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Good Questions: What Should I Do With this Chair?

9-3-chair1.jpgDear AT, I recently had this chair re-upholstered. I paid good money for his services, but the re-upholsterer did very poor job. I can't afford to have it upholstered all over again, so I'm trying to ignore the slightly crooked stripes. But I just couldn't ignore the arms where he did a terrible job. Just look at these corners!...

 
 

9-3-chair2.jpg...I was so bothered that I took the arms off, and re-did them myself. When I did it, though, I omitted the stripes over the arms. Now the upholstery on the arms is tighter, and the corners look like they belong on the same chair. But the chair looks funny to me. Should I have run the stripes around the arms like the re-upholsterer did? What's "correct" for this style of chair? Should I take the arms off, and have another go?

Thank you,
pamela

Any advice for Pamela?

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Comments (33)

I can't really see what's wrong with the corners, but shouldn't you call the person who did the work and have them re-do it.

posted by ltblmr on September 3rd 2008 at 9:52am
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I personally like the chair better without the arm stripes.

posted by first5times on September 3rd 2008 at 9:54am
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I think the fabric is hideous, but the frame is great. It doesn't look like so bad of a job. But really, why pay for upholstery services? There's way too much information out there- DIY, baby!

For now, why not throw a round turquoise pillow or throw over the parts that bother you- instant fix.

posted by lindsay on September 3rd 2008 at 9:56am
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When in doubt, add a pillow.

And I think it looks better without the arm stripes, too.

posted by nerdling on September 3rd 2008 at 9:57am
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Reiterating the first commenter: If you're unsatisfied with the work, ask them to redo it. Don't pay for something that you're not happy with.

Throwing a pillow over something you've spent a fair amount of money on isn't really a solution.

posted by DCE on September 3rd 2008 at 9:59am
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I concur - it's nicer without the arm stripes.

posted by rhiana on September 3rd 2008 at 9:59am
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I don't know much about what style is "correct"... I just go by what I like/dislike. I think the arms look MUCH better without the stripes. I like that they stand out from the rest of the chair. Hope that helps... and cool chair, btw.

posted by maddiesmama on September 3rd 2008 at 9:59am
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I don't know what the rule is, but here are some thoughts...

1. Have the stripes running perpendicular to the stripes on the chair, like the upholterer did it. I don't much care for that--looks a bit odd to me.

2. No stripes, like you have it. I think that looks nice. Although I might have used the yellow stripe instead of the blue since that's where the pattern on the seat and back would be if they continued onto the chair.

3. Have the stripes run parellel to the stripes on the chair. I also think that this would look nice. Since your stripes are so thick, though, you might only be able to have a sliver of one color or the other or a half-and-half.

P.S. I would agree with the other poster that you should contact the person who did the work and ask him to re-do the arms. I would think that such a repair would be free. But I also understand that you might not want to deal with someone who did shabby work to being with.

P.P.S. I didn't even notice a problem with the upholstery in your original picture until I compared it to your re-do, which really is much better.

posted by burpchick on September 3rd 2008 at 10:02am
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I don't like the fabric with that chair. The stripe is too wide, IMO. The colors aren't my favorite either, but the the wide stripe is really the problem I think. I'd choose another fabric, or perhaps paint the chair a similarly-toned metallic or white so that the wide stripe works better by harmonizing with the color of the wood.

posted by kimg924 on September 3rd 2008 at 10:02am
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I think your redo looks great. The other thought is to make the arms metallic, like they're part of those stripes. The perpendicular stripes seemed odd. But, yeah, you should talk to the upholsterer about your dissatisfaction with their work.

posted by visualingual on September 3rd 2008 at 10:04am
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I think the redo is better also with solid turquoise arms. The rest of the chair looks fine to me.

posted by figs on September 3rd 2008 at 10:09am
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i think it looks great after u've re-touched it, i think ur looking a lil too closly at it tryin to pick fault maybe. leave it alone, no1 will notice unless they have a ruler, and move on.

posted by zhenpoo on September 3rd 2008 at 10:14am
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i like your new arms better, and while this isn't a fix... no one notices the crooked but you, really.

posted by DahliaCactus on September 3rd 2008 at 10:17am
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I would do the arms in the gold color, rather than the blue.

posted by Novabass on September 3rd 2008 at 10:20am
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It was the selection of the fabric. The scale is not proportioned to the chair.

posted by Lawnmowr on September 3rd 2008 at 10:23am
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I don't see any problem - I think that the upholsterer did a great job. I don't see any crooked lines on the seat and back - and with the curved arms, you can't expect the stripes to be straight.

Furthermore, I don't see the improvement with the solid colored arms - I prefer the stripe.

I think Pamela is being unreasonable.

posted by bepsf on September 3rd 2008 at 10:24am
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Maybe I'm nuts, but the stripes don't look crooked to me.

posted by Valerie on September 3rd 2008 at 10:44am
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Leave it the way you fixed it. Looks nice.

posted by azure on September 3rd 2008 at 10:46am
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I think that the chair looks terrific the way you redid it. Nice fabric choice.

posted by mikelay on September 3rd 2008 at 10:52am
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You did a great job on the arm cushions. You have the skills down now and don't need to find a new upholsterer.

If it was me, I would redo the arms in a fabric closer to the wood color of the chair. Let the rest of the fabric stand on its own.

posted by lifesized dollhouse on September 3rd 2008 at 10:53am
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I agree that the fabric just doesn't seem to fit the chair -- stripes too wide. But, it looks pretty good. Be happy with it. The frame is really nice.

posted by SydneyBristow on September 3rd 2008 at 10:55am
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visit
http://m-a-belle.blogspot.com/
If you scroll down there is a similar chair that has a similar pattern (but smaller stripes) that looks good. This chair also has no stripes on the arm rest.

posted by SydneyBristow on September 3rd 2008 at 11:05am
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I don't think the stripes look crooked either. The arms do look better without the stripes though. The problem is the fabric - large stripes like that are tough to do correctly on such a small frame.

posted by atlantadesigner on September 3rd 2008 at 11:28am
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I think your redone chair looks absolutely great--I love the fabric & color & also think the stripes aren't too big. They in fact make the chair look more interesting, stressing a nice mix between traditional and contemporary.

posted by timmy jr. on September 3rd 2008 at 12:09pm
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ah! i see how the stripes are a little off kilter- the center of the middle stripe should run the center of the seat.

the arms definately look better withOUT the stripes

and i agree with the others- go back to this person and make them do it right or get your money back! i'd also go to the better business bureau and give them a bad review. you paid for a service that was done incorrectly and it should be corrected or you should be refunded.

posted by Oneformybaby on September 3rd 2008 at 1:19pm
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Since I'm just about to contact upholsterers for a fix to my loveseat, will you please tell us who did your job so that I can avoid them? Thanks!

BTW, I do see the problem in the before photo and I think you've fixed it.

posted by Cynthia in SF on September 3rd 2008 at 1:47pm
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Valerie-- I'm with you. I don't see the problem with the original job.

posted by PhillyLass on September 3rd 2008 at 2:40pm
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Another vote for the fact that the chair looks fine - I don't see a problem with the original job, though I like the arm re-do.

Really, the problem is in the fabric choice - the scale is all wrong.

posted by brenjay on September 3rd 2008 at 3:31pm
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if only i had such terrible, agonizing problems in life.

posted by *heather leaf* on September 3rd 2008 at 5:29pm
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*heather leaf* LOL Ha!

posted by TracyJ on September 3rd 2008 at 7:20pm
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Hi. I'm Pamela, and I want to thank you all for your comments.

Timmy Jr., you're spot on. We chose the stripes for the chair precisely because they were just a little overstated. The chair lives in a room with a very modern platform bed, and we felt that it needed to be just a little "rock star" to fit in. We shopped at Discount Fabrics in San Francisco, and the minute we saw those stripes my husband and I fell in love.

Cynthia in SF, I went to Alameda Upholstery Shop on San Carlos St. in San Jose. The chair was not completed until four days after the original delivery date; he called me to come pick it up, and then called to say he needed more time on three separate occasions, and once I could swear he was hiding from me! I told him what I wanted done, and then he did it differently; when I told him I wanted it redone the way I'd originally requested, he refused, pointing at a calendar photograph of a large (hideous) sofa as proof that he was correct. I know it's a small thing, but when the customer makes a specific request, shouldn't you follow it? I'll admit that I was probably a bit pickier about the result afterward that I might have been, but the chair is still far from perfect, with puckers, badly executed piping, etc.

Thank you all!

pamela

posted by paintitbright on September 3rd 2008 at 9:02pm
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i think it looks great!! and the arms do look better now

posted by Hollyconda on September 4th 2008 at 9:07am
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Thanks, Pamela. I have someone from SF coming over tomorrow. Phew, I'm glad it's not your upholsterer!

posted by Cynthia in SF on September 5th 2008 at 11:56am
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