'F' for Fabric Dining Room Pets

Paint & Fabric Instead of Wallpaper?

I hated the blue upholstery on the new dining room chairs (I’m just not a big fan of the color). I peeked underneath and saw green, so I decided to take off the blue fabric. I figured the fabric underneath would either be gross and need to be recovered (which would be fine), or it would be in good condition, having only been covered up for a change of color. Luckily it was in pretty good shape.

Old Upholstery

I rolled up the orange rug that was in the dining room and in it’s place I put the rug I’d been using in the living room. It’s not my favorite, but it’s neutral. It’s a pretty close match for the couch color, so it does bring a little continuity between the two rooms (like the orange rug and chair did).

The New Dining Room Set

One armchair is still blue because Mabel’s always sleeping on it and she looks so content I don’t want to move her. Kili is on another chair in that photo – in fact, there’s a cat on at least one of the chairs approximately 82% of the time.

I’ve been looking into upholstery weight fabric, and I’ve found some great options. I love Amy Butler’s Primrose Lime from her Nigella line:

Amy Butler’s Primrose Lime Fabric

Maybe with a table runner made out of her coordinating Ritzy Stripe?

Amy Butler’s Ritzy Stripe Fabric

Anna Maria Horner also has some great fabric that will be coming out soon:

Anna Maria Horner’s Drawing Room Fabric

Then of course, there’s Tantsu and Satula, both by Marimekko. Oh, how I love them. I wrote a haiku about them last year.

Tantsu:
Marimekko Tantsu Fabric

Satula:
Marimekko Satula Fabric

I ordered a yard of Satula, and I love it even more in person. So… I’m thinking of using paint and fabric instead of wallpaper for the dining room.

The chevron wallpaper from Romo would have been “the one”, had I decided to keep the west elm table. The chunky, squared off lines of the parsons table offset the graphic zing of the zigzags. The new table and chairs are beautiful, but not with that wallpaper.

I thinking of putting the large (huge!) scale Satula fabric in the back of the hutch. I could cover some luaun, or maybe just use little thumbtacks. I’d paint the walls a somewhat dark olivey/brown color, and then make curtains out of Tantsu. I can always use the curtains in another room if the right wallpaper comes along.

Fabrics & Paint for the Dining Room

Of course, this would also work with any of the other fabrics too. And I don’t mind recovering the seats if the green doesn’t work out.

Thoughts?

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  • Deborah
    February 29, 2008 at 6:20 pm

    Have you seen Heather Baily’s new fabric from Free Sprit? Loverly as well.
    Although the ones you’ve selected might be heavier weight therfore be able to be made into numerouse new creations if you tire of them as curtains etc?! They are beautiful!

  • Sues is not Martha
    February 29, 2008 at 6:25 pm

    Wow, I’m a big fan of these dabrics. I love the Primrose Lime…and the Satula. But I especially love that last one. What a fabulous idea :)

    Sues

  • April
    February 29, 2008 at 8:57 pm

    How difficult is it to upholster furniture? Upholster…that’s such a weird word looking at it typed out. :)

  • Lili
    February 29, 2008 at 10:10 pm

    There is also new fabric from Joel Dewberry:
    http://www.joeldewberry.com/GinsengIndex.html
    (i really love the yellow/grey combo)

    And Denyse Schmitt:
    http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=403
    (I cant wait to buy a bunch of the pink/brown/red polka dot in the lower right)

    My only thought are the Amy and Anna are both decor weight fabrics, so they might be more durable?

    Also, it would personally drive me crazy if the Tantsu didnt line up well on the chairs and little bits of the next shape showed on the edge? you know what i mean?

  • AshleyL.
    February 29, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    ooooh i like your choice of patterns! :)

  • Kelly
    March 1, 2008 at 2:37 am

    I do miss the orange though. :(
    but it looks good!

  • Toi
    March 1, 2008 at 8:07 am

    I think that you are too good at this, and there are too many good choices here to pick from! The fabric that you choose is really pretty and I like the paint colors that you have picked. I can’t wait to see the finished room. I’m off to paint my bathroom now.

  • Carolina Eclectic
    March 1, 2008 at 3:43 pm

    I can’t decide which paper I like best, they are all great.
    I accidentally wound up at your blog, and I love it!

  • Danish girl
    March 2, 2008 at 6:53 am

    Wow, Lili – that Ginseng fabric from Joel Dewberry is AMAZING! Can’t get it in Denmark, though. :-(

  • pve design
    March 2, 2008 at 4:09 pm

    Good things come to those who wait, this all looks so much more the “you” in making it lovely. Love the playful spirit and that it is not too grown up if you know what I mean. Amy Butler, I could pick blindfolded and be pleased as punch. Love her style and her colors.
    Cannot wait to see what comes next! Pink ceiling? Pink sky at night sailors delight…..

  • Making it Lovely » Blog Archive » Rearranging the Dining Room Hutch
    March 5, 2008 at 11:15 am

    […] with something else… I’m not sure yet. I have some of the Amy Butler fabric that I posted here on the way, and there are still lots of other fabrics I’m considering. I do like the idea of […]

  • Cara
    March 6, 2008 at 7:37 pm

    I have a secret stash of marimekko fabrics, tantsu being one of them (same colourway). Buying them without a project in mind has kept me from cutting into them in the last 4 years. One day!!

  • Kristen Hodges
    May 13, 2008 at 6:28 am

    Love the blog! Nice to find a blog along the way that happens to be another fellow Chicagoland artist. I’m new to the area – do you have a suggestion for where I can find Joel Dewberry fabrics, all or most of his collection? I’m trying to make some photo albums for my Etsy shop. I’m up in Great Lakes. Thanks and Good Luck on your “lovely” blog and shop!! Linking you up on my site.

  • Making it Lovely
    May 13, 2008 at 9:22 am

    Hi Kristen, and thanks!

    I always order my fabric online (Purl Soho and Sew Mama Sew are two of my favorites).

  • Oceanside Upholstery
    October 21, 2008 at 3:11 pm

    You did such a great job on this…I’m thinking about doing the same type of thing, but with blue accents.

  • Cathy
    September 7, 2011 at 9:55 am

    Is the Primrose lime avaialble anywhere? Do they make it in wallpaper? Id love to find it. Thanks for your blog. :)