A Chalk- Painted Fabric French Settee!

Do you recall the struggle I had redoing my antique French settee?  If you missed it you can read about it here. Well, I am happy to say that I think I have conquered the beast!  It was a long journey to get here and there were times I faltered but in the end I am pleased to say,  IT IS FINISHED!!!

I was very tentative about many aspects of redoing the settee. First, it is an antique and I hesitated to paint and glaze the wood as I really did not want a painted look. As much as I like painted furniture, I also love beautiful wood. But, in this case, it was just too far gone. Second, I did not want to invest in reupholstering the piece so I made the big decision to paint the fabric! Third, since I was not reupholstering, I had to pry away the trim from the frame so I could paint and glaze the wood one color and then paint the trim another color without getting that paint on the frame. This ultimately proved to be the biggest challenge (mostly to my patience).

It took several coats to paint the fabric enough to get good coverage and I was literally down to maybe a tablespoon of paint left in the can, sweating out finishing as I did not want to purchase more paint (Annie Sloan Parisian Gray). I just kept thinning out the paint to stretch it. Then, there was sanding (yes, sanding) the fabric and nailing the trim back into place. Finally, since I do not sew (not much beyond a button and yes, I have tried) I had a new cover made for the seat cushion, as being down, it was too soft to paint, yet alone sand.

Here you can see the original velvet fabric which was kind of a faded yellow-green. It was stained and smelled rather musty. The cushion though still retained its shape so that was a plus. The wood had cracked in many places and would have been beyond my expertise to repair without being visible.

The trim still needs to be pulled tighter to the frame.

The painted fabric looks blotchy in the photos but it really is not.

I originally wanted to use a ticking fabric for the cushion but could not find one I liked. Then I tried a black and cream check but that also did not work. Ultimately, I ended up with this toile which worked best with the Paris Gray paint.

The fabric looks really rough but actually after sanding it is silky smooth.

Thanks to the very talented Amy Chalmers at Maison Decor for her advice on painting fabric. She gave me the confidence to try.  Amy has three shops in the Boston area plus an online shop so be sure to visit her beautiful blog!

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The Evil Twin!

I have been working on transforming a settee which I found on craigslist (you can read about my craiglist finds here) . It was one of a pair and in need of a lot of work- much more than I had naively anticipated. I have made over many pieces of furniture and am not intimidated by a paint brush but in this settee I have met my arch nemesis. It has challenged me every step of the way and I am still uncertain of victory.

I purchased the settee as one half of a pair.  I was thrilled to find them as they are quality antiques out of a fabulous Philadelphia main line estate. The settee covered in chinoiserie silk was in good enough condition that I resold it immediately to an antique dealer specializing in French pieces! Unfortunately, its evil twin was not in as good shape. I knew I wouldn't be able to flip it in the condition it was in (although I admit I tried).

The fabric was stained and worn and there was work needed on the wooden frame. I did not want to incur the expense of reupholstering, so I decided to paint and glaze the wood (after some repairs) and then paint the fabric with chalk paint.  I know, what was I thinking?  Although I have read a few testimonials that chalk paint works well for painting fabric, my little settee had bigger plans for me than a simple paint job. First, some clamps and wood glue took care of the needed repairs. Then, a good sanding. Then I pulled all the trim away from the frame so I could paint and glaze the frame ( Linen White with an old Ralph Lauren glaze I had left over from another project). Then I had to paint the trim (Annie Sloan Paris Gray) without getting paint on the frame. This was an incredibly time consuming process as I had to use pieces of cardboard to protect the frame from paint and had to move and reposition the cardboard every few inches. As I was painting the trim I also painted the rest of the fabric. This is as far as I have gotten. Days have passed, perhaps weeks. Time has ceased to have meaning. I cannot think or see beyond finishing this bloody settee.

I still need to apply at least one more coat of paint. I have to paint or make a cover for the seat cushion- my original intent. I haven't yet decided but all signs point to no more painting. I have to sand (yes, sand) all the fabric to soften it as the paint has made it stiff as a Victorian corset. Then I need to glue the trim back in place. And finally, do a bit of work on the underside of the piece.
Do I see a light at the end of the tunnel? Perhaps a very dim beginning of one.

 The "good" twin

It lies in wait

Sanding

The trim pulled away

The frame painted

Glazed

The first coat of paint on the fabric and trim

I am still considering putting it out on the curb. So far, I have won the battle but may lose the war!!

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To Toile Or Not To Toile?

I found this wonderful toile and check throw on One Kings Lane. I really love it and I'm searching for the best place to use it. I like it with my French cane slipcovered settee (which I found on craigslist) but I am not sure. Hence, to toile or not to toile?  I don't have a lot of blue in my home although I am finding myself introducing it more and more. Ordinarily, I use mostly cream and gray but I have been missing color. I do have some new blue lamps in an adjoining room that go well with the toile and would help pull the color throughout.

 Here is the settee without the throw. I do love it as is but would sometimes like a change. 

And with the throw.

Here is the what the settee looked like advertised on craigslist!  My fingers could not type a message fast enough to the seller.  The cane was in perfect condition which really is rare.  I am not at all fond of repairing cane and will avoid it whenever possible.  I would have to be very tempted by a piece to deal with damaged cane. 

I painted and glazed the settee including the cane with a white paint and an espresso glaze. The slipcover has butter pat pleats and ballerina ties (love)!  It turned out exactly as I had hoped.

If you have any thoughts on whether the toile works with the settee, please let me hear from you!