Greetings, friends! And welcome to Caroline Finds It: my new weekly newsletter where I reply to submissions from YOU for objects and products you need recommendations for.
The big thing happening in my home this year is a little living room furniture re-fresh, and having found a great sofa and the perfect fabric for new pillow covers, the next thing I’m looking to source is a good, apartment-friendly, super comfy reading chair. So, you can imagine my delight when I found this submission from Susan in Alexandria, VA in my inbox:
“I’m on the hunt for a chic, solidly comfortable reading/lounging chair. I’m rocking the ikea poang chair we all had in our first apartment. I’m on the hunt for something more lounge-y, stylish and comfortable. Some important factors: arms rests at good height for holding a book and a back that supports the neck. The chair also can’t be too deep or oversized. The sixpenny chair and half chairs look fab, but would be waaay too big for our space. In sum, can you deliver on lazy boy comfort with super chic styling?”
Dear Susan,
Wow! You really nailed all of the criteria here. I, too, love the big, squishy Nancy-Meyers-beach-house reading chair vibe, but who had the space?! In my house growing up, my mom (who is an interior designer) loved buying cheap secondhand chairs and then re-upholstering them in fancy fabric. And if I’m being honest, I wrote out this whole post this morning and then after talking to my mom about it, and doing a bit of window shopping myself, I realized that I don’t actually want to recommend any new chairs to you, because I don’t have any new chairs to recommend. What she said has proven to be true: “In general, furniture is manufactured in larger scale now in comparison to even 30 years ago because of the advent of “great rooms”. Vintage furniture shops have a lot of choices and the quality is normally better.”
A big issue that I also keep encountering is that the market is flooded with direct-to-consumer furniture start-ups with furniture that errs on the side of trendy and is made to only last a few years. I’m sure we can all agree that buying furniture, getting rid of furniture and even living with furniture can be a royal pain in the ass, and that taking the time to cobble together a home full of things we actually love will prevent us from going through the pain and expense of acquiring furniture in the future.
Now, you’re probably thinking that it’s a lot of work to source an old chair and then go through the whole process of reupholstering, but consider that lead-times for most furniture companies are at least 2 months right now, and that a high quality, ethically manufactured chair is going to cost you well over $1,000. It isn’t as intimidating as it seems, and you’ll end up with a totally custom chair for less than you’d pay for the brand new equivalent, and within a matter of weeks, not months. For the less DIY-inclined, allow me to break down the process and offer some advice:
1. FINDING THE CHAIR
Do some research on secondhand stores that sell furniture in your area. In NYC, one of the best places to look are the Housing Works stores. I actually found a lovely compact reading chair at an Upper West Side location today for $25! Once you have a list of places to check out, make a day of it! Be prepared with measurements taken from your living room, so you know how big of a space you can afford to use, and bring along your tape measure to measure any chairs that you find. Keep in mind that you can reupholster! And you can re-finish wood legs really easily! You can even change the cushion fill! What you’re looking for is the right shape and size. And for anyone in Cleveland area, my mom’s favorite place to source old chairs is Main Street Modern.
2. CHOOSING THE RIGHT FABRIC
Do you have pets? Do you have children? Do you occasionally eat dinner on your living room furniture? These are important things to consider! Start with the type of fabric you want (linen? velvet? bouclé?), and then narrow down the colors you’re interested in. At least for inspiration, check out a local fabric store just to feel the different options and look at colors. Don’t be afraid to ask for a swatch to take home! And if you’re shopping online, you can order swatches as well. I’ve ordered many swatches from Decoratorsbest.com (check out the Schumacher linens for something like the earthy fabrics Sixpenny uses), and have also shopped at the wonderful Zarin Fabrics here in NYC. The worst part of this whole process is knowing how much fabric to order. Before buying anything, take good measurements of the piece and ask the fabric shop to help you estimate, or ask the upholsterer how much they’ll need. For super nice upholstery fabric, you can expect to spend between $100-$250/yard. When committing to a fabric, be sure that you first understand how to care for it. This will save you a lot of trouble and regret in the future.
3. FINDING AN UPHOLSTERER
If you’re purchasing your chair from a shop that specializes in secondhand furniture, ask them for a recommendation! They will likely have someone local to recommend. A lot of fabric shops that specialize in interior fabrics will also likely have an in-house upholsterer or can refer you to one. You upholsterer will do any structural work that needs to be done and will change out the cushion fill to your specifications. If the cushion is detached from the body of the chair, be sure to ask for a zipper to be put into the cover so you can remove it to wash! Depending on the condition of the chair, or what you need done to it, I’d expect to spend anywhere from $400-$800.
I know that this isn’t quite the answer you were looking for, but it sounds to me that you’re invested in finding something that you love, and that will last, and you deserve to have exactly what you want! It might require a little more work on your end, but the end result will be worth it.
None of this is to shame any of you for buying brand new upholstered furniture! I just bought a brand new sofa from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, and am chomping at the bit for its arrival. On piece of advice if you are shopping for new upholstered furniture: PLEASE go test it out in person. Nothing is worse than falling in love with something online, waiting months for it to arrive and then realizing that the fabric is gross and it feels like sitting on a hard sponge. Even a lot of newer direct-to-consumer furniture start-ups have showrooms in major cities, so it’s worth checking before ordering.
Best of luck to you, Susan! I am certain that you’re going to find exactly what you’re looking for, and will hopefully enjoy the process.
FAVORITE PRODUCT OF THE WEEK:
You already know this, but the world is currently melting. If you’re stubborn like me, you’re not going to let a heat index of 100 degrees keep you from getting on with your active lifestyle. In addition to a small jar of my favorite sunscreen, a tiny towel, and a few face wipes, I always keep a couple of Nuun Hydration Tablets in my bag for extra electrolytes in a pinch. Nothing else I’ve tried makes me feel more hydrated on oppressively hot days, or during intense exercise. They’re also an essential on my packing list for any type of trip because I find that when I’m traveling and my normal routines are disrupted I tend to drink less water than I would at home.
And before I sign off, I have a favor to ask of you: I’m working on a big big project that involves creating a platform to better discover and support small retail businesses in NYC. We are currently in the research phase and have put together a survey to help us better understand how YOU shop. If you’ve got a moment to spare, I’d love it if you’d fill it out. Thank you in advance for being A+ shopping friends!
Is there a product you’re looking for? Submit your request here. See you next week for fresh recommendations! xo Caroline