own machine. I am sure I am annoying her with my immense gratitude, but what a gift she has. For those that have sewing skills, you can find a double welt tutorial here.
I used my fabric shears to cut the excess fabric, and attached the double welting with a hot glue gun. I have to admit, I was skeptical that it would stay, but that cording trim is not going anywhere!
I just followed the curves of the chair with the hot glue gun and slowly pressed in the double welt cord. I began and ended at the bottom where it would be least visible, folding the fabric over the cord for a nice clean starting edge and finishing point.
I finished re-staining and liming the new farmhouse table desk last night {yes, I had to stain twice, story to come soon}, so I brought the chair up to our bright living room to shoot some of the photos for today's post. I can't wait to bring the desk back inside and start using it again with this beautifully re-upholstered chair!
Here is a look at the back of the chair. I mean seriously, my keyboard is covered in Jen drool.
My husband and I are not huge fans of doing things twice, but sometimes it is that second time that really takes a project from good to great. It is like the thrift store chair is getting better with age...
It is officially my favorite piece of furniture in the entire house. Now, to find a new bathroom shower curtain....
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