I would do the other chair a solid black with gold trimming. I think you call it trimming, I don't sew or upholster.

This is what I am talking about (the red chair)is solid red with tan trim. Although, I know your chair is a totally different style, I think it would hot. And I wouldn't paint the wood, it might look too phoney.

.....Jane

{{!gwi}}

Considering how much fabric you'd need to match that plaid in any attractive way, I'd go for solid colors and use the plaid for pillows (piping could be nice, but really limiting.)

I think pale yellow for seat cushions would get dirty very quickly and I don't think brocade screams modern.

newdawn1895....I like your room. Arranged well! Piping! How about in the plaid with a solid black seat.....this is an idea. I like it!
ideefixe.....No brocade. Thanks! and yes, I'll have enough left over for plaid pillows! Another great idea!

These two chairs, while similar, are not exatly alike. Unless you plan to add a seat cushion to one to match the other or remove the seat cushion of the other to match the one without, then I wouldn't worry about an exact match. Use your plaid on one and find a coordinating fabric for the other.

Pris......I think removing the seat cushion is actually a good idea! It takes less fabric and is less upholstery work on my part. :0) Yes, I'm serious. I'm trying to make them look as much like a pair as possble. The front legs are different also. But the height of the arms,back, width of the chair....all the same. I also misspelled dopplinger...

I'm not brainstorming well today...........needed someone elses viewpoint. I've been removing staples all morning, must kill brain cells! I appreciate the insite your all providing.

The style reminds me of these winged slipper chairs Kirstie Alley used...it's a stretch huh...?

Here is a link that might be useful: Winged slipper chairs........

Pretty, pretty chairs and fabric!

I like the plaid for the body, solid black for the seats, pull the tan color out of your plaid, use that color as a contrasting piping on your black seat. As far as painting the wood black, I think it could look attractive .. but I just got done doing the same thing to a set of chairs, so I'm probably biased. ;)

Actually, it is doppelganger with an umlaut (two dots) over the 'a'. :)

Love the plaid. Also, I wouldn't be afraid of painting the wood if you want to make these more modern. I have seen pictures of some very old chairs repainted in quite bright colors with modern upholstery that look amazing.

black or tan with the plaid piping. and very cool chairs!

zipdee.....I did LOVE your chair transformation! It was very clever to mix the green with the black honeycomb.

zipdee, cyn427, cooperbailey....I'm glad U all like the plaid. It's better in person, when I complete this project I'll post better pics. :0)

Now I have some direction, I'll go shopping for the seat fabric.

I love the plaid~i've found that plaid, like stripes, is something you either love or hate.

I like the idea of using it for welting and pillows, or even doing a portion of the chair w/the plaid, and another portion in a solid~another look you either love or hate.

I have a valances in my kitchen eating area with a very similar plaid~colors are gold, black and tan. ;o)

Here is a link that might be useful: ebony valance

If you have enough fabric, I would do the outsides of both chairs in the plaid, and then have a small lumbar pillow for each in the plaid as well. I would also use the plaid to make piping and covered buttons to put in the pleats in the inside backs of the chairs. I would not use the plaid for the inside back, where the pleating will distort the plaid. There I would find a companion fabric- perhaps a small print like this:

brougham ebony

Feeling courageous, you could use a small black and tan animal print, which might give you the more modern feel you want.

I definitely would paint the wood on both chairs in a high gloss black.

les917.....that fabric is PERFECT!!!! I've been doing searches and hadn't pulled that one up yet. Geeze!!! I think together those two ROCK! I do have enough to do the chair backs, but you don't think I should? Now I'm torn, I just love this plaid fabric.......love is a hard thing to ignore. :0) I want to roll in it. Ya know. :0) I would have more left over for pillows. :0) I'm dying to paint the wood high gloss black. Zipdee had great success with that look. I recall someone here had 2 bergere chairs with black painted wood in their master suite.

I'm about at the point where I can start cutting fabric.

Great finds! I love the plaid fabric paired with the fabric les suggested. If you reread her posting, she said not to put the plaid on the INSIDE back which I agree with. I would however, put it on the bottom front--below the cushion. I'd keep a bottom cushion on each. If you do opt for plaid piping, it'd look best cut on the diagonal; however, it'd also use quite a bit of the fabric.

I have that fabric on my kitchen chairs and love it! I shoulda thought of it!

Doppelgänger. The two chairs are different despite their similarities. I think if you upholster them in an identical way it will serve to highlight the differences rather than make them look like a "set". Since you want a more contemporary look I would do them slightly different using the same fabrics in both. (I love the fabric Les found!) Maybe even keep one with cushion, and one without, like they are now.

I would not paint the wood. I think the natural wood seems richer than painted in that style, and you are not going for a Shabby Chic look with the upholstery so don't paint them. With all that black in the fabric painting the wood black might be overkill and make them look flat and uninteresting. Of course this might depend on the overall decor in the room....Do you already have a lot of painted pieces? Or a lot of natural pieces?

dilly_dally.....dark wood end tables. I need to refinish the wood, so I can take them a shade darker to match? Black paint just sounded quick and easy, new, since I have no other painted pieces in my home.

I also LOVE the fabric les found. A little pattern is very COOL!

Love black wing chairs--I would do one totally black like these cool modern chairs. The designer is Nicole Hollis. I agree with Les--paint the arms high gloss black! Wish I could find two wing chairs on CL for $5....been searching.
{{!gwi}}From Misc photos

What a great bargain. I think they would look good painted, like you suggest. What about a leopard print for the backs of the chairs and then use the plaid for the fronts, with a little leopard pillow for each one and a couple to throw on your couch. Well that is what I would do...but I love leopard print and that would really match your plaid and chocolate couch. :-)

firsthouse_mp...... :0) I LOVE the picture you posted!!!

vampiressrn....yep, we have great buys & free stuff on our CL! DH vetoed any animal prints for the house. :0)

Progress report: I purchased the fabric Les showed me. The wood needs to be stained or painted...today....I still can't decide????

I vote stain and can't wait to see the finished products!

i would darken stain as first choice but just love love love the plaid and think it might really look cool with the high gloss black too. I honestly would TRY the darker stain first....can I find that plaid anywhere???

oopsie913....I found the plaid fabric locally, end of the bolt @ $1yd, but cooperbailey says she has it also. Plaid is plentiful right now at fabric stores. :0) I LOVE it too!!!