Last week, you learned that I finally bought vintage bamboo chairs. It’s thrilling. I picked up the chairs on Sunday and they are even more beautiful in person…and surprisingly comfortable considering the cushion is thin. I am so excited to buy some fabric and give these babies a makeover. I’ve narrowed down my vintage bamboo chair fabric options to a top 8, with a favorite 2. Tell me which one you like the best.
The look I am going for is bright, cheery, colorful, creative. Tall order, right? One of the chairs will be at a console table as an auxillary work space. The console table was recently DIYed and will appear in a post coming up. I covered it in a gorgeous pale blue ombre wallpaper I purchased from Wayfair. It is flanked by 2 blue textured lamps and accented by another DIY grafitti art piece I did. You can see the vignette here on my instagram. There you’ll also be able to see the tone of the bamboo chairs that I stacked.
via Decorpad / via Decorpad
At first, I debated whether to paint them white; I mean how gorgeous are these chairs above??? But after seeing the wood in person, it’s beautifully aged and needs to stay that way. The wood looks lived in an imperfect…which, if you read my Wabi Sabi post, you’ll know that means they are absolutely perfect.
I also got some strong opinions from vintage lovers and they don’t want me to paint them. I am realizing that the chairs that are painted white are mostly faux bamboo, and since I have the real thing, it would be a crime to cover it up. So, I am siding with the vintage lovers and keeping the bamboo as is. I’m going for either a Klein blue or orangey-coral fabric and the warmth of the bamboo will complement either.
via Pencil Shavings Studio / via Chinoiserie Chic
I buy my fabric at fabric.com because I just love their selection. It might seem odd to you that I’m not going down to the garment district to source fabric, but, I’m a rookie. I don’t feel like getting lost in warehouse sized fabric stores and fighting the fashion mafia along the way. No gracias! I am quite happy shopping from the comfort of my own home, thanks.
Vintage Bamboo Chair Fabric Options
Now, these are my top 8 affordable fabric options. Typically, I only pay less than $10/yard. If I was wanting a luxury fabric, Pierre Frey “Arty” would be it. However, I can’t spend all my money on the most beautiful fabric I’ve ever seen, and I’m perfectly happy with the options I have today.
Soooo, what do you think of my vintage bamboo chair fabric options? Any favorites? I am debating between #1 and #2 (leaning towards #1). The orangey-coral fabric is by Genevieve Gorder is my favorite; I might be influenced by Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year. Earlier in the year I used this Genevieve Gorder fabric as vintage chair upholstery for a dining room design, but my budget is not $28/yard. So, I think I’ll go with the same color scheme, the same designer, but a different and slightly more casual and fun pattern at less than $10/yard.
What’s great about this fabric is that it is excellent quality! When selecting fabric that will be near a bright window, it’s good to get an indoor/outdoor fabric that will hold up to sun exposure without fading. This particular fabric is super durable and can be spot cleaned. It has 51,000 double rubs (which is how fabric durability is tested: it is rubbed against itself twice which is one “double rub”. Now you know what to look for when buying fabric:-)
-Kristen
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