I’m a bit of a chair addict….there’s just something about chairs that I love!  So when my in-laws gave us these gorgeous and incredibly comfortable family heirlooms, I was beyond thrilled.  I kept them in my home as-is for many years, but I knew that they needed to be reupolstered and refinished, a project I embarked on in 2013 and now, they’re finally done!  It’s only been four-and-a-half years but who’s counting?!

 

THAT WAS THEN…

You can get all of the details about this history {HERE} but to give you an idea as to what they used to look like, here they are in all their glory!

 

My original plan was to re-stain them, so I worked tirelessly with Q-Tips and toothpicks to remove the original coats of stains from all of the nooks and crannies.

 

Once down to bare wood, I was amazed at the difference, but I also grew to love the lighter color.

 

 

Then, one day while browsing Art of Salvage, a favorite vendor of mine at the Alameda Point Antique Fair, I finally worked up the courage to ask the owner, Michael, if he’d be willing to refinish and reupholster my chairs for me.  Thankfully, he said yes!  After seeing his work, I knew that I wanted the chairs painted, not stained, and didn’t trust myself to such an important job.  You won’t believe how these beauties turned out!  They don’t even look like the same chairs, right?

 

THIS IS NOW!

TIDBITS&TWINE Master Bedroom Mantel with French chairs

 

 

I chose to use two different but coordinating fabrics.  The front of the chairs is a small-weave, linen-like material, while the back is reminiscent of burlap, but mush softer and more elegant.  I’m a sucker for chairs upholstered with two different fabrics!

Antique chair french style makeover with two fabrics

 

And can we talk for a minute about the carved details?!  I love how they pop with their new paint finish…

Chalk painted antique chair

Antique chair chalk paint french style

 

The new look of these chairs is much softer and more in keeping with the rest of my bedroom as you can see from this sneak peek of my nightstands, now complete with mirrors that I purchased from Art of Salvage.  I know I’ve shared this picture on Facebook, but this might be a first for the site…

TIDBITS&TWINE French master bedroom

 

Michael from Art of Salvage also made me two custom-stenciled lumbar pillows for the chairs.  They are so soft and gorgeous, but as you can tell from the photos, I sometimes change them out depending on the season….or my mood!

Someday {hopefully soon}, I’ll share my entire bedroom with you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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24 Comments

  1. OH my. These chairs make my knees quiver. please could you give some info on the fabric choices. I have an upholstery project, I’m thinking linen but maybe an alternative would be better. Dankie.

    1. User Avatar Tidbits&Twine says:

      Hi! I had forgotten what I chose and had to check with Michael over at Art of Salvage who upholstered them for me! The front is a linen/cotton blend and the backs are the same but with more linen than cotton. Good luck with your project! :) Kim

  2. Oh wow, they turned out so beautiful! I love the original wood, the bare wood, and the painted wood…they are just gorgeous chairs no matter what! I have a thing for chairs too. You have some real treasures here. Great makeovers!
    I would love for you to link up this post tomorrow at Thursday Favorite Things. The party goes live at 9:00 a.m. EST. Hope to see you there!

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