When we arranged the parlor furniture in our parlor we needed a fourth piece. The fact that there are three entries leading to and from our parlor make it a difficult room to arrange (the three entries include; our front door and two archways, one leading to the kitchen and one into the living room.)

I immediately thought that an ottoman, recovered in the same fabric as the curtains I’m making would really tie the room together – it could serve as extra seating or as a place to set magazines or appetizers.

Parker and I set out in search of an ottoman we could recover. I called several antique stores, scoured local furniture consignment store but the only pieces were in nearly new condition, made by expensive designers, thus making them too expensive to buy and then recover.

I then found an affordable option at TJMaxx and called Kevin, who refinished and reupholstered the parlor furniture that originally belonged to Shon’s Great-Aunt Frieda , to see what his timeline was like and see if he could recover it. His first question was, “Do you love it?” I said, “No, but it’s affordable.”

He then proceeded to let me know that he could design and build one for us. One that would go well with our parlor furniture – and he could make the deadline and work with our budget.

In the end, we LOVE the piece he custom built and recovered. And, it really looks lovely – now I need to finish the curtains!