Whimsical Chippendale Chair Makeover

New life for gorgeous classic chairs

Posted by Jewels at Home

About

I was so excited when I found a set of Chippendale style chairs for sale on craigslist a while back. There were three armchairs and four side chairs.

These side chairs have found a home in our family room. This room has a coastal feel and is decorated with lots of white and blue, so I found a print for the seats of the chairs that would connect to these colors. I love how the modern print makes these traditional chairs feel more contemporary, and the circles complement the angles of the lattice.

Share

You Will Need (7 things)

  • Chair
  • Fabric
  • Staple Gun
  • Screwdriver
  • Pliers
  • Scissors
  • Foam

Steps (3 steps, 180 minutes)

  1. 1

    Choosing Fabric:

    The secret is that this beautiful fabric, with its bold graphic pattern is not a standard decorator upholstery fabric but an outdoor fabric! It won’t stain, fade, or wear out. You can wipe or even scrub it clean! These days, the options for colors, patterns, and textures in outdoor fabrics are immense. I’ve used outdoor fabrics on several projects, and the results have been great!

  2. 2

    Prepping the seat:

    Unscrew the seat from the chair and use a flat-head screwdriver and pliers to remove the staples.

    If the seat cushioning is in good shape, you can re-use it. Otherwise, you can add upholstery foam from the craft store.

  3. 3

    Upholstering the seat:

    Using the staple gun, tack the fabric onto the seat bottom on the center of each side.

    Next, staple from the center of each side towards the corners, stopping about two inches from the corner. Fold up the fabric at the corner and tack it to the bottom of the seat.

    Now finish stapling the fabric on the sides. Depending on the angle, sometimes you need an extra fold in the fabric.