In recent days, I've been offered over a dozen pieces of furniture that are in need of one thing or another. Now, I have been trying to take a step back from working on furniture for many reasons. However, I also believe that God provides in many ways and this being one of them. Not only am I completely blessed by friends and family who think of me when said furniture items are in their possession, but I'm physically able. Take this vintage gossip chair, for instance.
Sweet Bessica, a friend, saw a lady posted this as a Curb le Chic bound chair if no one wanted it. Now, Bessica had no interest in it herself, but took the time to reach out to me to see if I wanted it. Not only that, but she also delivered it to me! Again, such a blessing. If you remember, she recently bestowed on me the antique wash stand
I refinished HERE.
So, you may be wondering why someone would toss this vintage gem? Well... let's take a closer look. From the front the chair looks sturdy enough, but look from the side...
Every spreader is loose. Not broken, but loose. Also, there is peeling veneer (not much of an issue) and this...hole...
I have no idea why the hole is there unless someone tried to wire something through - maybe a phone or a lamp? In my research years before I've never seen one with a hole, so I'm curious. Then there's the awesome DIY upholstery job. Lump butt anyone? haha.
DIY TIME
Okay, so now I've established there are issues, but ready for the trash? NO WAY.
As you can imagine, the first order of business is to take this piece apart and start over. Just like I did with these
two dumpster bound chairs. Funny thing is, the seat braces weren't even originally put in correctly.
Next, I clean it all up and glue it all with clamps to reset this lil' lady back to stable and safe.
Also, I fill the hole on the table top with a dowel using wood glue followed by wood filler once the glue cures. Then, sand it smooth.
Did you know I save those wooden dowel handles off of foam brushes? They are so handy for many things, including
my DIY boot rack. Waste not, want not, right?
FABRIC LOVE
Meanwhile, I set about to take off that upholstery and find out what someone stuck in there. It appears that this is the second replacement of the upholstery over time.
One of the most exciting parts of doing upholstery is seeing what lies underneath telling the story of days gone by. Often times folks just cover over the old with new. However, in this instance the DIYer actually took out the upholstery tacks and reused them for the new. I spy red vinyl! I also save the
upholstery tacks for different crafty uses too.
Then, I pick out a fabric that will pair well with the lines of this vintage gossip chair while also lending a nod to modern day style. Oftentimes I can reuse the seat cushioning with new batting, but this time I had to start completely over. I even get to use a remnant that is from my oldest son's
first desk makeover.
If you've ever wanted to try your hand at upholstery, chairs or footstools are a great way to start. See
my tutorial HERE or this other video demo below.
AND THEN PAINT
Last, but not least, I need to make this chair cohesive. Since I've had to glue veneer, fill the hole and make a few other minor repairs it's time to paint. Plus, the wood finish has aged differently and is no longer cohesive. I want to keep in mind the era as well as bring it into modern day style. To start, I use a dark paint called Eclipse. It has a deep gray tone, but I plan to warm it up a bit after two coats.
Then, once the paint cures, I apply a brown wax over this color to give it the warmth that will give it a wood vibe, but also tie in with the new upholstery.
GOSSIP ANYONE?
While I love to chat with my friends and family, I won't say I embrace gossip. But...this chair makes for a fun conversation piece, don't you think?
I totally debated on adding a fun function like a lamp to the table but decided to keep the surface free to other goodies. Likewise, I even considered going totally retro on this with fun graphics and color. My relaxed side won out this time around. I'm smitten!
In my childhood home, we had a phone room with a 25' cord that would allow me to have a semi-private conversation by s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g it to my sister's room. At least we didn't have to have a party line...remember those?!?
REPURPOSE
Also, I come by my repurposing honestly. My parents took an antique wall mounted phone and hung it in our kitchen. Ya know, the kind you crank to get the operator holding one piece to your ear and speaking into the other? However, they hollowed it out and hung a landline phone inside. What a hoot to watch visitors come over and hear that antique phone ring! tee hee!
As always, my goal is to bring about inspiration that gets you looking past the obvious and seeing potential in the unloved and broken (not just decor, but people too). If you'd like to make this a part of your home story, you can find it and much more available in
my online store.
SHARE
Do take a minute to tell maybe what you would have done with this? Hope fully not the trash! {{GASP}}. In addition, share and pin my vintage gossip chair makeover to inspire others too.
And if you want to see another Curb le Chic makeover, stay tuned to see what I do with this Mid-Century Modern gem.
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Also, more fun furniture makeovers like this vintage gossip chair makeover:
