Louis XVI Sofa

I really liked the looks of this little sofa in the living room, and it has a matching chair too that still needs to be made.

I started out making the frame from layers of cardboard glued together like the instructions called for but decided to do the arm pieces out of thin 1/16th balsa.

To make the little top back carved wood-looking decorative ribbon, I cut a thin strip of paper and then smooshed it up in a ball. I loosened it a little and rolled it in white glue, placed it across the back rail loosely and shaped it into a ribbon shape with a toothpick.

I made the little round decorations on top of the back rails with two sizes of beads glued down with a pin. I made the flower shapes on the blocks with fabric dimensional paint just dabbed on in dots.

Once I got the frame together and after drying several hours, I painted it with a coat of gesso and then a coat of gold paint.

I cut the seat and back out of foam core and covered them with cotton. Then I used a brown stamp pad to age the cloth back, sides and front edges.

When that was dry, I used colored pencils to draw some faded flowers and scrolls onto the fabric very lightly. The twisted trim around the seat and back cushions are cotton cord glued on.

It looks great in the main room. I can see it start to come together. This room is the only room that gets fancy curtains and then it will really pop!