Thursday, December 3, 2009

"A Decorator's Chair" Tag, 1950's?

Hi Everyone, I have this charming and adorable accent chair given to me by a g.f.Nancy, out of her mother's home. Nancy can't recall never seeing this chair in her family home and her mother died at age 92. So I am guessing it is around 1950ish and given by Mrs. Riley's interior decorator, upon completion of a project. I have had this chair for about 5 years and never knowing what fabrics to do with it.

This week I began with earnest to look for fabric. Thanks to Karen from Alkemie, I stayed with her many of her suggestions. Mostly, all , but I failed her when my husband got into the picture on one suggestion. I won't be using vinyl. In my household, we did come to an amicable agreement though.

First thing today, I popped in on my upholstery workroom, and Ernie (80 years) had never seen the brass tag on the back of the chair in all of his years of doing upholstry since 1930. From Alkemie's first suggestion, I watched carefully as all the upholstery guys cringed when I asked Ernie if he wouldn't mine painting the chair a black lacquer. Why they cringed? The chair is mahogany. OUCH-! Well, I couldn't disappoint Alkemie or myself. So, yes, they are going to paint the chair. And, no, I am not going to tell my husband what the wood truly is. '-'

Next, I am doing something Alkemie didn't suggest......................I HATE tufts........so they will go. Although I do want buttons going around the bottom like they do right now. And, I will keep the original shape of the seat. Then, in the back, I will do one large button, because Ernie will be padded the back more. Thanks to another one of Alkemie's suggestions, I will be doing silver nailheads.

I will post photos when chair is completed. But, for the moment, you will have to guess what fabrics I would dare to do "outside the box".

I figure, I won't be having this chair in my house for long, once my soon-to-be 12 year old granddaughter, Victoria, eye's it. The fabric and colors are her thing.







Photos my Moi, Denise, in a spare bedroom.

A la prochaine,
Denise
discountdesignerfabrics.blogspot.com

3 comments:

Alkemie said...

Denise,

I can't wait to see what the finished chair will look like! Thanks for the shout out. You should definitely make it something you'll love so if you hate tufts, it's good that you're taking them out. I love the chair! I have a very similar one I did in black lacquer for a more modern look as well - I paired mine with an updated chartreuse velvet. If all else fails, you can always sound down the paint and re-varnish to restore the original wood grain and color. Very few things are permanent - you can always change your mind.

Cheers,
Karen O.

Denise said...

Thank Karen. I'll send you Before and After in a few weeks. And you are so right about sanding it down, and start original. I think all Grannies doing projects with granddaughters in mind, do so knowingthere will always be a home for the young at heart.

Kris Ellens said...

I just found a chair exactly like this one, only blue. It has the same little metal tag on the back. I wish u could find more history in it.