Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ok, I think think they are really awful. Someone else thinks they are absolutely gorgeous. The point is that they have sentimental value to you, and I understand that. I have sat at many old family dining room tables and wondered what conversations happened around it. This is what's important, rather than adhering to what the Pottery Barn "flavor of the month" is.
Short answer is, plain upholstery is what I would go with.
Yes this is very easy, I just re upholstered an older dining room set last week for a friend in one evening, though it was only the seats, backs would take an extra couple nights. I found a curtain panel at the Goodwill for $3.50 and it was large enough to cover 4 chairs and make a large table runner. If I could have found 2 matching curtain panels I would have made a valance, but since it was striped we can match any of the colors for other matching projects like valances.
Your set is very nice, it does look more '70's Spanish to me as well. Is the carving real wood? They had a tendency to make the 'carving' from poured plastic molds back then. If it is wood then it is more valuable than the plastic carved products. I remember having a cabinet made with plastic molded carving from one of the high end stores.
If you do get tired of it in the future here are few more ideas:
it would look stunning to mix the chairs with a hard contemporary table and vice versa,
hard contemporary chairs with the old table.
If it is plastic molding, consider painting it as well to give it a lift and cover the table with a glass top.
Thanks Kayekaye. I have been looking for material to upholster and also make a runner but so far I have been to a couple of stores and I have not yet found anything that is not very ornate (and I was hoping to go with a simpler pattern). I live in a small town so I will have to travel to find a bigger selection. I have also researched a little about whether it is more gothic revival vs spanish and I am not sure which one it is but the designs seem to resemble spanish more. I like the idea of mixing old table with contemporary chairs in the future but I would like to try to reupholster for now. The carvings appear to be wood except for maybe front of cabinets. Great ideas. I am very thankful for these great ideas from this forum.
Thanks Kayekaye. I have been looking for material to upholster and also make a runner but so far I have been to a couple of stores and I have not yet found anything that is not very ornate (and I was hoping to go with a simpler pattern). I live in a small town so I will have to travel to find a bigger selection. I have also researched a little about whether it is more gothic revival vs spanish and I am not sure which one it is but the designs seem to resemble spanish more. I like the idea of mixing old table with contemporary chairs in the future but I would like to try to reupholster for now. The carvings appear to be wood except for maybe front of cabinets. Great ideas. I am very thankful for these great ideas from this forum.
You could always shop online for fabric. Just remember to order a "sample" of the fabrics you select, so you get to see and feel them in person, before you consider ordering any quantity. (Fabric cut to order is usually not returnable.) Monitors vary in color and you will want to feel the weight of the fabric, so seeing it in person is important. The cost of the samples are usually very minimal.
With the ornate carvings a plain fabric color would be a good idea. Like I said, try a curtain panel if you want to save money and can't find anything you like. There are lot to choose from and pretty inexpensive. And it won't be costly if you change your mind and try another one. The one I found had a coating on the back side for thermal and it made them pretty sturdy. Have fun!
On the upholstery question, I'd buy some swatches and hold them up to the chairs. Somehow, I think a black and white print, of the right scale might be nice. A lot depends on whether you want to update the look of the set in a trendy way, or if you want to be more "classic." However the furniture is not in the "classic" mold. It is over the top, and over the top fabric might be best.
Thanks for the picture Kayekaye. This is a beautiful job. I am hoping to find a fabric swatch that I like in the near future and to reupholster the chairs around Thanksgiving. Based on your picture, I can see how this will update the look.
You have a gorgeous dining set you can reupholster I just did our dining set and even put on more padding for extra fluff and included trim on them also. Go to you tube and there are many videos on reupholstering chairs and yours will be easy once you do one. As for the covers I picked a fabric that had a pattern and was upholstery grade since we use it on a daily basis and I have small kids. I used to have solid fabric but it was starting to show wear and tear from the kids spills and my spills etc. Look at what you are using it for if daily make sure you look at the rub on the fabric. Good Luck and have fun.
I have small kids. I used to have solid fabric but it was starting to show wear and tear from the kids spills and my spills etc. Look at what you are using it for if daily make sure you look at the rub on the fabric. Good Luck and have fun.
Truth be told my friend, who I did the chairs for, has two kids under 6 so we put clear vinyl over the chairs in one fell swoop. Also have one over the tablecloth if you look close. The clear vinyl on the table can come off for 'grown ups' but we are stuck with the chairs till they are about 10 years old but will probably redo them long before that to match when the walls get repainted in a few years. But it's so easy it's not a problem.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
beautiful
Also have one over the tablecloth if you look close. The clear vinyl on the table can come off for 'grown ups' but we are stuck with the chairs till they are about 10 years old but will probably redo them long before that to match when the walls get repainted in a few years. But it's so easy it's not a problem.
