apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Go for it! It looks like the bones are in good shape, and a good upholsterer will be able to fix any cushioning issues.

I recently had 2 mid-century recliners redone, and I couldn't be happier. I bought the fabric on my own --for a chair of your size, you should be able to find some remnants at great prices. (Get an estimate of how much fabric you will need.)

Great chair -- you will be very pleased when this project is done!!!

Totally agree with Maxwell's comment on patterns.

If the room you're showing it in is the room it's going in you COULD do one of those big vintage upholstery fabrics with the Cana lillies on it, which I've seen newish versions in vinyl, even.

The lillies I'm talking about have dark purple leaves and sometimes green-and-purple leaves and tend to have blossoms that are either red-orange or yellow. We had some in our backyard when we lived on Lizardi Street in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans from 1966-1968. They're kind of tropical and they're VERY 1950's, and in a sunroom like this that kind of upholstery might be kind of wonderful.

Or if you really want a print, maybe a simple awning stripe, but be careful with the width of those arms and the width of the stripe. It will either need to match, or at least be carefully factored it.

But I also really like the idea of a solid. If the wood is kind of scratched up, you might consider either having it re-finished, or refinishing it yourself, but you might need to do that after it's stripped of the old upholstery but before the new.

If you have a car, a patient upholstery person, and some skill yourself, you could do a collaboration like that, but it might involve having THEM do the stripping off, etc., so they can really see what's under there, themselves, and possibly salvage some of the underneath skeleton stuff and/or at least figure out what new materials they have to order from their suppliers to re-create the shape correctly.

I see it upholstered in mohair; it has a gorgeous texture and is durable. Great find!

I think its worth upholstering, but I'd guess that it will cost closer to $400 to $450 in labor (assuming DC prices are like NY prices). The back of the chair looks like it will need new springs -- it looks sunken. Whenever you need some structural repair (webbing, springs, tightening, etc) it costs a bit more.

I think you're probably looking at more than $400 or so, but the chair will look fantastic.

I once found a chair on the street in Hell's Kitchen, and then I kind of covered it with dropcloth for a while (kind of like a Hamptons retreat off-season, he he he he) until I could afford to work it to a froth.

But the reason that mine cost $1,300 to re-upholster is because it was this ersatz Louis Seize-esque 3-back corner chair things, which was button-tufted and had a VERY strange bunch of twists and turns for the upholstery folks to deal with around the supports for the back(s).

My point is, even THAT was worth it, because it was what I wanted. The thing is, when you find a really interesting old chair for either free, or $20, which is ALMOST free, it is wonderful!

Think of is almost like paying for a good paint job, but getting the house for free.

I too would estimate the labor at close to $400, with new webbing badly needed for the back.

Fabric pattern: I would play on the shape of the arms, giving it some reference to the "biomorph" period; at the same time stressing overall classic silhouette (the seat height is a key here). So - pattern, but a woven pattern, not print and not a literal reproduction.
Something like the Finn fabric by Architex (click on my name and then search for the Finn). Colors- depending on your overall scheme, butmypreliminary selection - Fawn, Jack-o-Lantern or Pool.

Ah, Curtis, going OT here - couldn't pass an opportunity to applaud your skill and great ideas on the Pompeiian bath mural.

Simply marvellous.

Sarah: As another DC citizen, try G Street fabrics. They have a great upholstery section (with tons of remnants) and offer re-upholstery services (never cheap, as everyone else has posted).

Finally, there was a really good New York Times House & Home (Sunday Styles?) article a few months ago about how to determine whether or not an item was worth splurging for an all-out rehab, or whether you might just like to DIY-it.

And post an "after" photo, whatever you decide to do!

Tat,

I could not agree more with your choice. Contrary to all other advice, I envision a largish, mod-ish print.

Tat -
Oooooo! Finnn! Pritttty! Love it! And thanks! If you're curious about the 3-back chair, you can see a view from the back in the withmurphbd picture within the set of "Paris at Night with Wet Streets P-B-N Mural" in my little flickr thing when you click my name. It's near the bottom right of the frame, and it looks kind of like a Monopoly token, because it's all dark metallic silver-ish, including the upholstery.

Thanks everyone for your ideas! I'm really excited about the chair. And Jennifer, thanks for recommending G Street. Luckily, the wood is in beautiful condition (perfect except for a tiny scratch *I* put in it once I got it home, grrrrr.) So I only need concentrate on finding good hands to rehab it and the perfect fabric.

Tat, I think that was a great call and I think several of the patterns from Angela Adams collection could work really well on that chair, play up its mod bones but not become an overwhelming piece of furniture. There's even one named Max!

Jennifer--where is G street?

Sarah--I don't know if the guy is still doing it, but I heard of this man on H Street who was about to retire who was a well-known upholsterer. So, he may have retired...but if not, look him up. There was an article in the Capitol Hill Rag about him not long ago.

G Street Fabric is up in Rockville. I remember when it was actually on G Street.

I love the chair. I own two like it -- one from Room and Board with much less style than yours, and one by Dakota Jackson with a way higher price.

900 bucks. Good but not great quality.
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/coll.do?coll=RB1744&dept=RB160

You're going to have this chair decades from now and you'll still love it.

Curtis, great settee. Too bad it's not given a center stage!

Years ago I was given 2 sofas, sort of "inbred recamier" style, with elaborate carving, button-tufted backs intact but failed springs and foam-crumbling removable seat cushions, in blue satin damask, not less!

I loved them, but didn't have either $900 for reupholstery or 11 linear feet of wall to store them, and I asked a [friendly] super to put'em temporarily in the basement.
Turned out, the plumbing in that pre-war building was also pre-war...Still weeping.

The elderly lady who gave them to me said "I've been very happy on these sofas, hope you'll too"

A great place to buy fabric for this chair is ebay. I am guessing you will need about 6 yards, and there are great finds, especially in the low yardage numbers. My favorite way to search: type in "6 yards" or "scalamandre 6" or "velvet yards" those searches will get you in plenty of trouble.
Have FUN!!!

Great lines. I'd go for a solid-colored fabric so that it will work anywhere, and forever and ever.

Yes, G Street Fabrics is indeed in Rockville (there is also one in 7 corners I think) and no longer at a G Street address.

It is, however, an easy walk from the red line Shady Grove metro stop and it is wonderful!!! (OK, not as great as similar stores in NYC, but...) The salespeople are usually very knowledgeable. There is a whole floor devoted to all kins of apparel fabrics and every type of trim you can imagine, and a smaller floor of upholstery/quilting fabrics (including the excellent - but hit or miss - clearance table).

There are some old chairs dressed up and reupholstered in Mod and other fabrics at the link at Land & Living.
http://www.landliving.com/articles/0000000983.aspx

I love Chair Couture's stuff! I like a chair with wit.