today’s first before & after projects involve creating chic and stylish places to take a seat. first up is a project from product designer and photographer jessica otwell. jessica was lucky enough to receive this antique camelback sofa in 1999 and has been talking about recovering it for 10 years. 3 months ago she finally decided to take the plunge and spruced it up with some gorgeous velvet upholstery and nail head edging. it’s now a beautiful place to take a rest, or like elvis the dog, a long afternoon nap. thanks to jessica for sharing! be sure to check out holly’s bamboo settee makeover after the jump!
[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just shoot me an email right here with your images]
CLICK HERE for holly’s outdoor bamboo sofa makeover after the jump!
after spending a day looking through the d*s before and after archives, d*s reader holly conniff “finally” found the inspiration to revamp some old bamboo settees that had been collecting dust in her basement. with a little help from her aunts at the paisley pillow (who upholstered outdoor clearance cushions from pottery barn), a little high gloss spray paint, and colorful pillows these once “rusty, dusty cobweb-collectors” were transformed into chic black “lacquered” settees. just in time for a sweet summer cocktail. great work, holly!
55 Comments
GORGEOUS!!
great work, ladies! both look awesome, but your sheltie steals the show- adorable.
Cannot believe the transformation! The velvet is so luxurious and chic!
love!
the sofa is beautiful..
and i have a bamboo chair in my basement just waiting for the same treatment. maybe i will do it today…
Where are those beautiful linen and blue pillows from? I really need those in my life for my sofa!!!
Wow, so beautiful and inspiring.
Both of these are great and belong in my house!
Gorgeousness!!! Two outstanding projects!
That’s an awesome job!
That grey sofa is one of the single most amazing transformations ever featured on this site. I’m in complete awe.
WOW have fun cleaning the sheltie fur off of that couch! Looks beautiful.
where did you get those lovely blue pillows?
They are both great. My goodness how luxurious and rich is that velvet and I am a big fan of bamboo – wish I had those on my back deck!
BEAU. I also really want to know about those pillows!
I’m amazed by both. Grey and black were the perfect base colors for modern results.
both projects are gorgeous. it is amazing how great that sofa looks with a solid color fabric. the shape looks so beautiful.
dang that couch is nice…wish I knew how to tackle incredibly difficult projects…
Now the first sofa is a WOW!
It took it to the next level, very elegant.
Awesome!
Love the Sheltie too, just precious!
What fabric was used on the outdoor cushions? Something really weatherproof, or do those come inside when it rains?
(I’m planning a similar project.)
that first sofa is incredible… not to take away from the second project because that one is very charming as well.
Love the sofa – what painting technique /colours did you use?
Both projects are fantastic. Really love the upholstry choice for the camelback sofa.
I would really really love to know what these projects cost. And not just these, but any “big” before & after, like that first sofa.
wow, i LOVE the first sofa. you made absolutely the right choices in color and fabric!
Thanks to all and esp. Grace! I got the blue pillows at Home Goods, one of my favorite places to shop for pillows!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that charcoal grey velvet sofa. Gorgeous!
I want that grey sofa so bad!!!!!!!!!
Classy, elegant and timeless…perfection!
I love this sofa! The gray velvet is soooo luxe, lucky Elvis!
Oh, that velvet sofa is amaaaazzzing.
Both of these are soooo well done. I am particularly swooning of the grey sofa, so elegant!
Both incredible transformations! The color of that velvet is drool worthy!
xo
Jennifer
http://milliedeel.blogspot.com/
that is unbelievable!
Bamboo sette fabric is by Sunbrella
The couch re-do is so amazing. Absolutely amazing.
Oh wow, I LOVE that first sofa. Amazing transformation.
Wow!! I want this sofa, what a transformation, very much in love with the shape and fabric color, beautiful.
I have to agree with Angie. It is amazing to see these Before and Afters, but what really interests me is the processes and costs involved.
Both of these makeovers are FABULOUS! and so inspirational!
The bamboo settee is tres chic! You are very talented. The ladies at the Paisley Pillow are brilliant and their work is impeccable. I am working with one of their designers to make custom pillows for my sofa. You should be the next Design Star!
ack! there is a fuzzball on your couch.
that grey couch is truly amazing! am i drooling?
I want those pillows also!!
& Elvis is a cutie, I’ve always had a Sheltie since I was 9 years old.
Amei o segundo sofá. Ficou maravilhoso. Quero um pra minha varanda!!!!!!!!
I am in love with that grey sofa; stunning and elegant but does not scream “do not sit on me”
I love that grey sofa transformation as well. I have a chair I’m reupholstering as well, and I would love to copy the finish on the wood on the grey sofa.
I’d love to know how that was accomplished–was it stripped and stained, or is that some other sort of finish?
What a gorgeous finished product!
the finish on the sofa is just a matte white paint/rub over the existing honey finish. I gave the refinisher a sample (carved wood accessory) with the exact finish I wanted and he copied it :)
OOOH! I have an old bamboo love seat like that in desperate need of a makeover…thanks for the inspiration! I was thinking white, but now that I see black I think that’s the way to go!
love the sofa. somehow i thought i was the only person waiting to reupholster – i’ve had mine for just two years, it’s a camelback with two seat cushions and i bought it at a thrift store. yours looks terrific.
Love the sofa! I have a camelback sofa that desperately needs recovering. Is there a DIY step by step to follow, since I have no reupholstery experience?
You are most wise. These are the best before and afters for a long while. You kept with the original design and left the temptation of covering with a patterned fabric to the cushions. I wish others would take your advice. Well done.
Whaa! they’re both very lovely. Great work!
Wow – that sofa looks amazing! One of the best before & afters!
Jessica! This is so awesome! The sofa is truly adorable…so happy to see & touch it today…the detail is just amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!
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