Department of What On Earth Were They Thinking?

[akirlu]

When reupholstering an old piece of furniture, it's generally a good idea to stick with a similar fabric, in terms of type, weave, and pattern, to what was on it in the first place. At the very least, if you are reupholstering an old piece of furniture, pick a fabric that won't be horribly dated in two years, and fits within the design idiom and era of the piece you are reupholstering.

If you're going to break these guidelines, you'd better have bombproof good taste. As an object lesson to the unwary, here's what happens if you don't. WARNING: THIS LINK CONTAINS VIOLENT STYLE CONFLICTS AND STRONG CLASHES. IT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR OUR MORE SENSITIVE READERS.

Comments

[kate-schaefer.livejournal.com]

Right. Those should be upholstered in maroon velvet with a somewhat scratchy pile.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

I think they would have been mohair originally. Which, come to think of it, looks and feels like velvet with a somewhat scratchy pile. But yeah, dark jewel tones and solid colors, for sure. It's such a pity, too, because it looks like it was a quality reupholstering job, and it all needs to be done over.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Speak of the devil.

[athenais.livejournal.com]

Oh my eyes! I haven't seen anything that hideous since the 90s.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's funny how obviously 90s it is now. I'm embarrassed to admit, I might even have liked that fabric, in the abstract, at the time. I like to think, however, that I would never have paired it with that couch and chair...

[prettymuchpeggy.livejournal.com]

Could it be more floral and flat looking? Yikes!

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's interesting the way the camouflage-like qualities of the floral almost completely disguise / undermine the interesting shapes of the channel-back shape of the furniture.

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever laughed out loud at a couch before! It probably looked lovely and quite clever when it was done :-(

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Yes, as I said to Lucy, I fear I might have liked that fabric at the time, though I hope I would never have put it with that furniture. Though I have recently spotted a worse offender -- same basic 40s late deco lines, reupholstered in a gigantic tartan pattern. Auuuuuugh!