VINTAGE CHAIR RE-VAMPED: BEFORE AND AFTER

BEFORE:

               

As you will learn by continuing to read my blog, most of the pieces in my house are vintage but have been refurbished. I love taking an older piece that is no longer in good shape and making it beautiful again. Almost every Sunday, I make a trip to my favorite consignment shops to scope out their newest collection of vintage furniture. I have so much fun rummaging through everything to find the perfect piece for my house and of course love knowing it is a one of a kind. Most people would just walk right by the items I take home because I choose things that may be unattractive now but have lots of potential.  For instance, this vintage, tufted chair was covered in red velvet and was very beaten up on one side from a cat clawing it. Instantly, I saw potential. I chose a fabric that was updated, which I loved, and coordinated it with the rest of my home. I handed over the fabric and chair to my upholsterer, and WALA!

AFTER:

I now have the exact chair I wanted, with this super fun pom pom print, to bring together my living room! Here are a few tips I have for all of you consignment shoppers;

1. Google "local consignment shops" in your area. Scope them out online, and make a day trip hopping from one to the other. When you find a shop with great products, continue to stop in once a week as they change their layout and gather new pieces. You are bound to find something eventually!

2. You have to be careful when buying a used piece of furniture because it could end up costing more than what you wanted to spend in the end. You should factor in the following three things. 1) The price of the item you are buying 2) How much fabric you will need and the cost of fabric to re-cover the piece 3) The cost to pay someone to re-cover it, unless you can tackle that project yourself...because I can't!!! Add all of these up and if you feel it is worth the money, go for it. Now, its custom!!

3. The fabric on my chair is Thibaut, which is a little more high end and will cost you more money than other fabrics. However, you can find cheap fabrics at places like Joanne Fabrics to keep it within your budget.

4. A tufted style will always cost more to buy/re-furbish because the labor is more intensive and each button takes up additional fabric. If you buy a tufted piece of furniture, but you want to have a flat back instead, this can easily be changed. Thats the fun part-you can make it what you want!!

5. Lastly, don't get discouraged. It took me three years of going to consignment shops at least 2-3 times a month in order to find everything for my home. Your trip will either be a hit or miss, and most of the time I walk away with nothing. But, when I do find a piece that works for me, it becomes a special part of my life!

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading!