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I HATE the floral fabric on these chairs, but I finally found a good u

5 years ago

I HATE the floral fabric on these chairs, but I finally found a good upholsterer and am ready to have them recovered. Do you think I can swing black on these with the other colors I have going on in this room? The photos are taken from both sides of the room, and there is a LOT of blue in here. Thoughts, or other suggestions?

Comments (35)

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    What an amazing space! I immediately thought of a cheetah (any animal) print too, as suggested above.

  • 5 years ago

    Ooooh, cheetah! Or zebra, maybe.

  • 5 years ago

    Thank you! Ha - I love it because I BEGGED my husband to let me recover those chairs on either side of the mirror in cheetah (they were his mom's) and he would have no part of it. We lived on an 1800 acre wildlife preserve for 6 years before we moved to the city, so unfortunately he doesn't like much more than nods to it anymore (but my skull collection was going UP lol).

    We both travel a lot, and most of our pieces are from trips. But because it IS so eclectic, I almost feel I need something quieter and more streamlined to balance it all out. Does that make sense?

    Anyway, I also have two massive white dogs who shed to contend with here. I am thinking about using a better quality (Kravet etc) black fabric designed for outdoor use so it will be easy to clean. (doggo pic attached - man it is a lot of hair lol).

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    What about a subtle black and white stripe?


    (Oh, and I totally covet your skull collection.)

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Perhaps instead of solid black, use black but in a really vibrant patterned fabric.




    You could go with a textured cream fabric (consider Sunbrella) and add colorful lumbar cushions. They can be easily changed when you tire of the look and may be a more practical option, as its costly to reupholster chairs when taste changes.




  • 5 years ago

    Ooh I do love this last fabric you posted Maureen! And Ida Claire thank you. Our deal was that I only wanted skulls and horns from animals that died naturally, but these guys all lived on the ranch at one point.

    I really do appreciate the feedback. It is so stinking expensive to reupholster so I just want to be sure I get this right.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    IMO a stripe in black and white satin would look fabulous I also have big hairy dogs one of which is a Pyrenees I usually am not a fan of eclectic or BoHo but I love your space and I love the photo with the dog it just is perfect in that space .

  • 5 years ago

    Thank you Patricia! The pic is actually being painted as a giant portrait because it is my favorite photo ever - that's my little girl, and he is her dog ❤ If you look at my other posts they are going in our family room.

    Can you show me an example of the striped fabric you are thinking? I hate to admit it but with the exception of rugs I can be very pattern shy. Just trying to wrap my brain around it

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Not sure if interested, but you could spray them black




  • 5 years ago

    Ah that's true. And with reupholstering it isn't like I would need to tape them off. You think they would look ok with the leather couch and all of the other natural wood?

  • 5 years ago

    I actually like the idea of the chairs painted black! Then you could perhaps do something a bit more fun with the upholstery. I think the painted chairs would work just fine with the rest of your wood; in fact, it would help liven things up a notch.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Genevieve Gorder velvet onyx flock fabric.



  • 5 years ago

    ummmm this is ammmmazing!

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago



    I ahave also seen these type of chairs done in a solid color fabric that is then hand apinted and they are amazing and could really work in your space .Of course the whole cahir painted high gloss black.

  • 5 years ago

    Painting chairs black was my first thought...but as there are so many dark woods....Painting the chairs gold might bring some light to that spot

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I know how hard it is to commit to upholstering, from personal experience and I’m sure it’s even harder to decide to paint them, as it’s pretty final.

    Originally I thought your couch was deep pink and reason for suggestions. Now knowing it’s not and is also leather, thinking a more dramatic, less feminine fabric would suit your room. To pull in the blue chairs, work with depth of the wall color, couch, and your Eclectic style a textured velvet print could be a great choice for your chairs don’t paint. Be sure to add cushions on couch that compliment and maybe have one or two done at time of upholstering.










  • 5 years ago

    Experiment a bit: pick up a couple yards of cheap black fabric at the fabric store, tuck them into place on the chairs and see how many white dog hairs appear. Also pick up some cheap cheetah or other brown animal print fabric (even flannel will work for a test) and try that. Then you can pick the real upholstery fabric.

  • 5 years ago

    I might look for some antique Ikat ..handwoven .. fabrics..very in interesting and unique patterns and colors ...would seem to fit with your aesthetic and not “feminize the chairs as much as a floral or a more traditional fabric will

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    IMO this space can handle a lot of different things and they certainly do not have to be as busy as Ikat which BTW IMO is too casual for the space.

  • 5 years ago

    Love, love, love the room. Is this a new house or older?

  • 5 years ago

    Real authentic antique Ikat is very understated and muted in color..unlike the Ikat prints that you see in the much more oversized print and casual bright imitations....i am thinking this poster may be familiar with this...

  • 5 years ago

    A gift from a friend from Bali who is a dealer and collector of old ikat textiles

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I really love your room and style. Normally, I’m all for colorful, patterned, and eclectic, but for these chairs in this room I’d go with something neutral and light.

















  • 5 years ago

    What is the color of the wall with the skull collection?

  • 5 years ago

    I think purple on the chairs wouldlook nice. There is a purple door. And your other room in your other post has touches of purple.

  • 5 years ago

    Man I thought you guys were done with me! lol I take a device break with kiddo on the weekends so just seeing this - thank you so so much!

    There is a lot here, so if I miss anything let me know. First, questions. Our house is a reasonably well-done flip of a 1906 bungalow. We did not renovate - we bought it two years ago. The interior was redone but the hardwood floors are original and it has ten foot ceilings and I fell in love.

    The wall color is a dark blue/gray tone...like a charcoal with blue undertones.

    I love all of these suggestions, and discussing options like this helps so much! Maureen, you nailed my style - I LOVE the room in the last photo you added. Those patterns are very, very cool.

    I can't paint the wood on the chairs regretfully (were my mother-in-laws and he said nope), and I can't pull a velvet or delicate fabric because that wonderful dog is like living with Falcor lol. He leaves the silk chairs by the mirror alone thank God, but he scratches his big derpy face by rubbing it on the edge of these chairs, and the hair...I basically sweep up a poodle every day. Sadly it is going to stick all over velvet and this fabric has to be somewhat sturdy.

  • 5 years ago

    Jinx seeing the chairs alongside the room really helps...and interestingly, although almost everyone has said black would work no one has gone that route in suggestions, which helps too in a way. I have enough of the raw silk on those chairs by the mirror left to do these chairs, and it has a beautiful sheen that can throw off a bit of purple - but I am concerned about durability (see above) and being too matchy-matchy. I am surprised I also really do like the lighter white look when I see it next to the room, and totally forgot but am finally getting real grown up white silk drapes that will frame out those windows properly instead of sitting inside them - so maybe it would be better to coordinate with those? The fabric is a very subtle cream silk tone-on-tone stripe, but I could match the color with a more durable fabric.

    This is so much help- thank you all again for your time and suggestions here!

    I do have one more random question, only because you guys are familiar with the space. I have an old, wooden phone booth that belonged to my dad (he worked for Bell South for 30 years). It it VERY sentimental, it has traveled all over the country with me, and it is going in this space somewhere. It only fits in two places. I had intended to put it where that mermaid picture is, but then I bought that crazy huge carved Mexican bookcase. Is it going to make the room too heavy on that side to have two big, blocky pieces of furniture there?

    The only other place I have for it is in the entry, which means it would be the first thing you saw when you walked in the room.

  • 5 years ago

    I’d give it a try in each location, if not too heavy. That’s the best way to see what you prefer and make a decision.

  • 5 years ago

    Furniture sliders are a lifesaver.

  • 5 years ago

    No kidding...it takes three grown men to move this thing! These are my two options...

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Wow, you have such beautiful pieces! That bookcase reminds me of Jason Scott furniture I used to sell (all came hand-carved from Indonesia). Gorgeous. I want to tour your entire house. :)

  • 5 years ago

    Thank you! I found that bookcase on offer up this summer for $500!! It weighs a ton lol! I have things I have paid a small fortune for and things I found on the street on trash day lol...but I have found I am usually happiest when the piece has personal meaning for me and a story. They aren't really curated - they are more tangible reminders of people and places we have loved in our lives than anything.

  • 5 years ago

    Match the upholstery to a color somewhere between the dog's hair and the new drapes.

  • PRO
    5 years ago



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