CasaSugar

Before and After: A Goodwill Chair

CasaSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:00:18 -0700

Su Casa member Leahlarocco spotted this grungy old chair at Goodwill on sale for $7. There was nothing pretty about the upholstery or even the finish (it's basically an office chair), but she saw potential in it. She decided to paint the frame with Ralph Lauren silver metallic paint, and reupholster it with a $3 Waverly fabric and some charming blue trim. The finished product is a far cry from her Goodwill find, feminine and full of personality. Want to see it? Then read more.

Cute, right? I'm really impressed with her re-upholstery job! Have you made over any furniture or thrift-store finds in your home? Add photos and details to our Su Casa group!

Before and After: Patio Chairs From Trash to Treasure

CasaSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:00:38 -0700

If I ever discover that John Lennon wrote "All You Need Is Love" about a set of patio chairs, I won't be surprised. Sometimes all a piece of furniture headed for a landfill needs is a little affection. High-Heeled Foot in the Door recently transformed her set of four dated, slightly dirty patio chairs into cheerful, stylish, and clean seating with only $41 and a little gumption. I can't tell you how much outdoor furniture I've seen with this dusty gray mesh seating; it's as if people think color isn't allowed outdoors! Luckily, this girl knows better. See the after photo when you read more.

With just a can of spray paint and some inexpensive Ikea fabric, she made her very own fun Summer seating! The chairs do have great likes with those curlicue arms, so there's no reason to toss them. Learn the steps to this DIY here!

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Before and After: Eddie Ross's Chairs From Eek to Chic

CasaSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 10:00:12 -0700

Here we go again. Eddie Ross has accomplished yet another fabulous makeover. What impresses me most about Ross is his ability to see the potential in overlooked furnishings. With a habit of scouring flea markets, he really has a keen eye for affordable items that can be transformed. This time, he spotted four of these 1970s modern chrome chairs, but he said the "padding was like dry rot and the fabric a filthy micro-suede." So, he headed to his favorite fabric store and had them reupholstered in a cheerful (clean) fabric. To see the transformation, read more.

Beautiful, right? I love how the clean, rectangular lines of the chair pair with the trellis pattern of the fabric. The fabric also looks great with the wallpaper. It seems like it'd be too busy and clashing, but it's an unexpected touch that works! So fun and chic. Hear about this project and see photos of two of the other chairs he upholstered in a different fabric here!
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Before and After: An Antique Chair, From Eek to Chic!

CasaSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:00:32 -0700

If you caught my recent Before and After, you know that interior designer Eddie Ross is a wizard when it comes to makeovers. It's kind of like Cher in Clueless: "Her main thrill in life is a makeover, it gives her a sense of control in a world full of chaos." So, it should come as no surprise that Ross was able to transform this dated antique chair with hideous fabric into something completely à la mode. He sanded the frame and painted it white. As for the fabric, he wanted "a thick, horizontal stripe that felt casual and slightly askew," but couldn't find one, so he decided to DIY it. To hear how he created his ideal stripes and see the finished product, read more.

Ross made the stripes by taping off canvas fabric and spraying it with silver paint. Isn't it fabulous!? Check out his blog to hear more about the project.
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Love It or Hate It? Terrycloth Le Corbusier Chairs

CasaSugar — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:30:21 -0800

These Le Corbusier chairs, in the portfolio of interior designer Martha Angus, were originally leather, but were reupholstered in absorbent terrycloth. I think it's kind of a clever idea for a cabana, but I'm struggling with it. Was it sacrilegious to strip the chairs of their iconic leather?
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Etsy Find: Black Lacquer Chairs

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:30:36 -0800

I've been finding some very cute furniture pieces lately on Etsy. From the Fruit Stripe Dresser to the Jean Pelle Vanity Cabinet, it seems as if more vendors and customers are discovering that Etsy's not just for home accessories and jewelry these days.

I love the purple exuberance of this pair of Mediterranean Chairs ($950). That eggplant hue will certainly make a statement in your living room or bedroom, though I think they'd also look fabulous in an office. Of course, I'm also attracted to their high-gloss black lacquer finish.

The clever ladies behind Spruce Home, a design studio based in Austin, TX, are responsible for these cool chairs. I'm definitely a fan of their work, and have featured it in the past. If these purple chairs aren't your style, check their Etsy store for other cool furniture finds.

View 4 Photos ›

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Before and After: A Tacky Chair Gets an Update

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:05 -0800

The other week, I asked you what projects you were working on, and I've got to say, you are all some busy bees. While some of you are painting rooms, stripping cabinets, and arranging home offices, I told you that I was going to reupholster a chair that I found for $2.50 at a flea market. Here's what the chair looked like before I switched out the fabric.

To see how it looks after I reupholstered it, read more.

I used Amy Butler Nigella fabric for the chair. This project took a little more time than I expected, since the back rest had a ton of staples in it. However, I'd gladly reupholster more flea market chairs in the future. I think the difference is really inspiring, and the monetary investment was so small: between the fabric and chair, I spent less than $10. Now that's certainly a way to go beautiful on a budget.

Before and After: Slipper Chair From Blah to Ta-da!

CasaSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:00:57 -0800

The folks at Better Homes and Gardens took this modern microsuede slipper chair and reupholstered it in an icy blue fabric with lots of dressmaker details like pleating and tufting. You're probably thinking, "Cool story, Hansel." Right? Well, actually, they tackled the reupholstery themselves, and chronicled the project so we could all have detailed instructions for doing it on our own as well. I'm really impressed with the makeover. Beforehand the chair was simply uninteresting, and now it's sophisticated and detailed. To see the after photo, and hear how you can reupholster a slipper chair on your own, read more.

Beautiful, right? It's such a drastic transformation in style. Check out BH&G to learn how to reupholster a slipper chair yourself!
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Before and After: Upholstering an Antique Chair

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:00:57 -0700

Andrea, who writes the delightful blog Some Twittery, recently reupholstered an old chair. She writes, "The chair above has been sitting in the kitchen for about five months, patiently waiting for its moment to sparkle. I found it at an antique store. It had already been painted cream but was re-upholstered in a material not quite like oilcloth but a step up from contact paper. Underneath this was the original fabric, avocado green, cranberry, and gold stripes, with the paper label dating the chair itself from 1924. Old pieces of mattress were used for padding and the wood for the back was mint green with tire tread marks across it."

Here's what she started with.

To see the finished product, read more.

Using a simple, subdued cream linen, Andrea created a chair that looks absolutely serene. It would be a versatile piece in any number of rooms or decorating schemes.

Check out more of Andrea's gardening, home decorating, and craft adventures on her blog.
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Before and After: Peruvian Pet Stairs

CasaSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:00:20 -0700

A celeb client of Danny Seo's had these cringe-worthy dog stairs by her bed, but her pooch couldn't part with them. So, it was unanimously decided that they needed a chic facelift. Seo hopped over to a flea market in Los Angeles, where he picked up a vintage Peruvian rug for around $30. A lot of trimming and stapling later, Seo had reupholsterd the stairs, giving them a bit of cheer and an ethnic vibe. To see the transformation, read more.

Pretty fabulous, right? It just goes to show that there's potential for style in even the most mundane household item.
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