Upholstery ideas

Remember these? I was deciding whether or not to go with a bold graphic pattern and paint the woodwork a glossy black. Risky since these are antiques as well as family heirlooms, and yet I want them to be featured and preserved and treasured and USED-- I don't want them to be

"front room pieces" that are never really sat in, and never quite fit in with our style. So risky, yes, but also possibly fabulous.

I chose fabric from IKEA in the end because realistically, I'd have to wait for years to save up enough to buy any of the designer fabric that I've been looking at from, say, Amy Butler.

This is Inger from IKEA and is priced at 5.99/yard. I feel strongly that this option would require painting the wood glossy black. A fun mod option.

The other option is to stay with a fabric that flatters the wood, and just refinish the wood naturally (though probably still glossy.) You'll remember that the wood carving is pretty intricate, and I don't want to overwhelm that either. And so we have:

Stockholm Blad from IKEA 8.99/yard

A more delicate pattern, and I think I could leave the wood as is, maybe gloss it up a bit. I'm opting most toward the black, but an intriguing option is to pop up the big chair with a little something like....

This!! Wouldn't that be fun? And it's glorious pink-ness would assure that I and I alone would sit in it.

Reupholstery project.

Phase 1. The raw materials.

And by that I mean the actual pieces of furniture that I will be recovering. I have a three piece living room set inherited from my Great Grandmother. It was recovered by my Great Aunt Evelyn. I'm betting that this took place somewhere between 1940 and 1960.... the fabric is rough and not too comfortable to sit on, and it is also pink. So there's that. Without further ado....Pink chair
Pink couchGreen chair
and a detail shot to show the woodwork....
So the questions/options are this, and I need you!
1. Paint the wood a glossy black and recover with a graphic print?
2. Keep the wood (maybe gloss it up) and pick a print with natural colors that enhance the wood?
3. Keep it neutral.
It's tricky. They are striking pieces and I don't want to take away from that, but I think that glossy black with a graphic print could be very striking.

Next post... some fabric options. Please feel free to suggest some in the comments too!