Refurbish furniture to keep it in style, save money and the earth

Designers are always saying they can save us money with their sources and expertise, right? Well how about the trifecta: save money and the planet while delivering great style.

What's the secret?

Reupholstering and refinishing furniture, of course.

About two years ago Michelle Banks Watt of Michelle Banks Interiors in Naperville realized that reusing furniture is important for the environment and not just the budget.

One of her treasures is a burled olive wood desk she bought years ago at a garage sale. She loves the curved legs and unbeatable grain, but had it refinished because the stain was really dark.

And for even more bang for your financial, environmental and even stylish bucks, Watt recommends custom slipcovering with the fabric and finishing touches of your dreams.

Beverly D'Agostino of Inverness had a love seat in her son's room reupholstered because she could not find anything else the right scale for that spot.

D'Agostino, who is also a designer, also had furniture from her vacation home reupholstered and refinished, after they suffered water damage. She knew it would take forever to find anything she liked as much as her original pieces. And at the same time, she was able to update her color palette. If you have an older piece, even something built in the 1960s, you will find it is built of better materials - say thick hardwood and better springs - than you might find today, especially in lower-cost furniture, said Lou Butcher of Furniture Werks, Inc. in Michigan City, Ind.

His charges start at $1,500 plus fabric for sofas, but he maintains you will end up with better furniture, including better foam and more stuffing.

His clients are the 10 percent of the population who realize the differences with custom furniture, said Butcher. He also will do free pickup and delivery in the suburbs for orders over $500, and only charges for estimates if clients need quotes for insurance purposes.

Watt, who is president-elect of the Illinios chapter of American Society of Interior Designers, says clients will go for refurbishing furniture they have inherited or already own.

"I'm optimistic clients will have me go out and find items for them - at consignment shops or Goodwill even. But I haven't had any takers so far."

An otherwise good sofa with one feature you don't like such as overstuffed arms can be rebuilt, she said.

"Even though the economy is tough, people still want to have nice things in their home, and this is a less expensive way to do it," said Watt.

<p class="factboxhead">Reupholstering and refinishing tips</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Sentimental value can make reupholstering furniture worth it to you, said Paul Jessen of Jessen Reupholstery in Lisle. His charges are $500 plus materials for a chair such as a wingback and double that for a sofa.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Remember, if you start with quality construction you will end up with a custom piece of furniture for probably much less than you could buy something similar new, he said.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Refinishing wood furniture is definitely cost effective, said Michelle Banks Watt of Michelle Banks Interiors in Naperville. As an example, Furniture Werks' prices start at $765 for a dining room table.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Redoing a sofa can cost just about as much as buying a new one, Watt said. But she had one from the 1980s redone because the lines were clean and fit with current styles, but the fabric was a floral on a pink background. A friend was throwing away the sofa, so Watt rescued it and had it recovered in taupe mohair.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Watt recommends shopping around for fabric and perhaps finding some on sale. </p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Be sure to use craftsmen you can trust, preferably someone recommended by a designer or friend.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Chairs with exposed wood cost less to reupholster because less sewing is required, so these can be a good deal, Watt said.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Watt has found that new furniture made with green methods is usually contemporary or rustic styles, so recycling is a good choice for traditional or transitional furniture, which is what suburbanites still prefer.</p>