How are you doing today? We are all good here. It’s time for Five Faves with Cindy and Annie!! I have some fun things like a wingback chair makeover, a healthy snack, my sweet grand-niece (well, cousin but I love her mom like a sister), and more!
Exterior Container Gardening
Pulling through the porte-cochere at Melba’s house is fun as it changes with the seasons. When I got there last week to check out some bathroom updates, she was just fluffing things for the arrival of her sister. It looks great! You can see more of her lovely home here.
Frozen Blueberries As A Snack
When I’m worried about using up fresh blueberries before they go bad, I wash and freeze them. New discovery! They make the most delicious healthy snack! I’ve heard of freezing grapes but I think these are even better!
S.F. Flower Mart
Last week, I took our daughter, Alexandra to the Flower Mart to get ideas for her upcoming very small wedding (that was planned during Covid).
The bottom flowers are dried. Remember them from the ’80s? They are back! I still prefer fresh though…but these last longer.
Below are what I brought home for us…
Makes Me Smile Every Time
After a very long time apart, my cousin Patricia and her daughter flew from New Jersey to Florida to see her other daughter, son-in-law, and her precious granddaughter. Such a smart little baby getting this age-old clapping game down 🙂 Patricia and I played this as little girls.
What to Read/Listen To
The Night Portrait: A Novel of World War Two and DaVinci’s Italy
“An exciting, dual-timeline historical novel about the creation of one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous paintings, Portrait of a Lady with an Ermine, and the woman who fought to save it from Nazi destruction during World War II.”
Just so you know…I only recommend books that I really like here as I want you to trust me. Please give me any of your recommendations in the comments. Thanks!
Wingback Chair Makeover With Performance Fabrics
My client, Julie bought a shotgun-style second home in New Orleans. I showed her performance fabrics like this one from Perennials. Look how it updates the $100/a piece wing chairs that she found from a second-hand/antique store there!
That’s it… a Wingback Chair Makeover, cute cousins, healthy snack, flowers, and a good book! Let’s check out what my friends have for us (and while you are there, wish Annie a happy birthday)!
CINDY HATTERSLEY DESIGN
MOST LOVELY THINGS
cindy says
Love the chair makeover and can’t wait to hear more about the wedding! Still knee deep in unpacking here! Freezing blueberries genius almost as good as the cracker freezing idea!!
Sherri says
The chair makeover is fabulous! They look like new chairs!! The flower market pictures are beautiful! Flowers are my downfall! I would have wanted to bring them all home. I noticed dried flower arrangements are back now. Everything comes back after a while.
Mary Ann Pickett says
That is so true, Sherri!
Annie Diamond says
Mary Ann! I love your makeovers! Those chairs are amazing! And I would not have even slowed down to look in their original state! You have such a good eye for what something could become!
I always trust your book, movie, series recommendations! You find the best of the best!
Isn’t it funny how dried flowers are back and trendy again?
xx
Heidi says
Hi Mary Ann,
I never thought to freeze blueberries, thanks for the tip. Though we usually eat them all up pretty quickly. I’ll get an extra basket to freeze next time.
I love a good makeover and those chairs are It!! Really look great.
Flowers everywhere at the market, it’s so hard to choose favorites. How fun.
Have a good week!
XOHeidi
Mary Ann Pickett says
That’s a good idea to get an extra basket of blueberries, Heidi!
Karen B. says
The S.F. Flower Mart looks like a place a flower lover (like me) could get lost. Wow. What a great idea to visit a flower mart for ideas for wedding flowers. By the way, both of my daughters-in-law chose to have smallish weddings. The weddings were so much fun and much more personal.
The wingback chairs look amazing.
I always look forward to Sunday Faves.
Thank you.
Karen
kim says
Mary Ann. That chair came out gorgeous! Wow nice choice of fabric. How sweet that video.. I remember playing that with my friends at school! I love that straw flowers are making a comeback. They are so cute in those bouquets. Exciting about the wedding! Will you do the flowers? You have a talent for that! xo
Amy says
I have two sets of well made wing backs sitting in my garage thinking they could be covered…but so expensive! Both my daughters in their 30’s think it is not worth it. Any suggestions?
Linda Salazar says
Hi Mary Ann, the wing back chairs came out great! I agree frozen blueberries are good but if you ever come across the Tru Fru chocolate covered ones they are even more amazing! They also make raspberries and strawberries. Whenever I buy them they go fast around here. My husband loves them. I have found them at Target and Ralphs. Your version is much healthier though haha.
Debbie Bruna says
I highly recommend two books I read recently:
1) The Invention of Wings by Sue Mink Kidd
2) Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Bonita gillespie says
I’m glad you found the blueberries I ve been snacking on them for quite awhile and yes they are great. You might want to try frozen cherries sour or sweet a good alternative to the blueberries.
Mary Ann Pickett says
Great idea!!! I will put that on the grocery list!
Debbie says
Those chairs look outstanding! Wing chairs are really comfortable too, so worth the investment to recover. Thanks for the book recommendation too; always on the hunt for a great read.
Mary Ann Pickett says
THANKS!
Alexis says
Loved the chairs in the new fabric, a great face lift for chairs with great design
I’m so fortunate to have a great upholsterer in my area that does such fabulous work at
a reasonable price it is becoming a lost art .
I have reupholstered my sofa twice it is so well made , fabric is expensive but both times I
have been thrilled with the results and will do it again.
Thanks for the book recommendations always looking for something different .
Mary Ann Pickett says
I know…I think if you love the piece and it’s well constructed, it’s worth it!
carol says
Thoroughly enjoyed your light-hearted post this morning! The chair makeovers are fantastic and I will be freezing my current batch of blueberries.
Mary Ann Pickett says
Let me know what you think!
Carolyn says
Hello… was the space repainted?
Mary Ann Cunningham Pickett says
With the wing chairs? There are two sides to the fire place.
Francesca B. says
Lovely post thank you Mary Ann. I have just finished two incredible books: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro and Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh both amazing. Loved for a lighter read, Joanna Trollope An Unsuitable March and Mum and Dad, and now l am waiting for the new Zadie Smith. Enjoy !
Mary Ann Cunningham Pickett says
Thanks for the tips!!
Susan says
I am always interested in what other people are reading. This book looks like it will check lots of boxes for me-art history,etc. as long as the Nazis are not too mean and hateful . I do not prejudge people by what they read,only enjoy knowing what they are interested in. That’s the English teacher in e coming out-don’t care what you are reading, only that you are reading! I have found a number of interesting books on your blog-mainly decorative,but that just makes our visual world better and that too is important!. Liked your wingback re-do. I have two mismatched, different origins and homes that perhaps redoing in matching fabric would lead the viewer to think they really matched. Thanks for the post,best.
Mary Ann Cunningham Pickett says
Thanks for commenting!!
Helen says
Beautiful containers! Can you share where the tall black ones were purchased.
Mary Ann Pickett says
Restoration Hardware a few years ago.
LA CONTESSA says
I WANT TO READ YOUR BOOK RECOMMENDATION!
LOVE THE CONTAINERS AT THAT HOUSE!
YES< YOU TOOK ME BACK WITH MISS MARY ALL DRESSED IN BLACK!
Mary Ann Pickett says
I think we all played that clapping game.
Kelly says
I love the look of the wingback chair makeover but when I looked into it, reupholstering a piece cost more than buying new. Reusing a furniture would be nice and better for the environment. Any suggestions on finding price friendly options?
Mary Ann Pickett says
You are right that it is expensive, but I think if it’s good quality, it’s much better than buying a cheaper version. I have recovered 20-year-old my custom-made sofas two times! And will probably do it again in five or six years.
Beth says
The key is shopping around and finding an upholstery person who is a true craftsman/craftswoman and who has a robust business going. My upholsterer has 4-6 week lead time, 12 people working for him and is incredibly reasonable. He has done everything in my house. Some numerous times. You can find someone…