This is how they arrived.

I thought I would share with you how I did this and show you how you can easily take on a project like this. This method can be applied to anything from a small gift box to a coffee table.

What you will need –

Item to be decorated

Paper images

Fine sandpaper

PVA Glue

Paintbrush

Decoupage varnish

After a good clean with sugar soap I used a fine grade sandpaper to remove scuff marks from the legs. Then finished them with a matt varnish to protect them. I had a piece of ply wood cut to size to apply the decoupage to and sit underneath the glass.

Then to the decoupage! Choose a theme that suits your room or your interests. The pub has regular car events and live music, I wanted to use these themes for the tops.

I visited local flea markets and secondhand shops and found some old sheet music and some car magazines for the 1950’s. You could use images from magazines or wrapping paper, I have even seen it done with a stamp collection. You can also buy specialist decoupage paper images form many craft outlets.

1950’s Motor Magazine

The sheet music that looked a little too new I soaked in cold tea for a couple of hours. When it dried it had a lovely aged look, just what I wanted.

Soaking in cold tea!

Cut out your images to the shape you want, I like to apply the images in a fairly random fashion, not too may straight lines and overlapping.

I laid out the images on the board to be covered to make sure I had enough and to give me an idea what it was going to look like.

Plywood board cut to size

Arrange your images without glueing first.

When you are happy with your images and how you are going to arrange them you can begin glueing.

Pour some PVA glue into a pot and apply it to the back of the image with a small paint brush, apply it  as evenly as possible, this will prevent lumps and bubbles. When you apply the glued image to the board gently smooth out any bubbles and creases with a soft cloth.

Take your time.

When your item is covered leave it to dry overnight.

When it is dry apply a coat of decoupage varnish. I used Decoupage Matt by Autentico.

Leave to dry and you are done!

Back in place in the pub.

For lots of lovely finishing touches for your home, visit our website – http://www.lavenderandsage.co.uk [contact-form]

BEFORE                                                AFTER

Tools you will need –

Screwdriver (to remove pad from frame)

Small flat head screwdriver and pliers (to remove staples)

Staple gun

Scissors

Iron

Fabric

Tailors chalk or a soft pencil

Step 1 –

Remove the seat pad from the chair frame. To do this turn the chair over and remove the screws that will be holding the pad in place, keep the screws safely to one side as you will re-use these.

Your pad may have a lining fabric on the base of it, if it does, you will need to remove it, they are usually held in place with staples, so using a small flat screwdriver, lever up the staples and use your pliers to remove them.

Base of seat pad with lining.                   Base of pad with lining removed

Step 2 – 

If the original material and any padding are in good condition, it is best to cover straight over the original. If not, remove the old cover and replace any damaged padding.

Cut out your new material – Either use the old material that you have removed as a template, or lay your material, right side up, out on to a flat clean surface then place your chair pad, right side up, on top of the material. With tailors chalk or a soft pencil draw around you chair pad adding a margin of approximately 5cm (depending on the depth of your chair pad). If your new fabric has a pattern or a stripe make sure it is straight before you cut it out. Now cut out. It is now very important that you iron your fabric as this will help you to achieve a flat neat finish.

Step 3 – 

Lay the ironed fabric face down on your work surface and centre the chair pad face down on top of the fabric. When you are happy with the position of your pad on the fabric, you can begin stapling. Make sure you are working on a flat and stable surface, if you don’t have a bench or table that is suitable the floor is probably the next best thing.

Put your first staple in the centre front position, now whilst pulling quite firmly against your first staple place your second staple in the centre back position. Continue stapling alternating from front to back to ensure you pull evenly on the fabric. When you reach the corners you need to fold your fabric to form a neat corner, keeping it tight all the time.

Continue all the way round the pad.

Step 4 – 

Trim off any excess fabric and replace the liner if you had one.

Step 5 – 

Re-attach your pad to the chair frame and you are done!

• In the living room, cast iron curtain poles can make a real statement in a room, looking equally as good with delicate voiles hung from them as a heavy pair of lined curtains. Finish your poles of with delicate bird design finials and matching tie backs for a beautifully themed look.

• In the hallway a cast iron coat stand will make a wonderful first impression to visitors as well as an attractive way of keeping coats and hats tidy.

• A cast iron boot rack by the back door, that is attractive enough to be used indoors or out keeps muddy boots dry and off the floor.

• For the kitchen or bathroom a classic cast iron soap dish will give a wonderful period feel to the room. With the addition of a matching toilet roll dispenser in the bathroom, what could be more perfect?

• Cast iron can also be used successfully in a bedroom. A traditional cast iron bed crown draped with delicate voile panels creates a wonderful effect.

If cast iron alone is a little too harsh for your taste then search out items that use wood and cast iron together. Such as the hat and coat rack from Lavender & Sage Home Accessories which beautifully combines acacia wood and cast iron to provide a very useful and attractive piece of furniture. 

For more, please visit Lavender and Sage

• When designing or refurbishing a modern kitchen, consider adding a free standing traditional piece such as a dresser or a butcher’s block.

• An ultra-modern, streamlined bathroom can be given a touch of the traditional with a small addition of a traditional wooden towel stand or a chair.

• Bedrooms are the perfect room for mixing the old and new. If your furniture is modern and fitted, add traditional quilts and blankets to the bed or traditional lamps and lampshades.

• In a living room with a modern sofas and armchairs, hunt down rugs, sideboards and bookcases with a traditional feel.  

When buying something old decide whether you have the budget for an antique and if you do, do some research first to ensure you are getting what you paid for. Auction houses are good places to start as they usually have an expert on hand to guide and advise you. If your budget doesn’t run to antiques, visit flea markets and boot fairs for those unique pieces that may just need a bit of TLC to bring them back to their former glory.

You can, of course buy something that doesn’t look old and then with a creative eye and some elbow grease there are ways to age the item. Apply paint (not too neatly) in subdued colours then sand the wear and tear areas and finish with a few coats of a good quality dark wax.

Don’t forget all those pieces you may have stored away in the loft, just because they have a wobbly leg or didn’t suit your colour scheme. Dust them off, fix them, paint them and give them a new lease of life.

When buying a new piece of furniture chose well-made items of a traditional design that you will love for years to come.

Finally, let your imagination run, design your space for you and those around you, a space for you to live your life in and be yourself. 

For more, please visit Lavender and Sage

Style of property

Always consider the age and character of your property. If it is an older property, make the most of any original features and work with them. Avoid trying to create a look that will ultimately not be in keeping with the property.

Scrap book of ideas

When you are considering colours, textures and fabrics, browse the internet, look through catalogues and magazines and save any ideas you get in a scrap book. If you are good with a pencil, sketch any ideas into your scrap book.

What will room be used for?

When considering colours and fabrics always think of what the room will be used for. For example, choose calm colours and soft textures for a room that you will want to relax in.

Finish one room at a time

When you know how you want your room to look, try and see it through to completion. Avoid moving on to the next room with unfinished jobs as this can create more work in the long run.

Update old favourites

Save yourself some money by updating old favourite pieces. Paint or re- wax wooden pieces and re-cover chairs etc.

Get your paint brush out!

If your budget is very tight there is no better or affordable way to transform a room than to give it a lick of paint.

Let the light in

Think how your room will look in both daylight and darkness. Avoid blocking out natural light and consider artificial lighting carefully, making sure it fits the rooms purpose.

Accessorise

French home accessories always help to change the look of a room. Make sure any accessories are in keeping with the overall style of the room. Choose pieces that can be moved from room to room to keep your look fresh.

Avoid waste

Try to repair, re-use or recycle where possible. Think sustainably, it’s not such a new idea; our ancestors have done it for generations.

Your space

Ultimately your home should reflect you and be a place that gives you comfort and you will want to cherish. Don’t go with the latest trend if it’s not you. Express your individuality!

For more, please visit Lavender and Sage

The French country home is achievable in the city. Even if your British urban home doesn’t have the space, light and airiness of a French period house it is easy to marry the two.

Here are some practical tips for adding a touch of the French country home to any space.

• Keep kitchens free of unnecessary clutter, concentrate on functional items. Hunt out earthenware pots, glass jars and copper pans that look good on display. These items can be second-hand finds or new retro designs. If you have room, put a table in your kitchen, around which meals can be eaten and life can revolve! Add some deep red checked kitchen linens for the finishing touches.
• 
• Bedroom linens should be white with some lace or embroidery; you can also add crocheted or quilted bedspreads. Use light weight curtains over a simple blind or shutters.
• In the bathroom, towels look great hung over, or stacked on an old kitchen chair or stool.
• Rather than the usual ‘3-piece suite’ opt for individual chairs and sofas that compliment each other in style and colour.
• Throughout the home use large chunky mirrors with elaborate or interesting frames.
• Keep wall colours light.
• Use chunky, rustic items for display and decoration, such as old pitchers and jars instead of a vase for flowers.
• Use baskets and crates for storage and display.
• Display any old or retro items in groups rather than individually.
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• Don’t forget the finishing touches such as cushions and artwork, these help to draw the room together.
• Keep in mind a simpler look with a sense of space and light.

The best places to find interesting, individual items for your home are auction rooms and flea markets.  If you do not have the budget for antiques look for the potential in an old piece of furniture that may just need a bit of love and care to make it a beautiful and useful addition to your scheme.  Always try to put something of yourself into a project and it will become more valuable to you.

Off to the Prom

I really should start this with an apology for the fact that it has been a year since my last blog! I cannot believe that a year has passed!

The last year has been such an exciting and exhilarating time, with many steep learning curves and a few mistakes (thankfully not too many). I have introduced some new suppliers whilst keeping the French Inspired and Traditional feel.  After listening to customers I have also added Paypal to the website.  Lavender & Sage has recently got a Twitter page, so if you would like to follow me @lavendersage1

Life here on the farm is as busy as ever with many new small businesses moving in alongside me.

Home has had its stressful moments with GCSE’s, the anxious wait for results (which were fab) then the move to Sixth Form.  Also trying to find a prom dress for my daughter, who is very small, was quite a challenge which ended with me uttering the words “I’ll make you one”.  After many late nights of sewing, amazingly a dress emerged and even more amazing, she loved it (and it fitted).

The chickens are still unruly but sadly we are down to 3, we recently lost Lilly.

Angus is still going strong on his 3 legs, but age is catching up with him, he has a few aching joints and is quite deaf.

The year ahead! I hope that L&S will continue to flourish and grow. I have decided that my moto should be “slow and steady wins the day” I am still determined to see  Lavender & Sage in a shop as soon as the right property can be found.

I couldn’t have made it this far without all my lovely customers, friends and family who have been tireless in their encouragement, including Mayke who is still very patient with me and still on hand with coffee and biscuits.

Here’s to the next year and I promise to be a better and more frequent blogger!

My daughter Megan and I

To my surprise Mayke did not laugh too much and has worked patiently with me to make the transition as easy as possible.

There has been a lot of behind the scenes work to get the website up and running again, one of the main changes you will notice is that your payment is now handled through Google Checkout which is very straight forward to use even if you don’t have a Google account.

A little about me

Beautiful Angus

I live with my husband our 15 year old daughter and our 3 legged Golden Retriever and 4 unruly chickens in a small Sussex village. Our garden back onto farmland and we are just starting to get some curious new born lambs peeping through the garden gate. We enjoy beautiful views of the South Downs from the back of the house with views of the Long Man of Wilmington from the kitchen window making even the washing up far more bearable.

The Future

I hope that Lavender & Sage will grow continue to steadily in my care. Mayke has taught me many things in my time working for her and I feel that knowledge will help me to ensure the future of the company. Mayke is still on hand for any Interior Design questions you may have and for confidence boosting chats with me fuelled by cups of coffee and plates of chocolate biscuits!

In the longer term I would very much like to open a retail shop in Sussex, it would be lovely to meet my customers face to face.

With kindest regards,

Judi Goodwin