Decorating with…Yellow!

Decorating with color can be a daunting undertaking. The reason is because there is a fine line between too much and too little. Not enough color—white walls and beige furniture—can feel cold and sterile; overdo it and your room may end up looking like something from the set of Punky Brewster.

I have been obsessed with the color yellow lately. Maybe it’s a carryover from that happy feeling I get in spring when the forsythia are in full bloom, but I find myself drawn to it. Whether I’m clicking through a sneak peek on Design*Sponge or pinning on Pinterest, I love the instant warmth it brings to any room–like concentrated sunshine!

Many people are afraid of decorating with color, particularly strong, bright colors, like yellow. But, I say, have no fear! Injecting a pop of yellow into your décor won’t mean that you’ll be required to put on sunglasses before entering the room. It’s all about what you’re comfortable with and the look you’re going for. Start off small, with a bowl of lemons or a tall vase filled with sunflowers.

The easiest way to try out a new color in a room is with the accessories and artwork. A yellow lamp or pillow is unexpected and fun!

Since yellow can be bold, the natural inclination is to hold back. However, I challenge you not to limit yourself! Even if you’re painting or wallpapering, push your design boundaries and go big!

Regardless of your comfort level, it’s always better to take a risk. Remember, you can always edit later. Your home is an extension of who you are. Look beyond the four white walls and use color to create a space that truly reflects your style and personality. And before you know it, you’ll be choosing pieces because of their vibrant color!

Photos courtesy of Design*Sponge, Etsy, Pinterest, Apartment Therapy, and Tara Bellucci. Thank you!

Handy Dandy Upholstery Chart

Last summer, Clytie and I went to a week-long upholstery camp at great little shop in Arlington. Beside some basics, we learned that upholstery done well is quite literally an art form. Other than skill, the one thing that can make or break an upholstery project is the fabric. Not only the choice of color or pattern, but also making sure that you have the right amount. Too much is a waste of money, not enough can be a heartbreaker. The worst thing is stripping your piece of furniture, taking all of the measurements, and realizing that you’re short on fabric by less than a yard. (Can you tell I’m writing from experience?)

Well, fear no more! I stumbled on this amazing yardage chart on Apartment Therapy the other day. It is coolest thing–it has illustrations of dozens of styles of chairs, ottomans, and sofas, and the corresponding number for yards of fabric you will need to upholster that particular piece. Genius!

I’ve been wanting to move out of my comfort zone of pillow-making and chair seat-cover re-dos. This chart is perfect motivation for me to tackle some of those outstanding re-upholstery projects that are lingering in storage. Now, the next time I’m wandering the aisles at Zimman’s, I can pull up this chart on my phone and buy with confidence!

Here is a link to download the original pdf. Thanks Honey & Fitz and Apartment Therapy!

Coffee Sack Project: Thonet Chair Re-do

We found these two vintage Thonet chairs at an antique market in Raleigh this summer. The beautiful, curved arms and caned seat-back were in great shape. However, we knew the upholstery would have to be refreshed. Fleur-de-lis and Scottie dogs are cute, but…we could do better.

The other day, I pulled out the chairs and the fabric I bought to re-cover the seats. As I was getting started, something was bugging me about the neutral fabric I chose. It was too–for lack of a better word–boring. As you can see, the chairs are already pretty clean and simple in design. Recently, I stumbled on a blog where someone re-furbished an iconic Eames-style lounge chair in a pale green vinyl. Awesome! It inspired me to do something a little different with this upholstery project—something unexpected for such a classic chair.

A few months back, I picked up a few burlap coffee sacks at a fabric store. I love the texture of the burlap combined with the graphic element of the stenciled typography. I’d been waiting for the right project to come along, and this was definitely it.

I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I was hoping that the rustic nature of the coffee sack would provide just the right contrast to the smooth lines of the chair–making the chairs more interesting and unique. I think that the finished result speaks for itself!

Look for them in the Ampersand Vintage Modern web-shop when we open!!

For instructions on how to re-cover the seats to your own chairs, click here.

Change Your Fabric, Change Your Life.

Okay, maybe that title is a little dramatic, but that’s how I roll.

I took a break from working on the Thonet chairs to replace the fabric on a chair I got from the Boston Design Center a few years back. It is an Alvar Aalto design, and I immediately fell in love with the clean lines and curved seat back.

Here’s a shot of it before:

You can’t tell from this photo, but the seat had stains and a couple of holes in the original muslin cover. Also, to look at it, you’d think that it would be a pretty simple re-do. At least, that’s what I thought. However, after closer inspection, you realize that there isn’t a screw ANYWHERE to be found on this chair. It’s one big puzzle to take apart, and then another to re-fit it with upholstery and foam.

It had to be pleated and stapled just so, for it to look as close to perfect as possible, and to maintain its clean look. Thank God, for Kevin at Upholstery on Broadway. He truly is a Master of his craft, and he guided and helped me through every stage of this project.

And the finished result is BEAUTIFUL (if I do say so myself)!!!

To be continued…

The Orange Chair, A Love Story

Clytie busted her butt today at camp in order to finish the orange chair she’s been slaving over for the past three days.  Here’s a look at it before:

And after much blood, sweat, tears, and LOVE, here’s the finished result…

I apologize, because it’s a little blurry. (My hand must’ve been shaking from all of the excitement!) I don’t know if you can tell from the photos, but the chair had to be completely restored with new padding and brand new fabric. The original covering was vinyl, almost like plastic, and now it’s a soft, warm cotton. Dreamy.

Here’s one more shot for the photo album:

I think that it looks AMAZING!!! Please leave a comment, and let Clytie know what you think!

To be continued.

 

Fun with Tack Hammers, Day Two

Here are a few scenes from our second day of camp at Upholstery on Broadway:

Down to the bare bones and cotton.

This is the chair Clytie has been working on for the past two days. Her’s is much more complicated than my chair. It has two separate upholstered pieces (one with springs) and some serious welting. There was even some hand-stitching involved.

I’ve been plugging away at the pair of Thonet chairs. I finished the first, and will hopefully be done with the second one tomorrow.

To be continued…

Upholstery Camp, Day One!

This morning, we started our first day of camp at Upholstery on Broadway (UoB) in Arlington, MA. UoB is a full-service upholstery showroom, shop, and school, which was opened in 2010 by master upholsterer, Kevin Kennedy, and Pamela Powell. They do everything from complete reupholstering & restoration, to custom slipcovers & drapes. Their school runs classes regularly throughout the year on nights & weekends. The camp began this summer with two sessions in July & August.

My project for the week is a pair of classic Thonet chairs made of bent plywood. The original covering on the seat and back is a not-so-lovely stained and torn naugahyde. An upgrade was definitely overdue. Now, I’ve done simple upholstery projects before–like changing the fabric on a seat cushion–but I was never really aware of the process and technique. It’s really amazing how much work goes into redoing a chair…the right way! It’s no wonder that it’s so expensive to have a piece reupholstered professionally.

Here’s how far I got today…

A good rule of thumb is to bring a picture of the piece you’ll be recovering with you while shopping for fabric, so that you make sure you don’t make the same mistake I did. Unfortunately, I completely misjudged how much fabric I’d need for the two chairs, and I had to run out to the store during lunch break and pick out something else. Luckily, I found something that worked really well. Afterwards, I managed to get all of the pieces cut for the two chairs and started covering the seat. I should be finished with the first chair tomorrow.

To be continued…

Fabric Friday at Zimman’s

Storefront of Zimman's on Market Street in Lynn, MA.

Monday morning, we begin a week-long DIY camp at an Upholstery Shop/School in Arlington, MA. Needless to say, we are very excited! Having things upholstered can be very expensive, so when the opportunity arose to participate in this upholstery camp, we jumped at the chance.

We needed to pick up some fabric, so we went down to the BEST fabric store in the area, Zimman’s of Lynn, MA. Zimman’s has been around for over 100 years and has been family-owned for three generations. Pretty impressive. When you step into the first floor space with aisle after aisle of designer fabrics in every color and pattern you could possibly imagine, you understand why they’ve endured.

Clytie's cat walk.

The prices are shockingly affordable for the quality and selection. Of course, there are plenty of high end lines that range from $50-$100 a yard, but we weren’t even tempted by those, because there were so many to choose from well within our budget. Make sure you stop by the remnant section on the basement level. That where we found two amazing fabrics on a table piled high with stacks that were all 50% off! They also carry an extensive selection of Marimekko designs.

We bought more than what we needed, but when we get some more pieces that need re-covering, we’ll be all set!

Endless selection...

...you could easily spend hours looking.