Black and White Bergere Chair

My last project was reupholstering a Bergere Chair.  I guess I have been watching too many Nate Berkus shows.  He always talks about thrift store shopping.  I always thought shopping at a thrift store meant welfare.  Sorry if I have offended anyone.  But, watching the Nate Berkus Show I see there is more than clothes in these stores

One day I was all set to go to a local Salvation Army to look for a chair.  I went in with the notion I wouldn't find anything.  I walked past all the clothes and found myself in the furniture areas.  As I looked straight ahead what do I see.  Yes, the exact type of chair I was looking for.  Here she is before the "facelift".

After several hours over the course of 2-3 days, I think I took out hundreds of staples.  Not easy on the hands.  I sanded the chair down several times.  Then I primed the chair with two coats of primer.

Then came the black satin paint.  I loved it as soon I put the first coat on.

After the chair was dried I applied two coats of poly on it.  Let me say this is a project I honestly thought what the hell was I doing.  I had never sewn double-welt cording before.  I remember sitting in the living room with the fabric rolled out thinking how in the world amy I going to make the pattern flow once the chair is completed.  Oiy, my head was spinning.  Then on night it came to me.  I knew how I was going to do it.  I got up the next morning, rolled the fabric back out and got to cutting.  I stared with the pieces that I had to staple down.  How much could I screw that up, I thought.  I bought new foam for the cushions, layed that down and stared stapling.  Once I had the first piece stapled I knew I liked it.  My confidence went from "what the hell was I doing" to "yes, I can do this."  I managed to figure out the double-welts and the piping.  With all that hard work behind me I can honestly say I loved how my chair came out.  I am currently looking for another one.

My modern Black & White Bergere Chair.