… admiring my new old couch, purchased yesterday. I'm
looking for the perfect color combo. Gray fabric, I think.
… moving along on photoshoot prep for our
next brochure. My adorable model has been measured & it's time to
make a fitting muslin.
… replenishing the felt selection at the HB store — now all of the pretty colors are visible again.
… playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey with all of these overlapping sewing and building projects. My head is spinning.
… justifying a break to say 'Hello' on the blog. Hello!
Hi! 🙂
Gorgeous couch. I think the combination of the ugly yellow and gray will be marvelous. Will you show the result here?
Goodluck with keeping all your balls in the air (is that an expression in English or just a bad translation? :-)) Well, goodluck with everything you have to do. Even though your head is spinning, I bet the results will be lovely!
don’t paint it! that wood is great!
It really is beautiful wood, but we have too much brown around here. I’m excited to lighten things up.
I’m gonna cry if you paint that wood. I know you don’t know me and don’t care if I cry, but I just had to share that. Paint something else that’s brown if you have too much of the brown. But… no… please. Just. No.
Oh please, don’t cry. It’s going to be stunning. You’ll see.
Its looks beautiful Heather and I have to agree with Tracy M about painting it! Please don’t! Oh, but its yours and everything you create is gorgeous so I’m sure it will be stunning.
Your bold and brave and so while flinching I’m going to say “okay, paint the wood, I trust your genious, but OH MY GOODNESS, that wood is beautiful!”
Oh – the value of that piece will drop so much if you paint it. Its walnut I believe. and thats a pricey wood to begin with, but vintage – oh my.
I think a beautiful fabric will transform it more than you realize.
You don’t know me either, so my voice is full of pish posh. 🙂 But I’m another vote for please don’t paint the wood! Once it is painted it will be ruined with all those beautiful nooks and crannies. It will be doomed for a life of paint forever. Just think of how many years it made it without succumbing to the peer pressure of paint. I hate to say this, but if it is a modern reproduction paint away. But if it is truly from the 1800s think of all of the history that it survived in beautiful form. Begging over. (Was it a touch too dramatic? Good balance is so hard to find. lol)
That is a stunning piece. Sadly, I also have to join the chorus of “please don’t paint that!” I’m sure it will look beautiful the way you have envisioned it, (I mean, come on, everything you design is stunning) I just feel that with the combination of the beautiful wood plus the age and history of the piece, you would be irrevocably altering what is already a beautiful piece. By all means, reupholster it is a fabulous print. Please leave the wood!
Yes, it’s pretty wood. It really is. But, I’m not keeping a piece of furniture around for 30 years, leaving it alone because tradition says I should.
I think it’s more important to enjoy the piece and to be happy in one’s environment. It’s not a hugely valuable couch either — post Industrial Revolution. It’s going to be great!
Be at peace. We’ll be happy with the results and plan to give the little orphaned couch a good home for many years to come.
This has been so funny to read! I live in a 100 year old house and when I moved in I was so angry with the previous owners for painting the trim in some of the rooms white. I have grown to love those rooms! No new home has the character that this one has with the thick trim and 6″ base (painted or not). No one builds them like this anymore and paint doesn’t change that.
You would not find a couch like that at your local furn. dealer and no matter what color it is (paint or wood) it is unique! Paint it up and love it! Can’t wait to see it!
Go for it, it’ll be great. We just painted an old wood dresser a very pale pink for the 6 & 8 y.o. girls room. Looks great, happy. Glad we did it. Definitely show us the result.
Paint it if it makes you happy! (personally I’d probably paint it red! Go ahead, yell at me everyone!) The things you have are as valuable as the pleasure they give you. I’m sure it will be beautiful
Ha! This reminds me so much of a paint-or-no-paint post I did a while back on some headboards for my girls’ room. http://mysmalltreasures.blogspot.com/2007/02/opinions-kindly-requested.html (No scoffing at my terrible indoor pictures back then!) People feel strongly about wood! You already know what you’re going to do, I just want to cheer you on. It’s your couch and your house, and we mothers and wives need to be happy where we live, breathe, play with our kids, love our husbands, craft, cook, clean, and educate. Have fun! Can’t wait to see it. It will be gorgeous!
Paint, paint, paint…glossy black or a nice grey or even shiny hot pink…then either pink or lime green as the main fabric color….oh boy!! If you would make a fabric line that has all kinds of greys with pinks, line greens and turquoise…ummm..delicious..
as a girl who grew up where the thought of painting wood was a carnal sin, I say Paint the Silly Thing!!! 🙂 Amazing things happen when you’re allowed to paint.
And just for the record, I do still love the look of wood, so I haven’t fully rebelled from my wood worker father’s ideals. Just opened my eyes to the possibilities.
Just thought I’d give you a pro vote amidst all the cons.
http://loridanelle.blogspot.com
Hey…it’s not like you’re painting a piano or anything crazy like that. :o)
Is this the model you followed around?
Paint it! Paint it! Paint it!
Life is short. Do what makes your home a happy place!
heather- it’s killing me to read your posts about how busy you are and knowing that I can help you…I’m emailing you my phone number, maybe that will make scheduling easier.
Love the peek of the couch, I bet it will be cute!
I can’t believe how many people feel so strongly about painted wood. (There are a few in my family). Bottom-line, if it isn’t working for you in your house, paint it, cover it, mod podge it, or whatever you want to make it fun and fresh, and something that you will love again.
I’m sure what ever you have planned for it will be amazing!
Oh my so much fuss over painting wood…YOU GO GIRL…I’d love to see it painted bright orange lacquer with a grey flannel mens suit upholstery….very Grand Bohemian…like The Mansion of Forsyth Park in Savanah…check it out here: http://www.mansiononforsythpark.com/photo_gallery/photo_gallery.asp
One day we’re all going to wake up from this wood-painting frenzy we’ve been in, and have serious regrets. I say if the wood has seen better days, and a simple refinish won’t do, then paint away. But when it’s still in good vintage condition…it makes me wanna cry too. :'(
I can’t wait to see what you do with the couch! I am sure it will be amazing!!!
I spent my childhood watching my mom strip paint off of everything that was painted in the last painted woo frenzy. She got great results and has passed on some of the pieces to me. Of course, I really want to paint them again! LOL But I’m deciding if I’m brave enough to do it knowing I’ll get to hear about how she stripped it and restored it last time. What goes around, comes around! 🙂 Paint away, Heather…
WOW! Who knew so many people would be so passionate about painting wood! I can’t wait to see how it looks. You know I’m with you, paint, paint, paint!!
Hmmm…that should say “painted WOOD frenzy”–not sure where my D went off to…
I’m on your side, Heather! Paint it! I just painted a carved frame for a mirror that belonged to my great grandmother. It was not me at all and would have stayed in the closet if I hadn’t painted it. And now I love it!
Are you doing the reupholstering yourself? I’m trying to suck up the energy to do one myself and can’t seem to do it. Thanks for your constant inspiration!
I’m one of the earlier nay-sayers in this thread, and can I just tell you that it’s been eating me up all day inside? Who the heck am I to tell anyone how to decorate or create beautiful things? I am also sure that the original owners of that couch would be very pleased to hear that it’s still being used and loved today.
I can’t wait to see the finished piece, Heather. I’m absolutely sure it will be gorgeous. My apologies.
Beautiful piece of furniture! I can’t wait to see what you will do with it.
Was the model the one you followed around or did you find someone else? That story was hilarious!
Can’t wait to see the finished piece! Doing something very similar with an old sofa I stumbled upon via CList & loved the idea of it, but it needed to be painted so it would belong in our home & lively vibe 😉 I’ve been struggling though to find a good happy fabric for it that will survive toddlers & a dog, what would you do?? any suggestions would be life saving!
Change it so you’ll love it! Seeing items being loved makes me happy. When my grandma died, she left so many nice things because she was afraid to use them. Whenever I’m afraid to use something because it’s nice, I think of all her lovely silverware still in the plastic wrapping. Life is meant to be lived!
Heather, I just think the world of you!!! You were SO fun to watch on that NBC clip. You are such a genuine person. And SO much fun!!!! I can’t wait to see you next on Martha Stewart or maybe you should just take her place. 😉
Is the video of your interview on tv making felt and yoyo flowers still available? I’m having trouble locating it.
This is too funny, back and forth. I too witnessed my mother strip paint for days on end to beautiful results, but I agree with painting it if you want to. Live life, use things, and if your great great granddaughter wants it to be wood again, she can strip it and feel that same pride and feeling you will after you paint it. Its all about making things our own!
I would suggest perhaps researching how to paint it in a way that would make it easier to be stripped in the future, maybe a special primer or oil? Just a suggestion 🙂 Looking forward to seeing the finished product!!!
such a find! i’m applauding for you and can’t wait to see what you do with it….do tell, where did you find it?
blessings…lylah
I can’t wait to see it painted!! You should check out Life in the Fun Lane http://www.inthefunlane.com/ if you want to see the amazingly beautiful transformation when you paint brown wood furniture white or grey. Yummy!!!
OMG! I would die to have such a gorgeous piece of wood furniture like that. Personally, I find it a crime when people paint over gorgeous wood. Perhaps consider leaving the beauty of the wood, and working the upholstery, or creating contrasting or colorful throw pillows to work with it – the upholstery colors seem so you. All-in-all, you must post a pic of what you finally do with it, as you all have us curious, now! I’m sure whatever you do will be wonderful, as does everything that comes from you, (including your kids!)
Taking a break from jewelry making to pop in on my favorite inspirational blogs and say “Hello.” So Hello back at ya!
(and I love painted wood, but my hubsband’s a woodworker and won’t allow it. Blah.)
First thing I said when I saw that picture was, “OH! That is gorgeous!” It’s going to be beautiful.
That is an Eastlake couch. I have an Eastlake marble topped dresser and chair. They date from around 1860+. The wood is beautiful and now unavailable. (Eastlake furniture is usually black walnut and rosewood.)
My dresser belonged to my grandmother and was in her childhood home. It was then painted many coats of paint and lived at our Muskoka cottage for years until the cottage was sold and my grandmother reclaimed it for one of her guest rooms. When she passed I inherited it. I had it stripped and refinished and it is magnificent!
IMHO I would just find some fabulous fabric and have it reupholstered!
I saw your couch on Jona G.’s blog. Love, love the way it turned out!
that sofa is gorgeous, i want to see more of it!
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