Mid-century Chair Makeover

I am really excited about this week’s reworked item.  I was at Goodwill last week looking for some clothes for Bradley and ran across a cool mid-century chair.  I didn’t buy it, but kept thinking about it all day and what fun things I could do with it.  So, I went back later that day and decided if it was still there, then I was meant to have it.  $15 later and I am trying to figure out how to get it into my car.

I stripped the finish off the wood arms/legs using my trusty mouse sander and re-stained them with a mahogany Minwax stain.  After removing the faded piecemealed red ticking striped fabric and the eleventy billion staples from the chair, Bradley helped me pick out some fabric at JoAnn’s (yea for 50% off sale with 10% additional coupon!) to recover the seat/back.  Knowing that it would be in the corner of our bedroom and the back wouldn’t show, I made sure the front and side fabric was stretched smooth, then made my folds on the back/side seams running vertically and pulled the fabric straight down the back in one solid piece.  The only visible staples run down that seam on either side of the back of the chair.  (I guess if the chair were ever going to be used out in a room with the back exposed, I can always go back and put some nail-head trim down each side.)

The fabric was still twice as expensive as the chair itself, but I LOVE it.  So mod, so high-end looking!  I think this could easily have come from Z Gallerie or West Elm for hundreds of dollars (ok, so maybe the upholstering job would have been a little nicer on theirs:), yet I spent just $50 and a little time.

Before (faded piecemealed red ticking striped fabric and medium oak-stained legs):

After:

(Close-up of new fabric and where I had to make my tucks and stapling)

Published by Leslie

I think Habitual Rearranger fits me well because I am never settled on designs, colors, or placement of items in our home. I drive Bradley crazy sometimes, but I keep figuring out new and better ways of doing things! I am not striving to be profound or an expert on anything in this blog. It is simply a way to keep a record of all of my adventures - home and life - for me to reference and also for my loved ones to follow along. I am a born and raised Georgia girl. I don't think I would enjoy living anywhere except the south. Bradley and I spent six and a half years in our starter home and are now in our forever home, a 1970s traditional two story brick house. I love getting into all kinds of projects around our house, and I try to document all the dirty details here if for no one else than for me.

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