Emerald + Gold Chairs

How many times have we seen office chairs like these?  Forgettable vinyl steelcase seats with laminate wood arm rests.  I myself saw these on craigslist a few weeks ago and kept on scrolling.  

But somehow, on the back-most burner of my brain, an idea began to percolate.  I lazily kept my eye on the post while the idea brewed and just when a solid vision started forming... the craigslist post was gone.  

Whomp Whomp

Had someone else seen what I had seen in these chairs??  Would I ever be able to bring my now piping-hot vision to life??  My FOMO kicked in and I started hangrily looking for a suitable substitute only to turn up a whole lotta nada.  Then a miracle occurred.  A few weeks later, the post reappeared on Craigslist!  The chairs had not sold - the post had only expired!  My project had not been poached.  I could I finally try out my hopefully genius (albeit simple) refinishing strategy:

Go for the Gold

Green and gold that is.  It's no secret Chelsea and I love how emerald and brass play off each other (see here and here to name a few ;).  

When I first saw these chairs, my brain must have subconsciously flagged them as having all the right lines for a modern, glam pair of chairs.  Once it occurred to me that our favorite faux gold treatment would instantly elevate the look of these chairs, I had to get a piece of that action.  

I was too impatient to wait for a sunny spring day to paint the frame so I tried spray painting on a misty morning.  The result ended up being a "beautiful blooper" as my mother would call it.  The moisture in the air didn't let the paint settle evenly which added a unique dimension to the patina.  If you want to recreate this effect (no matter the weather), I suggest intermittently using a spray bottle filled with water while the paint is still wet.

The laminate arm rests were a dead giveaway that these chairs were waiting area seats in a past life so needless to say - they had to go.  I affixed some brass nail heads to hide the old holes left from the screws.  

I love how the shiny new finish on the chairs instantly have that emerald vinyl running in the same social circles as trendy high-end occasional chairs.  Such a simple trick to transform them from lackluster to luxe!

Emerald + Gold Chairs
Now Available for Sale
22"W x 23"D x 31.5"H
$350 for the pair

If you're interested in these chairs or a custom order like it, please email cate@stylemutthome.com.

Cane-Backed Settee ||2017 Flip List Item No.5||

This warm weather has been singing my SONG!  I'm sitting on our balcony as I write this and am positively loving how sticky my hands feel in the 81 degree humidity.  I've been out here for hours sipping wine and working on this next installation in the 2017 Flip List:

Item No.5: Play with Leather

(No not like that)

When I set out to play with leather, I wasn't talking 50 Shades of Grey here (but I dare you to raise your hand if you went there.  Jk).  I've used leather in projects before (see this 2015 and this 2016 Furniture Flip Bucket List post) but working with leather or a leather-like fabric on a large scale intimidates me.  They can be difficult to manipulate but when done properly they are beautiful!

So when I set out to find the perfect material for this project, I ended up coming home with some high-end distressed pleather.  As much as I wanted to use real leather, I couldn't find (or even afford for that matter) the amount I needed.  But the pleather ended up being a nice way to easy myself into project - and the end result still very beautiful. 

When I bought the original bench, it was covered in a very traditional, very unfortunate fabric.  And it was infested with cat hair.

I spent more than I normally would on a raw piece I planned to modify, but that cane was in impeccable condition and I really like the clean lines. 

If you know me and Chelsea, you know we are always down for a good camel leather.  And believe me, I was tempted to recover this baby with a dreamy caramel color.  But I was worried it would get lost against the warm wood tone.  So I chose black as an edgier alternative.  Plus, as Chelsea and I believe, leather is totally a neutral.  And black goes with everything.  Yes it's a strong contrast and a tad masculine in color scheme but it is still balanced by it's inherently feminine details!

The dainty cane allows the piece to "breathe" as Chelsea would say and not feel like a heavy  item in the room. 

Each corner of the frame even has a little antique brass floral nail head.

This project was also a level up in my upholstery game because this was my first time using piping - which ended up being easier than I thought I'm happy to say!

To style this beauty, I pulled some of my eclectic art collection and hung them above to create a neutral palette gallery wall.

And of course I had to sneak my kilim pillow children into the shoot too.

I'm already feeling more confident to tackle a true leather piece but in the meantime, I am still crossing this one of my 2017 list.

Black + Wood Cane-Backed Settee
Now Available for Sale
$525

If you are interest in this piece or a custom order like it, please email me at cate@stylemutthome.com.

4 down, 3 to go.  Catch up on the 2017 Furniture Flip Bucket List: 

Art Deco Dresser

Hi friends! It's been a little while! I'm so glad to stop in here with you today; I've missed posting here but with such a full plate I've needed to let go of a few things, and regular posting has been one of them. But what a blessing to get to enjoy all of Cate's recent flips with you and McKenna's incredible Reader Design features!

One of the biggest things going on in my day-to-day right now is fuller-time eDesign work! I'm very excited about the amazing clients we've been blessed with these last few months and as some of our biggest jobs wrap up I look forward to sharing some reveals with you! The funny thing about eDesign is you don't always get to share the end result. Sometimes our clients don't live locally so it's not possible to take photos. And other times our clients can choose to carry out the design on their own time so we might not ever find out if/when it gets finished. So it's particularly fun to get to work with folks who are both local and choose to include us in helping see their home through to completion! Luckily, we have a few of those going on right now and as they wrap up we'll have some seriously fun homes to show you!

In the mean time I hope to pop in now and then with a flip! Today's piece is more of a restoration than a transformation. My long time friend Liz actually found this piece at a thrift store near where she lives several hours away. Prior to a visit she texted me a picture asking if I wanted it. Her reception usually stinks so as I replied, 'YES PLEASE', I crossed my fingers she'd see my message in time before leaving! I love Art Deco style and the beautiful wood grain patterns have been catching my eye a lot lately. If there hadn't been work to do on this piece I probably wouldn't have taken it, letting someone else find it for their home. But the top surface was in bad shape with water stains and various marks and it needed a little love to be restored back to it's former glory.

I used Walnut oil to revive the wood surface and now it's good as new!

Well, almost new - there are a few tiny little chips which I left alone, but when it comes to true antique pieces these things are to be expected. I like to focus on the big picture and what I can do to bring out the best in an old piece. For this one, restoring the wood tone was top priority and something I feel confident in tackling.

If you happen to be loving that mirror as much as I do, I just used black washi-tape to add the design! The mirror is from Target and I spray painted the brass frame black. The taped design is just something fun but can be removed as soon as it's...not fun! LOL!

Art Deco Dresser
41"Wx34"Hx18"D
$425
Please email me at chelsea@stylemutthome.com if interested in this piece or a custom order like it!

Thank you so much for stopping by!