Beautiful.....you are so lucky, and nice that it has family history. I love the red toile that you picked out, and if it was my set, I would replace the foam too, since you're going to re-upholster the chairs.

Can't wait to see the after pics!

You canâÂÂt know about replacing the foam until you actually take off the covers. If the foam is bad, for sure replace it, as long as you are doing the seats.

I would be sure about the size of the repeat of the design - you donâÂÂt want it so large that you donâÂÂt get more than one little section of the design on the seat.

When you take off the seats, consider finding a way to cut out the needlepoint centers with as much fabric around them as possible, and have those framed. One of each color would make a lovely series on a wall, especially if you had them framed in round or oval frames.

How nice to have the furniture to enjoy and appreciate. I am sure she would be pleased.

That one seat looks like it's in good shape. Did you consider getting new/used needlepoint seat covers just for the chairs that need it?

I found horsehair under my old DR chair seats and I kept it there with a little foam or batting (I don't know what the upholsterer used) on top.

les, good point about the repeat. I'll have to play around a bit with the fabric to see. I bought everything that was left on the bolt, so I should have plenty. I love the idea of framing the needlepoint flowers and maybe displaying them above the buffet.

2 of the chairs actually had already been recovered(in fabric that matched her LR wingbacks) at some point. The remaining 4 chairs all have at least some damage in at least one corner. She loved cats and I guess cats loved the burlap-y type fabric.

jamies, do you have any ideas on where I could find new needlepoint seat covers? DH would love for them to have new needlepoint seats, but I told him I certainly wouldn't be sitting with an embroidery hoop.

I love the DR set. Of course, I have one almost identical so that may be affecting my opinion! Just out of curiousity, if you peek in the back of the china cabinet - is it stamped Drexel Travis Court? But, nevertheless... I just love Les' idea of salvaging the needlepoint fabrics for framing. Gorgeous and sentimental to boot. Just don't throw those babies away, you may want to frame them down the road.

I would definately suggest adding additional foam and if you can have them professionally done, with piping and shaping and all. I personally don't like when dining chairs are simply stapled to the bottom. You can always see the pull marks and they don't have the finished look you can get when they are done right. Tons if instructions on the internet. IMHO of course.

Check on Etsy...I found quite a few but they weren't matching. Also check ebay and ask at a local sewing/craft store in your area...there is probably someone that does this kind of work. good luck...the set is really beautiful. c

Ebay has some, at $45 a piece.

You might consider using a tapestry or a chenille tapestry instead, or a crewel fabric. It isnâÂÂt the same look as needlepoint, of course, but gives that rich texture and traditional feel. Try Housefabrics.com to see some very pretty things.

I've seen new ones in upholstery shops and on ebay, and old ones on ebay and in antique shops. I think the chairs will look good with either toile or needlepoint, but the substantial weight of the needlepoint seat is a nice look on a vintage set sometimes.

When I made the suggestion I didn't realize all the seats had to be recovered, and I thought getting a couple of needlepoints might save you some work. I'm always interested in finding the less work option.

lynn, the china cabinet already has all of my china in it, so no moving it, but the buffet which only has candles, napkins, and tablecloths in it is stamped with:
Lot 759
Pat No 8168
Ashley Court Group

Eek! $45 apiece is definitely too much with Christmas around the corner. (Santa will be bringing an xbox for DS2 and a new laptop for DS1.) It looks like I'm sticking with the toile, which I do love the look of.

I think that is the same toile I have for my LR curtains. I LOVE it!! For $4/ yard you can cheaply recover those chairs and they will be beautiful. Then, you can save for professional recovering with needlepoint down the road if that's what you want to do. I love those needlepoint seats too.

You can have the needlepoint seats mounted into trays, as the tops of boxes, or just framed with ribbons or something as pillows.

They can be salvaged as seats by appliquéing them onto fresh background canvases, and working a new background or part of a background.

Needlepoint is easy because you only have to learn one stitch - basketweave.

What a great inheritance and what a great find in the china cabinet! It was worth eating T'giving at a card table while you waited for that great furniture.

I agree with Les, see if you can save the needlework and reuse or repurpose it somewhere. It is a great craft.

I love the toile you picked! I just redid some free chairs I got on craigslist with a cream and green toile that looks great in my dining room.

Oh that is such a lovely set with a lovely history. I'm glad people mentioned saving that needlepoint because that was the very first thought I had as well.

What joy you will have entertaining!

And I love that toile as well.

Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement, everyone! I'm on the search for the right frames for the needlepoint pieces. I think they'll look great on the wall above the buffet. I like the idea of round or oval frames, so that'll take some looking. DH could make rectangular ones on his router table.

Not one to let grass grow under my feet, I tackled one of the chairs already. The chairs didn't have any foam, just some batting stuff that kindof pulled apart when I took the seat cover off.

1 down, 5 to go.

I'm so thrilled for you to have received this lovely dining room set. I purchased a similar set myself and recovered the chairs (also myself). I noticed you started your chairs, but wanted to give you a suggestion anyway. In addition to replacing the foam, I covered them with batting as well. While these old chairs are lovely, they tend to be a bit hard on the bottom. I find mine are so much more comfortable with the new foam and batting.

Also, another suggestion is to scotchguard the chair fabric. It's best to do before covering, but imagine you can do after as well.

Here is mine:

New foam and batting:

Old batting which I discarded:

Lastly, this is also very good time not only to use RAF on all of the chairs, but check all the joints to make sure they are secure. If not, you can glue and clamp them. It takes longer to do it this way, but in the end, you will be so glad you did.

Great tips, valinsv! I used the batting, too, but didn't think about cleaning and RAF-ing the frame before putting the seat back on. Great idea! I still have 5 more to go, so I'll make sure and do that on the rest.

Your furniture is absolutely lovely and I love the fabric you've chosen for the chairs. As much as I love needlepoint for certain things I have a feeling it might give your furniture a rather old-fashioned feel which would be a real shame.

I wanted to mention two things that have to do with your furniture and room, if you don't mind. The first is that I've read that glass on wood is not a good idea because it doesn't allow the wood to breathe and the wood will be harmed. This might be something you'd want to check out.

The second is your carpet which, frankly, doesn't quite do justice to the gorgeous furniture you have now. Something like a richly colored Oriental rug which is large enough to accommodate chairs when they're pulled away from the table would give you a really gorgeous look. There are probably some good sale rugs to be had now or you can look at other sources such as Craig's list. I hope I haven't offended you by straying off the subject and mentioning this. Congratulations on acquiring such beautiful dining room furniture.

Reading your post gave me a lump in my throat. What a beautiful story and so apropos for this time of year! Thank you for sharing this with us. I love the fabric you chose, too. Happy holidays! xo

ingrid, I'll have to google about the glass on wood thing, although DH says it's been on there for as long as he can remember so at least the late '70s. I'm not one to get my feelings hurt easily and encourage the helpful critiques. I agree that a new rug should be on the top of my keep-an-eye-out list.

rmkitchen, I really think that DH's great aunt was there watching out for all of us. Disclaimer: People who don't believe in an afterlife can skip this story. My SIL bid on her bible at auction and just couldn't afford the several hundred dollars that it went for. When they went back to the house to load up the furniture that had been bequeathed, she found the family bible with the whole lineage marked down. The lawyer said to go ahead and take it, since anything that hadn't gone to auction would just be tossed to ready the house for sale. There were a couple more of those instances where something that was outbid for at auction, had a more meaningful duplicate item magically appear at the house.

How lucky to have received this from your aunt. The carvings on the back of the chairs are beautiful.I have a similar set- although no carvings or needlepoint- and it is wonderfully made furniture. Enjoy!