Some people are sensitive to using fur to upholster with, and rightfully so.I know for myself, I cannot think about anything else for days if I have seen a video on animal torture. Just to say, I tread on this topic cautiously, because I don't want to ever see any animal abused for the senseless greed of nice things. During the decadent 1850's, womens fashions styles were often very heavy featuring ornate designs which were often made tortoiseshell. The intricate natural designs of these turtles made them the choice material for ladies hair combs. During that time, these turtles almost went extinct just because the natural pattern of these creatures looked nice in the hair and as accessories. You can see the beauty of God's genius hand in almost every creature, from delicate bright colors found in fish, to the zebra, tiger and leopard. So, it doesn't come at a surprise that many people like to upholster with faux fur materials because the patterns are so nice. Keeping that very thing in mind,.......Is it ok to then buy a used fur coat at a thrift store or ebay and use it for upholstery? That is something that you must think about for yourself. Fur can be very luxurious. Animal prints are often seen in classical high end interior design and are used as neutrals. Animal prints are much like striped fabric, they act as a filler in most rooms, either to balance out patterns, or add some interest.
(Picture- Lovely French Louis XVI Fauteuil Chair From Stylized Design Blog)
Tip 1- Stay Away From The Typical Cheap Furs at Your Local Fabric Store Unless it is Real.
I have upholstered my own french chairs in faux fur, and to be honest, finding the right fur that looks realistic is the main challenge of this project.
There are a lot of cheap looking furs out there which could diminish the worth of a nice looking french chair. Even in the biggest cities have a lack of quality fur fabric, which cause most people to look on ebay. Even then, I would suggest ordering a small swatch of the fabric before proceeding to purchasing several yards.
Longer fur isn't the best for upholstering. In fact, rarely does long fur look nice upholstered. Longer fur works best as rugs in baby rooms, or Hollywood Regency styled homes, but not for upholstery.
Fur should always kept short on furniture giving the opportunity for a person to see the lovely frame. Fur also shouldn't be plush as if it was cotton based. (I am trying to discribe the cheaper fur fabrics that are sold everywhere.) Fur should flow in one direction such as what you would find on an animal.
Finding a fur that replicates the real thing with hair that is trimmed and short is ideal because it looks realistic. Try to find something as close to the real thing as possible.
Tip 2. Conisder Only Using Fur on Choice Decorative Accent French Chairs
Real Fur upholstery isn't the greatest material touse on a daily basis. If you think of children crawing on and off furniture, the fur can be pulled in the wrong direction over time, causing breakage.
When considering upholstering with fur, think of only using fur with a pair of accent chairs that wouldn't normally get used, but are there for display only.
I have picked up several real fur items in the past through thrift stores, and I have noticed that over time, the leather does deteriorate with a lack of moisture. What happens is the leather becomes quite brittle, and the fur susceptible to breakage. Over time the use of a real fur chair will cause damage to the hair, causing bald spots in the most used areas such as the seat. So if you are going to use real fur, consider the chair that you upholster to be a special chair for display or minimal use only.
Using fake fur, works much the same way. We have a faux fur Regency chair. The fur was quite short, and for decorative purposes, I sprayed down the chair with hair spray to get the grain of the hair to stay put in one direction. The hairspray gives it that real fur effect, and since I never sit in them, they hold up really well.
Tip 3: Use Bigger Fur Patterns
After looking around you will notice like I did, that most faux fur are sold in small patterns. The problem with this is the overall look can be imposing and look fake. The last thing you want is your french chair to look as if it has faux fur. You do want to buy something close to the real thing. The best fur, would be fur that features a large pattern, because this is more realistic. The cheaper looks often have small scale patterns which tend to look very fake. Consider bigger patterns for a subtitle luxurious look.
In addition, there are many upholstery fabrics with an animal print pattern which look just as nice.
Look at the two outside chairs in the picture below to view a nice looking upholstery pattern. The middle chair is fur, and the subtle pattern gives a hint of luxury.
French Chairs Upholstered with Fur
Some additional Maintence Tips:
Having fur in ones home can attract a lot of dirt over time, so do keep this in mind when selecting a fur. It is a necessity to vacuum the fabric regularly to keep dirt, dust and soil from accumulating. If you have a sofa with faux fur, be sure to remember to rotate and turn the cushions to prevent uneven wear.
Fur should also be kept out of the exposure to sunlight. Keeping fur out of the sunlight will allow its colors to remain vibrant for longer. Do not place any furniture in direct sunlight, as the sun acts like bleach over time.
I have a lovely leather circular tapestry that I found at a thrift store, and it was already folded when I bought it. I have found over time that the folds have further deteriorated because the natural leather is not soft anymore, from a lack of moisture. When storing real fur, it is best to store any fabrics on rolls rather than folding them to prevent difficult creases from forming.
If you find a fur that you love, don't be afraid of asking for a sample! Many ebay sellers would love to send out a sample for the possibility of selling a few yards of fabric. Once you get an idea of what you like, chances are, you will have a keen eye to figure out what you like and what you dis-like.
Decorating With Fur- Ancient Modern
French Chairs and Footstools- Decorating With Fur From Wild Chairy on ebay
Neiman Marcus's French Chair Upholstered in Fur
French Styles Decorating With Fur From Designer Suzanne Rheinstein Originally Featured on Cote De Texas
Here is a quick video from start to finish, demonstrating how to upholster a French bergere chair. From the start of removing the old fabric to adding the new fabric and finishing touches, see first hand how to upholster a french chair, so you can do it yourself in your own home.
Fabric dye has been the most traditional way of adding color to textiles and clothing for centuries, but it hasn't been until recent years that upholstery paint has been used intead of replacing upholstery all together. Think about that french chair that has been tucked away just waiting to be upholstered, and hasn't seen the sun for months. While conventional clothing die is time consuming, upholstery paint is relatively simple and requires no work what so ever. Just like spraying a piece of furniture, this process is simpler, as no prep work is necessarily. Below we review the two most popular brands, Simply Spray and Dupli-Color ; two popular upholstery paint brands used to update upholstery and we tell you our best opinion.
I once painted a french chair with regular oil paint which was thinned down, and it turned out quite well. The fabric was definatly stiff, so I was excited when they came out with a professional product that claims the fabric to be soft even after spraying multiple layers. The benefit of spraying your french chairs is that everyone picks up furniture that requires some need of updating and repair. Often times a person finds themselves at one point in their lives debating to themselves if a piece is worth picking up because of the dated upholstery and the level of work that is needed to make it fashionable again.
The beauty of upholstery spray is it is quick, simple, and very inexpensive. It allows you to feature that special french chair right away instead of hiding it in a closet and putting it on an already long "to-do-list". Fabric upholstery paint is also conveniently in a spray can giving you control over the coverage and an even spraying job making the fabric color appear realistic.
Let us review the two Products:
Simply Spray is permanent aerosol fabric paint, not a dye. It is important to know that because many people get confused. It will not crack or peel and claims it dries in just 30 minutes, and remains permanent after 72 hours. This spray will not rub off on your clothes and will not make the fabric hard to touch.
Simply spray is not toxic,and is safe to use. It is always reccomended to be used along side a facial mask.
Emmanuel says "I used it to cover a Victorian loveseat- it had pet stains on it and was looking gross in general, so i decided to spray it with this paint. I chose a hot pink color (the color was white before). It took me a an afternoon and about 5 cans of spray paint. I was so happy I finally covered all the stains AND got to color it a cool color. It's been a few months and it hasn't faded, color doesn't wipe off or transfer onto clothesand best of all- it transformed the decor in the room... I am looking to do this to a few of my other old furniture, but am waiting to until the colors wear out a little bit more. My cats aren't even phased by the loveseat- they sit and sleep on the loveseat as if nothing was done to their favorite piece of furniture. Long story- short: This is stuff ROCKS!"
Andrew Green from Raleigh, NC upholstered a black sectional sofa that his parents gave him. The couch was originally a black which faded to a purple, and he transformed it back into a deep dark modern black.
He brought up some good points which he left on the amazon site, which he was able to give his opinion on based from his experience.
Some of the prior complaints he addressed were:
1. The paint takes a few days to totally dry.
2. You need a fair amount of paint.
3. The paint runs and drips a bit.
Having seen the complaints, Andrew allowed the extra time to dry by placing a tarp in his attic. Having a garage is the ideal luxury for painting or spraying furniture, frames, or home decor. If you live in a condo, be sure to buy a large tarp for your chair or settee to sit on. As funny as it is, I painted furniture for 3 years out of a cramped condo that was carpeted. With the use of tarps and drop cloths, the carpet stayed new without an ounce of paint to spoil the color. DO NOT spray paint inside your home. It is an absolute must that you take it outside. A fine layer of paint particles do land on every surface and are impossible to clean, so be sure you spray out doors. To many times I have sprayed things in my bathroom which take 2 hours to clean the over spray afterwards.
Second, order plenty of spray paint to cover your project. If you are planning on doing a settee, from previous testimonies, 4- 8 cans cover a sofa.
Andrew also tells us that he found rubbing in the color using Simply Spray works the best:
"I should mention that I have no experience painting anything. I found the best method for painting my sofa (since it has ruffles on it) was to put on some rubber gloves, spray for a few seconds, rub the paint in with your hand, and then move to the next area. The first couch section I did has a few of the ruffle areas that need retouching, since I didn't start the "rub the paint in with your hand" method until the second section. The second section looks perfect! The first one, with the exception of the spots I missed, looks fantastic as well."
Some people will find the upholstery will be a little stiffer than its original feel, but over time, it should break in with some usage.
One complaint of the Simply Spray is having to squeeze the trigger, which is sometimes hard to work. In other words, some people say it is difficult to get a consistent spray. DYI Home Decorating Ideas recovered a pair of wing chairs in Simply Spray in Plum and they claim that two out of the four cans stopped working mid-spray and were nearly full.They changed the cap of the spray and were able to use the rest of the product.
Dupli-Color High Performance Vinyl & Fabric Spray
Upholstery Spray - Dupli High Performance Fabric Spray
Lets review the second most popular spray called Dupli-Color High Performance Vinyl & Fabric Spray comes in a variety of colors.
Dupli-Color® Products Group, is a division of The Sherwin-Williams Company, which is a quality paint manufacturer. Dupli-Color is the leading manufacturer of aerosol, touch-up, general purpose and automotive specialty products.
The colors that are available are made specifically for the updating of cars, so as you can see the color selection falls in two groups, one representing more of a sports car interior, Yellow, Medium Blue, Blue, Shale Blue, Red, Deep Red, Burgandy
According to Dupli-Color's Senior Product Manager, Chris Prebel, "This product is formulated with a maximum adhesion promoter, so there's no need for a primer."
Surfaces such as the vehicle's vinyl seats, dashes, door panels, shifter boots and consoles can all be coated with Vinyl & Fabric Coating as it is NOT just a fabric paint. This product is fast drying and will not crack, peel or chip. Vinyl & Fabric Coating is available in a variety of hot tuner-style colors as well.
From B Lee, who used both brands side by side inside her car favors the Dupli Fabric Spray.
She tells us that although the Simply Spray brand was easier to clean the overspray from the plastic frame inside her car, she acknowledges the previous complaints about Simply Spray that it is difficult to get a consistent spray. Simply Spray drips a lot, she claims. Though it may create some problems as it drys uneven, showing the drip marks, after future coats.
Simply spray needs to soak into the seats, so in essence you need more product she says. In comparison, Dupli-Color is much easier to spray, keeping a consistent layer, not using as much paint. The paint smell is much stronger, and it takes less time to dry - 24 hours in between coats.
She also mentions that Simply Spray can be messy if you have to rub it into the upholstery. She mentions her hands and clothing got dirty, but in many respects any painter should know to wear gloves, and throw away painting clothes.
The paint takes 72 hours in compared to Dupli Colors 24 hours.
So as we can see in summary, the one draw back to Simply Spray is the nozzle problems.
Dupli color has more UPDATED color options compared to Simply Spray. Simply Spray may be geared towards more of the arts and crafts like their other lines, rather than professional looking interiors. Dupli has a wider range of nicer colors that could transfer over to upholstery furniture . Colors such as the charcoal gray, sand and beige are all neutral and could be put in a Swedish, french, contemporary and modern home. The yellow is also a very popular color compared to a dated plum, burgundy, or bright blue that Simply Spray offers.
Dupli also offers a gloss black, which may be a better choice to the chalky black which may produce an unrealistic and unnatural fabric texture. (Again, it is my opinion, as I have not tried the flat black that both brands offer) The black would be the ideal choice for any upholstery improvements inside vehicles and for upholstery.
Dupli also offers a stunning charcoal gray which would look very polished on a swedish white washed frame. The Dupli blue, yellow, and neutrals offer great options for stunning french chairs.
Both paints can be purchased at a discount for 4- 5 dollars per bottle on amazon, (12 bottles for roughly 60 dollars) compared to over 100 dollars for 12 at the manufactures website.
How to Use Upholstery Spray Paint:
1. Brush the furniture off with a broom to remove excess dust from the upholstery.
2. Begin by spraying the furniture at a 6" to 8" distance. Cover your entire french chair or settee with nice even, sweeping motions
3. Let the first first coat dry for an hour, and repeat the process every hour, giving extra time for your chair or settee to dry.
4.Repeat with a second coat, and repeat the steps until you have reached your desired color.
Brocade (brōkād') fabric was perfected in the 16th and 17th century in France, Italy, and Spain. The name Brocade comes from the Italian broccatomeaning "embossed cloth". Brocade has a rich raised floral design, often styled after flowers which was introduced during the weaving process. In China the weaving of silk dates from the Shang dynasty which developed complex patterns such as moiré, damask, and brocade. Brocade often uses gold or silver in embossed or embroidered effects in the raised patterns that appear on the fabric face. Motifs often seen in Brocade fabric are of scroll work, flowers, foliage or other designs. The rich, fairly heavy fabric is frequently used for evening gowns, but can be used for upholstery, and has been used for drapery, hangings, throw pillows, and very high end evening wear. Traditionally brocade material was made of silk, but today we see it both in silk and cotton blends. Brocade is one of the most authentic choices for french furniture as it was a typical fabric used in home furnishing in the sixteenth century. Some of the most beautiful brocade fabric comes in bold colors making it a perfect statement for a french gold gilded chair. Brocade also comes in many velvet blends which also are perfect upholstery choices for french chairs. Brocade is great to use as upholstery as some patterns are quite heavy weight material but may require backing before being used as upholstery.
Cape, second half of 16th century From the Metropolitan Museum Of Art in New York
Velvet brocade with gold ground and small set pattern of geometric motifs woven in tan velvet of cut pile
Over the years of upholstering french chairs, I have tried every trick of the trade to use some of my favorite light weight fabrics as upholstery material and have learned over and over again that light weight fabrics just don't work on chairs. When shopping for textiles for your french chairs ONLY consider recovering your chairs in upholstery weight material. I have learned over the years of upholstering dozens of french chairs the expensive and time consuming lessons of picking the wrong material just because it was in the bargain bin at my local fabric store or happened to be on sale. Living in several cities through out the years I know how hard it is to find material that you love. I do think it is worth the time and effort in finding a pattern that you adore, because you will end up looking at it every day. Living in a small town, the selection of nice fabrics were quite limited. I didn't bother looking through the custom ordered fabrics because they were out of my price range in my 20's, so I opted for what I could afford. The same goes for today, as I tend to pick up project chairs, but never consider the cost of upholstery. My upholstery skills were not the greatest in my 20's, so in retrospect, I am glad I didn't spend the majority of my paycheck on fabric that would have been butchered because of my lack of skills. As I have gotten older and after dozens of chairs under my belt I am learning from the days that I bought fabric because I loved it, and it was on sale. I tend to look around for my french chairs on craigslist, or at flea markets, and I don't pay a lot for my chairs unless a statement piece comes along. Getting older I learning that less is more and often times a great chair can really make the room. After exchanging out some of my pieces for better ones through the years, the french furniture is what has stayed, as other pieces moved on and out the door. Who can go wrong with a gold leaf french accent chair? Ebay is reaching out to those people in smaller towns that are looking for something unique. Ebay has been my source for fabric as well. I love the convenience of staying home flipping through the pages of my targeted product, and as a bonus I get it at a discount and support a local home business. French chairs for the most part can be found at a bargain and so can fabric. You don't need to pay top dollar for either, but you do need to have time and patience for that one perfect chair or fabric to come along. With layers of paint and distressing, your chair frame can be improved to look like antique heirlooms passed through the family. What is left is fabric selection. Where do you go, and what do you avoid?
French chairs often are pieces of art on their own, and finding the just right fabric, and pattern can be a very hard to find. If you are anything like me, you are very selective when it comes to color, and pattern. Pattern can say a lot about the design of your home, so sometimes it is best to upholster in a simple material in your staple color. As you update your home through the years, your french chairs can be there through the changes, and your accent pillows can be switched out.
Some of MY costly mistakes: (AND I have a lot of them!!)
1. Mistake ONE- Using Silk Material:
When I couldn't find a fabric that I truly loved, I would go down to my local decorating store like Ross Dress For Less and buy drapes that would then serve as my upholstery material. I upholstered 4 slipper chairs in a orange and yellow modern stripe, which took me several weekends to finish. After they were fully STUFFED, upholstered and trimmed with upholstery tacks, the final product was done, and I was exhausted. About 2 weeks after the fact, we were sitting at the dinner table, and I spilled water on the seat. It wasn't grape juice or ketchup, but simple water. The next day after they dried, it looked as if someone had accidentally wet them selves in our chair. The water stained the material, and there was no way of getting rid of the water mark. Silk has a lot of restrictions. In addition to being stained easily, they are almost impossible to clean. Silk WILL bleach out when exposed to light, and in addition are bound to stretch. Today those project chairs STILL sit in the basement, because the material over time has stretched and loosened making them look very badly upholstered. I will never ever again use silk, and I have another couple weekends of work to fix my mistake.
French Settee - From Home and Garden Magazine
This settee has a silk upholstered cushion, which was not apart of the original settee. I love the stripes, but it would be very hard to clean if it got dirty. This French Settee is from Peacock Feather Events
2. Mistake 2- Using Fusible Backing.
Backing is a coating applied to the back of the fabric, which gives fabrics more strength and stability. Acrylic backing is used for both upholstery and wall applications. Knit backing is most commonly used for upholstery and draperies.
Heavier fabric is always the very best for upholstery, but if you are wanting a fabric that is lightweight, backing could add strength. Lightweight fabrics could be used for draperies, and fusible backing often times is the perfect solution for drapery or clothing. Intefacing can be sewn into the fabric and the more popular of the two is iron-on, which one side has glue which molds to the fabric.
French Chair Toile Gold Chairs In Progress
French Chair Toile Gold Chairs In Progress
A good way to test whether or not the backing is needed is to take the fabric swatch in your hand and try stretching it diagonally. If the fabric stretches considerably then go with the backing. If it only pulls a little then you should be fine. Again, I would recommend you toss the light weight fabric aside and go with upholstery weight, and here is why:
I painted a set of Louis XVI chairs in gold and I used red toile fabric I found at my local Calico Corners fabric store for the upholstery material. I wanted something punchy in our home that consists of beige furniture and the red was the perfect solution. Fusible interfacing I thought was my solution to buying lightweight material, but after I ironed on the interfacing, it became almost too stiff to upholster with. I found pulling the fabric around the corners next to impossible that with all my might, the upholstery job still turned out very shotty at best. Today I either have to exchange out the fabric, or look for seat cushions, because guaranteed over time, the pattern will become pulled. So again, I am looking at another weekend project, if only I selected the right fabric in the first place.
Although Iron on interfacing seems to be a perfect solution, in the long run you will pay the price. Sitting on a piece of fabric over and over is much different than closing drapes at night.
Associates at your local fabric store are going to suggest that if a chair isn't going to be used frequently then you don't have to worry too much about the fabric wearing down. With the amount of effort it takes to upholster a chair, it is better to invest in a fabric is strong enough, than simply guessing the chairs aren't going to be used. Fabrics should be strong enough to take a staple without visually seeing that a staple has punctured the material. That should be a measure to look for when considering fabric for upholstery.
Another reason why Iron-on Interfacing falls short is that the pattern will get distorted as you move the fabric around to iron on the interfacing. Even if you are careful, such as I was with my red toile chairs, today, the interfacing I used is separating from the fabric which is causing little bubbles in the fabric. For some reason I thought that the glue would stay put forever, but that simply is not the case. I have only sat on them once, so consider what would happen if you used them for every day use. It is not fair to tell family that certain furniture is only for display only. Chairs are meant to be used.
Consider just backing your fabric. When you sew two layers together the process is called "flatlining". If you are needing fabric backing, consider backing the piece of fabric with a layer of fabric that has the correct body and stability that the chair actually requires.
In summory go for the heaviest, sturdiest fabric you can find. If you go with a lightweight cotton, you will eventually pay the price . Upholstery weight fabrics look professionally done, where as lighter weight fabrics often have a texture or pattern that screams DIY, and often times signals that someone did not know better, or will be a dead giveaway of poorly done DIY. The right fabric can turn your OUTSTANDING French chairs into stunning statements for years of enjoyment!
French Barrel Chair Photography by Elizabeth Lavin
French Chair & French Decor - Frederic Fekkai's Home By Elle Decor
French Button Tucked Apple Green Vintage Victorian Chair
Inside Frederic Fekkai's Home
French Chair & French Decor - Frederic Fekkai's Home By Elle Decor
Some people are sensitive to using fur to upholster with, and rightfully so. I know for myself, I cannot think about anything else for days if I have seen a video on animal torture. Just to say, I tread on this topic cautiously, because I don't want to ever see any animal abused for the senseless greed of nice things. During the decadent 1850's, womens fashions styles were often very heavy featuring ornate designs which were often made tortoiseshell. The intricate natural designs of these turtles made them the choice material for ladies hair combs. During that time, these turtles almost went extinct just because the natural pattern of these creatures looked nice in the hair and as accessories. You can see the beauty of God's genius hand in almost every creature, from delicate bright colors found in fish, to the zebra, tiger and leopard. So, it doesn't come at a surprise that many people like to upholster with faux fur materials because the patterns are so nice. Keeping that very thing in mind,.......Is it ok to then buy a used fur coat at a thrift store or ebay and use it for upholstery? That is something that you must think about for yourself. Fur can be very luxurious. Animal prints are often seen in classical high end interior design and are used as neutrals. Animal prints are much like striped fabric, they act as a filler in most rooms, either to balance out patterns, or add some interest. 
US $59.94
