Presto ... Change-o ... Chair transformation!

Between the Halloween magic that October brings, and the announcement that all of the Harry Potter movies will be heading back to theaters for a very magical week, I thought it was time to share a little magic (decorating) trick of my own.

I've talked before about re-upholstering vs slipcovering to revitalize and renew a sad or tired piece of furniture, or make it better fit with your new space. And while slipcovering is definitely less costly that re-upholstery, sometimes you don't even want to invest that much. And yet ...

This is where a simple throw comes in. Throws are everywhere - from the regal cashmeres to the simple cottons, you can find them in every style and color. And price point. Then I just drape and tuck and wingardium leviosa! The chair is transformed. OK ... it doesn't actually levitate, but who doesn't like to channel that HP spell.

Here are a few pics. Remember, I decorate. And write. Photography is not my strong suit. But you'll, um, get the picture, I think.

Here's the piece I'm working with. It's at least twenty years old. Its mate has been reupholstered for a different spot, and this lost soul has been schlepped from room to room, always fitting in (kind of), but never really adding much. It's still plenty comfy, but a little worse for wear, especially when the dog who doesn't sit on furniture decided to make it his own.

I have this lovely thick throw, which happens to be double-sided, so I began ... First, I thought I'd play up the orange in my orange and pink office.

I folded the blanket in half, draped it, tucked in throughout the body of the chair, and folded under where the cushion meets the chair base. Then I accessorized with pillows I already had.

To change things up a little more, I flipped to the gray side of the blanket, thinking I'd play up the soft, gray wool drapes I have, then styled with other pillows. Warm and welcoming. Simple and inexpensive. Magic!