What would you do?No, really I want to know what you would do?
Yesterday my neighbor saw this awesome Mitchell Gold (brand sold by Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware) chair and a half and ottoman(that opens with storage) in the trash at our other neighbors house. (I think this is the chair)
She called me on the phone and said, "Kristi you have got to go get this chair in the trash"
I was on my way to preschool and so she had another neighbor put it in her car and then in her garage so I could come pick it up later. Now it sits in my garage.
We just redid our basement (also with trash finds and goodwill treasures) and she thought this would work great.
The colors are a little bright. Other than the ripped fabric on the ottoman the fabric is in great condition. The frame is sound and is comfortable.
So here is my dilemma. We really don't have room for this in our house. Jeff says we absolutely don't. I would need to get it recovered if we kept it. I have always wanted to learn how to do it and this may be a good experiment to try on, but I don't know if I want to ruin it. I think we have space for it and when we move it will be a great piece to have. Who does not love a chair and a half?
So, I would love to know what you would do?
Feel free to just answer with the letter associated with the answer. And for multiple anonymous answers that are F - Jeff I know it will be you.I am getting some estimates right now but fear it will be at least $500. (my limit is $300 for both) I don't know what something like this will cost. I want to recover it in a big red and white check fabric or a white slipcover.
- A - Recover the chair at any cost
- B - Do you it yourself - what can it hurt to try
- C - Don't do it yourself at the risk of ruining it and then no one can use it.
- D - you are fooling yourself that it is that great of a chair, it is too big and won't fit in any space even when you move - take it to goodwill
- E - Search out the option of Mitchell Gold Slipcovers.
- F - Stop getting stuff out of the trash you don't need
- G - fill in the blank __________________________
Fill in letter in comment section
The funniest part of this story is that when Annie Kate came home from school hours later she said, "mom you have got to go look in the alley there is the awesome checked chair that you would love" I whispered to her, "it's already in the garage" she said,
"I knew you would love it"
Oh how well she knows me!
The funniest part of this story is that when Annie Kate came home from school hours later she said, "mom you have got to go look in the alley there is the awesome checked chair that you would love" I whispered to her, "it's already in the garage" she said,
"I knew you would love it"
Oh how well she knows me!
74 comments:
i say B~I have complete confidence you can do it!
Autumn
PS~I sent you an email earlier.
B! B! B! B! B!
You can do it! Slipcovers aren't that hard.
B - this is the perfect opportunity to be able to actually take the old covers off as carefully as you can - you can use them as the pattern for your new covers. With all your resources, you'll find some great (cheap) fabric, so you won't feel bad if it isn't perfect in the end. (Tip: checks can be tricky when re-covering!) :) You'll do great! Let us know how it goes!
E -for ease, but my second vote is B - the perfect opportunity to learn how to do it, without the pressure because it's a freebie--you can do it!!:)
We just sold our chair and a half(plaid no less) two days before we left for DC. I would have given it to you and then you'd have a full set. What would Jeff think of that?
Seriously, I think you should try to recover it {B} yourself and learn. I don't think you will mess it up--enlist a friend or two to guide you. Trading Spaces always made it look easy, but what do I know?
Can't wait to see!
B!!
Slipcovers seem hard to me, but my sister-in-law did it and says it's not so bad. I don't think there is any risk in ruining the chair. The worst that could happen is that you need to have it recovered, so you'd be back where you started.
You can do it, Kristi!
I love AK's convo with you. She's looking out for you!
I would TOTALLY pay good money to have it covered. It is the PERFECT snuggle up and read with the kids chair!
Have to say B....and then I think you should post pictures...and directions....good luck...love Annie Kate!
My favorite part of this story is Annie Kate spotting it for you! I love that.
You can totally do it yourself... is there anything you can't do?!
B, because if anyone could figure out how to re-upholster furniture all on their own, it would be you! I want to see pictures when you are done. And then I want you to come to our house and do our couches!
For me it would be D! For you, probably B. :)
F - Chuck it and keep my garage clean!
I say re-do it yourself...what a great way to learn! And, I bet you could get some good fabric cheap now that you know to watch for it.
My sister re-upholstered 2 sofas herself & said it was really not hard at all. I remember she got her fabric cheap from a hotel that was redecorating...the interior decorator sold off remnant fabric that was not used.
Good luck!
I vote for B!
I vote B, but maybe make a solid slipcover for your first time and accent with the big check.
B, I've heard others say it's not too difficult. But if it doesn't turn out then you could slip cover it or Goodwill it.
I love it! Definitely B...never hurts to try.
This looks like the perfect cozy-reading chair to me!
I love this story! The old me would have tried to learn to recover it...the older, wiser me would keep it and pay someone to re-cover it. Enjoy!
B -- you know you can do it!
great snuggle chair for now
and what a great story to tell when you pass it on to AK when she is filling her own apartment
someday.
Absolutely B -- you can do it!
B- It was free so what can it hurt to give it a try. You'll never know if you can do it if you don't try. If all else fails, you could buy a slipcover.
B--it will be so fun for all of us readers to see you do it!
B
and then, if you end up leaving it behind when you move, it will be all the more lovely for it's next owner.
B.......but start with just recovering the ottoman....it can be used almost anywhere and should be the easier of the two :) Once that's mastered: GO for the chair!!!
BBBBBB you can do it!
B!!! I have quite a few friends that do it regularly and it looks great. Try it and let us know how it goes.
If you don't have time...
Then get the slip cover.
I vote B! Just do the ottoman first it is easier than a chair!!
B!!! All the way! Go fo it! I totally know you can do it! This is a TREASURE and a gift! Seriously!
So fun that you neighbor called you and another stashed it for you until you got home! Gotta love those people!
Your Annie Kate is just too cute to have thought of you!
Can't wait to see it!! (I know you will keep it!) ha!
B...either recover yourself or slipcover yourself. For a cheap slipcover get some painter's cloths ( a great heavy muslin canvas fabric) and make the slicovers out of them.
Good Luck!
B! I helped my cousin do a project like this and it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. YOU CAN DO IT!
For extremely selfish reasons...
I say B.
I have always wanted to learn how to do that & you would make the best post on how-to-- EVER!!
Selfish, I know... but I have so much faith that you can do it!!
You can't ruin it, because it's already pretty ugly. But you could save it by recovering it!
I'm all for option B!!! You can totally do this!
My answer is G-Send it to me. I'll take it just as it is. I've been wanting a chair with ottoman.
No really- I think you can redo it yourself. You've got talent when it comes to things like that.
I would listen to this song
http://www.mtv.com/lyrics/city_high/what_would_you_do/2313615/lyrics.jhtml
B
I love that your daughter knows you so well!
i have had a similar mitchell gold wonderful couch fall into my lap. it's wonderfully comfortable, but wow - mitchell gold slipcovers are EXPENSIVE - even on ebay/craigslist. i think you will find it so comfortable that it's worth a and b. call around and tell them you only have $300 - maybe they will need the $$ too.
good luck!
B from me, too! You can cover that so easily!! I mean it takes work, calculation, and patience. But, it is so worth it. I have done a few myself. Red and white will looks so cute! I can't even believe someone would throw that away anyway. I mean, take it to goodwill at least!! Sheesh, people!!
i say definitely 100% "B"
I say B. Try it with cheap fabric first, making a pattern for yourself, and then if you like how it turns out, you can get the fabric you want. If all fails, then pay to have it done when you move! I know you, of all people, can do it!
I say B!
I can't believe they put these items in the trash! Why not ask a neighbor or take them to Goodwill? Wow.
B! You can totally do it and I think it would look awesome in a red and white check.
For sure B-- though I have to admit in some strange way I love the fabric it has, nuts I know!
I've been itching to recover our two loveseats, so I vote B! I checked out the Ultimate Sewing Bible from the library a few months ago. It tells you how to recover/make slipcovers. With your sewing skills, you're golden!
B- It shouldn't be that hard.
But I understand Jeff's position. I think too much furniture does not improve a space, but detracts from what you do have.
in our family we call those chairs "fat butt chairs" and i think everyone needs one. i love it. go for it, you are an excellant seamstress, you can do it!!
and post pics when you are done.
ps ikea sells slip covers
A or B would be great. A couple of years ago I was shopping in an antique store when I saw an ugly chair with an attached note that said " Buy the material to cover me and I am free." The chair needed to be recovered and the ball & claw feet had to be refinished. I bought a gorgeous damask fabric and the ugly chair followed me home. I had the chair recovered and replaced the old cushion with a new one. My mother and I refinished the feet and they look brand new. The chair is my favorite piece of furniture and it is priceless in my eyes. You would not believe the number of complements that chair had received. Sometimes a piece of junk is a treasure underneath!
Jeff, I think you are outvoted unless you can get some of your Dr. friends to comment. It can be tough being married to an amazingly talented, artistic, crafty person. You may have a chair ottoman mess for awhile, while we (and by we I mean Darin) will be spending time working on hand crafted kayak this year! The way I see it, they won't be happy unless the creative juices are flowing PLUS it's a good example of thrift and life-long learning for the kids. It may be worth the space crunch...I also may change my tune when Darin spends all his time and energy (not to mention $)on a kayak.
Kristi, I would LOVE to see the results from B!
B--You have to recover the chair. I found a great chair on the side of the road the other day and had it loaded in my car ready to take it home and then changed my mind. I know myself well enough to know I would never get it recovered. But you my friend are a different story. I can't wait to see what you do with it.
Mitchell Gold is high-end, designer furniture, so get it reupholstered!
I am refraining from voting because this is a VERY sore subject at my house. Remember those 2 fabulous retro chairs I bought in Nashville at the flea market for $20 bucks? Well, After much marital discourse, I just had them recovered---6 YEARS LATER.
My house is way too full with furniture that i got a great deal on or saved from a horrible death. So I am not allowed to bring anything else home nor encourage others to do so.
{Psst....Mitchell Gold is awesome and you got the skills girl! But you didn't hear that from me, got it?)
I vote B. You are not going to trash it beyond use even if you can't finish the job yourself. I had a loveseat recovered in college. I ran into a guy in the fabric store and he was a starving college student and I traded him home-cooked meals for the recover job. All I did was make lots of spaghetti and pay for the fabric and materials! What a deal!
I have always wanted to learn to reupolster too. I picked up a chair at a thrift store in Fredericksburg, VA YEARS ago and it is so ugly, but I keep it with the intention of recovering it some day. My husband just rolls his eyes at me! It is a slipper chair with a scalloped back - just beautiful lines - but the upholstery is lime green and white stripe chenille! Pretty awful!
Now, I think you can slipcover the chair and ottomon for less than $200 at surefit or easyfit if you want to go that route. But, I know that when we were in Virginia, the local community colleges offered adult continuing ed courses at night and on the weekends in all sorts of cool stuff - photography and cooking. I bet that there is a furniture reupolstery course...
Also, contact some of the upholstery shops and see if you can work out a deal with them to teach you...
PS - LOVE that chair!!!
missy
B!! Go for it you can do it...how cute it would be with a monagram !!!
B is my vote too...
I actually just bought something almost exactly like this at Savers for $25. But, free is even better. I don't know if you have this there but in AZ I know that the prisons do it for DIRT cheap. They measure it and you bring them the fabric.
I am actually taking my chair and one of my friends has the tools and is nice enough to teach me. I am way excited about it. Good luck!
PS I did learn that taking the fabric off is the hardest part. You can totally do it!
Looks like the B's have it, that's my vote too. I do expect to see the process blogged.!
B!
Funny - I said B! and then looked at all the other comments. Now I'll be looking forward to your how-to post -- with detailed photos! And then I'll take on a whole sofa and love seat.
B or maybe E.
I would love to have a chair and a half. I have the perfect spot, but not the perfect budget.
B definitely B - slipcover it now and cover it later when it's more of a priority. congratulations on your great find!
I think you should slap the neighbor that saw that chair and thought about you in the first place!!
BTW, Randy and I are now totally addicted to all of this cyber connection stuff! thanks!
Put it back on the street. There's a family of attack squirrels hiding inside. They attack at night.
Kristie
I think you should definately keep it!!!! If you cant afford to have it recovered by experts now, then store it until you can afford to do it.
There will always be a place for it somewhere, and if you get rid of it - YOU WILL REGRET IT!!!!
B. That should be the only option on there. B. B. B. (It was in the trash. Anything you do to it will be an improvement!) Good luck. B. B. B. and one more time: B.
First, I have to say I love Ak's comment to you! So funny!
Second, I think you should totally go for it and try to recover it yourself!! I am positive you of all people could find some fabulous fabric on some remnant shelf or something. And of course I am positive you could find someone that would love to help you recover it! Can't wait to see how it turns out! I wish I could find garbage this good!!
B Kristi. Where there is a will there is a way!
B, B, oh, and did I mention....B?! I think it is an awesome looking chair, and you should definately try it! What a fun thing to try! I love learning new things.
B-B-B
You can do it! You sew all the time. I didn't sew but with the help of my Mom (who sews) we slipcovered a couch in white and it was the best thing ever! So easy to take off and wash and it looked so cute. It wasn't that hard we did it in less than 24 hours (to surprise my DH) The only thing is you have to put the slip cover on and off 100's of times for measureing. Not hard to do - just a little hard work. It will be sooooo worth it in the end! (do white - it's easier then add check pillows to it! CUTE!!
oh and ift you want to have it recovered - look at the collages near you for classes on reupholstery - they always need things to use and it costs a lot less if you do it that way. Here in AZ the EVIT classes are where we go for stuff like this.
I say B as well! Don't think you could hurt it too bad either way!
Plus it was a great find and free too!
Think the perfect answer to your dilemma is B. Recovering a chair isn't as hard as it looks. Just pay attention to what your taking off.-- definitely use old pieces as a guide.
C
E
A
..and in that order.
I tried to recover a simpler/ smaller chair and it was a disaster.
Good luck!
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