Did I mention we were having the couch and chair re-upholstered again?
I’m not sure if I did, but just wanted to catch you all up on the project since it is finally finished.
Here’s the before;
I didn’t actually get a chance to take official BEFORE pictures of the couch and chair so this picture above is actually a still from a little video I did when I was trying to sneak up to our old dog Mike The Dog. I had to go way back to circa 2007 for this!
You know…funny…it doesn’t look that bad here. I guess I’ve forgotten.
This is the same couch and chair my parents had way back in the 70’s! Maybe even late 60’s? (Mom, if you happen to know just chime in)
Between the upholsterer and I we figured out this was the 5th incarnation of these two pieces. He’s actually the same re-upholsterer that I had used 10 years ago for this Waverly Vintage Rose cottage look. Don’t know what I was thinking there in that Waverly but I guess I liked it at the time and had vast romantic ideas of turning my house into a quaint little romantic cottage.
And just a little side note since I’m thinking about it, the coffee and end table(s) is also from the Parental Furniture Store — it was part of the Lane Acclaim Series (click on link to go to the Flickr group! Hilarious!) and it is one of our favorites. But really, as I digress, I just have to tell you the special meaning why. When Jim and I moved in together after we got married I brought the sofa, chair and coffee table and he had MATCHING end tables!!! Can you believe that? It was meant to be and is just one of those funny stories we like to tell. Hence…it’s probably going to be near impossible to ever part with these pieces. They just have a hold on us!
Anyhoo…we decided to have the sofa and chair re-done as the new puppy really was just tearing it apart.
He’d just about eaten off much of the trim and had put holes in the cushions.
So are you ready?
The pup is much older! And doesn’t chew on furniture anymore Thank GOD!
READY?
VOILA!
It looks really good and has a great feel.
Unfortunately, the dog and cat did scratch it to my horror and I’ve been having to cover it up with blankets and quilts. OH THE HUMANITY!
I swear I tested the sample fabric quite thoroughly to make sure it would pass a scratch test so this is about the only thing that is completely troubling me right now. Even Craig the upholsterer was nervous. (Love how the pride in workmanship was getting to him when he knows I have no way of keeping the animals away!)
So on Friday at the Quilt and Sewing Expo I’m signed up for a class on slipcovers. I figure I need a refresher and think I’ll make a slipcover to put on them for the everyday wear and tear. I’m daunted at the thought of making a slipcover but I guess I have to do what I have to do! I guess that is probably going to be one of my bigger projects to work on this year.
So just throw another project on the pile for me!
And help me figure out what to do with that 70’s paneling will ya? I’d love to paint it…but would that look good? Or should I just string up some beads or some paisley wallpaper/fabric like Elvis (see his billiard room below), grab a shag rug and go retro? 
Let me know your thoughts!
~Cathy
Sewing.for.Life! 
I have to admit my all-time favoite reincarnation was the rose cottage look! And… I will miss it. But, the new leather look is pretty classy. He did a beautiful job. It does leave the wall with a little pasty look, doesn’t it? Remember back in VA when we had paneling in the family room and wanted to change it? We put a chair rail up and wallpapered above and painted below. The end result was very pleasing and we were amazed at how well the paneling accepted the change. Yours may be a little more textured than ours was, but maybe not. I think if you want to try papering you would have to somehow fill in the crevices so the stuff would stick. I do remember having to resort to something like Elmers glue in spots! There is so much more out there now to work with.
The history of the set is, it was purchased for our first home in the summer of 1964 in Quonset Point, Rhode Island at an independent funiture dealer. We scoured that area for something we would like that we could afford that wasn’t Early American. We wanted a more modern or traditional look and all we could find was exposed maple, colonial stuff. This set was a bargain. I think for about 300.00 we got the sofa, chair and an easy chair with ottoman… 4 pieces! The easy chair went off to college with someone and we never saw it again. When you think about how well it was made it was a real bargain. Of course we never dreamed it would still be in service today.
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I thought about the VA house too! But I’m not sure I’m going to do the wallpaper thing. I’ve been clipping out ideas from BH&G and in many photos there looks to be painted bead board or painted paneling so I’m thinking that this might be the way to go. To take it down would be just a nightmare!
Wow…$300 dollars for all that furniture. I don’t even want to tell you how much I’ve spent on the re-upholstering jobs. But what can I say. We can’t find a sofa this LONG anywhere under $6-7,000! Sure, there are lots of new furniture out there but we like these pieces so we’ll probably have them for a very long time!
And now that I can just make a slipcover…who knows! Maybe I can splurge and get some more of that Cottage Rose and make another cover? It is still in the stores if you believe that! That pattern has had a very long shelf life that is for sure!
Thanks Mom!
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