I’ve really been getting into Candice Olson’s new show, Candice Tells All, on W Network.
In this week’s episode, she designed a room, blending the homeowner’s vintage furnishings with new furnishings. Just like I would have done, she revamped a bunch of the vintage pieces to make them work with the new design concept.
My favorite makeover was the new design for this carved, wood framed sofa.
Then, while I was out and about this week scouring vintage shops for lamps, I came across this sofa…
While not quite as unique as the piece Candice made over, it does feature a lot of the same elements.
The carving work has been reserved for the claw feet only, but the exposed wood frame and curvy shape makes it a perfect candidate to receive a similar makeover.
Here’s how to get the look!
First, hire a professional to sand and spray the frame with white lacquer. Second, have the entire piece reupholstered in a punchy new woven fabric.
This sky blue fabric is almost identical to the one Candice used, but you could choose any colour that works with your décor.
I’m partial to these bold shades of mustard, moss, sherbet & garnet.
What would you do? Work with the wood or paint it?
Lia Fagan is the blogger behind 
I was confronted with just such a problem when we moved to a small apartment last year. I had two midcentury small wing chairs with beautiful, clean lines and dark wood frames. Their Fifties upholstery (giant flowers on the front, bottle green velvet on the back) was in tatters. I also had a beautiful Victorian rocker in rosewood–what they called a “swan neck” rocker because of the swans carved into the arms. It had been upholstered in gold silk brocade, also in tatters. Because of the value of the rocker, I decided to work with the wood. I hired Allison Fomich, a fellow member of the Baltimore Etsy Street Team. We did the small chairs in a beautiful, angular abstract print in shades of teal, mossy green, tobacco, and blue. The rocker is in a solid shade of lighter mossy green. It has a slight woven pattern that, while modern, pays some homage to its Victorian roots. A small “occasional” chair, also very old, had its seat re-done in the tobacco color. The room is absolutely beautiful with the palette of harmonizing colors, yet with each fabric selection recalling the heritage of its chair. I just love it.