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Trash To Treasure

Wrought Iron Chair Backs? What Can I Do With Them?

18 years ago

Picked these up from the curb. They are so twisted and broken but I LOVE the backs of them! Any suggestions for what I could use them for? TIA

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Comments (10)

bostonpat_gw
18 years ago
Those are cool! I don't see the broken part - is there any way you can still use them as a chair/stool? It seems you can attach a piece of plywood, cover the plywood with foam and fabric.....

or how about one of them holding a basin for a bird bath and have some flowering vine go up the legs....

or the back would make a nice window grille

or solder some brackets to the back (assuming you can separate it from the rest of the chair) and have a nice shelf.

I'll have to think on this - nice find!
shysue
18 years ago
Those are great! Too bad you can't fix them to make them chairs again. I just came from the Garden Junk site, so I think I would have to incorporate them into my garden/yard somehow. Whatever you decide to do with them, be sure to show us pics of the end results.
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I agree with all of you: they're definitely Hollywood Regency. And I should recharacterize my own style, which is probably better said to be "*in* transition" rather than transitional. (: I do like clean-lined pieces, and our DR set is very Mission; the adjacent LR combines Mission and Art Deco; and our bedroom, where these chairs would go, is your basic Recovering Graduate Student/Random Wedding Present room. So funky/eclectic would fit in just fine there. And there's just something about these chairs... The room is a long rectangle. The half without windows is for the bed (not a bed per se, but rather mattresses on a metal frame) and the dressers, which are mismatched yard sale finds. On the other side of the room, I'd like to create a sitting/reading area next to the windows, with a gorgeous view of the mountains (by far the nicest thing about the room!). We got a red and tan handloomed Peruvian folk-art rug for our wedding, and that's what we'll use to set off the seating area. Also on that side of the room, framing one window, are some slender dark walnut modern-styled bookcases. And then the part I'd like to replace: a heinously ugly loveseat that a friend gave us, also on that side of the room. I'd much rather find some reading chairs and an ottoman than a loveseat anyway; the room's not that big, and the loveseat makes it a pain to open and close the curtains and shades. I agree these chairs don't look too comfortable, so they're probably not my ideal reading chairs. But they'd be good for draping the bathrobe or pulling into the LR for extra seating. I love the idea of velvet, and maybe even the box-pleated skirt -- hadn't thought of that, cool idea, thank you! I agree that they're great in a pattern, but I don't want lots of patterns clashing in my bedroom, I don't think. What would you think of a tan velvet on the back and the bottom of the seat, and then the top, round seat cushion in something like this: Here is a link that might be useful: I'd use this pillow cover to reupholster the seat...
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lydia1959
18 years ago
I think I'd paint the chairs some fun caribbean colors and put pots of colorful geraniums or something similar on them and make a little arrangement in your yard. If you really only like the backs.. they might make a nice border for a flower bed?
craftylady-2006
18 years ago
Ohhhhhhhhhh my, those are very lovely. What a great find, I'm jealous. I like the idea of putting a piece of plywood on the seat part and using them for plant stands in your garden areas. That would be really pretty. Either paint them or not, they're still going to look fantastic.

Sal
sharon_fl
18 years ago
I'm with Lydia! They'd be so cute painted in sherbert colors. I'd probably find a way to affix a colorful ceramic tile to the seat area & place a piece of pottery in a deeper shade of each color of the painted chair & place ivy geraniums in them or asparagus fern-(light & airy). It might be kind of cute to wire a glass
bead in the center of each of the holes in the backs of each chair. These would be nice in a garden or on either side of your door -even on a porch or patio.Nice find!
texasfern
18 years ago
Some kind of birdbath comes to mind. The birds would love to perch on the backs!
Carol_from_ny
18 years ago
How many do you have?
des_arc_ya_ya
Original Author
18 years ago
I have three. Thanks for all the ideas. I may try and put plants on them after I paint them. A couple of them have very twisted, messed up legs on them so they can't be used as chairs. They'd sure hold up a plant, though! Why didn't I think of that!?
Carol_from_ny
18 years ago
I'd make a triangle with the three chairs, having the backs touch each other a on two sides. Wire them together put a planter on each seat and one in the center you just created with the backs and wire or use the center for a bird bath.use a plastic saucer for the bath.
kudzukween
18 years ago
Pretty!! How about a table base out of the one that seems kinda straight? Buy one of those rounds that goes on the decorator table if you don't already have one,or cut a piece of plywood, then mosaic it or paint it. And maybe screw the chair backs onto a board for some shelves for inside or outside, or onto some other chairs for new chair backs:) Whatever you do, they're very sweet looking.

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