On to the Next Project

It feels like we had a lot going on in the second half of 2016. At work, with family, and at home. My mind is always working when it comes to the house, but with our busy schedule and some major house repairs in the forecast, I was hesitant to spend money on the more decorative things.

One of the things we had going on this fall was helping some family members move and downsize.  These family members were really hoping that the possessions they had to leave behind would be put to good use, and so we all went through carefully to see what we could make use of.

Earlier, I had been noticing how much our living room couch doesn't fit the feel of our home. We bought it when we first got married and were living in a different space, and we didn't feel the need to spend much money on it. So, it's brown, cheap and falling apart.  I found a clean lined, tufted back, mid-century styled couch from West Elm's website that I liked, but the $1200 price tag, although fair, meant that I really had to be sure about this couch. 

Our Couch

West Elm Inspiration

So, as I'm walking through this family member's home, I came across a clean lined, tufted back, truly mid-century couch. I have spent plenty of time around it and never looked at it twice before, but after spending some time online looking for that specific shape, it stuck out to me now. The only problem? The floral upholstery wasn't quite what I was looking for. But a free couch? In the right style? Done.

Can you see it??

After calling an upholsterer (not easy to find, BTW), and learning that he was unavailable, the thought starting creeping in; could I? How hard? Its just pulling fabric off and putting fabric on, right? The fact that my family member had actually reupholstered this couch once before meant that it was at least theoretically possible. I guess the DIY gene, like the engineer gene, is hereditary?

Note, hubby told me I was crazy before the couch went on the moving truck. But this freight train had already left the station. I mean, why not try when it's free?!

And so begins my entry into the world of upholstery. 

I bought a book, to help me figure out what is really involved. The one I purchased, here, has so far proven to be great. Very much worth the price, and it's actually a little inspiring too!

As you'll see in an upcoming post, I decided to start small with a chair, to test the waters in a relatively low risk situation. Stay tuned to see how that went, whether or not it gave me the confidence to try the couch, and if reupholstering can save you any money compared to buying new!

Ahh the distractions from daunting home repairs...

Wish me luck!
Amy