Tuft-Backed Suede Bench

The closer we get to the big day this weekend {June 7th}, the more I feel like we are no longer prepping for a garage sale.  It feels more like we are getting ready for a Furniture Debutante Ball.  For 2 months we have been coaching our thrift store finds into high-class, respectable pieces.  We've been taking their raw potential and honing them into something special.  And this Saturday, ladies and gentlemen, will be their BIG DEBUT to the public - and you're all invited!

When I found this bench, {my final sneak-peek installment until the sale!}, it looked more like adud than a debutante. The seat was crudely recovered in some sort of vinyl indicative of a 1950's motor home or a run-down diner and didn't quite match the bench back's fabric.  Now I love hole-in-the-wall places to eat, but the one thing I do not like is peeling my legs off the vinyl seat at the end of my greasy meal.  So, I had another re-upholstery project on my hands.

The lines of the piece are what caught my eye: mid-century modern with handsome tufted buttons.  But a closer look revealed that someone had tried to hold on to this piece for as long as they could. I removed the vinyl seat fabric to discover that the previous owner had tried to bandage it, literally bandage it {with gauze}, when the original tweed-patterned cloth ripped.  When the wound wasn't healing, they must have realized duct tape was a better plan and added that over top.  And when that plan went awry, they found a fabric that almost matched the original and used it to crudely recover the seat cushion.

But now... after weeks of repeating wear the crown, be the crown, you are the crown... we had ourselves a budding socialite!

If you didn't know this already, Chelsea and I love herringbone.  Check it out here,  here, and most recently here.  I chose a herringbone suede to recover the bench.  

Snuggly tucked-in corners.

And get this: it has brass feet!  {My Fave}

I dropped off my pieces for sale set-up at Chelsea's yesterday and I defy you to find me a cuter garage! Chelsea and Matt have once again expertly transformed the space into the classiest little showroom.  Get ready folks: we are getting ALLLLLL dressed up for this one!

This piece and many many other fabulous re-made finds are available for sale THIS weekend! 

Hope to see you there!

~Cate

This post was published under Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt.