Wow, you've made some really great choices with your furniture selections!

I don't by any means dislike your fabric choice for those chairs, but it does somewhat permanently tie you to that color scheme. I was thinking if you used a more crisp, modern blue and white on the white chairs (which look fantastic!), it would look wonderful with the coral now, and you would have more options in the future. And of course blue always fits well into a coastal theme. Does that appeal to you at all?

Yay. I dodged that stapling bullet doing some other tasks and got myself another week to obsess...I am ambivalent about the distressed paint look...The chair came out well, and looks naturally aged, but I dunno...I picked that green & coral chair fabric because it seemed best at relating to and freshening the color on the couches - which seeems in danger of being dowdy. That fabric goes just on chairback inserts, so I am using just a bit of it. I probably shouldn't worry over it and just nail it.

Thank you, bestyears. Price, quality and function/fit have been driving the buys. The style coherence, if any, is pure accident. Trolling the net, I did find this picture... more French and 'decorated' than I like, but seeing colors with "my" couch was helpful.

Since the dining area at the far end has no window, I don't think I'll do turquoise though. I'll likely go with off white like Miss Mustard. But again I am mixed on the whole distressed look... I do like that new nicks & damage is unnoticeable!

I'm thinking maybe to paint in a pale cool color somewhere between blue and aqua and grey. Maybe EK's Gustavian Grey - that works with everything... or like the color in my kitchen above.

Whatever I do, I just have to work this guy in

Wow you have really found some great stuff that relates to that 60's 70's grand dame of Palm Beach... Lilly Pulitzer. I moved to Florida right at the end of the height of those pink, green, salmon and yellow days (not to be confused with the sea foam green, mauve and pink /coral of the eighties that came after) her colors and patterns were brighter and bolder and considered the "privileged ones" colors. You couldn't drive by a golf course and not see men also wearing her inspired prints in their golf pants and shirts. I still say it takes a real man to wear pink, and by that I mean a truly confident man. She is still very famous for her women's shift dresses with their bold patterns and colors and her site is worth a look for color mix and pattern inspiration. It was common in the day to see painted yellow, green or white furniture, some wood mix and pink or coral sofas and chairs or combinations of all in upholstery. Please keep us updated because this looks like a wonderful start to a refreshing change to what's been happening with boring decorating in my parts for a while.

Here is some today fab's

I totally understand working on a tight budget, but don't feel trapped by the color of that couch! You can always slipcover it, either store bought or custom made, and it could be any color or pattern you want.

Could you find a fabric for that chair that has a bit of that blue from the (fabulous!) octopus pillow?

I do like the fabric you chose, but if it doesn't speak to you, if you don't drape it over the chair and swoon about how perfect it's going to be, I'd keep looking.

I totally understand the ambivalence about the chippy worn look. I must have some form of OCD or something, because I just find it so difficult to purposely scrape off the perfectly done paint job I just finished. It's very easy furniture to live with, though, as all of the nicks and scratches and dings of life just add to the look, rather than "ruining" the furniture. A little chippy goes a long way, though.

jterrilyn, can I admit I am old enough to remember Lily Pulitzer's work? I even put this in my inspiration file.

Don't think I am up for that intense vivid pink and green palette though. DH refered to those colors as "violent"... so we'll be dialing/dulling it down a notch or two. I do like the idea of multiple colors.

franksmom, I've been told slipcovers can be done on tufted pieces, but the button dents show. Maybe down the road, when finances are clearer, I'll just trade them out for another pair or reupholster them. I am not minding going with the coral for now - gotta start somewhere. I imagine if I weight the blues and greens more, the coral can be less significant, almost a neutral or an accent. And then if I change the couches later, fine.

And on the chippiness, when I dragged my 'perfectly' aged, waxed, babied chair into class today, the teacher said it should work out fine "and you could even get some paint and touch up these parts here..."

OK. Like I wasn't ambivalent enough...

Oh that is a hoot!

I once bought a wonderful old bright lemon yellow chair that was chippy around the edges. It had horrible upholstry, but I replaced it with an equally bright and cheerful vintage-style fabric. I thought it was perfect! I'm not normally a primary colors kind of girl, but that chair just spoke to me as it was. DH dubbed it "the happy chair." I was so happy with my find, I posted it on a discussion board similar to this, and some well-meaning soul pointed out that the paint was damaged, and did I plan to fix that? *sigh*

Hi Celtic, yea I agree there is such a thing as too much Lilly in a room. I always think of the Cafe Coconut when I think of Lilly, it was an incredibly delicious little cafe down a little cobbled path in one of those seemly secret nooks to discover in Palm Beach. The whole place was a Lilly explosion with big banquets in floral Lilly and another pattern on the walls along with bright table cloths and napkins. It was almost like a smack in the face when entering. Oddly though, once seated and the wonderful food was served it all became magical. Mostly though, IMO Lilly is great in moderation and can do much for creating certain feel and mood. A little Lilly would be tricky as it is an attention hog. One would have to pretend that their "pink" was the todays popular orange just to get a start on it. Still...it is inspiring, haven't thought of those colors in a long while and it does bring back some good memories.

Agree that the Lilly palette would be a committment. Everything would need to be so bright. Or white. Too confining for me.

Since I have the one week reprieve, I have decided to work on the frame of the second chair. Go for a bit lighter/brighter/clearer than the first. I think I overshot the antiquing glazing and that is what is bothering me. Worn = good; dingey, not so much.

I do like the fern-y fabric, but it might be wiser to use an insert that covers coral, green and blue . I'll check around once more for a swoon-able fabric. I just need 2/3 yard, so not a budget buster. I did cut the fern-y fabric at class, but those pieces can evolve into a pair of pillows, so no waste.

Colorwise, I have EK's Gustavian Grey in a room here and I think something close to that pale bluish greenish aquaish greyish chameleon color on the walls would make a good unifying base for the three areas. (The window alcove, living and dining areas are a continuous 30 ft space). The color is close to that in the Frenchie picture with my clone couch above. I think there is enough coral now in the framework: couches in the middle area, chair back inserts and wicker cushions in the alcove at one end, and there is a little coral in the dining room chair fabric at the other end. Maybe a touch more in a small accessory or two. Enough to make it work, but not enough to drive the palette if I change the couches later. Good plan.

DH has been bugging me to pick out some yarns as he's ready to start crocheting throws. I am assigning him a light blue that trends a touch aqua to start. Nice with the wall color.

Appreciate your helping me think this through. Feels like the color plan is coming together. Two years seems like a long time, but there is a LOT of upholstering, sewing, crocheting, artwork and furniture painting/refinishing to do.

Thanks!

Oh yeah! Check out the beach house furniture section.

http://www.cottageandbungalow.com/furniture.html

Perfect! Lots of examples of painted and limed pieces, classic lines, all clean with very little or no distressing. Love it. Wonderful inspiration source for rehabing all my finds.

... of course, one little side table of theirs goes for way more than I have spent total on couches, dining, wicker and some dozen side tables and vanities/desks. Yikes.

Here is a link that might be useful: great coastal furniture looks

Celtic, I'm getting all used furniture together for my sons townhome and am going after a different look. I have only bought one new thing and it was from homego@ds, this side table that I plan on painting. It cost $75, they had some side tables that would work for you as well if you don't find a used one. I don't feel bad about painting it because the finish is crap.

Very interesting table - cool legs. What color are you thinking?

I decided to start buying when I found this odd cutie at Goodwill for $5 in June.

Now the garage is stuffed with many tables $20 and under. Here's my giant heavy pine coffee table - will ceruse or lime or whitewash. May or may not put the lower shelf back on (leaning at the right)

This will be good in a guest bedroom. I like a big bedside table.

Another bedside - this one is mahogany I think and has twisted, tapered legs and a drawer.

And this was my big $30 'splurge'. I love the legs and the drop hardware.

Much work. It's going to be a busy winter...

You have some really nice pieces to start with. It's going to be fun to see how it all evolves.

Wowy! Did you get those wonderful pieces in Florida for that price? I'm on the east coast and there are deals but you really got some good ones.

Well, ladies, thank you for spurring me to look further. I could not find a true geometric in colors that worked, but found an abstract floral - close enough. The back-facing chair inserts will be in the bottom fabric below. And I will redo the chair paint cleaner and closer to white.

This fabric is brighter, clearer and has lots more colors. Not all the way Lilly P, but definitely more colorful. I was troubled over the dullness of both the chair paint and the fabric. Chair fronts remain a solid green with striped piping. Might have to switch out the other floral (top right) for something else on the wicker rocker - maybe not, it is just a cushion.

An aqua blue in both the stripe and the new print makes a wall color like that canvas more workable. Yay. And a major future palette tilt will now be much easier when/if I ditch or recover the couches (left coral fabric). Flexibility = good.

jt, I'm in the midwest. Stuff is cheaper here, but also I'm a dedicated frugalista scrounger...

And franksmom, I can make the octopus pillows pull up any color since I have not made them yet. Here's another inspitration one in a lighter blue and green

Game plan is seeming on a much better track now.

Thanks again!!!

Oh now that fabric has some life, very nice and a perfect half way Lilly. I can't wait to see it all done because I'm excited about you capturing some nostalgic relaxed but casual privileged ole Florida in an updated way (like your pictures above). It's just all going to feel so good!

Love it, and I love the blue and green octopus pillow!!!!

Can't wait to see it.