Before & After: A Broken Heart Gets Mended

Written by

Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara is Apartment Therapy's News & Culture Director. When not scrolling through Instagram double-tapping pet pics and astrology memes, you'll find her thrift shopping around Boston, kayaking on the Charles, and trying not to buy more plants.
published Feb 17, 2015
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(Image credit: Tami Hills)

After hauling this unusual but beat-up chair frame around for 15 years, Tami finally found the inspiration to fix up this old broken heart (-shaped chair!).

(Image credit: Tami Hills)

From Tami:

Many years ago (15 to be exact) I was driving my son to school, after dropping him off and looping the block I saw this skeleton of a chair next to the trash. I stopped to pick it up, thinking I would take it on as a project. Well after lugging it around for many moves, neither my skills or budget matched up. I’m a Professional Organizer — I clean out attics all the time. But I just couldn’t get rid of her.
I cleaned out my attic last year and decided to finally find the fabric that would make her sing. The black with oversized floral — that was it. I found it.
The chair had a few “chew” spots and was missing some wood at the top. I have an amazing friend Mike Cooper, he can fix anything. He patched all the imperfections and was ready for a paint job and reupholstering—by a professional. My degree is in fashion — I can sew and do some upholstery — but I never learned how to do tufting.
Though my house is very modern, I decided to keep her. She has been with me for all those years. I couldn’t sell her. She is in my master bedroom, where she can have all the style she wants to have.

Thank you Tami!