The Search For Steampunk Chairs

Our last construction projects for the steampunk room are currently on hold, since the weather here in Florida has gone from "melt your face off" to "Hell, but with 3,000% humidity." It's so bad that even John doesn't want to leave the house, much less go work in our metal solar oven of a garage - and it's hard to blame him.

However, since we've been parking Claptrap back there, we've decided he really HAS to stay in the steampunk room - and not just because he won't fit anywhere else. :D So we moved Clappy to this back corner:

... and decided to use the low crank table that *used* to be there as a game table! 

Which meant that we needed some low - and very small - chairs to go with the table.

TIME TO GO SHOPPING.

I was impressed with what we found in the discount home stores around town - especially since I couldn't find anything online for less than $300 per chair. I was hoping for a small accent or club chair, preferably in a vintage style with nail head trim. And check it out - we actually found several possibilities!

 This is from Home Goods, and was about $140. A little too modern, maybe, but not bad at all for a cleaner steampunk look. (I like those rope end tables, too, which would be an easy DIY.)

We found the ideal steampunk club chairs over at Tuesday Morning:

A little pricey at $200, but really not that bad for the quality. Unfortunately, it was just too big for our space. (Those rolled arms gave it a whopping 30 inch width.) Onward!

We were reallly close to pulling the trigger on these two over at Marshall's. I like the Damask,  and at $120 each, they were the cheapest option we'd found yet. BUT... I was still kinda "meh." I just wanted something with more zing, you know?

I started eying these two, also at Marshall's, because I love the shape:

They'd require a complete overhaul to fit a steampunk style, of course, but ahhh, all those rounded edges!

WAY too big, but oh, how I liked this chair (found at a SECOND HomeGoods, because yes, we drove across town to see both):

If it'd been orange or teal instead of cream, I think we'd have brought that sucker home anyway. :D

Speaking of color, this one was much prettier in person: kind of a dusky teal:

 

 Plus, that shape! It reminds me of an octopus, reaching out to hug you. LOVE. 

(That's from World Market, btw. Here's the link - only $330!)

But, again, way too big. 

And then, barely 5 steps into World Market (and our 7th store of the day) we saw this:

 OoooOOOOOooooo. ZINGY.

Then, as we looked closer, we realized the price tag said it was on clearance, and cost only $45. 

FORTY FIVE DOLLARS.

We quickly asked a clerk if that was the last chair, and she said it was. Our hopes.. dashed! [sob]

BUT THEN.

I gently nudged the box the chair was sitting up on - and it was heavy. Fast forward an excited 5 seconds, and we found a second, matching chair inside the box! Cue the heavenly chorus!

Ninety dollars and a little car Tetris later, Lily was putting her furry stamp of approval on our new game chairs:

 "This'll do, human. THIS'LL DO."

(She had to try both, of course.)

 John and I originally discussed trying to tweak the chair color with dye, but once we got both chairs set up in the room, that bright green didn't seem too bright, after all:

Plus, we were pleasantly surprised to see it picks up the greens in our stained glass doors!

[Update: Do not adjust your monitors; they really ARE more teal than green, especially in this room. For some reason the store lists them as "Emerald," though.]

We still plan to make a few alterations, of course: we'll be adding nail head trim to the chairs, and possibly painting the leg tips gold, to mimic brass ferrules. (It's so dark down there, I think that'll help the legs stand out.)

I'd like to do something fun with the nail heads, too; maybe make a pattern on the seat edges? I'm still brainstorming, but so far I'm liking this:

 via

 

 Thoughts?

This game table arrangement was all John's idea, btw, and I was convinced it would never fit - so thanks for being right, Sweetie. So chuffed that we gained two more seats back there!

There's even still room for the low shelving John will be building on the wall behind the left chair.

Of course our game table needs a game now - and those of you follow me on Twitter may remember this:

 More Harry Potter stuff? Yep. More Harry Potter stuff.  

 Those are still a work-in-progress - and a very tedious work, at that - so stay tuned for the finished product.

 Now I'm off to order a bunch of upholstery tacks. :)

PS - Our chairs are the Lindsey style from World Market in Emerald Green, but since I can't find them on WM's website, I'm guessing they've been clearanced out everywhere. Sorry, guys!