Mid-Mod Dining Chairs

July 5, 2017 Cate | StyleMutt Home

Not even two weeks into the summer and somehow I managed to get my hands on some Brody mid-century modern dining chairs! Can I get a holla?!?! Except there was only one problem...

They looked like this:

See that splitting vinyl?? Tres tragique! What's worse was even the underside of the chairs had instructions on how to care for the upholstery. Someone had seriously neglected these puppies in a past life...

I motion that they add to the *DON'TS column: "Do not give to frat house or wreckless bachelor" (which is how I got my hands on them).

Since the original vinyl was so SHOT, I had no choice but to replace the fabric. New upholstery challenge accepted!

As is my usual reupholstery MO, I went with a cream linen that really lightened up their silohuettes.

In a perfect world, I would've restored the original fabric. But the seats and the backrests were truly unsalvagable. The back panels, however, where in mint condition so after some jerry-rigging, I found a way to keep them for a two-toned contrast.

The chairs' original swivel chrome bases were in excellent shape as well.

The backrests had some cute keyhole detailing - which I'm not gonna lie, was one of the trickiest parts of the reupholstery project.

But those wishbone keyholes, coincidentally, inspired the unconventional staging wall-art.

And (of course), I couldn't style a chair without my favorite Kilim pillow kid (shhh don't tell the others).

Is it just me or do they look like a chorus line?

Let's practice that high kick ladies.

If you're in the D.C. Metro area and are looking for a set of dining chairs (or even some occasional or desk chairs if that's what you're in to) - hit me up.

Mid-Mod Dining Chairs
Now Available for Sale
$175 each/ $600 for the set

If you are interested in this set or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com.

Milo Baughman Dining Chairs

May 22, 2017 Chelsea | StyleMutt Home

Hi guys! I'm back from the trenches of a two week long virus that wiped out my kids...slowly...and one by one. Talk about long days spent in my bedroom, (the selected 'quarantine room'), sitting with each sickie at a time! It was after the first week that I decided, out of boredom, to jump on Craigslist and browse the pickins in our vast DC metro area. That's when I spotted the chairs that would bring me back to the land of the living!

It was a set of 8 Milo Baughman cane back chairs with black leather seats. The wood was scuffed up on most of the chairs and one had a tear right in the middle of it's backrest. I strapped in my sickie du jour, puke bucket and all, and drove to pick them up beating the next person interested by 5 hours. What a rush!

But so worth it.

Is it obvious how inspired I was by Cate's formerly available mid-century chairs and currently available settee?! These chairs are like the love child of both of those flips. (Don't think too much into that haha!) Anyways, I decided to pull the best six of my set and reserve two to play around with and sell as a pair later. I revived the wood on the set of 6 with oil, cleaned up the leather, and now they're just so devilishly handsome they're breakin' my heart!

Each chair is stamped and tagged underneath as proof of their manufacturing. They are original Milo Baughman for Dillingham chairs and I've found them over and over online between $1,500 and $2,800. I honestly don't know if my hands have ever touched a piece so valuable! I didn't want to change their look, but rather revive them for glory days yet to come.

Milo Baughman Dining Chairs Set of 6
SOLD
Please contact me at chelsea@stylemutthome.com if interested in custom order like them!

Thank you all so much for coming by!

Cane-Backed Settee ||2017 Flip List Item No.5||

May 1, 2017 Cate | StyleMutt Home

This warm weather has been singing my SONG! I'm sitting on our balcony as I write this and am positively loving how sticky my hands feel in the 81 degree humidity. I've been out here for hours sipping wine and working on this next installation in the 2017 Flip List:

Item No.5: Play with Leather

(No not like that)

When I set out to play with leather, I wasn't talking 50 Shades of Grey here (but I dare you to raise your hand if you went there. Jk). I've used leather in projects before (see this 2015 and this 2016 Furniture Flip Bucket List post) but working with leather or a leather-like fabric on a large scale intimidates me. They can be difficult to manipulate but when done properly they are beautiful!

So when I set out to find the perfect material for this project, I ended up coming home with some high-end distressed pleather. As much as I wanted to use real leather, I couldn't find (or even afford for that matter) the amount I needed. But the pleather ended up being a nice way to easy myself into project - and the end result still very beautiful.

When I bought the original bench, it was covered in a very traditional, very unfortunate fabric. And it was infested with cat hair.

I spent more than I normally would on a raw piece I planned to modify, but that cane was in impeccable condition and I really like the clean lines.

If you know me and Chelsea, you know we are always down for a good camel leather. And believe me, I was tempted to recover this baby with a dreamy caramel color. But I was worried it would get lost against the warm wood tone. So I chose black as an edgier alternative. Plus, as Chelsea and I believe, leather is totally a neutral. And black goes with everything. Yes it's a strong contrast and a tad masculine in color scheme but it is still balanced by it's inherently feminine details!

The dainty cane allows the piece to "breathe" as Chelsea would say and not feel like a heavy item in the room.

Each corner of the frame even has a little antique brass floral nail head.

This project was also a level up in my upholstery game because this was my first time using piping - which ended up being easier than I thought I'm happy to say!