Suzanne Kasler/Ballard Designs and Restoration Hardware knockoffs

Back in August I posted this about redoing son’s old room. Had these lovely inspiration pieces from Suzanne Kasler/Ballard Designs. This Ballard mirror must have sold out, can’t find it online any longer.

and a chest from Restoration Hardware

to fill this space

Finally making progress by adding the bun feet and rope twist molding to chest.

Made the mirror using extra long paint can stirrers and a small 12 inch mirror. I originally started to use a 28 inch mirror, quickly realized overall diameter would be too big after adding wood. Gluing everything on. Total mirror cost around $30.00. The October issue of Ballard Designs was selling their mirror for $219 plus $15 shipping.

Now the room is starting to take shape. I want it to be soothing, calming and restful. I have more furniture gaps in this room as Liz took a white bachelor’s chest that was next to the bed. I scouring what little flea market/junk shops we have for the right piece.

At least the bed is clean, has new comfy sheets, and all the Bailey hair is finally gone.

Joining these great parties, pictures are linked. Thanks ladies!

 

A little table redo

Now that I’ve lost furniture to both son (back in August) and to daughter and SIL (their furniture just being stored here at my home past 17 months) I have some empty spaces and motivation to move things around. And find some additional items to fill up the void.

This is a little mahogany end table went through Katrina and I actually hid it away in Liz’s storage unit for the last year and a half. I added some rope twist trim, the wood glue did not hold so I ended up nailing tiny nails in. Liz, I wish I didn’t leave my electric stapler/brad shooter with you, I could have used it for this. First coat of primer and painted the new trim a dark brown to match the mahogany.

I used Belgian Cream and added a little Pewter grey to it to tone it down.

Trying to decide if I should tone it down a little more.

Decided to move this French chair in aqua silk here in the living room. Looking for a new rug to replace the Chinese one. Don’t know what to do with this rug other then cover it up with a new one. I can’t part with it after all it suffered through, given up to the trash pile, being dragged out of the trash heap, off to a rug cleaners, and finally back home.

Can’t wait to show what I’ve been doing in son’s old room, there’s a glimpse of it above the chair.

Shabby French Chair, part 4

Remember this French chair makeover from January? It’s giving me fits!

Here’s what she looked like straight from EBay

Shabby French chair, part 1

I was on a roll pulling of the old upholstery, old foam, straw, and springs.

Shabby French Chair, part 2

Painting her was the easy part, although I painted her white, then grey, then creamy white before I was satisfied.

Shabby French Chair, part 3

Above is the first seat piece of linen, ugh! it didn’t work as I made cuts for the arms and back too soon. Ended up being short material. Then I cut a new seat bottom piece, I goofed that one also!

And here is seat piece # 3. It still looks lumpy and bumpy but at least I didn’t cut away too much material so I could tack down along the arms and the back braces. This is the most difficult thing I’ve ever tackled. I have actually reupholstered a love seat…twice. That love seat looked soooo much better then this. Here the last reupholster job on that loveseat just prior to Katrina. I even lined up the big blocks of color! Oh, how I miss all my old furniture. :( And look, in the dinning room….there are the old slip covers from 2004, they were tossed in the trash pile as well. 2 X :( !

Back to the French chair…

Oh my, it’s still ugly, lumpy and bumpy! It may be because of the curvy French lines. Or maybe it’s because I’m so sick and tired with working this little chair!

But no despair here. My original plan was to make a soft and squishy down filled pillow/seat to cover the seat bottom, with cute little sort ruffle/pleats. I’m hoping I can design the down cushion and the pleats to hid all the above mistakes. What do you think? Can I pull it off?

Make sure to check out all these great Friday party links:

Shabby French Chair, Part 3

So, who told me or where did I get the idea I could reupholster furniture? It is not as easy as it looks.

Kathy at Kate’s Place and Linda at Lime in the Coconut made it look and sound like a breeze! HA! It ain’t!

Top back looks ok, but that was the easy part.

Yes, I have to work on my kitchen island or floor. It’s pathetic not to have the right work space to do these projects.

I love the TACK look, it is shabby for sure. But considering doing a double welt.

Also considering bringing her to a professional upholster! HA!

Here’s a little TACK love….the settee and the cute club type chair are showing their tacks. What look do you like? The tacks showing or covered with welt or gimp?

MY SHABBY BIG BUTT FRENCH CHAIR

Thanks Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday and Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Feature Friday for having your great Friday parties!

She’s here! She’s here! I won her back on February 10 and patiently waited while her previous owner arranged her shipping. I didn’t have to go back to the Greyhound station, this baby was shipped freight with R&L Carriers. She was in a huge box, paper stuffing, bubble wrapping, then this final cotton stuffed brown wrapping. It took me at least an hour to unwrap her. I’m grateful to the former owner for taking such time to protect her. She is more gorgeous then I imagined. “French upholstered wood carved chair 1900-1920” , aqua-blue silk was her description on E Bay that made me drool.

She’s down stuffed and she’s a BIG BUTT CHAIR! Remember Linda’s beautiful BIG BUTT CHAIR that Milo did over in that luscious tropical IKAT and linen? One of my favorite posts! My baby is a huge 33 inches wide, great for any big butt or 2 skinny butts. And oh my, she is so comfy. You never really know till you sit in a chair, so I consider myself lucky with this one.

See the pillow on the floor? That’s one I made from leftover silk from my bedroom curtains. The color is so close. Not too blue, not too aqua, just the perfect combination of both that I love.

My pillow... might be the same silk fabric...looks so the same to me!

She is very shabby, there were bits of paint that fell off with her packing

Pretty details

I’m moving dragging this poor chair from room to room to see where she bests fits. Here she is in my bedroom.

I’m so glad that she is here, she inspires me to finish other projects that I’m working on. I’m so slow at finishing things sometimes. Life gets in the way of projects! OR projects get in the way of LIFE!! Ha! Husband just informed me I’m entertaining for out of town business colleagues tomorrow night. So got to put away hide all my works in progress, get busy cleaning and menu planning. Happy weekend!