Beautiful chairs from skip - what to do?

[palminnie1]

my twin and i dug out three fab kitchen type chairs. A sort of deep blonde wood and very hard wood too.
it had a cottage style carved centre back batton and beautifully turned legs.
How do you start process of making these shine?
I know i want plum striped padded seating, maybe but not much else at present.
all suggestions for this greatly appreciated.
these are like the old trad chairs with a bit of a difference.

[junkista]

i'd love to see a picture so i can give my tuppence worth..great buzz from finding an old thing that you can give life to!!! warning! its addictive!

[TillyL]

Well done on your 'skip find'. These chairs look like they might be oak. Clean the wood with very fine steel wool dipped regularly in white spirit. Then wash off and rub with boiled linseed oil and when this is dry, shine it off with lint free cloths. The timber can be rubbed regularly and this will just give a nice soft sheen. Good luck.]

[unapam]

OMG - they are gorgeous! No matter what you do with them they will turn out lovely. Can't wait to see the finished result.

[BCD]

the chairs are lovely..Its a crying shame the beautiful things people just dis guard..They are so quaint looking..Have fun doing them up and as Unapam said they'll turn out lovely no matter what ya do with them..good luck,

[palminnie1]

www.junkmarketstyle.com

Please answer my questions after viewing the site i found on the net!
would i be destroying if i go down this 'paint/fun' route, rather than sand down and wax or varnish?

I always wanted 'funk' after seeing what one person on the 'before and after' forum did to a sofa! orange and flowers on the trim!
and of course the chair another found in a skip all slashed seat et al, and put a plastic oil cloth, fab green, agin the backdrop of flowery material.
i wonder what you have to say on this, i dont want to destroy them, but i am an artist by profession or rather WAS one in a past life.
what think ye?
ann
oh on that same day thrawl, twin found a fab wooden gate and more strong wood to make extra panels to put at side of her house, two wee childrens plastic chairs, some vases, sherry glasses, watering can.
she had wood left over and is now constructing a pergola.
she has discovered the power of a power drill!

[Gormal]

I think they would look fab painted with some really funky material. It really depends what you would like, since you're the one who's going to live with them.
I really liked the chair on that site with the butterflies, although I would have preferred less up the back of the chair.
Can wait to see what you decide.

[palminnie1]

someone said to me today that these look like 'arts and crafts' chairs and i would be Cotton wool MAD to paint them up, boohoo, i am so sad, i want to be MAD.
does anyone know their 'arts and crafts' all opinions welcome on this before i set the brush on them.
x

[palminnie1]

I pulled three chairs from a skip, but someone told me not to funk them up as they are too good and might be from the 'arts and crafts' period, anyone here an expert on these sort of things?
would really love opinion before i butcher them with funki beauty.
see 'beautiful chairs pulled from skip - photos added.
thanks in anticipation.
palminnie 1

[cascais]

hi palminnie,

these are gorgeous ! congrats on a truely great find.
i am no expert though but they definitely look valuable.
did you call an auction room or two to see if they could value them for you ? i think they offer this type of service, send a pic and they'll tell you how much it's worth type thing...

i would personnally go for the traditionnal sand and varnish route and nice seating refurb , but i guess this is totally up to you, it depends if you like brown furniture and if you would like this type of furniture in the house i guess (everyone's different)
at the end of the day, you will be the one using them, so you will be looking at them every day...

good luck with the project !
cascais

[okidoki]

Originally Posted by palminnie1

my twin and i dug out three fab kitchen type chairs. A sort of deep blonde wood and very hard wood too.
it had a cottage style carved centre back batton and beautifully turned legs.
How do you start process of making these shine?
I know i want plum striped padded seating, maybe but not much else at present.
all suggestions for this greatly appreciated.
these are like the old trad chairs with a bit of a difference.

I cannot believe someone would dump these - I would clean them down and recover with a similar strip seat, they are fabulous even as they are!

[noni]

Hi, If you are going to paint them you could go for the "shabby chic" look,
paint them white or cream with emulsion paint then rub off lightly before it dries
the paint stays on the crevices on the legs and on the lovely design on the top of the chairs. Just an idea!

[jenniferalan]

I agree, I think a sand and varnish would be perfect

[palminnie1]

i have sent pics to a firm in manchester from the site mentioned here, but no answer as to what they might think, still holding out to see what answers i get on their make and origin before i do anything with them.
xx for now.
ann

[palminnie1]

Hi,
didnt get a reply from that place in manchester, have to do sommut fast with these chairs, they lookin a bit sad in their present state!
xpalminnie1