Looks like someone has a new favorite spot.
Freshly painted fabric, smart boy.
I have had this sofa/settee for about 7 years. I lent it to an artist friend when he was here, then it went into storage. Then it came to a shed. Then it went into the gallery.
And now, it's gotten a makeover.
You see, I love old fabric, and often gasp when people paint their fabric. But in person, the fabric below just seemed dingy and out of place in all my rooms…
The wood was super dry, and it really needed an overhaul.
I didn't want to have it re-upholstered.
So, on the 4th of July I decided that very soon, I was going to paint it.
I did it in a couple of hours last Thursday.
I have painted fabric chairs and such many times, so I wasn't afraid to just slather paint on this piece.
The after, looks like this…
I wasn't careful, or proper or cautious.
I wasn't going for a particular look. I just was simply sick of the old fabric.
I am pleasantly surprised at the painted fabric.
Here is an up-close photo below.
It is firm, but in a good way.
When you sit on it, it feels good and pliable.
And, bonus, it wipes up paw prints with windex and a paper towel.
It sort of feels like, leather or pleather or oil cloth.
But more leather than plastic.
(It was so hard for me not to doodle and sketch on the fresh white)
Once (18 years ago), I painted a bunch of kitchen seats in fabric paint. It worked great, and when I got sick of that look, I used plain old acrylic.
So, I tried it again on the sofa.
I covered the wood in blue tape first.
Then –
I took a paint brush and #987 Wicker White acrylic paint by Folk Art, and squirted it all over the sofa fabric. Then I just slathered it all around with my brush.
Once that had dried, I used my go to house paint for a second coat. I only did this because I was out of the Folk Art paint, and didn't feel like going out to buy more.
The latex house paint worked great.
This is the same paint that is on my floors and walls all over the country house.
It is Benjamin Moore Regal, in Super White, N310 02.
I use it in my house in satin or pearl on the walls, and glossy on the floors.
It worked great as a second coat on the sofa.
I used the little gold tube of #707 Rich Gold hue by Daler-Rowney on the wood.
I didn't fully cover the wood with gold, but instead brushed a thin coat all over. This took away the dry wood feel.
So, that's that.
We are happy 🙂
Keep in mind…
There are lots of tips all over the internet for painting fabric, including using Delta Ceramcoat Textile medium, which I have used before. It allows for a softer feel, and dries flexible.
Here is a wonderful example online, you must see. Although, I sorta love the fabric before, in that delicious sea foam green. But it does look great painted too. The gal did an amazing job.
So, that's the topic of painted fabric for the day.
As for garden chatter…
The dahlia flowers are waking up.
Last year I planted one tuber and loved it all summer.
So this year, I ordered 8 more tubers from Holland, and planted them in very early spring.
This week, they are blooming.
The super tall one in the photo below is last year's gal. I protected the ground where she was planted over winter by putting a metal ring around where the tuber was planted, and then put foil over that, which stayed in place all winter.
It worked, the tallest dinner-plate dahlia is back with a vengeance, hooray!
And, it has a bevy of new friends too.
Below is the one I planted last year, today.
The blooms get a little bigger over summer.
Just amazing isn't it?
Plant, water, voila…
I put them in bottles and gave them to my neighbor.
What's the point in growing them if you don't share them, I say.
We have also had some delicious fresh eats the last few days.
More pesto.
Green beans…
A little olive oil, garlic, beans, heat, balsamic, salt, cook, eat – yumm!
The good news, I have crawled in tomato vines, and no horrid relapse.
(I also ate some garden parsley, nada, fine as can be, hooray!)
I am extra enjoying the garden, and have taken back all my garden chores over the last couple weeks, so Lovee can do other things.
The tiny tomatoes are so delicious.
I was always a tomato hater.
Hated tomato sauce, tomato everything.
That is until a few years ago I started growing my own tomatoes.
The flavor floored me.
These below taste like tomato soup.
I collect a few for dinner every night.
A little basil, a little arugula…
Pesto and french bread, and fresh tomatoes off the vine, oh my!
I also made an experimental dish below, which is now a fave.
I never use recipes, just a dash of this and that.
Using a dutch on the stove, I put in olive oil, chopped raw chicken, and sweet onions.
If you put in garlic and onions before your chicken or vegetables you get a heavier smokier taste, I find at least.
So, in this case, pop your onions and chicken in at the same time, for a lighter flavor.
After the chicken was half-way cooked, I put in some chopped mushrooms.
(And of course, season to your liking)
While the chicken was cooking, I made farfalle pasta, a coated it with pesto after it was cooked and drained.
Once the chicken was cooked, I put in chopped arugula from the garden, tossed and turned off the flame, and closed the lid.
As I served each plate I first put in the pesto pasta, then some chicken mixture on top, and sprinkled fresh cherry tomatoes (halved, on that).
And, there you have it.
Experimental cooking with me.
It was sooooo ridiculously good, and I don't usually like pasta.
Okay, have so much to do.
Monday.
Do you love Monday?
I am not sure how I feel about Monday.
🙂
Looove, V
ps: For pointless fun, we should try to name all the songs that have the word Monday in them…
Hey Former Tomato Hater–
Oh!!! I’m the first commenter. I think. I’ve never done that before….so exciting.
The couch painting turned out GREAT! Gorgeous piece of furniture, too. The woodwork is nice.
I like that you put a ruler in with the dahlias…I didn’t get how big they were.
Oh—and your idea of ‘a little garlic’ is like mine–mince a whole head, practically.
Your sofa turned out great, Vanessa! It looks like a brand new piece. It must be comfortable if the fur baby thinks it’s a good spot to lie down!
Your garden dishes are making my taste buds sing. I have been pretending I’m on one of those cooking challenge shows…gathering what I have from the garden and the fridge and creating!
but, no tomatoes yet…our garden was besieged with flea beetles…uggh! horrible little beasts! but I believe we have rounded the bend and the garden is growing!
always a joy! visiting you my dear!
x..x
Love the sofa! I never knew you could paint fabric! Will have to consider that for any redecorating projects! And those flowers are gorgeous. Send some my way?
Hope everything is going great! (Honestly, I have passionate feelings about Monday. Mostly negative feelings. I have been trying to fix that…but hey? Who DOESN’T hate Monday? Poor Monday.) 🙂
For some reason Manic Monday popped in my head….not sure if its the name of a song or just a line…’its my fun day’….what song IS that…..a Madonna song??? Hmmmmm….
Waaaaah! I want to be your neighbor! treats AND flowers in vases (and Laura’s neighbor too since they make homemade wine)
The dahlias next to the cactus are surreal……
and I never get jealous but I’m kind of a little over that pile of basil 😉
p.s. your sofa turned out g o r g e o u s
Oh how I wish I could live in a place like yours right now. The short swedish summer is raining away. My beans havent got a single flower yet and it should be the peak of the summer 🙁 And I have to look forward to another rainy week. Buhu…. I’ve seen this tip about painting sofas and furniture before. It looks fabulous and sound fabulous!
Deb, its the bangles!!!! ;))
Nope I DON’T LOVE MONDAY! LOL! Not with this mad new office job I have begun. Just the first day of 5 longgggg painful ones. How I’d love to be home, in the garden, in the trees, painting, dreaming, singing. Stuck in the land of mundane.
What a genius thought, painting the fabric. I have to admit, I wasn’t overly keen on the fabric that was on the sofa originally. It looks amazing white! Great job Vanessa. And great green thumb, those flowers look so beautiful.
Garlic doesn’t kill vampires, haha! Love, V 😉
Oh terrible flea beetles! You know what Miss Stephanie, I have oodles of marigolds, and they make me think of you, for some reason???
Foraging for dinner is the bestest! xoxo
nice job on the couch
Jenn, a new mad office job!!!? OH MY!!! I hope it is fun and fab and you enjoy to bits 🙂
I love Mondays! I think because it’s a start to the new week with all the possibilities! Love your sofa and sweet puppy…and those gorgeous flowers! Hugs!
I’m back from vacation and the first thing I wanted to do was read all your posts. The green beans! The garlic! Yum! Thanks to one of your posts, I’m growing brussel sprouts this year and the stalk is sprouting little babies. So exciting!
Wow! Beautiful job on the sofa. Oooooh, do you think you will eventually give in to the urge to doodle and sketch on it? I LOVE that it’s easily cleanable.
Those dahlias are gorgeous, and it is so sweet of you to share some with a neighbor! Your garden goodies are once again impressive. Oh, and we got a cantaloupe out of our wee little garden today!
Will it date me too much if I tell you the Monday song I’m thinking of is one I remember from way back in the 70’s? I used to love The Carpenters, and I can hear “Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down” in my head right now. : )
Of course there is ‘Monday, Monday…Can’t trust that Day’ The Mama’s and the Papa’s.
Love what you did to your vintage couch! Totally Victorian make-over.
And your dahlias are so glorious with the tones and shading in the colors! God is amazing!
Your chicken pasta dish with the tomatoes, garlic, onions and herbs looks divine. Delish!
I am brain-storming as what to do for the Mad Tea Party…I know it will be here before we know it! Eeeeks!!!
I must say that this post makes my mouth water. The sofa is beautiful and your dinner looked so delicious.
Just for fun, Stormy Monday Blues by the Allman Brothers: http://youtu.be/1gDhR1R3S0s
I never cared for Mondays…until I retired 🙂
The couch looks great…and so does dinner. I have dahlias in the flower boxes on my front porch. I never thought about planting them as perennials as our winters can be brutal
Thank you oooodles Miss Linda 😉
Wow that sofa looks gorgeous, what a fabulous idea. I would never have thought to try that. I shall look at antique shop finds in a different light now….
Sis, first of all, I am totally stealing that couch the next time I come to see you. Douglas and I can sneak it out in now time! It looks fantastic. I think those chairs you painted like forever ago are still holding up nicely, too.
Secondly, those dahlias are gorgeous! Isn’t there a county fair you can submit some of your flowers and veggies into? You got some prize worthy items there!
Songs about Monday: “Blue Monday” by New Order; “New Moon on Monday” by Duran Duran; “Manic Monday” by the Bangles; “Monday Monday” by the Mamas and the Papas. I kind of like Mondays; I am able to get back into work (teaching) and stitching before my energy fizzles out when we get to Friday.
I love how it came out because it looks almost like it’s linen….the sofa itself is amazing and I think it really stands out more with the new paint.
I painted my bar stools and a LR side chair and used latex house paint, it does feel almost like leather and I, too, use windex on it. On the living room side chair I used gesso first to cover the pattern but probably didn’t need to. I tried it on the matching chair but that one was a heavy chenille and no matter what I did it just sucked up the paint and came out horrible. That one I may have to get reupholstered. Painting furniture is fun, you did a great job!
XOXO
How do you get your dahlias to stand upright on their own? I have a yellow dinnerplate dahlie, and just as soon as they get big and heavy, flop! I have to cut the stems so short to even get them to stand in a bottle. Any advice?
Tiff, I dont know??? I have not have that happen, yet
🙂 But my sunflowers, that is another story, flopping over
:)))
My mouth is sooooooo watering right now, yum!!!!
I could easily be a pesto-a-holic give the chance. :o)
Your couch turned out great! Its like a whole new piece of furniture, wow!
Have a great day.
Always, Queenie
Vanessa….you are a brave, brave girl. I would be so afraid to paint cloth like that. It looks spectacular! I have re-upholstered many a chair in my life. I even re-upholstered an entire couch by myself a few years ago…but I’ve never painted fabric!
Those dahlias are crazy gorgeous! I love the colors. They look like dessert….something delicious! Although, I’m sure they wouldn’t taste as yummy as they look.
Hey…if you have a spare moment, would you be a doll and see if you can leave a comment on my blog? I finally put up a new blog post and used a new template. I’m hoping that takes care of my “comment leaving situation”.
xoxo
Kim
Gerushia’s New World
P.S. There is a package on the way to you right this very minute. Probably receive it tomorrow. 🙂
Kimcakes, did is work??? Oh, I love that you are back blogging,
hoooray hoooray!!
Yay!!! Yes, it worked. I’m so happy. I hope it continues. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I missed blogging so much.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
xoxo
Kim
Oh how I love your blog! Your Dahlias are flower fireworks and your chicken pasta dish is just the dinner inspiration this tired mama needed. Thank you!
Clever clever you to have painted that sofa, it looks amazing! And Dahlia gorgeousness too. Emalina x
Oh my Vanessa dear! This is awesome!!! i would have not dared to paint a sofa with latex paint!
the sofa turned out great. Wow, never would have thought to paint fabric.
Dahlias are so pretty.
I love tomatoes. We’ve had many from the garden. I must try your non-recipe.
We finally got some rain:) maybe now we won’t shrivel up and blow away:)
I think those dahlias are way beyond beautiful!
Did anybody mention Boomtown Rats’ “I Don’t Like Mondays”? (Later covered brilliantly by Tori Amos)
Brilliant, Miss Vanessa! I hadn’t heard of painting the upholstery on furniture before! Your sofa turned out so bright and fresh!! And I would have had a hard time not doodling on it too! Your dahlias are so gorgeous! I did not think I much cared for them, but yours may have changed my mind. So lovely! And we will have to try your chicken, pasta and tomato dish. It has most of our favorite things in it!!!
Biggest hugs to you,
Betty
Oh wow! What a great makeover – and puppy approved, I see. 🙂 You did a fabulous job, Vanessa! I love dahlias – we always plant dahliettas – dwarf versions of the full size flower. Still just as pretty. Fresh green beans are one of my favorites – I just adore them. Our plants are doing sooo well – can’t wait to get some in salads, pastas and sauteed with olive oil, and salt and pepper. Yum! Monday songs – How about Manic Monday by the Bangles? 🙂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQoijFax5Ic
I’m starving!! Fresh tomatoes are one of my favorite things and then you add all the other goodies and it’s divine. The dahlias are absolutely gorgeous. Love the sofa too ~ turned out great.
xo
Pat
I have not been around, so I will just cut and paste a few Monday songs for you:
1. Rainy Monday ~ Shiny Toy Guns
2. Monday ~ Wilco
3. Monday, Monday ~ Mommas & Poppas
4. Manic Monday ~ The Bangles (and Relient K)
5. Come Monday ~ Jimmy Buffet
6. Permanent Monday ~ Jordin Sparks
7. Monday, Monday, Monday ~ Tegan & Sara
8. Monday Morning ~ Fleetwood Mac
9. Blue Monday – New Order
10. Rainy Days & Mondays – Carpenters
I don’t Like Mondays – Boomtown Rats
Monday Morning 5:19 – Rialto
Fell In Love on Monday – Fats Domino
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Hello! Gorgeous couch!!
Just wondering why you selected semi-gloss paint versus flat paint? We’re moving to our first home (yay!) and I want to upcycle my fabric Ikea Klippan couch into a deep purple beauty but nervous about the type of paint to use.
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