In Honor of Earth Day - Waste Not/Want Not

In honor of earth day, I'd like to demonstrate (again) the magical transformation of old, dated, sometimes "ready for the dumpster" upholstered furniture into beautiful better-than-new pieces for any style of home. Outdated furniture contributes significantly to the massive amount of landfill requirements in this country alone.

Between 1960 and 2008 the population of the United States has grown 69%. The number of households has increased 94% in the same time due to each household being statistically smaller. The amount of upholstered furniture we are throwing away into landfills has increased six times from the 1960 figures to those of 2008. Though the numbers have increased each decade the real jump occurred in the 1980’s and has climbed since then. link to article

Not only does the refurbishing and continued use of furniture make environmental sense, it also ensures that you get a much better product than those readily available today.

Here, through photos, are some examples from my current inventory! Enjoy!

I purchased this set of chairs at an estate sale in Buckhead (Atlanta). One of the legs had been repaired and, therefore, I decided to go with full-lenght skirts. 

This was one of three Goodwill Industries chairs I bought that day.

This settee also came from Goodwill Industries - it has GREAT bones!

This wonderful gilded chair was purchased at Scott's Antique Markets in March. It came from an estate and the original gilding was in great condition - needing only buffing and polishing (and a very slight brass finish rub-on). 

I bought this great styled (70's) chair during a recent trip to New Orleans. The woodwork was refinished with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old Ochre and the piece upholstered in cream linen with brown linen accents and back.

This chair was purchased through a Craigslist ad in the area. It has great lines and bones and the fabric just enhances it so well!

This great set was purchased through a Craigslist ad from a young couple who had been given the chair and ottoman for their first apartment. The finish is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (Old White - distressed) and the fabric is a wonderful linen-blend toile that I've used before. 

Another Goodwill Industries purchase - this one has down composition and great lines! 

This wonderful set had been upholstered in leather and is very solidly made. I refinished the woodwork in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (Cream) and selected a chocolate brown linen fabric. 

This chair is a Goodwill Industries purchase. It has wonderful lines and great turned legs. The fabric is a heavy pale mint matelasse.

This great set was purchased through a Craigslist ad from a young couple near mid-town Atlanta. It is manufactured by Charles Stewart - a very high-end North Carolina manufacturer and exceptionally well made.

This chair was purchased an estate sale in my general neighborhood. It was custom made and now has a new chalk paint finish and blue and white cotton ticking fabric.

Before and After - It'a A GREEN Business

Every now and then, I reflect on the reason I love doing what I do - the AMAZING transformation of old, tired (sometimes saved from a dumpster) upholstered pieces into wonderful and even trendy "better than new" furniture. It is so gratifying to see these pieces change by the professional application of new fabrics and the occastional touch of paint. As I think about ten years in business, this is really what it is all about and why it continues to excite me!

Here are some recent transformations and all of my not-so-secret sources!

I bought this piece at an estate sale in Buckhead (heart of "tony" Atlanta neighborhood). It cost me $50 and was in pretty sad condition. The fabric was bought on-line (eBay) from one of my go-to fabric houses - a woven blue and white check. 

I bought four of these chairs for $25 each from a Craigslist ad. They had been part of a collection of eight in a large estate. Two of the wooden legs were in great shape and left as-is and two were chalk painted in graphite. The fabric, a deep rose-red cotton velvet was bought at a local fabric warehouse - Fabric World in Stone Mountain. I add my Ikea accent pillows ($7.99 each for feather/down combo) to most of my pieces.

This graceful Henredon chair with limed oak finish came from a moving/estate sale (one of my favorite sellers - Vicki) in Brookhaven. It was in reasonably good condition and only needed new fabric to make it pop. This is a another Fabric World fabric purchase.

This chair came from the same "Vicki" sale as the one above. It was  star in this wonderful house. The newly applied fabric was purchased at a garage sale last year held by two women who are in the business of making custom bedding and drapes. I bought about 20 yards at the sale for a great price - less than $50 total.

This set of chairs was purchased at an estate moving sale in the Chastain Park area of the city. The house was ultra-modern - an unusual shape for the area. This was the second time I had seen these chairs at a sale in this house but this time they were within my price point - $100 for the pair. The striped linen/chenille fabric came from Fabric World - the Stone Mountain fabric warehouse. 

These vintage chairs were purchased at a Buckhead  moving sale - right on the main drag  (Paces Ferry Road near the Governor's Mansion). I paid $150 for the pair. The most interesting thing about this sale is that it was being held by Jeff and David,  two customers of mine from several years ago. They bought over a dozen items from me at the time - it was great catching up! The cotton velvet fabric came from Fabric World.

Here is the other set of Carter chairs done in an eBay fabric (cream chenille in tone on tone texture). This is the set that has the redone (chalk paint) legs.

Well, this set of "before and after" stories tell some of the tale of my work and passion.  It is nice that such a green business can be so much fun and rewarding!

Before and After - My Own Parade

Every now and then, I want to highlight some of the amazing transformations that I have been able to achieve buying well constructed used furniture; finding great designer fabrics; and, working with a trusted master upholsterer to do the actual expert work of reupholstering. It is what I do and have been doing for almost nine years. It is a labor of love!

Here are some of my recent projects - most are sold on eBay, Etsy, and my website. Occasionally, I am selling on One King's Lane as well.

This is something EVERYONE can do. I hope that these examples  inspire others to look for reusing, repurposing and transforming great heirloom pieces of furniture - it's a green way to decorate and take better care of our environment.

These chairs are not yet listed. I bought them through a Craigslist "for sale by owner" listing. The chairs are on rollers and the fabric is a nice weight cotton print.

I purchased two loveseats like this through a Craigslist sale. They are exceptionally well made with hand-tied springs and impeccable woodwork. I only had one redone in this textured cream fabric allowing a buyer to buy one or two in this or another fabric.

I bought this chair at an estate sale. It was in good shape but needed a new seat cushion. The detailed channel back with buttons is an extremely tricky upholstery option and was well executed here demonstrating that it does take a lot of skill and talent to do this work.

This chair was bought at a garage sale and had good bones. The woodwork was not bad just boring so I hand-finished it in an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint called Chateau Grey. The fabric is a whimsical French Script in a matching color. 

This chaise sold immediately. It was bought at an estate sale and reupholstered in a very nice yellow cotton fabric. The tailored skirt gives it a much more elegant appearance.

This set of well constructed chairs was purchased at Goodwill Industries. The fabric was discolored and in bad shape. The frame was in perfect condition. The fabric is a nice woven green and cream bought at an estate sale.

This set of slipper chairs are manufactured by Charles Stewart (North Carolina) and were custom made. The new fabric is a seafoam (teal, aqua) and cream chevron. 

This set of chairs was purchased at an antique shop. The fabric came from an estate sale and is a richly colored teal ultra suede on a bonded background. I am going to have to figure out a way to get better photos - these look much too washed out.

I hope you enjoyed this before and after journey!  Let me know what you think of these transformations!

A Labor Day Tribute - Upholsterers and Their Magic

In honor of labor day, I want to salute the great work done by my upholsterers, the fabulous Lees of Norcross, Georgia, in helping me execute my passion for refurbishing heirloom quality upholstered furniture to live another day - a GREEN way of decorating.  I am hoping that these images help inspire others to save/buy those well-constructed, mostly American-made pieces of furniture that would otherwise go into our expanding landfill problem.  They truly do not make them like they used to!

Here are some of my most recent transformations - enjoy!

I bought this set of chairs (with three other chairs) from a friends neighbor who was moving - she had inherited some of her pieces from her parents and grandparents.

I bought this set at a neighborhood sale in the Ansley area of Atlanta.

I bought this set off of Craigslist from a widower who was remarrying.   These had been his deceased wife's favorite chairs.

I bought this set (and two sets of wingback chairs) at an estate sale in Alpharetta - a suburb of Atlanta.

I bought this set from a Craigslist add from a fellow Wisconsin transplant.  

My husband and I took a long Sunday drive to the Lake Lanier area of Georgia to buy this chair from a Craigslist ad.

I bought this chair from a shop on Miami Circle - near the Buckhead area of Atlanta. 

This set came from the same sale as the settee below - a moving sale billed as an estate sale.

I bought this settee at a moving sale in the Buckhead area of Atlanta.

Isn't the transformation wonderful and magical!  Unfortunately, the skills required to do fine upholstering work like this are in short supply - it is a diminishing field of expertise.  I hope that it doesn't disappear altogether!

Check out these and other of my refurbished pieces on my website - link to website.  This blog is linked to the following parties - Savvy Southern Style