My Shabby Streamside Studio: Nailhead Trim: Refined or Raw

Friday, February 3, 2012

Nailhead Trim: Refined or Raw

Above, an elegant chair (long since sold) from the 1stdibs space in New York from Disegno Karina Gentinetta. She uses a strip of same-fabric (natural cotton muslin) seam tape and places the nails evenly.

Above, a deconstructed chair in Sweden exposing very raw burlap and nails from the book Vintage by Nina by Nina Hartmann with photos by Maria Isabel Hansson.

On the far left with black legs, a chair between refined and raw in the incomparable Norwegian home of Jannicke Helgesen of Lille vildand.

The exposed nail head look blends with vintage, shabby, industrial, French, Nordic, farmhouse, and country styles. It looks great dressed up or down!

Steel upholstery tacks

Ask at your independently owned hardware store (or Jo-Ann, A.C. Moore, Michael’s, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc.) for 3/8” steel upholstery tacks. They may say ‘black’, but they will be all different colors like gunmetal, charcoal, and graphite. A small package costs about $3.

Update: on 7 February 2012 La Brocanteuse published a very good, almost scholarly, post on stripped down upholstery.

This post was supposed to unveil my new daybed bought for $5 at a yard sale, over-plumpy with Euro square pillows and a fat mooshy white linen cushion. The covering over the bottom was to be more linen tacked on with steel upholstery tacks. It all burnt in the fire that destroyed my unfinished home, but someday I’ll find something else. Something even better.

I send everyone hugs back for your support. You are all so sweet.

Until next time, stay shabby!