MINIMALIST MANTEL

I haven't posted much about my daughter's house renovation, but I assure you we're working hard and making progress.  The biggest changes have been painting inside and outside and removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room.   I think the most dramatic improvement though was when she added new windows.  We haven't decided if we're leaving the windows as they are or adding bamboo shades or plantation shutters.  

I'll be sharing before and afters later, but for now it's just a peek into the living room.  The mantel is original to the house.  It's a classic style with dental moulding details.   The modern brass mirror was one of the first things we added to her home.   We tried many configurations on the mantel but in the end we let the mirror take center stage and only added topiaries on either side.  We broke up the symmetry with the plaster lion figure.  More about the lion later.

LIVING ROOM MANTEL

The vintage chair came with her from her apartment.  We had it recovered in Dwell Studio fabric.  Next to the chair is a brass garden seat that works as a side table or extra seating.  It also ties in with the other brass in the room.

VINTAGE CHAIR UPDATED WITH DWELL STUDIO FABRIC

 MANTEL AND LOVELY DENTAL MOULDING

The plaster lion is a vintage find.  

Its significance is that she's a Leo and the lion is a perfect nod to her sign.

I'll be sharing more later, but for now the kitchen and one of the bathrooms are still a work in progress. 

Shabby Stools

I recently found these fabulous shabby stools.  Such great rustiness and chippiness.  I was going to leave them as they were, but I thought the seats deserved a face lift.  I couldn't remove the stains on one of them and decided that one of the stains was a cigarette burn.  The other had some rips.

It was really easy to remove the seats from the stools.  They were held on with only four screws.  I removed the vinyl fabric and added new padding.  I've already done a post about how to recover a simple seat cushion.  Go here for complete instructions if you missed the post.

The first stool is on wheels and the height of the seat is adjustable.   I chose a blue geometric fabric and finished off the edge with cording  Here it is assembled.

Adjustable Vintage Stool with New Seat

Here's a closer look at the fabric.

Vintage Stool with Geometric Fabric

I repeated the process with the tall chippy stool.

Vintage Stool with New Seat

I used one of my favorite fabrics.  It's Robert Allen for Dwell Studios.   

  I love the bird and the color.

Chippy Vintage Stool with Chinoiserie Fabric

I'm really happy with the face lift.  Have you updated something lately?

Kathy


They'll be for sale at the Vintage Marketplace at Glenwood.

Furniture Transformations

I always like to find furniture with great bones that can be transformed with updated fabric.  You know I've been working on my daughter's apartment.  If you've been following you know I found a pair of very well made camel back chairs with less than desirable fabric.  This is what they looked like when I found them.

I selected some Dwell Studio fabric in citrine.  She's absolutely thrilled with them. 

Transformed Chair

They're perfect with the gray and citrine she already has in the room. 

My Daughter's Living Room

  One of the chairs is under the window beside a long sofa table with nail head trim. I found this great super long table at a consignment store.  It makes a perfect buffet for parties and of course you know how I love nail head trim.

On the sofa table I placed a twisted wire base lamp with a citrine shade, a chevron book box, a vintage ceramic elephant and a tray with elephants.  The tray was actually a simple gold tray.  I decoupaged some elephant wrapping paper onto it.

The other transformation for her living room is this ottoman.  Toile is just not her thing.  

I chose another Dwell Studios fabric in a coordinating geometric and here's the result.  She can use it as a footstool, extra seating, or if she adds a tray, a coffee table.  She actually found a tray for it at Target.  It has orange lacquer inside and handles for serving.

So cute with a button in the middle and pleats all around.  I can't wait to place it in her living room.  Won't the orange lacquered tray be perfect on it?

Kathy

If you missed the other posts about her apartment:

Her desk:  here

Her bookcase:  here

Her gallery wall:  here 

The bench at the foot of her bed:  here 

Her small entry way:  here 

Her vintage furniture bar:  here 

Her chinoiserie night stand:  here