Many eons ago, when I was in my early 20's, I became smitten with a camel back sofa and loveseat that I saw at a popular high-end furniture store.  It was completely out of my price range at nearly $3000 for the set (yes, sets were all the rage back then). 

But I loved it enough to wait.  Two years later I was able to score both pieces for around $800 at a clearance sale.  

Boy did my friends ever razz me about this choice!  “It’s so traditional… so old!  I thought you were more hip than this girl!” That was what I heard over and over.

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Hearing those types of comments at such a young age can have a destabilizing effect on a person.  Admittedly, I did have moments where I would search for other sofa options “just to see what I may have missed”.  Each time, however, I always- always came back to this curvaceous camel back, which I call my “Marilyn Monroe.”  Hey, I like what I like, and what I like is rarely what’s popular.  C’est la vie.

Now, some 20 years later, I’ve broken up the traditional “set”— the loveseat has been sold.  Yet the sofa still amazes me and every one else who sees it.  It is stunning in person. 

Yeah, I’ve seen a number of decadent custom-made sofas that would be suitable (and enormously expensive) replacements.  But I’m still not ready to part with Ms. Monroe.

Like all icons though, this sofa needed a tiny reinvention in order to stay relevant.  Should I reupholster it with a more modern fabric?  Great idea!  But that's not in the budget right now.  So I opted for some nail head trim instead.   

Off I dashed to Hobby Lobby to purchase it using my 40% off coupon.  I figured no tears would be shed if this $12 investment didn’t work out.  It took some time to get the hang of nailing it into the overstuffed arms of the sofa.  But overall it was fairly simple to install.  About 20 minutes later the sofa arm went from blasé to yay.     

Fairly impressed with the results, I grabbed a few items and got Marilyn all gussied up for a one arm photo shoot.   A shawl that I some times use in my drafty basement, a small bouquet of flowers, and a stout wooden giraffe scored during a trip to Jamaica were all that was needed.

I thought she looked lovely...then I panned down to get a look at her "feet".  Good grief.  Even the giraffe is pretending not to see them.  I'm afraid this will have to do until I find Ms. Monroe a new pair of "shoes".

In the meantime, tell me what you think of this simple, inexpensive upgrade?

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