Curbside Find: A set of Louis XVI French Chairs

 In a bizarre and fortunate twist of fate, there is an update to the story of how I found this

one French chair in front of someone's house waiting for the trash truck. I scooped it up and felt 

very lucky indeed.  Fast forward almost one year to the day, I was driving by the same house

and what astonishing sight to my eyes did appear??

 Four more of the chairs that matched the original curbside treasure I hauled away!

How could this be? It was truly amazing, and even though I was driving my mother in law's 

small Ford Fusion, and not my pickup truck, I lurched to the curb and jumped out.

It was tricky to stuff all four chairs into such a small car, and I was glad I didn't have the baby or any

dogs with me, as they all just barely fit.  Now they are safely ensconced in a storage trailer waiting

to be reupholstered and restored for our lake house (that has not been built yet, haha).

 So the pondering began....what did I want the chairs to look like, and what did I think 

the lake house decor would look like?  The general idea in my mind is to have it be more cottage

style than French style, so the right fabric and finish on the frame would be critical to the look.

For over a year I have been admiring the fabrics designed by Paula Arndt, of LilyOake on Spoonflower.  Paula has created a bunch of designs fit for an updated Swedish cottage look which could work perfectly.

One of my favorites is this small check in a color called faded blueberry.

I brought in a chair and taped the sample to the back. Maybe I will have a coordinating fabric

on the front of the chair with the check on the seat and the back.  Lots to think about,

and it is one of the most pleasant parts of decorating....the pondering.

To give you an idea of how it could look, take a peek at 

Ballard Designs, with a similar French chair in a painted finish

with a gingham or checked fabric.  

But gasp, look at the price!  It would cost $2296 for five chairs

finished in this fabric and finish.  Right now the base chair is on 

sale for $399, still a fortune compared to FREE on the curb and the 

cost of a yard and a half of fabric per chair.

You could pay that for a set of 6 real antique French chairs on first dibs!

These were a few of my very favorite fabrics.  I have learned over the years 

as a window treatment designer and interior decorator that checks and stripes will

always stay in favor with a homeowner over a floral or patterned fabric.

And I plan to have these chairs for a very long time....

Even so I love the Lily of the Valley pattern, as that is a flower I adore, and 

one rarely seen in fabrics and wallpaper.

So the solution is easy....put that darling pattern on a ballroom chair and 

I can have my cake and eat it too!! 

Visit Paula's beautiful Lilyoake fabric designs on Spoonflower here.

Read about the day I found the first French chair here.