Painting Upholstered Furniture

We recently decided to change up our living space by swapping out several rooms. While trying to decide which furniture would work best in which rooms, I realized that I was in need of a sewing chair in my studio. I wanted something pretty, pink and comfortable. I watched Craigslist for over a month with no luck. Finally, I spotted a listing for this chair, just a short distance from my home. In the listing it looked pink, but when I went to see it in person, it was definitely a peachy orange. Still, it was a great style, clean, comfortable, and in good condition. And the price was right...$50. I convinced myself that I could make it work.

After

When I got home, I moved the chair upstairs next to the window and looked at it. I let it sit there for a few days, hoping it would grow on me. It didn't. It looked awful in my pale pink world. This is when I decided I'd change the color. After an extensive internet search, I determined that there was no colorfast way to dye the chair...then I came across Kristy Swain's blog, hyphen interiors. Kristy posted a tutorial that showed how to paint upholstery. I was intrigued. After reading and rereading her instructions many times, I thought, "I can do this!" 

I gathered my materials. 

1. One quart of  Behr indoor, satin latex paint.  (There's enough left over to do 30 more chairs-you could probably get away with a sample size paint)

2. A large bottle of Delta Textile Medium (I used 2/3 of the bottle)

3. Six Foam Brushes (I used one brush)

I already had a spray bottle for water, painters tape, and a pint jar. And although this project was surprisingly not messy, you'll probably want some sort of drop cloth under your project...just in case.

Getting started was the hardest part. I had to tell myself that if I ruined the chair, it wasn't the end of the world...so I took a deep breath and jumped in.

First things first. Even though it was in great condition, the chair had a wee bit of what I like to call, "old lady smell". I am a bit of a germophobe, so I decided that before I painted it, the chair must be shampooed. This is a photo of the clean, damp chair, before. The fabric on this chair was a beautiful nubby silk with a flame stitch pattern in the weave. Because the color I envisioned was an old fashioned dark pink, I chose a bright pink paint, hoping the combination of colors would be exactly what I had in mind. 

Before

Before getting started, be sure your piece is clean with no lint, dust or dirty spots. This will ensure that the paint goes on evenly as possible.

I used the upholstery attachment on my Bissel Rug Shampooer to clean my chair, making sure I didn't leave it too wet. While the chair was damp, you could see lines where the various types of stuffing begin & end...which was a little worrisome at first. But by that point I was already too far in to fret over it.

Next, I mixed equal parts paint, textile medium, and water in a pint jar. If your paint is really thick you might need to add more water until it's about the consistency of a glaze. I refilled my jar only once, using about 1.75 pints of my paint concoction altogether.

I began by taping off the wood with painters tape. Since I planned to replace the faded gimp trim on the chair, I left it in place and painted right up to it. The trim acted as a natural barrier between the wood and the painted areas. 

 My chair was already pretty damp from cleaning. If you are starting with dry upholstery, you will want to get it damp before beginning. As Kristy said, don't be shy...you want the fabric damp. Keep your spray bottle handy, the upholstery dries out as you are painting. 

To begin, I took the seat cushion off and painted the inside arm of the chair. I painted slowly and deliberately, blending the paint as I went.

I worked my way around the chair, spritzing with water and blending the paint. On the deep sculpted back, I used the foam brush to paint between the tufted folds of the chair. I finished the seat of the chair last, then tackled the cushion.

After I finished painting, I used a fan to dry the chair. I painted it late at night and it was completely dry by morning.

I'm sure different fabrics will react differently to the process. I found that one coat of paint was all I needed on my chair. The color is perfect and the fabric remains soft & pliable. In Kristy's tutorial she used several coat of paint to achieve a darker richer color. She also recommended sanding areas that might be too stiff. 

I finished my chair by pulling off the old gimp trim and using a hot glue gun to attach the new trim. I had a hard time finding trim to match so I did what I always do...I checked Etsy.com. I found Peggy's Shop there...she was offering 6 yards of  (new) vintage trim in the exact shade I needed. In retrospect, I think I'd buy my trim first and match the paint to it.

After

I think you'll have to experiment with your own upholstered piece to see what works for you. Kristy's tutorial is a must read...and be sure to read through her tips at the bottom. It's also a great place to see more painted upholstery projects done by her readers. Some of them are really incredible.

What I Did On My Summer Vactation (OR where the heck have you been?)

Some of you might be wondering just what happened to me over the summer...I've really missed being part of the blogging community these last few months. I've missed seeing what you've been up to, your projects, your photos, your offerings...I've missed YOU. I really appreciate my faithful readers...THANK YOU for sticking with me, I hope you'll return again and again.

I can't believe it's fall! Seriously, summer flew by so quickly that I almost feel like it never happened. We were just incredibly, incredibly busy here. It seems like we went from one project to the next... 

There was a lot of painting, remodeling, and exchanging of spaces. My studio moved from a small crowded room on the main floor of the house, to two large rooms on the second floor. My old studio became a cozy little sitting room just off the master bedroom. 

This may not sound like much to some of you, but with the exception of moving the heavy furniture, I did most of the work myself.  The moving, sorting and organizing of supplies was probably the biggest part of the project. I made myself go through every button and spool and was relieved that my family didn't call the producers of "Hoarders" when they saw what was packed into my tiny studio. Mr. Kattywhompus said it reminded him of a clown car...where no matter how many clowns emerge-there's always one (or two) more. *sigh*

The changes have been a dream. I not only inherited a bigger space, but three more closets and room for an office, packaging area and permanent spot to take product photos. I was able to move most of the inventory for my vintage shop into one space, and still have a pretty and functional area to create. Of course during the move, I wasn't able to get a bit of work done...but I feel like I will be able to be much more productive now that everything is in one space and more organized.  I also have plenty of room to host gatherings with friends, which has happened a couple of times already. :)

As the mother of three sons, I've lived in a world flooded with testosterone for over twenty years. Now that the two oldest have their own place, I lost no time in creating what they refer to as "The Pink Room".

I really wanted a pretty (and comfortable) chair to sit in by the window and stitch. It's pretty now, but it certainly wasn't when I found it. I'll tell you in my next post how I PAINTED the upholstery and transformed this Craigslist find. You might be as amazed as I was at how easy it was!

In my new space, I even have room to to create vignettes with all the little pretties I've collected over the years.

Surrounding myself with things I love inspires me.

Fabric at my fingertips.

 

Pretty storage all in a row.

The "Hoosier" makes great storage (but was a booger going up the stairs).

Needfuls near the sewing machine.

On the tabletop, a sweet stemmed dish, a gift from my mother-in-love. Each time I made her a grandma, she brought me a pretty piece of glassware. One day I hope to gift them to my daughter-in-loves. The little kitten was a Mother's Day gift. I can still picture four year old Nash, standing by my bedside at 5 am, with a tiny gift wrapped box. :)

Favorite things...vintage rabbits, Tasha Tudor storybooks and shiny dragees unearthed at an estate sale by my friend Joan.

More Inspiration...

Everyone needs a helper...

Supplies...

Another corner...

A turn of the century, white cotton day dress and antique ladies pocket watch, gifts from my Momma.

I have one last project to finish in this room. I want to paint my worktable a creamy white. It's a big round claw-foot table that we've had since we were first married. Right now the finish looks like this...it really needs a makeover.

 

Well...I hope you've enjoyed the tour. I look forward to sharing the rest of my summer with you...including a tutorial on how to paint upholstered furniture, a special outing with friends, my first big feature story in Mercantile Gatherings Magazine and what I am looking forward to for fall. Until next time...Rhonda

(Please forgive my crazy spacing...blogger seems to be buggy tonight.)

Dog Days of Summer

It's hot here...and humid. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather stay inside and play on days like this.

~Patches, an early cloth dog, found looking sad at a garage sale...($6)~

  

I've always been a dog person. When I was a small child I wanted a dog so badly that I traded our cat for one. The problem was, we didn't have a cat. It was a hot, sticky summer day (much like this one) and my brother and I were outside playing together...he was ten and I was about six years old. We spent the morning plotting ways we could become dog owners without any money. While walking around the neighborhood we came across a house with a sign that said "Free Cat". We figured having a cat was almost as good as having a dog, right?

"Bone Eater", found lonely and scared at an antique mall~

On the way home with "our" new cat, we happened upon a woman with a large dog. Being the friendly and adventurous types, we stopped to inquire about her dog. Was it friendly? Could we pet it? And more importantly...would she be interested in a trade?

~Puppy, found abandoned and unloved at an antique shop~

Our Mother looked up from scrubbing the kitchen floor to see Bone Eater's scruffy face peering in the back door. We stood beaming, one on each side of his massive Irish Wolfhound body, while Mother asked a perfectly silly question..."Who does this dog belong to?" With a look of absolute pride on our dirty little faces...we answered, "He's ours." I'm sure Mother's, "NOOOOOOOO, he most certainly is NOT ours!", could be heard three blocks away. Much to our dismay, we were not allowed to keep Bone Eater...or the cat.

Eventually our Mother relented and we found a sweet little dog at the pound. Wendy adored me and the feeling was mutual. She slept in a baby cradle in my room and allowed me to dress her in doll's clothes and push her in a stroller. Wendy was very corgi-esque and is most likely responsible for my infatuation with corgis today. She was twenty-two years old, and I was a married lady of four years, when she crossed the bridge.

 Wendy, found sleeping on a pile of rags.

 I'll always be a dog person. And I've always had a soft spot for strays and rescue pups.

~A few of my strays~

And a few more...

~Maggie~ (Over the Rainbow Bridge, Summer 2007)

~Edith and Walter 
(Walter, Over the Rainbow Bridge, Summer 2009)~

~Murray and Edith~
(At home, Spring 2011)

Until next time...

Rhonda

Looking for your new BFF? Petfinder.com

Tuesday Display Chain~ Patina~

Each Tuesday Misi, of Gable House Musings, chooses a theme and invites bloggers to play along with her Tuesday Display Chain. "This weeks theme is ~ Patina ~ old finishes or new surfaces... patinas that you just LOVE."

I am thrilled to be participating in the Display Chain again! It's always so much fun to peek into each others homes and share our treasures. It was a little tricky for me this week as we are still painting and rearranging rooms to make more space for my studio/sewing area. I can't really complain...I am truly blessed to have my own creative space. But it does make photo ops a little more difficult for the time being. Anyway, here goes:

My first real primitive antique, this old tool carrier was a gift from my Mother-in-love almost 30 years ago. I spotted it while we were shopping and it showed up under the Christmas tree for me that year. I love the big chunk cut from the end...and of course the great patina.

 

My Gram's old sewing box, atop an old blue bench in the living room. The perfect place to put your feet up and stitch. 

  In the same room, this craigslist find keeps my sewing needfuls close at hand. I think this is a new piece, made with old wood. Either way, it has a great old finish. I've aged the walls using a rolled rag technique...still trying to decide if I like it. I'm thinking it may be the wallpaper that needs to go. The old basket on the floor has a great green painted finish. Love it!

 Mr. Kattywhompus & have attended Indiana's Covered Bridge Festival every fall for over 30 years. We found this old pie safe in deplorable condition "a long time ago". After stripping away layers of (gross) old pain, reinforcing the interior shelves, and repairing the doors, it became one of our favorite pieces. The tin is original and the sweet punch needle heart is from Ronda Tedder at Simple Thyme Prims.

A stack of old wooden bowls atop the kitchen drysink.

 Pewter salt & pepper, a gift from my Mom.

This Old Hickory Ottoman is part of a set I found at a garage sale for $25. The sisters I bought it from thought it was ugly. My motto? The uglier the better! I love the finish on both the wood and the woven seats. 

 Early morning sunlight casts shadows on finishes both old and new. I like the way the red faux finish on the pewter cupboard compliments the "attic" finish on this old trunk. An elderly friend who knew I "liked junk" gave me the trunk many years ago, and the cupboard was a tag sale find, $50. I scurried out of a thrift store in Galesburg, Illinois with the lavender and gold coverlet for $7. It's big enough to fit a queen size bed and in perfect condition. I love the unusual colors, especially for springtime displays.

 Old spoons at rest in a newly painted spoon rack.

Lots of patina here. A great old firkin sits among old green and brown spatterware on the buttery shelves. See the little spice cabinet to the left? The one with the great distressed finish? In my enthusiasm for faux finishes, I painted over the original finish, complete with stencils. Yeah, don't do that. To redeem myself...I did  find the wonderful little yellowware bowl on top for 25 cents at a garage sale.

And speaking of patina...

Until next time...

Rhonda

 

~Coming Home Again~

"There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again"  

(Margaret Elizabeth Sangster)

I've missed you. It's true. I'm so grateful that you've stuck around.

I really have been a blogger of the worst kind, and for that I must apologize. Spring here has been wild and wonderful...but mostly just wild. I suppose some of you are curious about what I've been up to. And for those of you who don't care, just ignore me...go ahead and scroll through the pretty pictures. 

Here's one to get you started.

This lovely ironstone pitcher was a gift from my sweet friend Emily. She arrived at my house just before Mother's day and presented me with a huge package. I have often coveted admired her beautiful collection of ironstone, and was shocked when she gifted a number of her pieces to me because, "You are such a good Mom". Her loving words and kind gesture sincerely overwhelmed me. 

These are few of the other pieces Em shared with me. 

I'm not worthy!

 

My new collection inspired me to de-clutter the buttery shelves and go with something simpler for summertime. But I'm such a clutter-bug...I have so much trouble keeping things to a minimum. I'm still not sure I got it right.

 

 Sometimes I wonder why I do the crazy things I do. What I mean is...why do I choose the busiest time of the year to embark on a huge home improvement project? Since the two oldest "boys" moved into their own place, Mr. Kattywhompus and I have been rethinking the way we use the space in our home. He encouraged me to move from my small studio sewing room, into two large rooms on the second floor. That might sound simple, but in reality it's quite an undertaking. Although he encouraged me, Mr. Kattywhompus, has been unavailable to help me accomplish such a daunting task. Between raindrops, he has been sowing and reaping (and mowing). And with my built in help cozily settled into their own bachelor pad, I am pretty much on my own. I have been painting, shampooing carpets, moving furniture, and sorting through the seemingly endless array of crafty "needfuls". 

When my back hurts and I am tired and whiny, I envision how it will look...all beautiful and pink and spacious, with room to invite friends over to play. 

It will be so worth it...but sometimes I still whine.

When I simply cannot force myself to sort through another box (or whenever I can sneak away) I have been hitting some wonderful summer garage sales. I bragged to Misi about one of my best, most amazing finds this year, and promised her a picture. 

So, this one's for you Misi.

You should have seen how fast I moved when I saw this on the table...and then I saw the price...$200. No, it says $20. NO- it says $2. !!! I thought I was imagining things. 

For less than I pay for a cup of coffee...it was mine.

Speaking of Misi...you may have noticed some of her delicious, scented wax fruit in the foreground. She very sweetly send me a delightful package including these. They are rustic and beautiful...and they smell wonderful.

I also purchased some of Misi's pansy bowl fillers for myself and for my Mother. They make an entire room smell heavenly and Mom loved them.

To experience Misi's wares for yourself go here.

Between Emily and Misi I have been very spoiled these last few weeks. I have one other wonderful thing to share...but it will have to wait, as I used it to create something special for my swap partner. Don't fret, you won't have to wait long, my package goes out tomorrow.

And for sticking with me...here's one more pretty picture for you.

~An ironstone pitcher filled with lilacs from the side yard~

Until next time...

Rhonda

~Thrifty Thursday~

If you hang around here long enough you will come to realize that almost everything I own has had a previous owner. We don't have priceless antiques and almost everything is patched or remade from someone's castoffs. Nothing here is museum quality...and I'm good with that. I am a thrifty person by nature and go by the old adage, "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”. My old granny taught me well how to use up every bit of something, be it food or fabric. 

Like many of you, I frequent thrift shops and garage sales looking for buried treasure. I like the challenge of stretching a dollar or finding something at a rock bottom price. And since we are kindred spirits, I thought you might enjoy seeing a few of my finds from the last week. 

 ~When I came around the corner and saw this little cupboard in the shop I was immediately drawn to all the little drawers & knobs...then I saw the $15 price tag! It is missing one knob, and I might paint it (black?) , but I think I did pretty well for my money.~

The same shop always has a great selection of vintage glassware and jewelry. This week was no exception... 

  ~I found three pretty transferware plates in a springy green floral, a triple strand pearl necklace and a wonderful old tarnished cream & sugar-perfect for make-do pincushions...

...and this long strand of vintage glass beads in peaches and pinks...I have the perfect blouse to go with these.~

Some of you might remember my recent post about Picking. My overall best junkin' advice was to treat people the way you'd like to be treated. I tried my best to convince everyone that kindness matters...

There is a lovely older woman who tends one of the local church resales in my area...she is always especially gracious to me. Through conversation we have discovered that we both have an appreciation for many of the same things. She was an avid seamstress in her day and really knows her stuff. From time to time, I bring dolls and other projects into the shop to show her what I'm working on. I really just love talking with her. Last week when I was in the shop she said the words any die-hard, thrift store junkie loves to hear..."Come in the back. I have something special for you."

~As I unpacked everything she explained to me that she had brought this box from home...especially for me. The laces were freshly laundered and she had attached little notes telling who made each piece. She told me she wanted me to have these things.  Her generosity was truly overwhelming.~

~She had even rolled some of the lace into pretty little rosettes.~

And then there was this...

Someone had donated a beautiful quilt kit, enough fabric to make a queen size bed. Can you imagine? 

My generous friend said, "I thought of you when I saw it."

~Just look at all those adorable prints!~

So as you travel on your thrifty adventures this week, smile, and remember to practice the golden rule. Because kindness still matters.

Until next time...