Monday 23 August 2010

Shabby or too shabby.... that is the question....


Continuing with my chair obsession at the moment, I bought this one with the idea of re-painting it in an off-white/ old white, grey....my kind of colour....

However, the more I looked at it, the more I came to the conclusion that it was in fact..... quite OK.

Even the distressed blue had a Chalon style kitchen look about it.....





Do I add a cushion made with old french linen and toile for more shabbiness...or....



Should I get "with it" and make a trendy, flowery cushion from Cath Kidston Fabric......



What do you think?


Julie x

14 comments:

  1. The chair is gorgeous! I do love worn surfaces, particularly peeling paint!! I think the toile looks great, I'm finding CK a bit too generic now, whereas as the toile is a classic..

    Tamzin X

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the chair. I think it needs a soft and faded look in the cushions to set it off. CK might be a bit too vibrant?
    Thanks for your comment - sympathies regarding your Dad, it's hard isn't it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the chair it can never be too shabby for me but customers are a different thing altogether aren't they- wanting something that's old but isn't, which is why I guess CK is so popular!
    It looks like one of those "stylists own" pieces!
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. CK - it's such a cliché but some new fabric from say Vanessa Arbuthnott would be a lovely interesting foil for the imperfections of the chair.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have one almost exactly the same. It's my favourite. I would keep it as it is - it's a real treasure. Is it pale blue? Even more precious.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It look great as is & I think a nice soft "washed & worn" fabric cushion would suit it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Julie, I love this chair, the colour the very flakey paint everything... very pretty cushion too. What a find - lucky you.
    Nickyx

    ReplyDelete
  8. definately not too shabby...I love it! Lucyxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. aaargh - my comment just vanished!! I love the chair, and I would make a cushion with old fabric - or even just put a folded multi-coloured crochet blanket on it

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dont paint the chair perfect just the way it is, i think a bit of faded toile would be great as a cushion, Could I ask you a favour , dont think i will make it to the fair on the 30th, and i wonder if you could look out for me a fox terrier on wheels plastic loike Martha . there a photo of one in a old post of mine, as I am DESPERATE for one!!! Bestest wishes,Linda x

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh my goodness - thank you Vintage Heart and thank you, you! We thought it was the 29th ie we just assumed it was on a Sunday. I am still working on stuff, ie 50's style boudoir little cushions and then tonight I had a couple more ideas. I cannot believe we were going to turn up on the Sunday - AAARRRGGGHHHHH. By the way love the chair especially with an old faded fabric, I also love the soft hues of Vanessa Arbuthnott, I love to go into our local fabric place and look at her book.........I am off to bed now, hubby is already in bed reading wait till I tell him about our 'nearly' mishap!! See you MONDAY!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Every ding and scrape tells a story.. best left alone I would say. It's lovely in all of it's shabbiness.

    Michele

    ReplyDelete
  13. I don't care to be different to everyone else's view but tho I like shabby I don't think this chair is shabby, I think it looks ratty and knackered. :O)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the chair as it is. I do love the distressed look but sometimes wonder what my grandmother would say!! Probably, she'd think we'd all gone mad!

    I definitely prefer the more muted choice of cushion - or something quite smart, but not Cath. I find her styles a bit pseudo-retro, whereas the chair is the real thing!

    Having said that, I know she has many devoted fans. Loads of my friends love her and they can't all be wrong!

    ReplyDelete