Worth the Expense of Refinishing & Reupholstering?

BetteDavisEyes · #1 09-23-2005, 01:48 PM

Has anyone ever had furniture refinished and/or reupholstered furniture? My future mother-in-law got us a dining room set (era 1970's) that is an eyesore. My fiance doesn't want to hurt to her feelings by trashing it even though we both think it's heinous. My thought on this is that there is hope if we refinish the table & reupholster the chairs but I don't know how expensive it is. We can't get estimates until we get the furniture out of storage when our house is done next month. Has anyone here ever had either of these done? Is it worth the expense or is it better to just buy a new set & tell her flat out that we prefer something else?
No one ever told me that buying a new house would create such silly dilemmas.

WCUgirl · #2 09-23-2005, 01:50 PM

You can do this yourself. It's quite time-consuming, but it would save you a ton of money vs. having someone else do it for you.

33girl · #3 09-23-2005, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AXiD670
You can do this yourself. It's quite time-consuming, but it would save you a ton of money vs. having someone else do it for you.

Yes this you can definitely do yourself. A couch or something like that would be another story.

WCUgirl · #4 09-23-2005, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 33girl
Yes this you can definitely do yourself. A couch or something like that would be another story.

I agree.

And don't even get me started on slipcovers.

BetteDavisEyes · #5 09-23-2005, 02:09 PM

Really? That's a great idea & since I took a leave of absence from work, I do have the time. I'll have to look at manuals & perhaps go to Lowes to ask. Thanks for the ideas & input! You guys rock!

JenMarie · #6 09-23-2005, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 33girl
Yes this you can definitely do yourself. A couch or something like that would be another story.

Yeah... unless you are Suzy Sews-A Lot, I wouldn't try redoing a cover for a couch on your own. There were soooooo many people that strolled into Joanns and bought OOGOBS of fabric (expensive no less) to recover a couch. Had they ever looked at a pattern? Nope... Measurements... nah.

When you do reuploster the chairs, go in with measurements and diagrams. You will make the fabric ladies much happier.

Tom Earp · #7 09-23-2005, 05:45 PM

Learn, can save a TON! Make look Great!!!!

Check HGTV! They do wonders!

I have more Projects, but am lazy!

Kevin · #8 09-23-2005, 05:51 PM

I think it's time you had an "accident". Maybe it should spontaneously combust, or possibly be broken when someone "trips" into it.

We have the same thing going on with some of my fiancée's furniture. Some of the stuff is just ugly as sin, and as soon as we have a house, that yit's getting reupholstered if it doesn't go to the Salvation Army.