Restyled Parlor Chair With French Flair!

Chairished Furnishings
by Chairished Furnishings
7 Materials
This was a chair brought to me by a customer who wanted a beautiful photo prop for her boudoir photography studio. Check out Uncommon Muse in Portland, OR
The frame itself was in nice condition but the needlepoint was worn and the seat foundation had deteriorated. It needed a full restoration, including a new seat deck and setting and tying coiled springs
After I removed the needlepoint and cotton padding: I thought this element installed above the springs was clever. It's a thick piece of leather, I assume to help with keeping the springs and ties from rubbing through the padding.


BTW - I saved the needlepoint pieces and gave them away to someone who likes to frame them.
I painted the entire frame with three coats of gold metallic acrylic paint.
After the base coat of gold, I wiped a glaze (I mix my own: Glaze medium with Behr Espresso Beans) to give an antique finish to the gold paint
I reinstalled the back, using a blush pink linen (Fabric.com), original cotton and foam padding.
I created a new seat deck by stretching jute webbing across the bottom
Installed seat deck
I hand tied the strings to the jute webbing, then stretched sisel (cord) through the middle of the coils. Later, I pushed the coils under the string line. This helped keep the springs in position before tying into place.
Not the prettiest of tying... but it's secure! :)
I bought an inexpensive electric carving knife to cut through the three-inch piece of foam. To make a pattern first, I used brown paper (spread out a grocery sack) and traced the base of the seat of the chair.
After laying down the foam, I added loft with additional cotton batting, then stretched cotton muslin over everything and sculpted the seat to get the crowning completely even.
After seat has been sculpted and secured with muslin. This goes under the final linen upholstery (in the next photo).
I covered the seat with my linen, then made double welt to finish off all the edges.
The chair in its new home, at Uncommon Muse Photography


The chair in its new home, at Uncommon Muse Photography


Please come see my other projects at https://www.facebook.com/ChairishedFurnishing/
Suggested materials:
  • Metallic Acrylic Paint   (Joann.com)
  • Cotton Batting   (OnlineFabricStore.com)
  • 3-inch Foam   (JoAnn.com)
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  • Melissa V Melissa V on Dec 17, 2016
    I have to say this was a neatly laid out tutorial on a very difficult project. I also know that some "readers" are in fact not that at all, or they would have known the reasoning behind the change for this chair, and what glaze you used. "Picture-flippers" should just enjoy what they SEE if they aren't going to read the accompanying text. That said, it is a beautiful transformation from a dark piece into a light, inviting, soft chair that I'm sure has made the photographer and her clients very happy. I'm impressed! Happy Holidays!
    • Chairished Furnishings Chairished Furnishings on Dec 18, 2016
      Thank you, Melissa. Well said, too. I try to 'rise above' criticism for the very reasons you've stated. I know my worth and the value behind my ability to make my customer's vision become real. Thanks for saying what I refrain from in my responses to people who don't read and don't know how 😊
  • Elaine Elaine on Jun 15, 2022

    Mary McDonald - It’s been 6 years since I left a Comment on the lovely chair so I had to refresh my memory and read what I said. Re your question “Was that a dig” … are you asking me a question or the upholsterer? If your question was directed to me, my answer is ‘no’. I was simply complimenting the lady who redid the chair so well.

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