Winging It In the Kitchen

I believe kitchens can have a sitting area to serve other design purposes besides having a basic table with hard chairs to eat at. I desire a relaxing space for conversation when one of us is cooking as the other sits and put their feet up, chilling, drinking wine and enjoying the moment. The area will be used to enjoy weekend breakfast, morning coffee or tea, and surely for writing my blog and since it is located in front of French doors leading onto the patio, I want it to compliment a garden theme. I've thought about many chair styles that might work in this setting and searched through several thousand listings online and many resell shops on foot, to find the perfect chair pair and came to the conclusion that two small wing chairs are a must to complete my vision. Just a small hint, for my home relaxed doesn't mean to omit beautiful aesthetics. I even imagined to go against my vintage rescue-revamp mindset hoping to acquire some dream chairs for the kitchen - two new Quatrine Captain chairs, because the style has perfect dimensions for the space, but this would be very expensive. I need to get a second job to pay for those chairs. HA, HA! Seriously though, they are too much for my current personal coin purse. I was beginning to think I'd have to stick with my two kubu wicker chairs and be satisfied, or at least pretend to be. They are pictured below, during a time when I was happy with them in the kitchen. That's our little Cerise striking a pose...

Here is a picture of Quatrine's Captain chair beautifully slipcovered, from their website. For a short period it really was my dream chair for the kitchen...

We went to Dallas two weeks ago and I visited the lovely Quatrine showroom. Everything in there is from slipcovered furniture heaven and it was a pleasure meeting the two designers there that I would love to one day order from, but the Texas Lotto is holding me up by hiding my winning numbers every week! I sat in a Captain chair and couldn't wait to tell my hubby about how wonderful they would be in our kitchen. But after I drove away from dreamland something shook me to wake up and I told my two hopefully in the future daughter-n-laws (no stress from mom here) riding with me, that I was going to spare my hubby covering that thirty-five hundred dollar or more invoice and find a vintage pair of wing chairs that need rescuing-revamping  ~ for two hundred dollars! They laughed, cheered and wished me luck. I put the words out there and though it ended up costing just a hundred dollars more than what I stated, plus a small shipping fee, the universe answered the call within the next few hours.

Seriously, immediately returning to our Airbnb rental I began the hunt on eBay using my iPad, before we headed out to see the Cowboys get beat down by the Eagles. On the next day in Florida, the seller packed them up and put them on a Greyhound bus to travel to Texas. They are a lovely pair in need of reupholstering, but they are totally solid, sturdy and the exact same dimensions as the former dream wing chairs, with an added inch in height because of the camel-back top. Yep, dreams do change. I am happy to introduce you to the Captainelle twins... 

Notice Cerise, this being several years later still likes that ottoman. It's soon to get reupholstered too, because I splattered chalk paint on it during one of my many DIY projects and it needs to compliment the twins future slipcover wardrobe. Below is a side profile of one of the twins...

and a closer view of those pretty legs, soon to get a paint spa treatment...

After enhancing their legs both wings chairs will be reupholstered in a floral printed linen to compliment a garden theme since they sit in full view through the French doors directly to the right, leading onto our evolving patio...

For the twins I will be using the beautiful Bennison Fabrics ~ Faded Floral. I've been hoarding eleven and a half yards of this luxurious linen for several years and it is exciting to finally be able to let it shine. I recently made two simple pillow covers in the colorway of original on beige, printed with mauve's and pinks, instead of reds...

 

I also had a little yardage of original on beige with reds that was used to make two shopping bags, which were featured in the previous post titled Bennison Goes Shopping...

Later the Captainelle twins will get some pretty slipcovers for those moments I fancy a temporary change, but this Bennison fabric will be a permanent fixture on these two winged beauties to sit in our kitchen's relaxing space. I do look forward to sharing the final results of their makeover, but please give me some time.
 
~ I wouldn't want to do a rush job by just winging it ~