Ten Ways to make a “Granny Chair” Look Hip

I was at a client’s home last week and she had a very “granny looking” victorian chair,  a family heirloom, that she wished to update.  Her home is an old world Italianesque home with lovely antiques and furnishings. She surprised me by choosing this fun tangerine very now looking trellis pattern for the chair.  She asked me what I thought and I said absolutely! That chair covered in a heavy fabric of the period would look dated and uninteresting. When I received notice from Fabricut of a new line by World-renowned Belgian artist and sculptor, Isabelle de Borchgrave , it got me thinking about statement chairs.

Using these types of fabrics  can bring new life to an antique chair.  It is similar to going gray. You need to dress a little more fashionably (maybe even a little edgy).  If you have bleached blond hair,  too much plastic surgery and  wear a motorcycle jacket you look hard.  If your hair is gray, you still have your figure, and wear a motorcycle jacket you look hip.

Here are some examples of how a granny chair can look FABULOUS!!
Vintage corner chair via One Kings Lane upholstered in Peter Dunham’s Kashmir Paisley (one of my all time favs)



Imagine this lovely chair with a simple period fabric…not nearly as fun!


via twill textiles

The combination of floral and stripes on this chair make it anything but granny

tonicliving.com
A little more tame but just as much fun…

via chairybombs on etsy
This chair at a desk in a teenage girls room would be fabulous.

http://reasonstobreathe.tumblr.com/post/635572605
This would make a fun office chair in an otherwise tame environ

via etsy
What could be better than a group of chairs recovered in a John Robshaw fabric? Do you love his fabrics as much as I?

My client had this little french style chair upholstered in a drab fabric (sorry no before photos).  I suggested a gray wash to lighten it up and my client did it herself.  We had it upholstered it in Tanzania  from Fabricut (no longer available).

Here is a company called chairloom that takes Ebay & Craiglist finds and turns them into FABULOUS!!

via chairloom
I have seen chairs similar to this in second hand stores and I always imagine them in a haunted house.  This animal skin takes it from goth to fun
via 1st dibs
Do you have a vintage chair in your home that you have refurbished in a unique way? I would love to hear about them.