You know how when something is “meant to be,” you just know?

That’s how I felt about my new set of chinese chippendale chairs.

I stalked craigslist for four solid months – never missing a single furniture listing – until I saw them. A set of four genuine antique chinese chippendale chairs and – bonus! – they all had arms!

Breathless, heart racing, I called the seller immediately and set out across Atlanta to take home those beauties. It was love. I’m not even exaggerating.

When I got home, I carefully unloaded my beautiful finds and placed them gently in the office downstairs. I returned every few minutes to look at them and sigh happily, waiting for Andy to get home so he could admire their glory with me.

When he finally walked in the front door, I was upstairs. I heard him call to me, “Hey, where did these ugly patio chairs come from?”

What?!

I tried to explain to him just
<
how

fabulous

chinese chippendale chairs are!

Check out these guys for $250 each at Ballard Designs:

Or these, starting at $600 each at Jonathan Adler:

But he did not understand. So in a fit of rage and tears, I cried “You never understand me!” Then I ran upstairs, slammed my bedroom door and cried into my pillow.

Not really. But seriously. The chairs were fabulous and he just didn’t get it.

Er – they were going to be fabulous.

Once I refinished the faded, chipping paint job and reupholstered the spray-painted seats, which would definitely be happening very soon.

Two years later…

I finally did it! My first-ever upholstery and refinishing job! I only did two of the four chairs for now. The other two can look on in jealousy until I figure out exactly what to do with them.

But back to the lucky two. I sanded them down, caulked the cracks…

And spray painted them a glossy white lacquer. But I didn’t dry them very well after I sanded and wiped them, so I got some of this crackling:

And had to go back and sand, then repaint a few times. Finally, painted:

I had Andy cut some plywood into the shape of the seat so I’d have something to upholster. Then I laid my fabric on the floor good-side down, topped with a layer of batting, topped with the old cushion and then the plywood. And I stapled to my little heart’s content:

First seat complete! I used Waverly Cross Section in Green fabric, which you can find here.

And here they are, all put back together and glimmering just as I’d hoped.

They will go in the breakfast nook, which is still in progress. We made a light fixture for that space which I’m still finishing, and I have grand dreams of making my own window treatments for those windows. (Did I mention I can’t sew? Minor details, friends. Minor details.)

UPDATE: Check out my other designer-inspired knock-offs on the cheap! Like this DIY pintuck duvet:

Or this capiz shell chandelier:

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