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: 

Heywood-Wakefield Coffee Table

This spring, I had the privilege of picking over my first ever estate sale with my very best pickin' buddy Chelsea.  And boy did we strike gold!  Just check out some of the smaller goodies that Chelsea scooped up:

Styling feels like one of the most personal elements in a home. I used to feel unconfident when it came to styling but I just hadn't figured out my formula yet. And what I learned was the less I think about it, the more I like the end result! Playing with some pieces from last weekend's estate sale hop, including several pieces of old art, pottery, and wooden bowls ✌🏻

A post shared by Chelsea Bieber, StyleMutt Home (@chelsea_stylemutthome) on Apr 4, 2017 at 5:02am PDT

Thanks to Chelsea's research, we stumbled into an eclectic gold-mine-of-a-house that was brimming with unusual finds.  One of which was an original Heywood-Wakefield coffee table with a missing leg.  But pieces with missing legs don't stop us - especially if it comes with a missing-leg price.

Known for their curved lines and lighter finishes, Heywood-Wakefield pieces are American made and date back to 1897.  Based on some of the clues outlined on their website (yes they are still making furniture) our gimpy little find was more likely circa the mid-century.  Without the fourth leg, I knew I couldn't restore it to it's original glory.  But as Chelsea pointed out - it still had 3 perfectly good legs.  They just need to be repositioned for some stability.

By centering the remaining good leg on the left side, the table could get back on it's feet again!

In my opinion, it looks like it could have always been a tri-base!  

I ended up leaving the patina as-is instead of restoring it to the typical Heywood-Wakefield satin finish.  I couldn't help it - I just love the story it tells!  The rustic wood plus the curved lip on the table reminds me of an antique dough bowl.

For funsies, I styled the wall around the table with some digitally-altered blank canvases. (Could you tell? As much as I'd like to, no I don't own an original Matisse sketch.)  That blue-green balcony view print was also an estate sale steal.

If you're in the DC Metro area and want to bring home this vintage score - email me at cate@stylemutthome.com.

Tri-Base Heywood-Wakefield Coffee Table
Now Available for Sale
$525