at doing a make-over. I love, love, LOVE looking at and reading blogs, mags, books, etc about make-overs. From clothing/makeup to homes and gardens. There are quite a few blogs that I read that have to do with DIY projects. I'm all for the person who can go to a flea market, thrift store, yard sale, junk shop and find a promising piece of furniture, decor, etc. and take it home and make it fit into their home.
So one day I decided to stop at the little "junk" shop in our town called "Small Town Treasures" and browse. They had a sign up that said 50% off sale.... so why not look, eh!
There was a lot of things in there that I liked a lot, including a very vintage dresser and bureau that were from the 30's or 40's. I didn't have the money or the conveyance to get those puppies home, so I kept browsing....
Then I came across this old looking chair. It had a neat shape, a cool print (even tho' I could see it was pretty faded in spots) and came with an ottoman. The price was $20, so I would pay only $10. That sounded good and allowed me to buy an old floor lamp (cast iron w/ ivory paint) and a small table lamp (made in Italy with a solid marble base) for $10 and $3, respectively.
The chair needed some TLC, and I new I could do it. So I sprayed it with a cleaner I found at the Family Dollar store (it is amazing for all cleaning jobs, especially laundry) called L.A. Awesome cleaner ($1 for a 64oz spray bottle of it). Scrubbed that into it and let it stand while I set up the steam cleaner. I steamed the filth out of that baby in one day and let it dry outside in the sunshine. What a difference a little steam makes!! It smelled better, and it looked better.
Then I took it home, and have enjoyed sitting in it with my feet propped up on the ottoman!! My own little space! BTW readers, I knew there was an affinity with this chair when I saw it.... when I looked under the chair it said it was made in 1969~~good vintage year!
Here are some pics:
#1
The color of the chair now is a creamy color with an olive print. The very dark spots are where I sprayed the cleaner before steam cleaning it. The large spots were oily looking, from years of someone's head and legs being on the chair and ottoman.
#2
This is the new and improved chair and ottoman (also the "new" lamp is sitting behind it now). The oily stains came out. The musty smell is gone (it took about a week after shampooing for my sensitive nose to not notice the "basementy" smell from the chair). I took the skirt off the chair and the ottoman, because I liked the wooden legs much better (it made it look more "modern" and not so grandmotherly). I'm thinking about putting some kind of trim around the bottom of both. What do you think? To trim or not to trim (I'm talking about the chair perverts :) ).
Well, I hope you enjoyed this.... my virgin quest into upgrading/renovating old furniture. I'd like to do more.... when I have the money. I'm really needing a new couch, so I'm keeping my eyes open at the GW and ReStores! Best of luck in all your DIY endeavors... may they make you happy.
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