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Jennifer Sergent

Freelance design writer + blogger | Marketing copywriter

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New Year’s Guest Post: Sallie Kjos

January 23, 2020

Happy New Year everyone — I hope your Roaring Twenties are off to a wonderful start! Since beginning a new year tends to inspire thoughts of reinvention and renewal, I thought I would start 2020 with a guest post by my decorating friend, Sallie Kjos of GreyHunt Interiors in Northern Virginia, whom I met when I wrote about her stunning black and white bathroom for Washingtonian Magazine.

I noticed that Sallie was posting some Instagram stories about giving new life to old chairs, and I asked her to share. Take it away, Sallie!

Sallie Kjos. Photo by Christy Kosnic

I am so excited to officially kick-off the new year with a guest post on this amazing blog! This year marks my 20th anniversary of becoming an official interior designer, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to commemorate it in this way. The year 2020 has us all really assessing the choices we’ve made, our past mistakes, and what exactly we can learn from them. It also has people looking toward the future. We’re all thinking about the things that we need to redo, and frankly how we should be doing it right this time! This all holds true for your furniture and your home as well.

I feel so blessed that my clients not only trust me with their homes, but they trust me to create a space where their future memories will be made — where their life moments will happen. That’s why I really see the beauty in bringing life back to a great piece, because it holds so many memories. There are moments when I look at pieces of furniture, especially chairs (I LOVE chairs!), and I can see the beauty in the lines. That tired old chair just needs a makeover, a second chance, and its own design refresh. Not only is this an eco-friendly option, but you can really be creative and customize your piece while retaining all of its wonderful memories.

This cobalt and white room was really special for me.

Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg, Upholstery by David Yum

The client was very attached to the sofa, as it was her late mother’s, and she feared that redesigning the room would mean losing her special piece. Not a chance! We made the sofa the star of the room with a rich cobalt-navy velvet fabric. Now the entire family enjoys this room every day.

Before:

 

This one is coming soon — a sneak peek of one of my latest makeovers! These chairs are another great rejuvenation story using paint and fabric by Fabricut, but it’ll have to remain a secret for now as this room redesign won’t be released until later in 2020!

 

Before:

 

As I mentioned before, I love chairs, seriously I DO! I purchased the chair shown below while I was in college for only $20.

It clearly was in need of some serious TLC once my kids got ahold of it. So, I painted it black and we recovered it in a Sunbrella White fabric, and wah-la! A totally brand new look!

Photo by Christy Kosnic/ Upholstery by David Yum

I also changed out a boring white bench with a more vivid Grass Green by Kate Spade, and now it really pops:

Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg

 

This is one of my favorite transformations of all time, below. Isn’t it just fabulous? Okay I’m not just talking about the Manolo Blahniks, but the curves on this chair! When I first saw this chair I fell in love with the lines and I could see it fully reimagined in my head. Isn’t she just gorgeous? Who would have thought that this plaid, dark, outdated chair could become so feminine and modern? Once we painted the frame, I chose a nubby neutral by Kasmir Fabrics for the cushion and back pillow:

 

After photos by Christy Kosnic/ Upholstery by David Yum

 

This project is another one of my favorites (Yes, I do in fact have lots of favorites). A new home called for a new look, so before my friend and client even moved in, we got to work planning out how to give this fabulous classic chair a new vibe.

Look at how elegant this pair turned out!

 

I could go on and on with all of these before-and-afters, but I won’t. As you go about redoing a space, I want to really encourage you to look at furniture pieces you already have and assess their overall lines. Getting a new space in 2020 for some will mean a redesign, a makeover, or a complete start-over. What will this new year look like in your home?

Filed Under: Designers, Home Decor Tagged With: Guest Post, Sallie Kjos

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. usvintagewood says

    February 27, 2020 at 1:46 am

    Awesome! Your design is stunning and it’s so elegant!! Seeing it on the picture and compare it to before and after is a great feeling. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this. Keep going! Love love!!

  2. Barbara Margolis says

    January 24, 2020 at 9:28 am

    Thanks for a great article! I too have done a dumpster dive for an authentic Thonet chair that I redid in black-and-white. !
    After 44 years in the business I never tire of the beauty and sculptural quality of chairs! Thanks Jenifer!

    • Jennifer Sergent says

      January 24, 2020 at 11:47 am

      LOL sounds like I should do a post on dumpster diving — I love these stories!

  3. Susan says

    January 24, 2020 at 7:28 am

    Loved this article. I have been known to hit the brakes for chairs on the side of the road. I even dumpster dove for a pair of fun Italianate chairs that found a new home with a paint over and pattern.

    • Jennifer Sergent says

      January 24, 2020 at 8:30 am

      You are soul sisters, I love it!

  4. Barry Remley says

    January 24, 2020 at 6:16 am

    Love this post! Thank you for sharing your inspiring passion and creativity— and wonderful photos of the before/after shots .

  5. Sallie says

    January 23, 2020 at 8:00 pm

    I love it so much!!!! Thank you!!!❤️

    • Jennifer Sergent says

      January 24, 2020 at 8:30 am

      back atya Sallie!

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