Chair Makeover for DIY Magazine
November 8, 2011
Last spring, I received the Coolest Email Ever.
It was from one of my most favorite magazines in the universe: Do It Yourself Magazine. Yes, the Special Interest Publication by Better Homes & Gardens. The very same DIY Magazine I have looked forward to every three months for years and years and years and I always buy at the store. Every time I peruse the pages I am so inspired.
So when I received the Coolest Email Ever offering me a chance to revamp a ‘mystery’ piece of flea market furniture for the magazine, I picked my jaw up off the floor and immediately replied “Yes!”. The mystery piece arrived a few weeks later, with a note.
It was a chair. A greenish teal crackle finish chair. What could I possibly do with this chair? At first I thought, “Oh, I know, I’ll transform it into a planter!” But that’s been done.
So I stared at it and stared at it and then it spoke to me. No, more like it whispered. The chair whispered to me and it told me this: it wanted to be returned to its roots. So I listened. Ladderback chair? That’s classic French farmhouse. Bring it.
The first part of the transformation involved getting rid of that crackle finish. For any other painted chair I simply would have spray primed and painted it again, easy peasy. But the crackle finish would be apparent, so it had to go. It was Citristrip to the rescue! (I’ve been using Citristrip ever since I compared it with old school strippers, and I’ll never go back.)
Once I had the chair stripped down to the wood, I gave the edges a rub of dark Minwax ‘Walnut’ stain, then spray painted it with Krylon’s ‘Ivory’ in satin.
A sanding wedge rubbed up against the dark stained edges revealed just enough to give it a subtle distressed look.
After the spray paint was dry, I gave the chair a coat of poly. This is one of my favorite products for a quick protective coat. It’s water based (holla!) Varathane satin finish polyurethane. It’s applied with a rag just as easily as another favorite, Minwax oil based wipe on polyurethane (which is best for stained wood, not painted wood).
This water based poly dries super fast, so you must work quickly. If you ever see this wipe on version at your local home improvement store (I buy mine at Orchard Supply & Hardware), grab some, do not pass go and do not collect two hundred. This can be used over any latex or oil based paint and it’s absolutely fabulous.
Next came time to add some character and texture. Instead of a ladderback chair with a traditional rush seat, I inverted the idea, and gave the ladder part of the chair the “rush” look by wrapping it in jute twine. Many many yards and a lot of hot glue (securing the twine at the base) later, it looked like this. I really cannot say enough good things about jute twine. Really, what can’t you wrap in jute twine and transform into something awesome?
I also added some 1” foam to pad the seat then wrapped it in old T-shirt batting. For the finishing touch, I found a grain sack print from an Etsy shop and reupholstered the seat with this printed linen to give it that French farmhouse feel.
Then I snapped a pic of it before shipping it back to BH&G.
And there she is! On page 41of the Winter Issue of Do-It-Yourself Magazine.
I have one extra piece of cotton poly fabric printed with the same grain sack image.
Want it? It measures 22” x 22” so it can become anything you envision, a tote bag, a pillow, a seat cover, whatever! Leave a comment and I’ll pick a winner at random.
Sending out a very big thank you to BH&G Do-It-Yourself Magazine for selecting me be a part of the Winter Issue. It’s filled with a ton of inspiration (as always) plus other makeovers from five other bloggers, including these two, who I think you already know.
Grab a copy on newsstands now.
In the mood for some Christmas crafting? I certainly am. That’s next.
xo,
.
I love the chair transformation. If I won fabric would make a pillow out of it that would go perfectly in my family room
The chair looks fabulous. I would love that extra fabric!
Love love love the chair, just bought the magazine. Can’t wait to tear into it!!!
Thank you so much for posting such a great how-to. Your chair turned out beautifully, and I love its new French farmhouse look!
Wow! What a transformation! The chair would look great in so many rooms and would work with so many different types of decor.
The chair looks great!
the Eclectic Charm Bracelet would be a perfect Christmas Gift for my mother in law!
apparently i posted on the wrong post
I love the fabric. I am trying to make a bunch of pillows right now for our cozy farm-ish house. Would love to have something rustic. :)
Great project.
The chair is wonderful, and I’d love to have that fabric for pillows.
Love the image on the fabric, now I need to go and buy the magazine to what else could inspire me!
What a great makeover! I’d like to give the jute wrapping a try. Thanks for the giveaway.
Love the chair makeover! Very creative ideas. Thanks for the giveaway.
The jute twine on the back was such a great idea! And LOVE that fabric. Thanks for the giveaway!
Ooh, I would love this fabric!
what a cute and classy transformation. I just finished re-covering a chair and would love to add the fabric as a pillow, thanks for the ideas, as always!
I like the fresh, clean look of the chair…although I have to admit I’m a fan of the prior teal color, too!
The fabric is fabulous for a pillow as you already demonstrated with the chair. I love new pillows and make them often. I think I should find an old chair that needs a new life, too. Thanks for sharing!
Amazing job! Loved it when I saw it in the magazine and doubly loved it when I recognized you had created it!
I love Do It Yourself magazine and am excited to hear a new issue is out. I must look for it. Your make over is very clever and cute!!
Gorgeous!
I am in LOVE with any and all natural fibers, and that JUTE STRING gives me the tingles!!! You have done an amazing job on this piece. I feel quite inspired now. Thanks!!
I really wish I had your talents.
Amazing job! That print would look awesome framed in my kitchen!
The chair looks fabulous!
Love the chair ….. Love your blog! Inspiring, thanks!
I have jute, but could never quite pinpoint what I wanted to do with it. This chair (and the other jute projects) really inspired me! Going to be a busy week!
Love the chair, love the fabric!
Hi, I was wondering who won the extra piece of cotton poly fabric as I loved it!!! :o) I love this blog and everything published! It is also inspiring me to make some little changes in my house and I am loving the results!
love it!! going with a beach theme calm and relaxed for my chairs..you inspired me…what size jute did you use? I bought hemp cord and now after princing and trying to locate more I can’t find it so looking into the jute..2 ply, 3 ply…the 20 medium weight or 28, overwhelming for me.
Thank you
Thank you for your step by step instruction on your blog. Loved the chair article and was happy to see the solution to when yo purchase a chair that has had a crackle type finish. The jute and the choice of fabric(the jute and the cotton poly graphic print) was spot on for a french inspired chair. This chair would be so versitle. You can see it in a bedroom, large bathroom,front porch,yard,kitchen or laundry room,love furniture that serves more then one room. Hope I win the fabric so I too can make a versitile piece of furniture.