These types of Eames knock-off chairs have seen their fair share of new upholstery. I’ve seen cowhide, wools and patterns of all kinds, but never denim. Before this project, if you said the words denim and upholstery in the same sentence, I would cringe and run away. But this denim chevron print created by Jody…
We’ve seen many lovely reupholstery jobs over the years but very few in which the fabric was designed by the owner. This was Michelle’s final project for her BFA in graphic design, and it’s pretty amazingly cool for a school project. She had been wanting to do a fabric design project, and after finding the couch…
It’s always fun to see architectural details from buildings — doors, windows, banisters, hardware, etc. — creatively re-purposed as furniture. Ida’s daybed is a lovely re-interpretation of these decrepit old doors, and I love the rounded corners, trim and various decorative touches she’s added to finish off the piece. Lovely work, Ida! — Kate Time: 2–3…
This may seem like a rather plain chair makeover, but what really charmed me about this piece were the details: the irregular, hand-painted stripes and the felted wool seat. When Adrienne sent some of her process photos and I saw the alpacas on the farm she lives on, that clinched it — I love this…
Someday, I hope to rent a place with a kitchen large enough to accommodate a kitchen island, but for now, I’ll just have to admire them from afar :) This kitchen island from Sarah Hart Morgan is one of the more creative and unusual versions I’ve encountered. The antique sage color was a wise choice;…
I took a beginner’s upholstery class last fall, where my fellow students and I were cautioned against choosing an intricately patterned fabric to work with on our first attempt. Stupidly, I ignored my teacher’s advice and chose a plaid — not a great idea. I simply could not get the pattern to align properly and…
Foot stools are such fun little pieces of furniture, and I really like it when people recognize this fact and upholster them accordingly. This fabric is so eye-catching that it could totally overwhelm a large piece, which is why this stool is such a perfect fit. Great work, Laura! — Kate Read more details about…
I know I shouldn’t anthropomorphize furniture, but I have to admit that it saddens me to see decrepit, neglected furniture. This chair was in serious need of love and attention — a very sad specimen indeed. Irina has done a wonderful job bringing it back to life and making it stand out with the custom…
I don’t have nurseries on the brain just yet, but I can already see myself gravitating toward a subdued, sophisticated and clean nursery style. I like the occasional crazy, colorful toy-filled nursery, too, but sometimes it feels a bit overstimulating. Lindsay’s nursery room strikes just the right balance for me. The gray walls and black…
Small tables are dangerous territory for me. As with chairs, I have a hard time letting unique and promising ones pass me by, and my apartment has a serious lack-of-space issue because of it. Alyson’s console table is a piece I’d have difficulty passing up, for example. I really love seeing the decorative wood details…
The lines on this “before” sofa are incredible, and while the fabric is not terrible, it certainly isn’t doing the decorative wood details any favors. Theresa inherited this sofa and decided to give it a modern spin, using two tones of fabric and a pop of yellow welting. The mix of hues is restrained and…
Antique sofas are beautiful, but I’ve never considered them practical, especially if they are upholstered in the light colored linens, leathers and wools that look so fantastic on sofas of this shape. Rebekah had the ingenious idea of using a white faux leather on this old piece; according to her, the fabric holds up amazingly…
[have a before & after you'd like to submit for the d*s book or website? just shoot me an email right here with your images!] this gorgeous chair makeover comes from graphic designer turned upholsterer hannah stanton. based in london, hannah decided to move away from graphic design to focus on her love of renovating…
to kick off before and after day, i wanted to share a few great reader submitted chair projects that have been sitting in my inbox. it’s amazing what a little paint and some new fabric can do… [imagine above: chair makeover by caroline at jcaroline creative] [image above: chair makeover by d*s reader teresa] [image…
a few months back i saw this fantastic mid-century telephone bench at a vintage store on atlantic avenue in brooklyn. the pricetag was pretty high and the condition of the bench was pretty dire so i decided to pass; but now that i’ve seen blogger and crafter virginia‘s telephone bench makeover i’m kicking myself for…
