This week was supposed to be about outfitting the “office” area of the Teacher’s Lounge & the all important upholstery project for the 1 thing my cousin specifically requested in the room – the loveseat.

Well friends… I am officially behind this week. Some things are getting done, some things are moving verrrrrry slowly, and other things are not happening at all while I play the waiting game.

While the office area is coming along nicely, I’m still waiting on the upholstery fabric for the loveseat.

ICYMI… catch up on all the details of my ORC space here ↓↓

Week 1 - The Teacher's Lounge
Week 2 -  One Small Room, 3 BIG Functions
Week 3 - BTS... shopping, shopping, planning, & shopping.
Week 4 - Using Feng Shui
Week 5 - The World Took A Pause
Week 6 - Using Sherwin-Williams New Designer Paint Line

Let me be 200% clear… I am not a professional upholsterer. I dabble. A little. Mostly dining chairs & ottomans which are pretty much the easiest to recover. Other than that, I’ve only done 1 sofa – my own, many many moons ago & have been working on my Grandmother’s Bergère for a few years. Literally.

In fact, I actually prefer refinishing furniture probably because I have much more experience building & refinishing and a healthy fear of messing up upholstered pieces that have so much meaning. That healthy fear + my type A personality + a tinge of perfectionism = less experience with DIY upholstery projects.

The Upholstery Project At A Glance

My cousin asked me about this piece years ago when her Big Sister gave it to her so I’ve had plenty of time to get my mind right about taking on the project. It’s been sitting in her garage just waiting for me all this time.

70's Love seat Upholstery project

After ordering fabric samples, I finally landed on a very light neutral alabaster.

Are you shocked?

Don’t be. You know I LOVE COLOR. But this is not my room & it’s not in my home. It’s a gift to my cousin & she is a much more neutral kind of person.

If I’m being completely honest, I actually like the original fabric. It’s different & has loads of {70’s} personality.

PLUS, her new Teacher’s Lounge has an African Chic vibe going, so the accessories will be the star of the show. And now that all the textiles are in, I’m even happier with my fabric choice.

Also, the primary purpose of the room is a Prayer/Meditation Room & Library. And that means it should be calm & soothing. For her, that’s neutral.

Oh and 1 last thing… the form on this loveseat is just gorgeous IMO. I love the wood frame, the curvature of the arms & legs. She’s just pretty! The upholstery fabric I chose will contrast very nicely.

Speaking of the frame… I was on the fence about whether to paint it, refinish it, or keep it as it. It’s in great condition so refinishing isn’t really necessary.

My Insta-friends voted almost unanimously to paint it. But again… it’s about my cousin’s style, taste, & preference. She trusts me completely, I just have to always remember that it’s not about me. BIG CHEESE ;D

So let’s see… what’s done, what’s left to do?

✅ Remove closet doors

✅ Paint

✅ Hang light fixture

❌ Assemble & hang shelves – ADJUST SHELVES

✅ Build/assemble desk

❌ Upholstery projects – loveseat and chair

❌ Embellish & hang roman shade

❌ Touch ups

❌ Clean!!

❌ Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize!!!

I wish I could show you so much more but it’s a surprise & the more I show, the less of a surprise it is for her.

What I CAN do is share a sneak peek at the office area & a few textiles so you can get an idea of what I mean by them being the “stars” of the show.

That’s pretty much it for this week. I’m just taking this love seat apart so she’ll be ready when the fabric arrives. Once that’s done we can look forward to the reveal! I’m so excited for my cousin, she’s been wanting this for SO long. It feels great to be able to give it to her finally.

Thanks for hanging with me friends! And don’t forget to check out all the other One Room Challenge participants.

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