"The Good Chair"

We just got it back from the upholsterers!

I found this chair - one chair of a three piece Edwardian parlor set (the other pieces are a rocker, and then a two set settee) - at one of the local resale stores just after the floors in the house were finished.  While it had great lines, and great wood tones, the old upholstery was so awful (dull YELLOW material with dirty looking white flocking, with diamond tufting on the back) that I couldn't even take a picture of it.  And even though it's missing its casters, which lowered the chair about two inches, the fit on the chair was very comfy - especially the arms - your just fall into it. 

Good used furniture in Central Ohio is really pricey, and I paid more than I should, but I loved the lines.  It's not really girly looking; it has some weight to it while not being over bearing. 

So while we had it in its original state, we named it "The Good Chair" after the one in the Addams Family and people simply couldn't wait to sit in it because it is throne-like.

So when it came to changing the fabric the husband said "I don't care - just stay away from anything that would make it look like you bought it from Belle Watling's Sporting House.

I love deep reds - deep crimson, or a deep claret makes me lose control - but the husband is right.  Too much red and it looks like you went to the garage sale at the local whore house.

I had been gone to Fabric Farms for our club chair and the ottoman redo,  and loved the work, but I wasn't finding a fabric I loved.  I thought about leopard, and that would have been fun for five minutes.  And I thought about a gray green with deep brown and dark gold accents (it was stunning) but it was too modern.  Then Bernie - the man who owns the store said "Don't forget to look through our sale materials - $4-6 dollars a yard" and I thought "Yeah, right."

And then I found the fabric - $4 a yard!  Bernie never lets you down.

It has every jewel tone imaginable.  So I bought it and planned to do it myself, until I got into the chair and found it had been rebuilt once before and incorrectly.  The springs needed retied and the burlap webbing (both sets) was bad.   And then I found that horsehair had turned to powder, etc.  So I took it back to Bernie, who is a doll, and said "Fix it."

And he did.

When we went to get it today we got ten feet inside the store and walked right past it.  I did a double take.  We didn't even recognize it!  I was stunned.  It's gorgeous.  Drop dead stunning.  And I had one of the smiles on my face that just wouldn't quit.

I have good taste.  I have even better color sense.

The husband too was amazed. 

So now we are searching for a set of four antique casters that will work with this chair.  We found sets of three, but no fours. 

But with as good as this chair came out, I'm feeling lucky!