One of the very first blog posts I ever wrote was about the wingback chairs I found at a junk shop warehouse in South Carolina back in 2013. I got them for $50 for the pair and I knew that they were diamonds in the rough. Here’s what they originally looked like:
The fabric was yucky and covered in dog hair, but they were solid and had great bones so I knew they had potential. I had them reupholstered in 2013 to a pink that was very fitting for my “Kate Spade” phase. Here’s what they looked like in their second iteration:
photo by Stephanie H Photography in Hawaii in 2019
photo by Sarah Bradshaw in 2013
They’ve been with us through all of our moves (Virginia, Maryland, Kansas, Hawaii, and now back to Virginia) and the pink was fun, but after 9 years I decided it was time for a little “glow up.” My style has evolved a bit over the years and I now crave a more calming palette…probably because life with 3 little kid is crazy and it’s nice to have the backdrop for the craziness be a little more peaceful. It’s hard to believe that these are the same chairs!
photos by Sarah Bradshaw in 2022
The fabric we have now is Perennials performance fabric from Serena and Lily. It required 9 yards per chair (8 of blue, 1 of white) so I made sure to buy the fabric during a good sale. It is easy to clean and is proving to be very durable with kids who often escape the table without having their faces cleaned first. We have the Coastal Blue color for the main chair fabric and the piping is the same performance fabric, but in White. We happen to live where we did back when I had them reupholstered the first time, and I used EC Robinson Upholstery in Alexandria, Virginia again. He did a superb job, as always! Upholstery isn’t cheap, but when you have a piece you love it is often worth the money, especially these days when many furniture companies have shipping delays and prices have risen so much. I’m so happy with these chairs and I love that they continue to be a well used focal point in our home. Wingback chairs are so timeless and will always have a place in decorating!
(The marble chest, screen, coffee table, sofa, and table behind the chair are all thrifted pieces. The pillows on the chairs are from Amazon and unfortunately they aren’t available anymore.)
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