A mother-of-four from Queensland has revealed how she makes thousands of dollars by transforming worn old armchairs.
Emily Barnes, 36, buys secondhand chairs for next to nothing and sells them for thousands of dollars more after giving them an eye-popping on-trend makeover.
‘My armchairs start at $650 and wingbacks start at $1,350. The end price really depends on the fabric and finishes chosen by the client,’ Emily told FEMAIL.
‘It’s not a cheap process but you’ll end up with something that’s going to be unique – something unlike anything anybody else owns.’
‘It’s not a cheap process but you’ll end up with something that’s going to be unique – something unlike anything anybody else owns,’ Emily said
This sand and yellow armchair (pictured left) was purchased for $50 before being turned into this eye-catching deep purple and velvet chair now worth $1900 (right)
‘The amount I spend on purchasing a piece varies greatly. Sometimes they are giveaway pieces that I save from landfill, other times I pay up to $300 to ensure I can add them to my stock.
‘The finished price varies greatly as well. On average armchairs finish around the $900-$1,100 mark and wingbacks can finish anywhere from $1,800-$2,000 right up to $3,000 depending on fabric selection.’
The end price also comes down to what materials and fabrics the client chooses for their bespoke piece.
The design process isn’t quick but what a piece goes through depends on the client’s wants and needs.
This tired, grey and outdated-looking armchair ( pictured left) was bought for $200 and after lots of hard work is now worth $2700 (right)
Mother-of-four Emily Barnes, 36, (pictured) buys secondhand chairs for next to nothing and sells them for upwards of AUD $650
‘Most times they are completely stripped back, joints are repaired, timber is restored, new feet are attached if that is in the design and then they are reupholstered in accordance with what the client has chosen.’
Emily said that the whole piece is customised to the client’s particular desires.
This includes the timber stain, paint, piping, fabric, strip tacks, feet and legs, castors, buttons and cushions.
She uses a variety of techniques to make sure that the finished product is of high quality and sometimes that involves hand painting.
‘Every aspect is carefully thought out, right down to the exact positioning of a butterfly or vine on the fabric.’
Emily spent her time and energy restoring this piece, with black feet and detailing and a burst of rainbow fruit, flowers, birds and leaves
CoQuelicot Designs started when she was wanting to raise money for an oven for her families newly renovated home which didn’t fit their budget.
‘Always one to rise to a challenge, I decided to raise the money myself. This saw me start going to garage sales and on selling pretty much anything that I could see was under-valued.
‘Things that included antiques and other vintage pieces. Gradually, the pieces that I was buying at the garage sales turned into furniture, which I up cycled and revamped.’
‘Always one to rise to a challenge, I decided to raise the money myself. This saw me start going to garage sales and on selling pretty much anything that I could see was under-valued’
She eventually found that her unique and bold style was a hit with the public and she was soon struggling to keep up with orders.
‘In the early days sourcing all the pieces meant hours and hours driving around Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast while dragging four kids,’ Emily explained.
‘I guess these were the hard yards that were required to get the business off the ground.
‘One Saturday morning, I set out to do my rounds of the garage sales and stumbled across a some antique chairs which I saw potential in and purchased on a whim.’
Emily is all about the details when it comes to her bespoke pieces and is heavily influenced by nature
This tired, grey and outdated looking armchair (left) was bought for $200 and after lots of hard work is now worth $2700 (right)
‘Working with these pieces saw my love of fabrics and design flourish and as with my furniture, my unique design style was very well received,’ she continued.
‘My early pieces sold very quickly which lead to me moving towards custom design.’
The following years saw huge growth and she now works full time while working closely with clients to design their piece.
Emily was working seven days a week to see her business blossom and and at one point her house had furniture from one end to another.
‘Working with these pieces saw my love of fabrics and design flourish and as with my furniture, my unique design style was very well received,’ she explained
‘Word of mouth brings a lot of the pieces to me now and sourcing stock is an ongoing process. Deceased estates. Online sales pages. Garage sales.
‘Now 70% of the pieces we complete are from stock that I have sourced. The other 30% are pieces that are already owned by the client, which they bring to me.’
The colours and designs are decided in consult with the clients which often involves the them sending her photos of where the piece will be going to make sure it is coordinated with any existing colour schemes.
This patchwork armchair was bought for $120 and needed some desperate tender love and care – Emily then turned it into this bright blue mosaic piece of furniture which is now worth $2700
The colours and designs are decided in consult with the clients which often involves the them sending her photos of where the piece will be going to make sure it is coordinated with any existing colour schemes
‘Once they have selected a piece from my stock we discuss their likes and dislikes with regards to colours, prints, textures and any ideas that they may have.’
Emily was attracted to reviving old furniture because she spotted a niche market of restoring antique pieces.
‘I’ve always been fascinated by the history of old pieces so restoring them made sense.
‘Old furniture tends to be made of quality hardwood and are inner sprung so the quality is superior to buying new.’
Emily (pictured) was attracted to reviving old furniture because she spotted a niche market of restoring antique pieces
She explained to FEMAIL that she has noticed a resurgence in people wanting to restore vintage pieces and having a custom, bespoke piece.
‘The majority of the pieces that are brought to me by my clients have sentimental value.
‘For me, it is all about reconnecting them with those memories so that the pieces are privy to a whole new generation of memories.’
This outdated, brown and dusty armchair was given away for free at a deceased estate
And is now worth $1900 after Emily worked her magic, using a bright blue velvet material to make the piece stand out
Emily believes that inspiration is everywhere when it comes to designing her pieces.
‘I find nature particularly inspiring – the colours and shapes are a constant well I draw inspiration from.
‘Photography also inspires me. I suspect my brain works differently to others. I see the world as an ever changing landscape from which to draw inspiration from.
‘Architecture, the styling in shop windows, a café, a sunset, the way shadows fall over the path – they all combine to ensure I’m never short of ideas.
‘Inspiration sometimes it comes in brilliant flashes, other times it requires steady work and it evolves.’
Emily understands that these prices aren’t accessible for everyone so to ensure that those who want one of her pieces can have one, she has set up a 20 week layby plan
Emily explained that when she was growing her business she had her family in mind because she wanted to ensure that they worked together in unison.
She wanted to be able to work while still being a ‘stay-at-home’ mum – the best of both worlds.
‘It is a constant juggle but it was particularly hard in the beginning, when I had four kids under seven,’ she told FEMAIL.
‘The fact that they were so young meant that they went everywhere with me. They were taken to garage sales every Saturday and Sunday morning for 12 months in the early stages.’
‘They had to sit in the car for 8 hours at a time while we drove around Brisbane sourcing stock. They come with me when I deliver chairs and wait in the car while I see clients.’
Now that the business is no longer in its early stages and the kids are all at school it is much easier for Emily to balance both.
‘They do however endure a constant turnover of chairs in their home and a Mum that works very long hours but the positive side of that, is that Mum is able to arrange her consults so that she can go to sports carnivals, be home to pick them up from school and take them all after school lessons.’
‘The majority of the pieces that are brought to me by my clients have sentimental value’
Emily understands that these prices aren’t accessible for everyone so to ensure that those who want one of her pieces can have one, she has set up a 20 week layby plan.
‘Working with clients to see their vision through from concept to completion gives me the greatest joy.
‘I enjoy the challenge of understanding what they are after and meeting those requirements with fabric and design.’