Give an old chair a new lease of life
Give a plain chair a bespoke look on a budget with simple upholstery skills
Next time you’re browsing for secondhand furniture, don’t overlook old, basic chairs – all it takes to transform a tired seat into an expensive-looking piece is some fabric in an on-trend print and a little basic upholstery knowledge. This makeover takes you through how to change the upholstery on a simple chair so you can create your own custom look, or several matching chairs for a thrifty dining room set.
SHOPPING LIST
Screwdriver Super glue and clamps, if needed Upholstery staple remover
Polyfoam pad to fit the chair Sewing scissors Cotton batting Heavy-duty stapler Staples Hammer Durable fabric of choice Neutral fabric for bottom side of seat (optional) Annie Sloan chalk paint in Country Grey Paintbrush 220-grit sandpaper Furniture wax Lint-free cloth
First, unscrew the seat from the frame and make any necessary repairs. When choosing a chair for this project, stay away from chairs that aren’t completely sturdy. If any joint repairs are needed, put clear glue on the joints and leave them clamped for about 24 hours to dry. Flip the seat over and remove the existing fabric and staples with an upholstery staple remover. Examine the existing cushion to see if it needs to be replaced or just needs extra thickness and add a polyfoam pad if required. Cut the pad to the approximate size of the seat, then cut the cotton batting to around 10cm longer than each side of the seat.
Start with the front side of the seat by folding the batting over and stapling about 2.5cm from the edge. You may want to slightly fold the edge of the batting before you staple it to create a straighter line. You may need to hammer the staples all the way in. Continue stapling the first side of the seat but stop about 4cm from the two corners.
Rotate the seat and staple the opposite side, pulling the batting taut. Continue likewise with the other two sides. You’ll end up with the four corners sticking out.
At the corners, make one fold on each side of the corner, one side at a time. Cut away the excess fabric underneath to reduce the bulk and keep the fold thin and neat, pull tight, and add a few staples. Then do the other side. It doesn’t need to look perfect, but it needs to be secure. Continue with the other corners.
Make sure your chosen fabric is ironed, and, if there’s a pattern, that it’s lined up how you want it. Cut the fabric like the batting, with an extra 10cm all around the sides. Staple the fabric just the same as the batting – work on opposite sides first, pull it taut, and save the corners to staple last.
If you want to hide the wood or your staples, you can cut a neutral shade of cotton fabric, fold the edges under, and staple it to cover the edges you’ve already stapled, but avoid covering the screw holes.
Paint the chair frame in your chosen colour. Give the chair about three coats of paint, then, once all the coats are dry, lightly sand and distress it with 220-grit sandpaper for a vintage look, and then wax it for protection using a lint-free cloth. Once the wax is dry, screw the covered seat back onto the chair to finish.