Restyling Project: Saving Memories and Money

We saved more than money on this restyling project. We saved family keepsakes. These once salmon pink chairs were from my husband’s childhood home.

They were special and also happen to be super comfy. For years, we tried unsuccessfully to find a place in our former home for them. They spent a short time in the reception area of a salon and spa we owned. Then, they ended up in storage. I was determined to revive them for this house. At a nearby fabric store, I found the perfect but pricey ($32 a yard) black and ivory leopard print. I left with just a swatch.

Damian and I sanded the shiny mustard gold exposed paint down to bare white-washed wood. We took the chairs to Upholstery Couture Designs in Mt. Pleasant. Daniela, the owner, eyed my swatch and said the same exact fabric was available on Ebay for just $10 a yard. I ordered from my phone right then and there. The fabric arrived a week later at less than third of the cost. Love her! She reupholstered our chairs for half of what it would have cost to buy new. And these chairs have more meaning.

They reside in our bedroom now and will really look stunning in their new setting once we paint our walls a watery whisper of aqua called Copen Blue by Sherwin Williams.