An Attempt at Upholstry

A couple of months ago I found a pair of chairs on Craigslist for $5.  We needed some extra seating in our living room, but don't have much space so the low profile of the chairs seemed perfect. Since the pair was so cheap,  I figured I could play around with upholstering them. (Or,  if it went really poorly, take them to a professional) Here are the results of the first chair:

Not bad for a first attempt, but I learned a lot.  I figured this was a pretty simple project as far as upholstry is concerned.  However, without the right tools,  I was pretty limited.  I couldn't quite  get the fabric cleanly into the frame with the standard staple gun that I had.  And,  the piping didn't totally cover up my work.  (Maybe I'll show some detail photos in a later post).  My mom helped with the pillow-cover so that piece looked great.  However, choosing to use stripes probably wasn't a good choice because that just added to the challenge.  

I'm still deciding what to do with the other chair.  Maybe use this as a learning experience, and see if I can do it better?  Or, maybe just hire an expert?  For now,  I'm happy with some new seating in our living room.

Bay Area Craigslist Wishlist

I'm heading up to Tahoe this weekend so I won't be able to pick anything up. But, that doesn't mean I haven't been perusing Craigslist this week.   Found a couple of goodies I wish I could take home...

Check out these green bentwood chairs!  Just $120 for a set of four chairs seems like a pretty good deal if you want to add some color to your kitchen.

With this table from ikea, you'd instantly have this kitchen:

Or, you could paint them black for something more classic like this:

This mirror is a a great shape and just $60. I think it would be perfect above a table in an entryway.It looks a lot like this one - I'm not in to the purpel but I'm sure you could paint it a lighter color to get a similar look.

Check out this perfectly simple mid-century console - would be great for your TV to house all of your electronics etc.  Or, as a dining room buffet.  I love the simple lines and the warm wood tone.

These blue velvet chairs are a little bit softer of a color than I'd go for but they are a great shape, on wheels and only $100 for the set.  They could totally work at the ends of a dining table or as a pair in a living room.

Happy Friday!

Bay Area Craigslist Wishlist

I'm seaching for the perfect vanity/desk for my bedroom, but I honestly can't peruse Craigslist without finding a host of awesome pieces that I WISH I could take home with me.

I am a serious sucker for a deal, and I love a one-of-a-kind piece furniture.  Even if you don't know the story behind it, it's great to know that it has a story.

Check out this art deco waterfall style dresser.  It looks like it's in pristine condition, and they're asking just $200 for this PLUS a vanity and a bed!  I think the dresser would look great in a dark masculine/bachelor style bedroom.

If you're a bit more feminine or into the whole "shabby chic" look, this dresser seems like it would be a great buy for under $100.

If this table would fit in my tiny living room, I would be on my way to pick it up now.

I can imagine it fitting perfectly into this living room Jonathan Adler designed.

Bay Area Craigslist Finds

I'm sort of addicted to trolling craigslist for affordable furniture finds.  There is always somebody who just needs to get rid of something so you can always find great deals!  Since there's not enough room in my 1-bedroom apartment to store all these pieces and projects, I figured I can keep track of them here to share with friends etc.

Click on the photos for the listings.

Check out these chairs!  Somebody already did the work for us! They look freshly painted ad covered all for - only $200!  These would look great in front of a big bay window or facing a sofa in a small living room.

This desk looks like it is in great condition and I love the hardware.  Would work perfectly as a vanity in a bedroom.

Check out this AWESOME dining set for just $150!  I love the lines of the chairs.  All it would take is popping out the seats and covering them with some fun new fabric.

I might even think about painting the chairs and swiching out the table with something a bit modern to get a look like this.