apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

OR you could just paint it...

http://boards.hgtv.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1634079532/m/4931065923?r=4981016923#4981016923

Well here's the thing - it's a nicely shaped chair with potential.

But by the time you pay an upholsterer and buy fabric you'll be out at least $600-700, speaking form experience (those are Portland, OR prices, YMMV).

So my advice?

Ditch it. Take it to Goodwill, get a receipt, and you'll have a good tax deduction.

Than take the $600 or $700 you would have paid for labor and fabric and scour Craigslist.

You can find nice wingbacks in classic style like this every day, many already covered with nice fabrics.

I've bought two - I paid $500 for one that was a vintage Weslh made piece from the UK, tufted and covered in the original leather. I ultimately sold that one because it wasn't comfortable enough and bought another very similar one for only $75 from Craigslist.

So unless you want a very special unusual fabric, I think I'd pass on this particular project.

Giselle -

Here's why I said what I did.

I searched the Bay Area Craigslist just now and fond some absolutely stunning chairs like that for less than the cost of labor alone, never mind fabric.

This one is incredible, I think. I see this color combination being trendy now, and damask fabric is kind of timeless:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/fur/392388090.html


Here's a classy "Pottery Barn-esque" (;->) wingback, also recently reupholstered :

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/fur/390483179.html



This leather one looks awesome (and you can have a shop easily but different legs on it).

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/fur/388893156.html


You get the idea...all of these are cheaper than fixing that one up and they're in great shape, especially the first one.

Good luck!

If you're dedicated to this chair, find a local community college that gives an upholstery class as part of their community education program. The chair can be your class project.

(FWIW, my grandfather taught such a class for many years... he taught me some upholstering basics, plus I always over-estimate what I can really do with projects, and that chair still scares me. I kind of like boomer's advice.)

Thanks for posting this, AT:SF and thank you all for taking time to reply.

Since I'm stubborn, I think I will get a quote from at least one upholsterer, but if it's really going to cost $600-$700 then it's smart to just give it away and go the Craigslist route.

I do love that first chair, BTW (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/fur/392388090.html).

Will also check out upholstery classes as an option since it's not a bad idea.

GREAT! Classy and Pottery Barn in the same sentence. It is now OFFICIALLY the end of design and taste!

Merci Boomer for showing my chair as an example! I'm honored :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sosylvie/543379252/

In fact, I had given Giselle a quote for reupholstering that chair of hers at $365. Such a deal.

It's too bad that instead of keeping with the "green" idea of giving this good old chair new life (I wonder if it has those good strong 'bones' that are so hard to find in new furniture), most of the feedback suggest buying new.

To me, if given the choice of spending the same money for re-upholstery or buying new, I'd go with re-upholstery. Call me crazy.

What's odd is that not one person suggested buying new.