Here’s what it looked like last week. 

And now.

I went back and forth deciding whether to add some tufting with fabric covered buttons, but decided with the glitzy silver leaf and the swirling detail on this Annie Selke Pearls Slate fabric, to skip the tufting this time. 

I find the best way to understand how to reupholster a chair is to analyze the original upholstery job.  This particular chair was a hint more complicated because of the necessity of tacking strips along the back of the chair.

For those who don’t know what they are, tacking strips are a tool used by professionals to create a clean edge with fabric where there is a visible seam.  You can find them in fabric stores or order them online too. 

Stripping an old upholstered piece is time consuming and an icky job.  There are always a zillion tacks and staples to pull, and you’ll often find the foam and old batting underneath is disintegrated.  Ewww.

It took me an hour to get it down to this frame.  The springs were in great shape so I left them intact, then gave the visible parts of the frame and the legs a coat of spray gray primer, which is a great base if you’re planning to silver leaf a piece. 

You get a subtle crinkly texture with silver leaf, but it is a pain in the patootie to apply.  I followed the same method as with this silver leaf lamp.  However, with the chair, I couldn’t get the silver leaf to settle in the ridges very well, plus it was shinier than I really wanted, so I used some ‘Silver Leaf’ Rub ‘n Buff over the top to tone down the reflection a bit and fill in the ridges. 

Then I protected it with my new favorite: wipe on water based Varathane Polyurethane in ‘Satin’.  I found it at OSH and it’s so easy to use.  Wipe a small amount on a rag, then wipe the protectant on your piece, easy peasy.   

The combo of the three led to this finish. 

Gray primer + silver spray paint could achieve a similar look, but the‘Silver Leaf’ Rub ‘n Buff creates a muted, hand rubbed sheen that’s so pretty.  Once the legs and frame were covered in the silver, I reupholstered the chair with new foam and batting.

As an alternative, I could have sewn a slipcover for the top, then tacked it underneath, but I thought this chair was a great opportunity to practice some more with tacking strips.  If I was going to tuft the chair with fabric covered buttons like this headboard, it would be right at this stage (creating a hole in that batting of course).

You can see in the ‘Before’ how the original tufting occurred by pulling the buttons with twine and securing them to the wood frame before sealing the back of the chair with tack strips.

To close up the back of the chair, I chose flexible metal tacking strips, also called flexible curve ease, with metal teeth.  I found this metal tacking strip at Beacon Fabrics for about $1.50 a yard. 

With needle nose pliers and a hammer, you attach the strip with 3/4 inch nails (or upholstery tacks).  Then you wedge your fabric inside the metal teeth, then fold the teeth over for a clean seam, hammering it closed with a mallet.

Finally, I had to hide the stapled edges around the legs.  When hiding stapled edges, you basically have three choices.  1) Sew your own double welt cord,  2) Hide the staples with gimp, or 3) Cover them with nailhead trim. 

In this case, I chose pewter nailhead trim to complement the silver leaf finish.  To apply nailhead trim, hold them individually in place with needle nose pliers, then use a mallet (not a hammer) to gently pound them into the chair.

This thrift store chair now sits in my master bathroom.  Of course this type of gilding isn’t for everyone, but I do like how it adds a touch of Old Hollywood glamour. 

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I really needed an extra chair in my new home office for a co-worker or a visitor.  So when I spotted one on the floor of the local thrift for $15 dollars, I quickly grabbed it with the intention of repainting and recovering the seat.  In anticipation of my friend Amanda’s Decorating Dilemma’s party at Serenity Now, yesterday I repainted the chair, and recovered the seat this morning. 

Here’s a glimpse of the Before and After:

A question for anyone who knows vintage chairs.  This label was attached to the underside of the chair.  Is this a Drexel Heritage label?  It has a registered trademark symbol.  Or is it simply another furniture company named Heritage?  Please, I must know.  Google taught me nothing.

Transforming My Thrift Store Heritage Chair:

Step One: Remove seat cushion and existing fabric.  This seat was very well constructed so I needed both a screwdriver and pliers to remove the fabric.

Step Two:  I sanded the existing paint job to remove debris, varnish, and some chipping paint. 

Step Three:  Prime baby prime.

Step Four:  You know what I’m going to say, right?  When my primer was dry, I gave the chair two coats of the great ‘Heirloom White’. 

Step Five:  I liked how the original chair had some hand painted elements highlighting the detail.  I repeated the same effect with a small artist’s paintbrush, but with less ostentation and a more modern color.  I used the same acrylic paint that I used for this mirror project. 

Step Six:  When my paint was fully dry, I applied a thin coat of Wipe On Polyurethane to protect my painted finish.

I bought one yard of a textured aqua velvet Christopher Lowell fabric at Joann’s for 40% off with a coupon.  Yippee, $15 dollars for gorgeous velvet!

Step Seven:  I made a pattern with my original fabric, and then stitched a strip of fabric to the pattern to form a new cover.

One note on sewing notched inside corners.  (Is there a technical term for that?)  On an outside corner, it’s easy to simply rotate your fabric on your sewing machine to follow the curve.  On an inside corner, you have to allow for extra fabric to pool underneath so that your fabric will corner correctly, and your cushion will sit right on your chair.  Lesson learned the hard way today.  I’m still bitter, so I don’t want to talk about it. 

Step Eight:  I used my original foam, which was in great condition and lacked any odors.  I stapled the new cushion cover to the underside of my seat base, then reattach my new seat cushion to chair.

Isn’t she a fair little chair?

And a lovely addition to my office, currently under remodel.

Have you ever known the satisfaction of transforming a chair ?  Do tell.

There are many names for that paint job we all love so much:  Hand Rubbed, Distressed Off-White, Vintage French, Rubbed Cream,  Antique White, Shabby Chic.  You know, that French Antique paint treatment we all pay beaucoup bucks for.  Well, as Billy said, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.  Over the weekend, I developed a truly inexpensive way to distress without all of the stress !

Supplies:

1. Tea light candle
2. Rustoleum ‘American Accents’ Spray Paint in Heirloom White
3. Fine sandpaper
4. Baby wipes
5. Minwax Wipe-On Polyurethane
6. 1 yard silk blend damask from scrap bin
7. Nail head trim kit (leftover from previous project) with rubber head hammer
8. Foam filler (optional)
9. Staple gun, stapler and hot glue gun.

I found this ratty rattan chair at the local thrift store, paid the merchant $8 cash, and walked out.  My husband laughed at me when he saw the stained peach velvet cushion and hole punched through the back of the chair.  “What can you do with that piece of (bleep)?”   He didn’t notice the great legs, and doubted my vision.  Has he learned nothing from this blog?  :-) 

Before:

Day One:

Step One: Remove seat and give the wood on the entire piece a light sanding with fine sandpaper.  Wipe down with baby wipes. 

Step Two:  Did you know that you can use candle wax when antiquing furniture to prevent the paint from adhering to the edges?  Rub your piece with a tea light candle on all of the edges where you want the wood to be exposed.  Gently remove leftover wax ‘crumbs’ with baby wipes, but be careful not to rub off candle wax on the edges.  A feather duster might work too. 

Step Three:  Apply a coat of spray paint (in well ventilated area) to one section of your piece, then wipe the edges with a baby wipe where you want the paint removed.  Work section by section because spray paint dries quickly. 

For tight spaces where your fingers won’t fit, wrap a small nail with a baby wipe, to remove paint from smaller crevices.  Repeat with a second coat of spray paint for areas that didn’t get coverage with your first coat.  Let dry 24 hours. 

Step Four:   If your chair is really old, as mine is, you may find it necessary to reinforce the seat with medium foam, trimmed to fit.

Iron fabric so that it is wrinkle free.  Center fabric, and recover chair cushion with your fabric of choice and staple gun.  See previous post for more tips on recovering a seat cushion. 

Day Two:

Apply a thin coat of Minwax Wipe-On Polyurethane to chair for protection.  I really love this product because it goes on so easy.  I wiped on the polyurethane with a pad in about 90 seconds.  Much easier than a brush !  This application also enhances the wood tone underneath the white paint.  I also used this product on my other salvaged dresser project. 

Let chair dry for 6 to 8 hours.  In my case, I had to do something to disguise the hole in the rattan, so I fashioned a rear cushion in four steps:

1. Create cardboard skeleton of back of chair.
2. Staple foam trimmed to fit to cardboard.
3. Staple gun fabric to foam/cardboard.
4. Stitch “cushion” to rear of chair, then solidify with hot glue application for staying power.

To disguise the hole from the front, I trimmed the silk blend fabric to fit, then folded under the edges, and fastened to the chair with my nail head trim kit.  [See previous post on a fabric covered headboard with nail head trim for more information on this kit and its application.]  

Refasten chair cushion to seat bottom, then attach nail heads to seat cushion with nail head trim kit.  You can really see the paint treatment up close in this next photo. 

So now this tres jolie chair sits in my traditional living room, next to the piano.  It’s so funny to me that one of the chicest pieces in my house originally cost $8 at the thrift store. 

Cost:  $8 Chair, $3 Spray Paint, $2 fine sandpaper, $7 foam filler, $5 scrap of silk blend fabric.  I had leftover polyurethane and a nail head trim kit from previous projects.

Total cost to me = $25  (add another $20 for polyurethane and nail head trim kit).

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