Say good-bye to the big pink sectional. The 12-piece Harvey Probber-designed 1968 chair and ottoman combination that is original to the house is about to get a huge, fabulous makeover. Jacques Brel up there recently got re-framed and has been looking down his nose ever since at the tufts of batting hanging from the torn upholstered corners.
Finally the Awesome Designer decided she I couldn't live with the scratched up, spilt, holey mess it had become and kicked my butt offered to find a suitable fabric and re-upholster it back to its original glory. Over the course of a few weeks she bought me swatches - many, many swatches. She hunted all over the Island and into the City for the right fabric. We started with twenty or so contenders in browns and beiges, pinks, greens and blues - even a plaid
and soon there were more - many, many more - bags of chenilles, stripes and damasks in hundreds of hues. We narrowed down the palette to a range of blues and greens from pewter to denim to seafoam, and the pattern to a simple solid. I asked twitter and facebook pals to vote for their favourite, which helped narrow it down to four front-runners.
There was one fabric, a heavy-duty woven chenille, from the new range of fabrics by Kravet, the Kravetsmart that I loved above all others; it just felt right - soft but really hard-wearing. It's teflon-coated 102,000 double rubs so it should be bullet (or cat) proof.
I had to wait to see all the blue toned swatches but the end I chose the colour I'd always had in mind - a steely-blue that compliments the warm tones of the wood floors, ceiling and beams and the soft shade of the sandstone wall and echoes the bluestone fireplace and patio outside.
And now the fabric- all 46 yards - has arrived, the sectional is awaiting collection and the renovation will soon be underway. In a few weeks I'll be able to reveal the newly upholstered seating area... I can't wait!
