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What project What DIY project are you working on?

4 years ago

I'm always working on a project I like upcycling old furniture and spend lots of time choosing the right piece to keep. Bought this footstool and matching arm chairs a few month ago and just finished the footstool. Now have a newfound appreciation for upholsterers. But isn't it satisfying when you complete a project? Plus I just got myself an electric staple and nail gun :-) (love tools) Just started on the armchair and stripping it is proving an exercise in patience. What are you currently working on?

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Patrina
Original Author

4 years ago

Took seven days so I won't be giving up my day job just yet lol....now for the next one :-)

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Comments (47)

Ribena Drinker
4 years ago
I've re-upholstered easy things like foot stools, simple chair pads and dressing table stools, but I think you're massively brave even thinking about doing a whole proper chair!

I'd be having a dicky fit about it. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Our project at the moment is trying to take the massive front courtyard in hand. Now we've got the back garden done, we're trying to make the best of the dreadful and ugly area at the front of the house - which ideally needs to be laid to gravel but it's prohibitively expensive so we're trying our best with pots and flowers, until we've got the money.
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Wow Ribena sounds like quite an undertaking. I'm sure you will make it pretty potted plants can be so nice. I must admit I've been noticing front gardens a lot more this year and havina a bit of garden envy as most of ours is block paved. This upholstery project is my biggest and most complicated yet. I am taking very detailed pics as I strip the chair down. Planning a two toned upholstery with the inner bit possibly floral or geometric waiting on samples.
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rachelmidlands
4 years ago
Nice work on the footstool Patrina. Love that blue velvet:) I recovered a cheapy footstool last year with a piece of 50p scrap fabric...it was easyish, also got a telephone seat waiting in the queue for refurb project, but doing a wingback chair would be too much for me..... so my hats off to you and would love to see how it turns out:)
My latest diy project is raised brick bed in the garden (let’s just say I won’t be building houses any time soon;)) not long finished phase 2 (which was the second half) and planted up with some half dead plants in the hope that they’ll come back next year:) Phase 3 is to dig up some more grass and have a circular patio area where the chair is. On hold for the moment as doing a big tidy up.
These projects always seem to take longer than you think or maybe that’s just me as I get distracted with internet window shopping...he he:).
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
@rachelmidlands wow that is a great job! and planning a circular patio just wow. Agreed with how long things take especially as we are not professionals lol I'm still stripping the chair as i'm trying to do it methodically so that I know how to put things back together. Much patience needed. On the plus side only a minor cut so far hehe.
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Wow! you guys are inspiring!

The footstool looks amazing, and can't wait to see the chair Patrina!

Rachel - very impressed with the raised bed! How long did it take? You might be inspiring me to do the same for our garden next year! (they cost soooooo much!)
rachelmidlands
4 years ago
@Gabby, I’ll warn you...it’s back breaking work! Sourced some reclaimed bricks locally at 20p each, bargain! But still had all the old lime mortar on so 1st job was to clean each brick by hand (footstool came in handy when doing this:)). Lots of digging and a few YouTube tutorials, all in all took a couple of months so far but mostly just on odd days when weather was good. Concrete and mortar cost the most but all together I reckon it’s costing about £150. That’s with the circle patio and soil/compost. Plants I already have, either grown from seed or hanging round in pots. Here’s another pic of both sides....please excuse the state of lawn the dogs poop presents:)
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Oh wow!!! I mean... I'm surprised that concrete and mortar cost that much!... If I was going to do this, I should definitely have got the builders to keep some of the bricks out the skip that we just knocked out the house!! You have made me think maybe I'd never get round to it! LOL
PRO
bubbles bathrooms and tiles
4 years ago
Nice work on the footstool, must send photos of the chair when it's completed.
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Thank you hopefully all the pics I took will help me putting it back together eek! Progress so far, not yet tightened up. The outside will be a pattern and I'm currently trying to decide what colour, I'm leaning towards blue.
PRO
bubbles bathrooms and tiles
4 years ago
Very brave to take on a chair like this but it's looking great and i love the colour! I like the blue also and you can always add a small throw to the back of the chair or a small cushion if you wanted to add a splash of yellow which also goes really well. Looking forward to seeing it finished.
E D
4 years ago
Patrina I’m confused. Which is easily done tbh. :-)

What’s that blue material that’s on the chair now?

Some kind of lining?
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
@ED lol the blue is the front colour and the patterned ones are what I'm going to use for the back and sides I'm trying to achieve something similar this pic.
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Wow! It's looking fantastic so far Patrina... and I agree - prefer the blue pattern with it :-)
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Very pleased with how the chair is progressing ;-)
rachelmidlands
4 years ago
Ooh, that looks fab Patrina! Glad you went for the blue pattern, it looks very smart:)
Anthony (Beano)
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Just spotted this thread sorry :-( that looks fantasti, I can only imagine the work that has went into that, id love to be able to sow tbh!

did you take any courses on it or are you on the have a go crash course?

not just saying this but that does look so well done, plain fabric shows every mistake so hats off to you to have it looking this good :-)
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Thank you both lots of hours and a ruined manicure lol. But I'm very pleased.:-) @Beano no courses I'm afraid.. I'm very much a visual explorative learner so, I ripped the whole thing apart bit by bit and took detailed pics before starting to put it together. On the sewing side, i bought the machine in Lidl 10yrs ago after getting the idea I'd live to sew. Now after many trial and errors I've gotten quite good at it :-)
Monica
4 years ago
Oh WOW, Patrina that’s a wonderful transformation. You are amazing I love it and I love the choice of pattern. Beautiful xx
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks Monica, love how it's turning out. I think my biggest challenge will be the seat cushion cover as it has to be made to fit just right so it doesn't start looking saggy.
Sonia
4 years ago
Patrina how talented are you? I once covered a headboard and I did a terrible job! I love the colour too. Well done! :-)
Ribena Drinker
4 years ago
That looks absolutely brilliant Patrina, I'm well impressed!

When you've done, I've got a leather three piece suite that could do with recovering.......
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
@Ribena lol my hubby just asked me if I was going to do our three and two piece sofas (definitely would prefer buying new to attempting that big a job) :-) Definately a labour of love. I still have it's twin to complete. I now understand why upholsterers charge so much! Labour! Thank you for the kind comments, we plan to turn our office into a library until our extension is built. Then they will take pride of place by the fireplace we are planning in that space :-)
AMB
4 years ago
Looks great Patrina! Well done. All the hard work is paying off!
Ribena Drinker
4 years ago
OMG Patrina, that is brilliant!!!!

Well done you, what a great job! If it were me I'd be so proud of that.

Just one more to go now.........
Sonia
4 years ago
That looks amazing Patrina, well done. We had two sofas recovered several years ago - now I know why it cost so much! :-D
Anthony (Beano)
4 years ago
That looks absolutely brilliant! Never seen a chair with a different coloured back and sides before, very brave undertaking and you aced it :-)
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Wow Patrina! That is incredible! I love it! hopefully you feel it was worth the time and effort spent! You must (and should) be so proud! as Beano said - a very brave undertaking! I don't think I'd have a clue where to start with something like that!
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Your comments are most generous thank you so much :-) @Sonia I still would try to bargain with an upholsterer about any price he/she may quote but, I can really truly appreciate his craft and how much effort it takes @Beano I blame Pinterest for the colour idea. must say I'm especially proud to this DIY project.
E D
4 years ago
What an achievement!

Looks fantastic.

And comfi too! :-)
Victoria
4 years ago
Simply fabulous.
Well done you!
Jules Mc
4 years ago
Wow, looks fantastic. Amazing skills. I've got wing arm chair I'd love to update but for now it's hidden under a woollen throw!!
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks everyone, finally finished the second chair last night. Now have a set of drawers to refinish and shelves to buiĺd for our reading room :-)
E D
4 years ago
Wonderful.

Any plans for cushions?
Anthony (Beano)
4 years ago
Can’t get over how well these work and can honesty appreciate the time and effort you have put into them, a few pics never tells the full story, very satisfying feeling having your own pieces in your home :-) well done
AMB
4 years ago
These look great Patrina, well done! Don't forget to post photos of them in situ.
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
@ED yes considering cushions but want to leave that until I've finalised my mood board for the room. @Beano I am still pinching myself at how well they turned out, so worth two ruined manicures lol. @AMB I will post them soon but just started stripping paint from these harberdashery drawers which I hope will be integrated in the shelving system so will be some time yet.
rachelmidlands
4 years ago
Wow Patrina, they look fantastic! Can’t wait to see the finished haberdashery drawers as well. You have a really good eye for detail:)
E D
4 years ago
Yes and a talent for learning skills.

Well impressed.
Moni Burns
4 years ago
that is a lovely job, well done.
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Thank you Moni Burns I absolutely love them :-)
Anthony (Beano)
4 years ago
Hi patrina :-)

hows those drawers coming along? What style are you going for, vintage brown with worn gold lettering and brass handles or possibly weather black with the same? .
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Hi Beano mulling it over but I think I will keep the actual drawers vintage brown with the rest dark blue/matt black. Trying to source handles as the current ones for the most part are shot (even though I like them) The room I think I'd hoping to be dark blue with a pale wall and possibly a papered feature wall?? Still planning and strippjng paint. putting together a mood board at the moment.
Anthony (Beano)
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Hi :-)

love this finish, think it’s genuine old but could possibly be replicated

Of distressed blue?
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Absolutely in love with the top pic Beano. The drawers came off relatively easily so I may keep them as they are. The rest a bit of a struggle, It was very badly done so I have to be patient. TBH I am becoming obsessed with planning this space. Would love some more inspo please keep them coming.
Anthony (Beano)
4 years ago
When you say the drawers come off, do you mean the paint? any pics of the room? Is it could to be a contemporary/eclectic mix? have to admit the cd storage unit I made has an eclectic/industrial style and was the hardest piece that I had to fit in along with the rest of the style of the room!

It still sits out a bit form the rest of the stuff in my home but I still like it :-)
Patrina
Original Author
4 years ago
Yes sorry I meant the paint. Will have to take a few pics tomorrow and measurements. getting rid of most things. It was my spare room/office and not very big. I am also trying to fit existing desk in as well. it is a single piece of glass so hope they will look ok.

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