Reupholster a Chair ||Wrapping Up the 2016 Flip List||

January 2, 2017 Cate | StyleMutt Home

Happy New Year StyleMutts! Well, this may be a day (or two) late and an item short, but I'm wrapping up my 2016 Furniture Flip Bucket List! Huzzah! I don't know about you, but that's still a win in my book ;)

You may recall that I've been tackling these 7 items in no particular order:

Well my friends, I still have No.1 and No.2 to go and may-or-may-not-have completed one and a half of them. Much like in 2015, the Baker's Rack has proved... problematic... But fear not! I still have some proof that I at least attempted it this year (that counts right?!?). You'll have to decided whether or not a good ole' college try is admissible in New Year Resolutions court, but in the mean time there's still a fresh-faced new chair on the docket!

I have ALWAYS been interested in upholstery. Primarily because I can't tell you how many times I see pieces with "good bones" but terrifying tapestry. It seems so simple "just switch out the fabric and viola!" but there's nothing simple about reupholstery let me tell you. To get it done right, you either need to pay an arm and a leg plus a foot and a toe or have a fairy fabric-mother. And seeing as I have neither, I decided to challenge myself to try something a little more complicated than my Serape accent chair. And it's no surprise that a project as intimidating as this one has been marinating on my Flip List for 12 months.

I was very selective when choosing my test subject. I wasn't ready for a "whale" of a project like a sofa or a chaise and a wingback armchair with it's flourishing angles would surely be a hot mess with my sewing skills. So I cherry-picked a forgotten chair with clean lines (that's Cate for relatively fool proof) complete with frumpy maroon fabric straight out a dorm room.

Ok so this reveal is gonna go down a little like Project Runway: the opening silhouette may be simple but it's a classic color pallet.

Now strike a pose...

And then turn on the runway so we can see the back...

Boom. There it is!

The leather strap was actually was a Target belt in a former life. For such a simple chair, I wanted it to have a little somethin' somethin'.

The chair disassembled into easy-to-recover panels. I even left the two side pieces off so the chair could "breathe" (and also, let's be real, not trap as many crumbs).

The fabric I chose was a heavy textured linen. Also it's from a painter's dropcloth.

I simply wrapped each panel like a Christmas present complete with snuggly tucked in corners.

Now that I have a more complex reupholstery under my belt (pun so intended), maybe I'll have the courage to try (dare I say it)... piping.

Linen & Leather Chair
Now Available for Sale
Price $95

If you are interested in this piece, or a custom refinish like it, please email mcate@stylemutthome.com

Now, I know what you're thinking: Wait Cate! What about the last item on your 2016 list?

Ahh yes, the very same delinquent baker's rack from 2015 that rolled over to 2016 with the caveat that I would attempted to build it out of reclaimed wood. Well... let's just say I saved the best for last...

Or should I say the operative word was attempted...

Ha! Ok so what I may have in amateur upholstery skills I certainly LACK in carpentry skills. (Insert shameful grin emoji here) But at least this way we can go out with a bang (up job) and a laugh ;)

Here's to a complete(ish) 2016 and to posting a new 2017 Flip List in the coming weeks. Stay classy friends.

Let's Recap The Year:

Main Floor Redesign: The Plan!

December 28, 2016 Chelsea | StyleMutt Home

Hi Friends! We're all in that weird limbo week between the hype of Christmas, the depressing day after, and the mustering of energy to ring in the New Year. I'm 32 and even I don't handle all those emotions well!

Between games of Mousetrap with my kids and reassuring them that life doesn't end when Christmas is over, I've been doing a bit of scheming for a redesign of our main floor! I'm never good at doing progress posts so I thought I'd give it a try and see how it goes!

Here is our main floor as it is now, (Christmas tree and all)!

The plan is really very simple, (well, in theory at least)! Move the thousand pound industrial shelves about 14 feet to the center wall in the living room as the focal point between the sofas. I may be exaggerating about the weight, but you've got to respect a structure made entirely of steel and solid wood! It legit frightens me. Once the shelves are moved we'll bring in a special mid-century cabinet I refinished a while ago and have been saving for our dining room for months. I intended to sell the piece but once it was finished and I took a good look at it, I got attached! This is why I stay away from PetSmart.

I created these 3D renderings of what this little switch-a-roo could look like once all is said and done! Warning, these images were the first I created with this program, (RoomStyler for anyone interested), so I've got a lot of learning still ahead!

I love these shelves as an anchor for the living room - this space has needed a strong statement and I've never been able to figure out how to pull it off! We'll still use the shelves for craft supply storage and my desk, but they'll be a few steps away from the dining room now.

So that's the plan, folks! And as we all know, even the best laid plans can go awry. I'll check back in soon with the progress!

Thank you so much for coming by!

Mirrored Suitcase Bar

December 26, 2016 Cate | StyleMutt Home

Happiest Christmas style mutts! We hope you spent the day snuggled with family (or framily: friends-who-are-basically-family) and made some special memories. Be it the gifts or the gathering that made your day great, Chelsea and I sincerely wish the best to you and yours.

Well, if you're anything like my tinsel-happy husband, you may be experiencing some PTCD today: post-traumatic Christmas disorder. Am I right? 364 days of build-up can certainly leave you a little lack-luster on Dec 26 ;) But fear not my friends! There is still one more celebration just around the corner: New Year's Eve!

Who's ready to host and end-of-the-year bash? [insert eager hand-raising emoji right here]. Except I do have a teensy-weensy problem. About 800sq. ft. teensy-weensy to be exact. Other than the occasional family pop-by, Caleb and I have not hosted much of anyone in our small (but adorable) apartment. As with our last place, floor space is prime real estate when you're renting so having a dedicated space to mixology isn't always a priority.

This time last year, I introduced many of you to our small space solution pop-up bar. So this year I'm actually putting one in the shop for any of my fellow apartment-dwelling, space slim DC area peeps.

This one is made from a vintage suitcase in impeccable condition. Which I purchased at Sweet Clover Barn last spring while treasure hunting with Chelsea. It's a gorgeous camel leather with a glossy sheen and brass accents.

The suitcase even comes with a key if you ever need to lock it up your liquor from Uncle Henry or your boosy cat (hey - I'm not judging, I just don't know what kind of parties you throw...).

The bar also comes with a natural wood base and a vintage tri-fold vanity mirror. Both can be easily folded up if the bar needs to be stowed away - and the folded mirror even fits in the suitcase lid compartment.