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Home Decorating Furniture Design Dilemma

Help me choose fabric for my dining room chairs, please

Melissa Guinness

4 years ago

I could use some suggestions on what to upholster my 8 antique mahogany Regency style dining room chairs with. I have a couple of fabrics I'm considering, but I keep going back and forth between going bold or staying neutral. I am open to other suggestions, so please post your pictures! The chairs are currently upholstered with an ivory damask. I do not want ivory again. The dining room itself is not a consideration in the choice of fabric as we are currently in a rental home while we look to purchase our new home. TIA!

The damask appears to be reversible - blue on gold

or gold on blue?

Featured Answer

PRO

BeverlyFLADeziner

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Select a fabric that brings out the best in the wood finish so that your chairs don't appear so flat. Additionally, are you adding padding or batting so that there is a slight curve to the top of the seat? Right now the seats appear concave.

If they were my chairs I would cover the seats in Raffia Cloth. You can simply wipe any spills off the straw

You want the Raffia or Madagascar Cloth that has a fabric backing so that it's easier to staple and sew.

https://www.caneandbasket.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=67

http://www.franksupply.com/raffia/supplies.html#raffiafabric

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Comments (11)

PRO
The KEEPING ROOM
4 years ago
Myself I would do a burgundy leather. Would last forever and spills wipe right off. Chairs seats don't take much leather, so it possible to buy a single hide depending on how many seats you have to cover.

Duane Collie
Zalco/bring back Sophie!
4 years ago
I love the colors of the Damask, and the pattern of the brown. I would choose a similar color scheme to the former with he pattern style of the latter. I could not do leather on those beautiful chairs, it would seem incongruous.
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Melissa Guinness
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Hi Beverly! I will be rebuilding the seat interiors. The webbing has stretched and that's why they are sinking. I will likely add horsehair, muslin and then cotton batting before upholstering. I like the idea of the raffia cloth. I suppose I might do that if I was putting them in a coastal home. These chairs are destined for a formal dining room in Maine.
houssaon
4 years ago
I would do a tone on tone damask.
Olychick
4 years ago
The green velvet Beverly posted looks so beautiful with the mahogany. I don't think either of your choices really set off the gorgeous wood - most especially the dark one on the right.

Would you consider other colors?
Elaine Ricci
4 years ago
I'm not a pro, but I also like the green velvet that Beverly posted. I'm partial to green, and it would pair beautifully with that mahogany.

Just a thought, though: As you're still looking for your new home, you might want to consider waiting until you've found it before you decide, as you never know whether you'll find one with a paint or wallpaper color with which you'll want to coordinate.
Melissa Guinness
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Olychick, yes would consider

other colors. Elaine, I would rather love my chairs and change paint and/or wallpaper. It's not likely I will find a dining room that I wouldn't want to change anyway :-)
Melissa Guinness
Original Author
4 years ago
I do quite like the green velvet . . .
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
4 years ago
Raffia chairs in what some might consider a traditional dining room.
Melissa Guinness
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Take a look at these pictures. This is what NOT to do when reupholstering furniture. Someone tried to alleviate the sag by working under the seat. They added new webbing (unstretched) to the interior of the frame using staples! What a disaster! I will have to remove every single staple.

On the plus side, the original straw padding and cotton batting remain. I will reuse the straw and add fresh cotton batting and muslin before upholstering. First I will have to stretch burlap webbing to the frame and top with burlap fabric.

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