I have never seen one with a fabric seat either, but I think you could make it fun and for $20, I would give it a whirl. It is sort of quirky and I like quirky. Now, if you aren't sure you like it, skip it.

I DO like it, but am having an awful time trying to find one like it. Guess I just need to go see it in person and see if it speaks to me.

I would grab it while tossing my $20 bucks and run. Great extra chair in the living room or bedroom/guest room.. or even closet for putting on shoes.

I did a search for "stuffed seat Windsor chairs" and found that there are some originals with padded seats. Not cushions, but leather or fabric pads with decorative nails/brads, usually stuffed with horsehair.

Whatever the age, it's a great deal, and I know you could work magic on it! :)

allison! I LOVE that reply! I'm trying to think what I'd do on the seat..not being able to fins one like it for inspiration is a bit puzzling. What would allison do????

This was one:

This post was edited by Miz_M on Sat, Jun 15, 13 at 11:26

You probably know this site, but if not, it's good for reference. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Antique Chairs

Thanks so much! Believe it or not, I had not been to that site, but I've book marked it. I can see that the example you posted has springs in its seat, so is similar, and I could certainly do a fabric or leather with nail heads. I think I'll make a short trip to go see 'Ed' this afternoon.

The chair Miz M posted is pretty, but not comfortable. I'm a sucker for nail heads.

I would pull up the saggy bottom (of course) and finish the top with a box cushion similar to what is there. If it gets too small in depth or too soft, the front wooden rail (leg to leg, across the front) will hurt the thighs within no time. Probably a small patterned fabric, used for piping too. Something not too busy/big to not fight with great chair detailing.

Are you going to paint or restore? You're things always turn out great, so I can't wait to see this one.

Until I see it, I won't know whether I'll re-finish or paint. I have hundreds of beautiful fabrics, and I lay them across any chair that I'm doing to see which one looks right.

I finished the second CL stool using this Winterthur Museum collection fabric by Kravet (eBay!) I used Kaufmann Colburn check for the welt. I still have plenty of both, but do you feel it's too busy? I could do a self welt instead. If you have a fabric type in mind, feel free to post an example below! I also have some small checked fabrics coming.

It's a bit busy for that chair, and it's square.

A nice sailing print would look good for a chair with NE roots.

No, love that fabric. That's not a repeat fabric, a larger repeat (to my eyes) would become too busy. Although I like that fabric combo, if it were my chair, I'd want to self welt.

Are you keeping all this you redo, or selling things now?

I love that chair...it's not that old because it has the rebars.
It could be done with either way- cushion or build up the seat with hard foam and padding, and use nailheads. Either way it would look beautiful.

It is always a good idea to re-string the coils.
Have you thought about a leather seat with the nailheads?

Yes, I agree that the welting isn't helping. I'd use black cording with that print, to frame it. Wonderful fabric!

Thank-you, ladies, I really appreciate your opinions!

Joann, I did think about leather with nail heads, til Allison mentioned it may not be comfortable. I can easily do a self-welt cushion with any fabric or as bronwynsmom suggested, a solid color. It's funny those who have seen it in person love the check welt, which has the same colors as found in the fabric.

If I am able to get the chair, I'll lay this equestrian fabric over it first to see if the pattern fits well in the seat, and if not, I'll look at some other choices.

Allison, I am selling some pieces and have had very good luck, In fact, I just shipped out the 'twins', two of these that I did alike to our own KSWL in GA, last night. I made each a small pillow using the salvage edge from the grain sack as a flap. That red stripe pillow fabric is not as bright as it appears in the photo. I have also had success in a shop here in Maine, and two shop owners have asked me to re-do an antique French settee and a wooden bench for them.

That's great! You could do it full time, IMO, if you wanted too.

Oh, Allison, I wish I could! Maybe when I retire a few years down the road, but it's a hobby that makes me very happy. I just love to find an old 'something' and bring it back to usefulness and looking good. Your compliment means the world to me.

I'm guessing that chair is '20s or '30s, from the style of the turnings and the arms.

Hmmm, you're in Maine, right? I'm not that far from you. Let me know if you decide to sell it on!

Chibimimi - yes, I am in southern Maine near Portland. Once see it in an hour or so, if It looks good I'll buy it, and we'll see what I come up with! Where are you?

my3dogs, I'm in southwestern New Hampshire.

I know nothing about what antiques are what but absolutely loved the lines on that chair. I have seen what you can do and think it would be stunning after your make over.

I love that chair and think you should buy it. I agree with all other posters. Your work is amazing and I have no doubt you will perform your magic on that chair.

The English horse fabric is not too busy. On the chair, I would go with a solid (black?) welting. I do love the check welt on the stool
but there is enough going on with that beautifully crafted chair, as is.

I'm back! I bought the chair above, and he has a rocker JUST like it which I pointed out to him. I only have a sedan, so the rocker stayed there, but I can always go back. The tan fabric that we saw in the original pic was pinned over this fabric below, which I just cannot 'see' on this style chair. The chair is walnut and has beautiful lines, IMO.

I also got this oak bench which I think I may strip and do in faux zebra with nail heads, just because I've always wanted to do something like that! Just getting off the old shiny finish will help a lot.

AND, my eyes spied this - an old small adult or child's wicker chair with NO defects at all. I'll make a seat cushion for it and perhaps just a tie-on back cushion. $25!

Oh my! What lovely deals! Wish I lived in your area. Nothing like that ever comes up around here. Or, if it does, they want a mint for it.

I think I would already be on my way back to get the rocker!

You *need* a bigger vehicle! What a haul! Can't wait to see what you do with each.

My3, I saw that ad this morning and I thought that chair had your name on it! I like it. Can't wait to see it after you're finished with it. Nice wicker chair too!

Lisa (Bungalow)!

If you still have that picture of what I bought from YOU, post it!

Young friend Jimmy and I will be picking it up probably early next week. His SUV comes in very handy - the stuff he's hauled for me in it. He's a great guy and he even bought me a chair at Goodwill last week! $5.00 and I guarantee, that despite what it looks like now, I am going to make it look as good as it can be. I'll likely paint it, as that bit of old finish I took off on the left 'ear' came off very hard. The carvings on the top are done by hand.

Nice finds! Look forward to seeing what you do with them.

I just love seeing your work, and I can't wait to see this chair finished!

Wow! I love everything you got. The chair is stunning!!! You are so talented and I am looking forward to seeing what you do with these! You go girl!

Even a mongrel would be Best In Show after you finished with it.

I deleted the photo a few days ago. You'll have to take a "before". I should have kept it though. The fabric on the cushion always made me smile. I am 90% certain that in the 70s my mom had a short sleeve pantsuit made from the same fabric. :)

What nice words to wake up to on a Monday morning!

Lisa, if I was a coffee drinker, that comment would have been one of the 'sprayed coffee all over the keyboard' ones! WHAT A RIOT!

I did start on the little bench this weekend. I used Minwax Refinisher to get that DARK shiny finish off. Under the faux leather top, there were 4 layers of various fabrics over the years. It looks like they just tacked a new layer on when the current one got filthy. UGH!

I changed my mind about the zebra print. I tried several fabrics, and despite these awful pics, this Charles Faudree for Vervain silk was my favorite, so far. It's just wrapped around the seat cushion right now for me to check it out. The brown in the fabric, and that in the walnut (not oak as first thought, though inner supports are oak) just compliment each other beautifully. I'll do a welt to join the frame and the seat. I put foam and batting in the seat to replace the flattened straw that was in there! I may stain the frame again (English Chestnut) and then put a coat of tung oil on it.

Wow -- that fabric looks great on the bench! And the wood is looking absolutely beautiful.

My3d, love seeing your work... do you mind sharing what you use to refinish the wood? I have a mahogany nightstand I picked up and I love how you transformed the wood on the bench. TIA

Hi, arapaho, and thank-you!

I use either Formby's Furniture Refinisher or Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher, with 0000 steel wool. They are very similar products to me, which melt the old finish off. I don't sand after, so the patina of age (I think) is still there.

Both are messy, and this is NOT my favorite part of the project, but I will say when that first bit of gunky, usually very dark finish comes off and reveals the wood - now THAT is fun. Wear heavy gloves as the disposable ones quickly tear.

I see that neither product has outstanding reviews on Amazon, but if used correctly, they do the job, although it does require elbow grease. I have some old enamel ware plates, and I pour the product into one, and dip the steel wool in that. Then I scrub the piece, and the steel wool gets gunky from the old finish.

DON'T try to save money on steel wool or the refinisher by continuing to use the old dirty steel wool. Get a new piece of steel wool and some pour some clean refinisher and keep going. I use the other plate to put the used steel wool in.

A small piece like that bench used up half of my quart can, but what you see above doesn't even have any tung oil finish on it, which is what I use on these old things I re-do. You see that the scratched areas on the horizontal top band just get blended in, and almost disappear.

Chibimimi, thanks! I do love that fabric with the wood, but consulted my buddy in Chicago, Chijim, who posts here at times and showed him several other others, and asked his opinion. This was one of 6 fabrics that I laid over the top, and Jim was struck as I was by how it really looks great with the wood. It'll wear better than the silk, also. Not everyone's taste, but fun! And MUCH better than the 4 layers of fabric that I found under the faux leather top, shown below this pic.
The 2 oldest are tapestry types on the right, followed by 2 layers of very thin cotton, topped by the faux leather. It was like peeling an onion and each layer had slightly different nails holding it in place!

Here is a link that might be useful: Minwax 67300 Antique Furniture Refinisher, 1 Quart

Thanks so much. You are the expert and whatever project you take on turns out to be a masterpiece, Please keep posting... I am totally fascinated by the transformations as I am sure so many others are.

mythreedogs, your finished chair is wonderful! I can't wait to see what you do with your new find. I love the detail on it.

Enjoyed looking at your beautiful work. Wish I had this gift!