Aimee

How to Strip A Chair

Stripping furniture is, unfortunately, an inevitable part of any reupholstery project. It’s hard on your hands, wrists and arms. It can be dusty, and will certainly be messy. But, you can get it over with as quickly and as easily as possible with the following tips. For those who will be joining my Upholstery Workshops,Continue reading “How to Strip A Chair”

Updating a 1940s Kroehler Rocker

I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. My chance to update a Kroehler rocker has come at last. You may have seen these chairs around…my step-dad has one in his man-cave. I see them listed on Kijiji often. And, unfortunately, I see them curb side on garbage day once in awhile. I’veContinue reading “Updating a 1940s Kroehler Rocker”

Updating an 80s Swivel Rocker

We are all familiar with the 1980s era swivel rocker. Famously outfitted in pink velvet, they must have been at the height of popularity a few decades ago, because there are a lot of these chairs up for sale on Kijiji currently. Oh, they come in other colours; I’ve seen orange, silver and blue, butContinue reading “Updating an 80s Swivel Rocker”

Restoring an Antique Sheraton Sofa

This past summer, I got a text from my good friends Shawn and Colin, while they were on their way to pick up a very exciting Kijiji score. Priced way below value at only $200, they knew they had to rush down to Petite Rivière (an hour or so drive) to grab this beautiful antiqueContinue reading “Restoring an Antique Sheraton Sofa”

Is My Furniture Valuable? Finding the Value in Your Vintage Furniture

I was recently asked whether or not I could help to determine if a reader’s vintage sofa was valuable. I’m not an appraiser, but I do have opinions. So, I guess now’s a good time to remind you that this blog contains highly edited versions of my own opinions only, and that there are aContinue reading “Is My Furniture Valuable? Finding the Value in Your Vintage Furniture”

Salvaging a Sleepy Hollow Chair

When I was first presented with this chair – a Sleepy Hollow gone wrong! – I was a little horrified. This was, supposedly, a “professional” job done by some guys who actually charged for this third-rate workmanship. I felt very sorry for this client, and wanted to do my very best to salvage this could-beContinue reading “Salvaging a Sleepy Hollow Chair”

Mid-Century Chair Project – Uncovering Hidden Wood Trim!

What’s not to love about classic mid-century chairs? When the client sent me the photos of these chairs (there are two), I thought they looked pretty nice…a closer look revealed the ugly truth. The foam was definitely original…I found a tag that dated it at “1958”. That is some old foam. But look what elseContinue reading “Mid-Century Chair Project – Uncovering Hidden Wood Trim!”

The Kroehler Chair Happiness Project

I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day… Doesn’t this colour just make you wanna sing out? No? Well, then you probably wouldn’t want to be with me in my studio today. It’s rainy and I’m singing. This current project is for a fellow Kroehler enthusiast. He found this chair at Value Village for $9.99!! WhyContinue reading “The Kroehler Chair Happiness Project”

Choosing Fabric for your Upholstery Project – Part Four: Traditional Style

I found this to be a difficult topic to cover, mainly because there are so many different options for traditional furniture. Obviously, any fabric choice to be made is completely dependent on personal taste. Within “traditional” style, there is also the choice to go bold, or keep it neutral. The traditional fabrics I’ve chosen canContinue reading “Choosing Fabric for your Upholstery Project – Part Four: Traditional Style”

Choosing Fabric for your Upholstery Project – Part Three: Mid-Century Modern Furniture

So you’ve got your amazing vintage find, now what? You’ve got to pair it with the perfect fabric, of course! Mid-Century Modern furniture is best identified by its clean lines. It is best featured when fabric is understated. Colour is great, but steer clear of large-scale, bold patterns. Here are my top recommendations for maintainingContinue reading “Choosing Fabric for your Upholstery Project – Part Three: Mid-Century Modern Furniture”