A SMALL OTTOMAN AND ROMAN SHADES

Another job for Kim Kelly...last year when I visited Kim after being in the Bahamas, I measured this little ottoman for a new slipcover, and the windows for roman shades.  Because I shipped everything to her, I was not able to get photographs until last week.

The fabric is linen.  I had the fleur-de-lis printed on the top piece before I made it.  The skirt is a small knife pleat.

This linen was the strangest fabric.  The color and texture of it completely changed with washing.  So much so that, though I normally do not wash fabric when I am making roman shades (because it's not like you can take them down and wash them, so shrinkage is not an issue,) because it changed so drastically, I had to wash all of the fabric.  Otherwise, it would have looked like two different fabrics. 

The funny thing is, in these pictures it looks like the shade and ottoman are different colors.  It's just the lighting between the house and the back deck.  They really are the same fabric, pre-washed before construction.  

A 'WILD' SLIPCOVER FOR SCOUT

I delivered this slipcover to Kim Kelly on Saint Simons Island last week.  Since I was already going to be in Georgia for the Masters, I brought it with me instead of shipping it.  Her house is being photographed for a national magazine and this particular chaise needed a new cover badly.  It may or may not make it in the magazine because it is a lot brighter than most everything else.  No matter.

I am not a fan of any animal print.  I think they look fine on animals, but no place else.  That's just me.  Lots of people, including Kim, love them.  That being said, I do like the way this turned out and think it looks really good on the chaise.  This fabric is an outdoor fabric and will hold up better than the previous cover I made out of regular cotton.

Because the fabric is so 'wild,' the buttons hardly show.  In this case, they are more than just a decorative touch.  They are needed to get the slipcover on and off the chaise.

Scout, looking pretty, on her new chaise!

NEW LIFE FOR OLD FURNITURE

My clients moved from the suburbs of Minneapolis to Coronado, and though they had furniture that worked well here, the fabrics did not.  

This linen is much lighter and airier than the dark brown paisley that these chairs were wearing before.

The challenge (is there ever NOT a challenge in my jobs?) for the back cushions was they snapped on to the chairs.  The little tabs were sewn into a seam about 4" down from the top and went around the back and snapped underneath.  The only way to make this work was to cut off the tabs, cover them with the new fabric and leave just the snap head out.  Because of where they snap, you cannot see the little bit of original fabric that shows.

This bench in the hallway is from IKEA and the cushion is velcroed to the top.  If I've never mentioned it before--I HATE VELCRO--and avoid using it at all costs.  In this case, however, the solution was to cut the existing Velcro off and sew it on the new bottom piece, so the cushion stays in place.

I do not normally do upholstery, but dining chair seats are usually doable.   Let's just say these 6 chairs were a big, fat pain and took about 20 hours to remove the old fabric and all the staples.

Again, this fabric adds a lightness to the room.  And the existing yellow tablecloth matches the new seat covers.

Best of all, my clients love the new look.