DIY: Chair Recovered, A Cinderella Story
April 15, 2009
This dusty old chair was sitting at the local thrift store with a $3 price tag. I offered $2 cash, and she came home with me. I gave her a makeover, and bibbity bobbity boo, now she’s Belle of the Ball. Or at least, the belle of my office.
Before and After:
If you don’t have a handy magic wand, then gather these supplies:
- Fabric of choice
- Nail head trim kit with rubber hammer/mallet
- Spray paint (I used Rustoleum’s American Accents Heirloom White)
- Baby wipes
- Tea light candle
- Polyurethane (I used Minwax Wipe-On Poly) and latex gloves
- Foam (if necessary to add cushion or reinforce seat)
- Bamboo batting (see photo below)
- Medium grade sandpaper
- Hot glue gun
- Stapler and Staple gun
Day One, Antique French Paint Technique:
(also used in last week’s ‘Bleak to Tres Chic’ Chair Makeover)
Step One: Remove cushion and give chair a light sanding. This removes dust, any leftover finish, and helps adhere the paint to the wood. Wipe down chair with baby wipes to remove dust, let dry 5 minutes.
Step Two: Rub tea light candle over edges of chair, wherever you want the wood to show through the paint. Lightly remove any wax crumbs with baby wipes. Apply spray paint to chair in a well ventilated area. Work one section at a time, because spray paint dries quickly. Use baby wipes to wipe away the paint where you applied the candle wax. This allows the piece to have exposed wood edges and gives it that antiqued look. In my case, I had a nice bow detail on the top, and I wanted the wood detail to show through the white paint. If you’re doing more than one, note that it takes an entire can of spray paint to cover one chair.
Cover the entire chair with your spray paint, and let dry for 24 hours.
Day Two:
Step One: Apply thin coat of Wipe On Poly and let dry 4 to 6 hours. Use latex gloves to protect your hands, or this product will leave a sticky residue on your fingers. The poly protects your paint, and also enhances the wood detail underneath. You can see the exposed wood edges in the photo below. This wipe-on product goes on in less than 2 minutes, and I highly recommend it over a paintbrush application.
Step Two: While your polyurethane dries, recover your seat cushion. (Below, check out these fabric choices from decades past – we’ve come a long way, haven’t we?) Remove the old fabric, and consider reinforcing the old seat with a piece of foam. In my case, the chair only had a board with a small amount of cushioning and it was a bit uncomfortable. I purchased a piece of medium density foam from the local fabric store, and some eco-friendly bamboo batting to cover the foam. Trim your foam and your batting to fit your chair seat. Staple the batting tightly to the seat to secure the new foam.
Step Three: Center your fabric on the newly cushioned seat, and attach with staple gun.
Step Four: If you have a rattan back, you have the option of covering it with fabric. On the back, create a rear cushion by A) forming a cardboard skeleton, B) stapling the bamboo batting to the cardboard, C) hot glue the fabric to the cardboard, and D) thread the new cushion to the rear side of the rattan using a needle and thread, and secure the cushion to the rear with more hot glue to solidify the thread.
This is how the back will look when done correctly:
Step Five: Trim your batting and fabric to just beyond the edges of where you’ll apply your nail head trim to the front of the chair. In my case, I chose a French natural color nailhead trim kit. Fold under your fabric, and work the trim kit around the chair, using the rubber mallet, to secure the batting and the fabric to the chair. Note: You cannot use a regular hammer, since it would destroy the delicate nail head. You must use a rubber head hammer or mallet to pound the nail heads into your chair.
Pliers are the best way to clip the edges of this nail head trim kit.
Step Six: Reattach seat cushion to chair.
Here is the final chair:
Another before and after:
Isn’t she lovely? Now, imagine doing this for an entire dining set… fabulous !
For Google: DIY chair recovered, DIY antique paint, DIY distressed paint technique.
I am so glad I stumbled upon your blog!
Several years ago my uncle gave me his old dining room table and chairs, that look similar to the one you just revamped. I’ve been trying to figure out how I can make them work in my new house, and this tutorial might do the trick. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
it looks amazing, i love your projects
Absolutely love it! You have such fantastic taste. I sure can take some tips from you.
Love love love it! It would certainly would look good in my home. I love the fabric.
That looks amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this post. I feel inspired
Karen
http://www.simplylovelyideas.blogspot.com
That is fabulous! I almost bought that material for my dining room chairs…love it!
(And to answer your question…I don’t have anyone design my blog…I just do it myself…I figure out what I want from what I see in other people’s, then google it…(Like.”Take border off of header in blogger”) then follow the directions with bated breath. It’s always worked for me!
She’s beautiful!!! What a save and a bargain all at once.
Your site comes highly recommended by our friend, Elise. She can tell you that the 2 dollar thrift store chair is totally up my alley
I will be back to see what you come up with next! Enjoy your new chair…
I just discovered your blog from This Young House and I LOVE this chair makeover! Great job
That is one fab chair transformation. I just found your blog from This Young House and I’m going through back posts as I’m liking what I see.
cheers,
Blueberry
Just found this from One Pretty Thing and HOLY COW! Love it!
The before is soooo similar to the dining room chairs I used to have! Ohhhhh how I hated them! The “after” is about 873568230497578234890900023 times better than the original!
Love the chair! I guess I’ve been doing something wrong according to your post. I was using actual paint. Out of a can. Geez, was I takin the long route OR WHAT???? Now I’m really ready to tackle my headboard!
-Shannon in Austin
Shut the front door! This is incredible–you have such an eye for treasures in the rough CG! Excellent job, it looks amazing!
very cool, I love how you covered the wicker
This is so great! I have an ugly bench I purchased because I planned on refinishing it. I hope mine turns out as good as yours did.
OMG I inherited four of these hideous chairs. Thanks to your fabulous blog, I can finally take off the almost as hideous chair covers and get rid of that ugly caning! You are my Shero!
O
M
G
I have identical chairs.
And a 40% coupon to Joanns.
Guess what I'll be doing this week?
They are AMAZING.
Hey-one more thing-how much fabric do I need per chair?
I have 6 chairs total.
Thanks!
If you have time to answer–what is the name of the fabric you used?
I love your chair redo and the fabric is fabulous.
I have had this Cinderella chair in the back of my mind as I have been refinishing my own chair. And it, too, is a Cinderella story! The transformation is unbelievable! I would love it if you stop by and check it out: http://thousandsquarefeet.blogspot.com/2009/11/goodbye-ugly-hello-beautiful-diy.html
Thanks for your many inspirations!
Absolutely amazing! Thank you for the succinct directions! I love the chairs!
[...] stenciled and hand painted the surface, then I had a glass top made for it. You’ll recognize my Cinderella chair from way back in April when I transformed this $3 dollar thrift store chair with some paint, [...]
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hi there, I love this. I am trying to find the nailhead trim that you used, are there any local stores like home depot or lowes that sell it?
Hey, I was wondering if you wait for the paint to dry before rubbing it off where you have applied the wax or do you do it right away? Love the technique and want to re-do our kitchen table and chairs that way.
I was wondering….Do you use Primer before painting?? I have this weird thing about priming EVERYTHING FIRST. but it wasn’t listed on your supplies. just curious.
thanks
Jessica
I stumbled across your blog,and now I can’t stop reading it! YOU inspire me! to get some old furniture and give it new life!
I love the antique look of this! One question — I’m assuming you sand (or wipe?) off the wax before you do the poly coat?
Thanks!!
Awesome chairs! Where do you find the nailhead trim kit? I looked at Joannes and Home Depot and couldn’t find them?? Thanks so much!
Hi there-I have a question-how many yards of fabric are needed per chair? Additionally, how many yards of nailhead? I’m going to try this on my 6 dining room chairs and want to make sure I have enough material before I start…
Thanks!!