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Bedroom/Office Chair Decisions | ORC Week 6

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Last Updated on January 12, 2024 by lindseymahoney

Welcome back to week 6 of the One Room Challenge! There are two weeks left in this challenge and I really need to get my butt in gear. There are two areas where I am really struggling – finalizing the bedroom/office chair decisions and choosing artwork for the walls.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7

Check out the previous five One Room Challenge transformations:

Dining Room | Master Bedroom | Boys Bedroom | Girls Bedroom | Living Room

Finalizing Furniture Picks

Last week I shared how I upcycled furniture with paint. This week I have been finalizing the chair decisions that have been knawing at me for weeks.

Bedroom chair decisions and designing a slipcover for the accent chair | Building Bluebird

Desk Chair

I have been on the hunt for a secondhand Parsons chair for my desk and have not had much luck. My ideal design is an armless chair that is upholstered with a beautiful fabric and a skirted bottom. Oh, and it also has to be within budget!

Initially, I was confident I could find a neutral chair via FB marketplace. I actually found a Ballard Designs dining chair with a simple white slipcover and it was exactly what I wanted! The best part was that it was listed for $15 and was a quick 20-minute drive away!

Bedroom chair decisions and designing a slipcover for the accent chair | Building Bluebird

It had been listed for a few hours so I immediately messaged the seller. Another buyer had already messaged her with interest in the chair. I pulled out all of the stops saying I would pick it up ASAP and would pay extra. Unfortunately, she was of good moral character and honored the offer of the first person who messaged her – boo!

There was a chair that caught my eye frequently at our local Home Goods and last week it was marked in the clearance section. Discounted items always catch my attention and I decided to buy the chair.

Bedroom chair decisions and designing a slipcover for the accent chair | Building Bluebird

Once the chair was at home I realized how much it clashed with the accent chair. In particular, there were too many striped patterns on one side of the room.

Bedroom chair decisions and designing a slipcover for the accent chair | Building Bluebird

Free Accent Chair

The accent chair in the guest bedroom/office was free and as I mentioned above, discounted items, especially “free”, are too challenging to refuse. The chair came with an ottoman and was the style I wanted in this space. It is also incredibly comfortable. My only issue is that the fabric is not the style I wanted. Originally I planned to reupholster the accent chair at a later date, but that changed once the desk chair was home.

Bedroom chair decisions and designing a slipcover for the accent chair | Building Bluebird

Solution 1: Purchase a Pre-Made Slipcover

My first idea was to search for affordable slipcovers to fix this “over-striped furniture” situation. I didn’t love any of the slipcovers online or the idea of spending $100+ on a slipcover that was just meh. Also, the slipcovers that I considered did not have a matching one for the ottoman.

Solution 2: Have a Custom Slipcover Made

I decided to look into the cost of getting a slipcover custom-made. My mother-in-law had a contact in her phone with “upholstery” in the notes but she could not remember who she was. I gave her a call and she did, in fact, offer upholstery services! It was my lucky day! This woman was extremely helpful and I decided to create my own slipcover for the accent chair.

Nothing like last-minute scrambling to choose chair fabric and have the slipcover sewed! I’m not sure that it will be finished by the deadline, but I am ok with that. Choosing fabric was overwhelming, to say the least. Making a custom chair cover costs money, so the thought of getting it wrong is stressful!

In an ideal world, I would have chosen a fabric with a pattern. In the real world a solid color fabric better aligned with my budget and timeline. I ended up choosing a plain white denim fabric that was affordable, versatile and available at Joann Fabrics.

Bedroom chair decisions and designing a slipcover for the accent chair | Building Bluebird

To create a more custom look, I am adding a contrasting color to the welting. The upholsterer will use the green fabric from the headboard on the chair welting (piping around the cushions). This is my first experience in the reupholstery world and I am excited to learn more about it!

Bedroom chair decisions and designing a slipcover for the accent chair | Building Bluebird

Now that the chair decisions have been made, I really need to get working on the artwork! Check in next week to see what I decide. Head on over to the  One Room Challenge blog to see all of the awesome design plans of the other participants.