Finally I started painting my tiered table! This is just what it looks like at the first step. I still need to do some more work on it (distressing, glazing, etc.) but I thought I'd give you a sneak peek!Sunday I went to Calico Corners to look for fabric for the bergere chair (click here). When I walked in there was a whole wall of blue and yellow fabrics....it took my breath away! I found some samples to take home and the sales clerk told me that they do upholstery there. She worked up a quote for me....do you know how much they want to upholster my $35 chair? $910.00 I could not believe that! I could buy a couple chairs for that price! The fabric was only $15 a yard so most of that was labor. Get this...they wanted to charge me $60 to pick it up and bring it back to my house! The store is 1.4 miles away from my home! They strongly suggest you not bring it in yourself...well yeah...when they can make that much profit on it I can see why! The upholstery guy I found on Craigslist said he will charge me $175 plus fabric and I think he said it will be about 4 yards of fabric so for him to do it will be $235. I've seen samples of his work and he's good! Not a bad price but I'm thinking of doing it myself! I haven't decided for sure...I may be getting in over my head. I just bought this book below yesterday and it has really detailed instructions. Worst case I screw it up and use the material to make pillows! I'm leaning towards white paint and light blue linen fabric. My sofa will be slip-covered (hopefully sometime soon) in white...I'm so ready to cover up that navy fabric!
Whoa! $910 is outrageous! That's as much, if not more, than I paid Calico Corners to slipcover my whole sofa and you'd think there would be more labor involved in slipcovers (sewing vs. stapling). $235 seems much more reasonable.
ReplyDeleteYour table is lookin' purdy!
Cindy, I still have that free chair I got at the thrift store a few months ago sitting in my library, waiting for me to get up enough nerve to ask for an estimate. Now that I hear yours, ouch! I may be looking for that book, too...Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeletexoxo,
mary
Oh, and the three tiered table looks beautiful!
Oh Cindy, I've been dying to see how that table turned out and I am not suprised - it looks beautiful!!! You have such a nack for turning things in to treasures :)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Dena
They sure do what they can to earn money. It's unbelievable that people ever pay such a prize for it. I'm not sure if I would do the work myself, but then I know I am a coward lol.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great evening.
Love Elzie
Beautiful table. I can't wait to see it when you are all done, but it looks great already. WOW $910.00 it is so amazing to me how much simple things cost.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed Thanksgiving
ginger
HI Cindy,
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago I decided that I could reupholster a wing chair. I found beautiful fabric and my husband and I went about tackling the job. Now I know why they charge so much. It was gorgeous in the end, but it took soooo much time since we didn't have a clue what we were doing and had to stop and figure everything out. We could only work on it a few hours at a time before we were too frustrated. My recommendation...pay the upholster guy. It will save you so many headaches. some things are just worth paying for.
Cindy-I bought a very similar chair from a garage sale for $25 and bought fabric from C.C. also but took it to a guy in my neighborhood. I think I paid around $200 plus the fabric. For apprx $250 I got a gorgeous chair. Spend the money have it done professionally. Especially if you pay full price for the fabric. The chair is a classic and you'll have it for a long time.
ReplyDeleteThe table looks great so far!!
ReplyDeleteThat is insane for the chair. I would try it myself.
Good Luck,
Rosemary
Thanks for the peek at the table. Can't wait to see close up photos when it's completely finished. I think I'd have the person from Craig's list redo the chair for you. That's a much more reasonable price. Hope you and your family have a nice Thanksgiving....
ReplyDeleteOK, with a second look at the table, have you ever considered doing a shabby chic mosaic on the tops? I can just picture this done with some vintage china. Of course, I have a hard time with the thought of breaking perfectly pretty plates. Just a thought....
ReplyDeleteWell, I knew it was really, REALLY expensive to have someone reupholster something. I have 2 little club chairs and an ottoman that I want recovered so bad but....waaay too expensive. Guess I need to learn to upsholster!!
ReplyDeleteYour little table is lookin' good.
bj
Cindy,
ReplyDeleteWow, that is an outragious price! I would spend the money and have the guy on Craigslist do it. Like someone said, you will have a gorgeous piece in the end. the table looks beautiful, just like we all knew it would be. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Hi, Cindy! The table is coming along beautifully...I've been wanting to see it!
ReplyDeleteWhat type of glaze will you use? I have been looking for a good glaze to go on some of my "whites" and could use a recommendation or two!
Thanks...have a wonderful, warm Thanksgiving!
miss_k_p@yahoo.com
Wow, $910?? Are they kidding? I'd try it myself first. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. P.S. I love your bird plates. Michelle
ReplyDeleteThat's an awful lot of money for a bargain find!!!
ReplyDeleteThe table looks great, can't wait to see the chair when it's finished (at a much better price!)
Hi Cindy
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited about your chair! Being an upholsterer myself I have to say forget Calico Corners They are Outrageous! The other guy you talked to is much more in tune with reality. As for tackling it yourself... what about taking a class at a local community college? I teach upholstery at my local C.C. and I have people say all the time that now they see why it costs so much. It is very labor intensive. However if you do try it by yourself and you need any tips I would be happy to help in any way. That is a real beauty. Good Luck!!
Wow $910 for reupholstery jobs. I guess they are covering the store's overhead, their employee's salary, the sub-contractor who will do the job. . . etc.
ReplyDeleteI would pay the guy in your area to do it for $235 and cut out all that overhead. I wouldn't recommend trying it yourself. It's too time consuming. . . and when you are done, they usually look like "we did it ourselves!" Save the money from then having to have it redone and have it done correctly the first time. Some things are just better done professionally. . . upholstery is one of them.
Blessings,
Sher
Okay, $910 is clearly insane. $250-$350 sounds about right. And I suggest you seriously consider having it done. Everyone has their things they like/don't like to do, but upholstery is one of those things that can go horribly awry if you don't know what you're doing (and even if you do!). And this is coming from a person who has fully ripped out walls, rewired, replumbed, laid tile and sewn slipcovers. Upholstery? I'm leaving that to the pros. Can't wait to see how it turns out!
ReplyDelete~Angela :-)
Wow! Try it yourself! It will be a great experience and very fulfilling! Thank you for visiting my blog regularly! Regarding your garage sale chandelier, I say go for it! Of course, you have a lot on your plate currently with your great $35 chair! I would LOVE to be on your list of blogs (she asked humbly!) You're on mine! Cindy
ReplyDeleteI won't even get into the upholstery debate, but I do just love walking into Calico Corners and dreaming about the fabric. I haven't been in a couple of years, maybe it is time. Or it would be if the darn traffic wasn't so bad for the next month!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving,
Janet
The upholstery guys price seems reasonable. I've had slipcovers made and my guy charges about 30-40 a yard for labor. I always supply the cloth. If you pay the upholstery guy to do the work, you have to figure that you would have at least a $1500 chair for $235.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking about that table, the other day, and was getting ready to post about it. It looks great! Isn't it fun when something looks like a million bucks and you paid pennies.
~elaine~
Love the table Cindy. I think at those prices I would try and upholster the chair myself too!
ReplyDeleteAlison
Just lovely! Great job!
ReplyDeleteYour table looks great. With the cost of upholstery, just think of the money you could make if you learned how to do it yourself. It is hard, but from the looks of all your beautiful projects, you just might be really good at it and could take on custom projects for others and make some extra money. What ever you decide will be beautiful, the chair is so fabulous!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving Cindy!!
ReplyDeleteI say, I bet you can re-uphoslter that chair yourself beautifully!
Give it a go!!
All the best,
Linda
xox
Cindy,
ReplyDeleteLove all the chairs you posted, they are just beautiful! My favorite is the toile with check - LOVELY!
Rose @ Classic Charm
Your table is wonderful.... I bought a tier table ....not nearly as pretty as yours....
ReplyDeleteI agree with your many talents... I know you could re do the chair.... money can be a great motivator to do things your self... $910 ... whats the matter with those folks...
$910! That's insane. Try it yourself. I know you'll do a fabulous job. My friend just had cornice boards made for $2,000. I was gonna offer to make them but I thought I had better not in case she hated them and might be too polite to say anything. Well, they did a horrible job on them and they are remaking them. I really could have done much better.
ReplyDeleteHappy turkey day!
Nan
It really look good....though it really expensive...
ReplyDelete