Modern Granny

Another chair makeover!  Here's the before. I picked up this armchair a few weeks ago. The ultra-traditional chair had a few things going for it - it was structurally sound and had classic lines.  I was not thrilled with the upholstery it was wearing - the texture reminded me of car upholstery.  And it's original orange-brown stain was pretty scuffed up.  

Paint (after sanding and priming) to the rescue!  High gloss white always looks so fresh, and I knew it would be the perfect choice for the fabric I was planning to use.  I got a yard of Scalamandre's China Rose from Shannon over at The Designers Attic.  

I love the old-fashioned feel of this pattern.  Big cabbage roses, Chinoiserie, and gorgeous color!  How can you go wrong?

Aren't you amazed at how paint and fabric can transform a piece that is past its prime into something so relevant to today's interiors? This Granny is hip!  

This lovely chair is going to the shop. AND I have enough of this fabric left over to  redo another armchair that will live in my foyer. 

Happy Monday!  

Need some help pulling your style together?  The Green Room Interiors can make your home a beautiful place to be!  Call Kim at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

Behold the Power of Paint!

I've had this sweet little French vanity in my shop for a few months and it just wasn't getting the attention it deserved.  It has curvy cabriole legs, original brass hardware and beveled mirror.  

So I took it home for a quick cosmetic update which started with a (very) light sanding, followed by a dry brushing of Krylon's Classic Gray mixed with a little Ivory.  The Classic Gray was a little darker than I wanted.

Next, I rubbed on a very light coat of Minwax wood stain in Dark Walnut

When that was completely dry (I waited 2 days), I rubbed on a coat of Briwax liming wax. This product adds a white wash over everything.

While all of that was happening, the brass hardware was sitting in a bowl of white vinegar.  After drying it, I rubbed with some extra-fine steel wool.

And yesterday I brought it back to the shopping looking like this

This area is poorly lit for photographs - here are some closer images (please excuse the dangling cords!)

And do you remember this mid-century bench?

It found a home in Mandi Smith's bathroom.

Go Interior Design Musings to see her bathroom makeover! Thanks, Mandi!

Happy weekend!!!

Need some help pulling your style together?  The Green Room Interiors can make your home a beautiful place to be!  Call Kim at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

Before & After - My French Bergere Chair

Have you ever noticed how time seems to fly by when you're doing something you love?  I've been putting in a lot of hours lately preparing things for the opening of my shop and rather than feeling tired, I feel energized and more inspired than ever!  Good thing - I have so many  projects waiting in the wings! This french bergere chair makeover has been languishing for months - I've had it partially torn apart and the fabric purchased since the summer.  I finally finished it up last week and wanted to share the fruits of my labor.


Here it is before - on second thought, during... 

The chair itself is in great shape, I just fell out of love with the blonde wood finish and the 90's upholstery.  


The chair got a light sanding, priming, painting and reupholstering with Braemore's Flowering Branch fabric.  I love this fabric and got it locally at Gifford Street Fabrics downtown.  

This was my most difficult reupholstery project yet. Even though I used the existing fabric to cut the pattern for the new upholstery, it was tough to get it to fit just right.  

I think the bloody thumb and the burn marks (they call it hot glue for a reason!) are worth it!  Yay me!

Linking up at Metamorphosis Monday.  Check it out!

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Need some help pulling your style together?  The Green Room Interiors can make your home a beautiful place to be! Call Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

Welcome Back You Awesome Brass Lamps!

Walked by many of these lately? 

They're in every Thrift Store, garage sale and craigslist in the country and I've always passed them by.  Silly me!  Good thing there are  bloggers out there who are smarter than me and have embraced the brass lamp that I (once) scorned!

Here are a few that have been given a total makeover with some paint.

From AKA Design

From A Soft Place

Pretty great, right?  I love them, too, but my favorite brass lamp makeovers are sporting their brass finishes proudly, although maybe a bit shinier.  And with new black shades.  Check these out.

Apartment therapy

The two images above are from Mr.Goodwill Hunting.  Have you been to his blog?  It's all about the stuff he gets at thrift stores and transforms into stylish decor. Go there, it's amazing!

These two images are from Christine's entryway at Bijou and Boheme.  Notice the new wallpaper in the second image? 

Who knew you could take an ordinary brass lamp, put a new black shade on it and create this kind of magic!

I'm a believer now, how about you?

Need some help pulling your style together?  The Green Room Interiors can make your home a beautiful place to be!  Call Kim at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

The Question

This is the chair....

This this the fabric for the front..

With this on the back...

So which one?

Need some help pulling your style together?  The Green Room Interiors can make your home a beautiful place to be. Call Kim at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

Finally Finished - Before & After Furniture Makeovers

I have been working on these furniture projects off and on for the past several weeks!  I never thought I would get done with them but persistence paid off and I am sharing the fruits of my labor with you now!  Nothing complex or complicated here, just the usual (dreaded) sanding, priming, painting, and stapling.  

Got a pair of these end tables, circa 1966. Sanded, primed, and painted them.

Is it me or do you see a double smiley face on these? 

The husband questioned my judgement when I got these home (something about what 1960's trailer park they came out of  - he's lots of  fun like that!) and I must admit I had some doubts myself but...

I think they turned out pretty cute, and maybe a little Swedish in feel.

I actually found two of these stools at two different times from two different places and they are identical.  The seat cushion comes off and there's a bit of storage underneath.

And now the Mother of my furniture makeover post.  I bought this sideboard from craigslist.  I specifically asked the owner if the wood was in good shape and she assured me it was, but after I made the 30-minute drive over there, I found that the wood veneer had "let go" in several places and was separating from the wood beneath.  After haggling with her some more (I am so my mother's daughter) I got it at a price that made it worth the extra trouble.  I had to removed the wood veneer from the top and one of the doors.  I did not get a before picture, I just didn't remember to take one until the project was underway.  so here are some "durings".

Can you tell the top has been removed?  It took lots of scraping and sanding.  

And thankfully, after..

This one makes my heart happy!

Linking up to Metamorphosis Monday.  Click on the butterfly  image below and check out lots of before and afters!

I love Mondays!  A whole week of possibilities!  Hope yours is a great one!!

Need some help pulling your style together?  The Green Room Interiors can make your home a beautiful place to be!  Call Kim at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com.

Thriftin'

Some recent acquisitions.  Some in as-found condition:

Brass side table missing its glass.  Easy fix.  Love that  bamboo detail on the brass legs. Needs a good shining.  Have you tried Barkeeper's Friend on brass? Gets all the tarnish off.  Then shine it up with a good brass polish.

Found the original tag under the chair.  Drexel Heritage, 1978. One of the front legs is slightly caddywampus (southern slang for crooked), but the husband can take care of that.. What do you think - that's gotta be the original upholstery (not in a good way)

Got a pair of these.  Very solid but that picnic tablecloth "fabric" will have to go! (its vinyl)

Crazy for this canary yellow lamp. It weighs a ton and has that amazing lattice detail. Sweet!  The lampshade was classic thrift store condition:

Me:  Can I just leave this with you?(handing cashier the fly-poop stained ill-fitting lampshade)

Cashier:  (looks at shade, then at me, then at cashier next aisle over, then back at me) Says nothing.

Cashier at next aisle over: (sighs) it's okay, they always wanna do that..

Somebody was awarded this in 1971 for something, but I won't be able to read the rest of it until the tarnish is removed.  On silver, I love Wright's Silver Cream.  About $6 at Walmart and  gets the job done.  I can't wait to fill this with orchids. 

A pair of these before (in great shape, but slightly oppressive)

the materials

and after...

Upholstery fabric by Covington is treated for outdoor use, meaning cleanups will be a breeze!

Alabaster!  Got a pair..

Added a cute striped lampshade from Target.  Already sold at my space at The Galleries at Southside.

Another before

Sanding + glossy white paint + leftover calendar  prints under new glass top.

Hope your week is fruitful!