I actually got to go antiquing this weekend.
To a real live store, and not just hopping on Etsy.
We are gearing up for The Chapel Market around here, and while I’m spending most of my days at the computer or doing a new project for the book, it was time to get ahead of the game and finish our shopping.
Natalie met me over at Troy Antiques (right across the square from us and I still haven’t been in 6 months!) for a little scouring. I love this little gem of a place, and it was just soothing to be diving for treasures again.
I’m probably most excited about the antique blue velvet settee. I almost never find upholstered pieces un-chewed by mice or some critter or that I’d even be willing to pay the price tag for, much less re-sell.
So when I found her, I was sold. The frame is beautiful, but pretty scratched up, so I’ll do something with it. I’m considering dip-stripping it or simply painting over the frame. And I might reupholster it, but I think with a good cleaning the soft blue velvet could be really beautiful and charming.
Plus, let’s face it: at some point I have to be able to resell it.
We’ll see…I’d love to hear your votes: paint it or strip it to the natural wood?? Upholstery?
Hope you guys find treasures of your own this week!
Yes I also had a great picking weekend. I found some great chairs and a beautiful bed!
Upholstery scares me still so I’m with you a good cleaning and I think the blue could be quite charming with the frame lighten up a bit..
Strip it to the natural wood and rehab that gorgeous blue velvet. How amazing will it look with that bright blue against stripped wood? Oh my, it’ll be stunning! 🙂
I love the blue velvet, so I’m in favor of cleaning & keeping. The frame could go either way…
Paint it and clean the fabric! It’s awesome!
I vote for painting it and cleaning up the velvet.
I vote to paint and lightly distress the wood.
The shape is classic and I can see it painted with a dark color, navy, maybe? Then strip wood and do a cherry or walnut stain on the frame. Maybe painting the fabric is a possibility, maybe not on velvet. How about colored ticking?
Here I go against the grain of most of the replies and elect to clean the fabric and wood. Then a good polish to the wood and that is it. When a piece of good wood has a patena why ruin it with paint? It is a beautiful piece. If you have to do something replace the fabric if it is worn but just going by what I see in the picture paint is not the answer this time!
Tough decision! It is so pretty the way it is.
The frame will be lovely either way. Leave the fabric, I’d want to pick my own fabric if I purchase it.
I think painting would be pretty but I still am a sucker for georgeous wood furniture.
I would totally strip it.
I vote to clean the fabric, paint the wood a light color & distress and place all kinds of pretty pillows on it.
One of these days I will nab one of these at a decent redo price. When I do, it’s going funky. World Market had a similar setee upholstered and tufted in linen. The covered buttons were all different. I’m thinking granddaughter’s room. Pastels to coordinate with pottery barn. Great for teddybears, baby dolls and pillows.
Paint it.
DO not paint this beauty……yet!
I think I would do either to the frame, but more to the point: upholstery. If it is original, that velvet will be a natural fibre, and able to receive additional colours. Clean thouroghly, squint at it, and consider what sort of over-dye or hand-selective pouncing/spraying you might do to enhance its plush. I’ve done this on a cotton-covered settee using metallic gold worked into the tucked or buttoned-in areas, overlayed with here-and-there misting through lace in a cool red. This layered nice and really camoflagued signs of fabric wear or flaws.
I can’t help thinking of the chair you once did, the one that was blue and you painted the frame in Paris Grey and dry brushed it. That was simply gorgeous! So I’d go with keeping the blue and painting the frame.
Excited to see the outcome 😉
Having stripped a settee myself, I imagine it’d be hard to do if you were trying to keep the upholstery intact. I’d try cleaning the upholstery first to see if you can actually get it clean. If so, I’d paint the frame. Although I have to tell you that the favorite part of my settee is all the beautiful details of the wood now that I unearthed it from layers of old varnish.
Paint it, don’t be afraid!
I would clean the beautiful blue velvet first. If it cleans up well then I would strip the wood. That would look beautiful.
This piece is awesome! I would paint the frame and then reupholster in an unexpected
fabric, I’m thinking Ikat, to give the piece a more up to date contemporary vibe. Or
maybe a linen fabric in a neutral color with French writing on it in black. Be a little bit
daring and this piece will be fabulous!
how would you go about cleaning this velvet fabric? thanks!
Personally I would deep clean the fabric and see how it comes out and strip the wood and re-stain it. It has so much potential.
Oh my gosh! I JUST refinished your antique blue settee’s twin! The upholstering on mine was exquisite so I left it alone, carefully, (!!!!), blue taped, and painted the wood in a layered grey and whitewash. Here is the post I did on mine in case you want to see how it turned out before pulling out your paintbrush. 🙂
http://chelseasgarage.blogspot.com/2013/07/victorian-love.html
Looking forward to seeing what you decide to do!
~Chelsea
I think paint it the wood and have a professional clean the fabric. I think then you could sell it to Miss Mustard Seed. I have a hunch that she loves blue……
🙂
Oh give a try to a good cleaning first! I had great luck cleaning up this vintage couch (http://lively-grace.blogspot.com/2013/07/vintage-couch-phases-12-3you.html) . I knew from the minute I saw it, though, it was a keeper, not a re-sell item. Well, at least for a while, right?
Can’t wait to see what you do with this! Have almost the exact same thing sitting in my garage that I want to strip the wood & recover with something dropcloth-ish for a Restoration Hardware look.
I’d paint it a creamy white, give the upholstery a good cleaning (it looks like its in really good condition) then I’d show it to Miss Mustard Seed it and sell it you her..lol It would fit perfectly in her house!
I would paint it and give it a good cleaning. I selfishly want blue velvet to be in style as I have 2 cane chairs in my dining room with blue velvet on them.
I think painting it and cleaning up the velvet would be great!
Strip wood and clean velvet!
strip or paint, but the blue velvet should definitely stay, gorgeous!
I would partially strip the wood for a weathered look.
And I also found some great finds at Troy Antiques…a gorgeous crystal teardrop lamp and a vintage hanging retro lamp!