1950's Child's Platform Rocker. My newest project.

Since I didn't have enough to do... ;-) LOL! I decided to go ahead and start a new project.

This chair belonged to my mom, then my brother, then me as a kid. I now want to use it for my daughter but it is in need of a face lift. I want reupholster it and re-stain the wood. I have never attempted anything like this but I think I can do it. I have been looking online for ideas and have been watching some videos on youtube about upholstery.

I am thinking of making it a little more funky. Maybe a patterned vinyl on the back and a solid vinyl on the seat. I don't know haven't exactly decided. I think I will stick with vinyl since it is for a kid and it will be a lot easier to clean.

On the wood I want to do a dark cherry stain.

I do want to make it look more girly since it will be going in my daughters room. Anyways, just wanted to share. I will post on this thread as I progress. If anyone has any ideas or pointers I am open to advice. Since, I really have no idea what I am doing. LOL!

It was in storage for awhile I think that rats may have eaten the burlap on the bottom while it was stored. Gross!

It has been in my garage for over a year but it came to me in this condition. I don't have rats here. LOL! I am kind of scared to start taking the vinyl off since there is no telling what I will find it in. Shudder.

 

The chair looks solid enough to pretty much do what you will with it......I don't see how you could go wrong....

With you hubby in the boot market , I'd ask him for the name of a leather dealer , who may have some older or discontinued stock they's sell you for a fair coin !!

Or....we're back to the dreaded naugahide monster !!

 

You think I should use real leather? I contemplated this. I thought vinyl might hold up better to the abuse it is sure to get. At first thought about using a piece of cowhide for accent or something but decided against it pretty early on. Not really the look I want. I want it to look girly without being pink.

 

I don't know if it was ever reupholstered before or if it was always like this. It has been like this for as long as I can remember. I don't know what it looked like when it was my mom's though? My dad said he thinks it was redone at one point by my grandmother before my brother used it but he couldn't really remember.

 

Leather lasts.....& I know a couple of girls who are into leather......& they look girly without being pink !!!
Heeheehee !!!!!!!!

It was just a thought....a nice leather chair can be feminine.....looking...

 

hmmm? Okay you got me to thinking now. Thanks. This could be kind of fun.

 

If anyone has any ideas or pointers I am open to advice. Since, I really have no idea what I am doing. LOL!

Hey !....I'm just followin orders darlin' !!!
....

 

Is there any chance this is 1940s rather than 50s?

Both leather and vinyl come in colors. Have you thought of a sage or light green?

 

That is extremely possible all I really know is it was my mom's first. I don't know where they bought it for her but she was born in 48 so it could have been a few years old before she got it.

Yes I was thinking like a sea foam or a very light sage . You read my mind.

 

I was also thinking of painting and distressing the wood but haven't comitted to anything. I just started tearing the vinyl off and it is slow going and as gross as I had imagined.

I will add another a pic once I get it to the bones.

 

My mom also has a little fire engine peddle car with her name on it. I sure wish I had that. Don't know where it ended up.

 

Ok this is as far as I am getting today. I still have one arm to uncover and about a million tacs to remove. This was scary. Every few minutes I was waiting for a spider to jump out and get me. I survived. I think the worse of the creepy crawlies are gone. LOL! Been looking around and I am pretty set on just re-staining the wood pieces and then using some type of good sealer.

 

First, I know nothing about refurbishing. A sage would be nice. I wondered if you could do cutout designs in leather with little bits of another color peeking through, white or a very light blue? Or even pale yellow... Thought that would might give it a youthful, girly look. Good luck. Keep us posted.