"The Reinvented Recliner"

Whew!  What a week last week was!  Thankfully I made it through and as promised I'm back to share with you guys the details of the wingback recliner in my recent client project. 

 

 

First off, when your client tells you she NEEDS a recliner in the living space, you deliver a recliner.  I'll admit however, sourcing a chic recliner on a budget is no small feat, especially when your upholsterer has mentioned on several occasions that he hates recovering recliners.  Thankfully, you have a really good relationship with him and he makes an exception for you.  ; )

 

First I needed to locate a vintage option that had a streamlined silhouette that would work well with the plan for the space.  Thankfully, I was able to score this Lane Furniture wingback recliner on Craigslist. 

 

 

I know, it's pretty bad, but the best ones always are.  I decided on a navy blue cotton blend for the interior of the chair and decided to go with a blue and cream herringbone print on the exterior. 

 

 

Mark worked his magic on this piece and I don't begin to try to understand what that means exactly.

 

 

 

All I know is that when I get that final text message with the finished product, I can hardly believe the transformation.  

 

 

We decided to dress it up a bit with a nail head trim. How awesome is that result? 

 

So awesome in fact, I had a really hard time giving this one up.  I think there may be a recliner in my future. 

 

 

The finished product was absolutely amazing in the space.  So sophisticated, yet so comfy. 

 

 

In addition to the recliner, Mark also spruced up a pair of leather ottomans I found. 

 

 

It's amazing how a simple faux leather trim and a few brass nails elevated the look of these two.

 

 

See the full reveal HERE!

 

Yet another case for the value of reinventing furniture.  Speaking of reinventing furniture, I'm pleased to announce that I'm a contributing writer in this month's Pride Magazine.

 

 

  I'm sharing my top tips for breathing new life into vintage upholstered pieces.  If you're local to Charlotte, be sure to check it out!

 

Have a great week!!

 

 

 

Craigslist Furniture Makeover #3: Wingback Revival

I love that with every project I learn a little bit more. Not very long ago I realized that I'd falling in love with furniture.  Ok, that may seem like an obvious obsession for an interior decorator, but it sort of caught me by surprise.  I should probably clarify.  I didn't just fall in love with furniture, I feel in love with vintage furniture.  I love the craftsmanship that was so very prevalent in furnishings of yesteryear  It's not that it's no longer available, but as a designer working with a budget-conscious clientele, real quality furniture is often out of reach.  Thankfully, I've found that one way around this issue is reinventing vintage pieces.

By now you probably know that my upholsterer and I have a "special" relationship.  In my humble opinion, he's a genius.  I love that he's a bit of a perfectionist and never backs away from a challenge.  We often exchange late night text messages about ideas for future projects.  I know, it's a little weird.  I told you, we have a special relationship.  I recall sending him this text message after seeing this stunning chair in a Horchow catalog. 

 

 

Notice the lack of hesitation and confidence in his response.  He truly has a passion for his craft and I can certainly appreciate and relate to that. 

 

Fast forward a few weeks, during the Spring High Point Furniture Market and two of my favorite designers/bloggers both posted chairs from CR Laine with a very similar look.

Amanda Carol Interiors Instagram

 

Studio Ten 25 Instagram

Needless to say, I was SOLD and bound and determined to bring the vision to life in an upcoming project.  Thankfully my clients trusted me and were on board. 

The first step was finding the chairs.  There is no doubt wingbacks are a dime a dozen on Craigslist.  However, a set is a little more of a challenge to find.  If you add to that the fact that you really need to get a great deal because upholstery isn't exactly cheap, then the hunt can take a little time.  After about two weeks of searching I finally found this set at an amazing price.

Yes, they were orange and quite dated, but I knew you can never go wrong with a classic. Honestly, I wanted one with Chippendale legs verses the Queen Anne style, but price was more of a priority than the style of the legs.

So with a plan in place and two hues of the same fabric selected, Baity's Custom Upholstery got to work helping me achieve the look for less.   Mark is always good about posting the process on his Facebook page.  I love that part. 

In fact, he said the photo below received more "likes" than any other picture he's ever posted. Perhaps we'll start a trend.  If so, I hope he knows he owes me a cut.  : )

They turned out beautifully.  I think they may have been my client's favorite part of the entire design. 





Can you blame them?  I LOVE a wingback.  What can I say?  I'm a traditional girl.  They are so classic, comfortable and versatile. 

I get asked often about pricing, but out of courtesy to my clients, I don't share the pricing on items used in their projects.  However, it truly depends on the going rate for upholstery in your area and the cost of the fabric. 

So what do you think? 

I'd love to hear from you.  Until next time, Reduce, Reuse and REUPHOLSTER!

Craigslist Makeover #1

Read More HERE

 

Craigslist Makeover #2

Read More HERE

 

"Craigslist Sofa Makeover #2"

First off, thanks so much for all of your kinds words on my latest client project reveal post.  You have no idea how much it means to receive positive feedback from my readers.  It sounds like you guys like this one as much as I do.

Well, I'm back with a follow up post on the sofa transformation that was included in the project. 



During the initial consultation, as soon as I saw the space, I knew we had to incorporate a seating area.  Because my clients had two small children, I wanted to opt for a small sofa instead of chairs.  I could imagine them piled up spending quality time with one another.

I knew it needed to be a full sofa, not a loveseat.  However, because it was for a bedroom I wanted to keep the scale on the smaller side.  I fell in love with this Society Social option, but it was a little pricey for our budget.



Society Social

Enter Craigslist.  I've been known to spend far too much time perusing the endless options of furniture and home decor on Craigslist.  I do it because so often you can find gems (sometimes hidden) at unbelievable prices.

Exhibit A:

I saw this posted for $75 and knew it was the one.  What?  You don't see it?  It had  (a.) the perfect shape and (b.) scale for the space and minus a few buttons, it (c.)looked a lot like the inspiration piece and it was (d.) the perfect price.

I sketched up a quick, very rough drawing (adding inside tufting, removing the back cushions and raising the height of the sofa) and sent it to my upholsterer Mark of Baity's Custom Upholestry and the rest is history.  He's an absolute genius.   He approved my selection and got to work transforming my of Craigslist find. He's always great about posting progress pictures on his Facebook page.  I always love that part.

Via Baity's Custom Upholestry Facebook Page

By the day of the install, he had transformed the relic into something amazing. Don't you agree?



From far away the sofa reads as gray, but it's actually black and cream.  I think the fabric selection was perfection, if I do say so myself.  Shout out to my fabric supplier Nancy for her help. 

I have to admit, this is the first makeover where I left a little green.  I would kill to have a space like this in my bedroom.

Of course, I'd probably never leave home.  Mark also provided the custom storage ottoman that serves as the coffee table and an absolutely gorgeous upholestered headboard with wings and brass nailhead trim.

Want to see the full reveal from this space?  Click HERE.  Interested in Craigslist Sofa Makeover #1? (Click to Link)

And just because we all love a good before and after....

"Installation Eve"

'Twas the night before the install and all through the house.... (Mine is a wreck by the way.)

Well, tomorrow's the big day and I'm so ready to get this show on the road.  Earlier this week, I literally had to talk myself off the ledge.  I knew my anxiety was getting the best of me when I had dreams two nights in a row that something went terrible wrong.  After a few deep breaths and a mental reminder that this isn't brain surgery, I'm much better.  The fact is, no one is going to die if something goes wrong.  While it's important to me, it is just decorating after all. 

I'm so excited about several pieces going in tomorrow.  I decided to give you a sneak peek.  If you need a reminder of the plan for this Modern Master click HERE.  I scored this small sofa on Craigslist for a song.....

.....and Baity's Custom Upholstery is putting the finishing touches on it as we speak.  I'm probably more excited about it than anything.  I secretly want it for myself. 

My client isn't afraid of color so I needed to make sure that I had ample doses of it.  For that I relied on Reinvented Charlotte to custom paint this classic faux bamboo piece in lacquered Sherwin Williams' Lucky Green. 


And I have to agree with what Sherwin Williams posted on my Instagram post, "Whoever gets this piece is one lucky customer."  I can't wait to pull it all together tomorrow.  Wish me luck (i.e. say a prayer it goes well)!  Stay tuned....

Don't miss the reveal.  Sign up to follow the Dwell by Cheryl blog and get post delivered to your inbox.  It's simple!

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

"Breaking in the Bar Cart"

While working with Jennifer on our little edible gifts collaboration, I took the opportunity to break in my bar cart. 

 

For starters, I needed to make things a little more festive for the season. Several months ago, I picked up this awesome frame at Goodwill for $4.  I had no idea what I would end up doing with it, but I was drawn to the natural wood frame. 

 

After sitting in my garage for a while, upon closer inspection I realized that the wood backing would be perfect for a chalkboard.  I simply removed the glass and sprayed the back panel with my chalkboard spray paint. 


via Pinterest

A little "Pinspiration" and I had a great holiday message.  Jennifer was a great helper when it came to bar tending. 

I really like the idea of having a serving area in the living space.  I think it has application beyond beverages. 

 

Have you noticed, bar carts have been popping up everywhere?  The most popular seems to be the Target version. 

 



Target



While it's not a horrible price ($129.00), I've recently seen some great options on Craigslist that offer the same functionality.  And let's face it, once you have it all decked out, you can barely even see the cart.  Check out what a search for "Metal Cart" and "Bar Cart" yield on Craigslist in my area...

 



via Craigslist ($45)



via Craigslist ($50)





via Craigslist ($75)

No matter what option you choose, the addition of a bar cart in your living space is a great idea.

Glad I finally had the chance to break mine in.  Have a great weekend!!!