"Sol" Sauce
The seasons are changing rapidly here in Northern CA, and the summer solstice is just a few days away. With big plans for entertaining, and summertime fun in the hot, hot sun, I decided to reupholster some chairs from a newly acquired vintage rattan dining set.
The dining table and 6 chairs were in remarkable condition when I found them. It’s a set made by Kalp-Son Rattan Co., a popular furniture maker of the ‘50s and ‘60s located in Whittier, California. The existing fabric was in nice shape, but I wanted a more bold style to bring some punch to the newly constructed hale. A beautiful outdoor fabric was on clearance at a local craft store, which I was immediately drawn to. The banana leaf print has some strong vintage tiki vibes reminiscent of 1940s wallpaper — just the impact I was looking for.
If you’re looking for an easy, low-cost solution to transform your space, reupholstering dining chairs can be an effective DIY remedy for a new look. Whether you’re going for bold or subtle, use fabric as a way to introduce color, pattern, and texture for seats in a room or outdoor space. With my scissors and trusty staple gun, I recovered the 6 chairs and got them ready for the great outdoors in just a couple of hours. Easy and impactful!
The dining set is now more simplified with this monochromatic, graphic print. Vibrant green and black banana leaf patterns pair beautifully with the warm rattan tones, which also compliment the surrounding orange accents.
This was just a brief weekend project, though I have more intensive reupholstery plans for the matching modular rattan sofa I picked up with this set. More on that soon, so stay tuned!
For now, I opted to take a seat in the hale to enjoy the fruits of my labor with a refreshing tropical cocktail — banana-themed, of course. This one is for all you cheeky tiki monkeys. It packs a bit of a punch, so you may want to share. However, I strongly encourage indulging in one all to yourself for maximum fun. Cheers to a most excellent, project-filled, sun-drenched summer!
Mea‘ala ‘Aka‘aka served in “The Monkey Cup” by VanTiki.
Mea‘ala ‘Aka‘aka (Spice Monkey)
Prep: 3 min. | Serves: 1
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 oz. Kula dark rum
3/4 oz. Giffard banane du Brésil
1/2 oz. St. Remy VSOP brandy
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3 drops tiki bitters
Dash of cinnamon
Caramelized banana slice for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Combine dark rum, banana liqueur, brandy, lemon juice, vanilla, and bitters in shaker. Dry shake. Pour over favorite mug or glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with caramelized banana slice, and dust with cinnamon.
