Plain Chairs Makeover

by Robin @ Redo It Yourself Inspirations

9 Materials

Fixing up furniture from yard sales can be so much fun! I found a pair of plain seatless chairs for only $10 and turned them into a whole new style with fabric and wood appliques.

plain chairs makeover, painted furniture, reupholster

First, I cleaned the yard sale chairs.

Where they were gouged and rough, I filled in the spots with wood filler.

Then sanded and started designing.

I glued and nailed wood appliques to the tops.

Then made a pattern to make an upholstered backrest from luan.

After the appliques were dry, I painted the chairs.

Using the same fabric, a black and white toile, I upholstered the seats and new backrests.

New seats were made from scrap plywood.

Then attached the all new upholstery! Following that, I used antiquing wax on the appliques to accentuate the design.

Now the chairs have a whole new personality.

Fresh and bright and slightly French!

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Plywood (for new seats) (Lowes)
Luan (for backrest pattern) (Lowes)
Clothesline rope (for double welting) (Walmart)
Toile fabric (Walmart)
Wood appliques (D. Lawless Hardware)
Paint (Country Chic Paint)
Antiquing wax (Country Chic Paint)
Small finishing nails, Wood screws, Wood glue, Staples (Lowes)
Foam and Batting (Fairfield)

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1 question

Dotclevenger on Nov 17, 2017

What a wonderful transformation, Robin! I have something similar I decided to do with a similarly structured chair, and found your posting. Please share how you attached the luan-covered cushion to the chair back, without drilling.

If the fabric is wrapped to the back of the luan, securely glue-ing the luan to the chair would not be secure for very long. Else, a guess... does the upholstery fabric only go to the front edge of the luan, and the covered cord covers up the side of the luan? Is anything on the back of the luan? How is it attached? Thanks so much. Dottie

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4 of 12 comments

Lori on Jun 12, 2016
Wow, these are so beautiful. Congratulations Robin, well done.

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- Robin @ Redo It Yourself Inspirations on Jun 13, 2016
  @Lori Thank you so much! I was pleased with the backrest design making the chair so different. Glad you like them! =D
  
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Hannah V on Jun 13, 2016
Obsessed with that fabric!

1 Reply
- Robin @ Redo It Yourself Inspirations on Jun 13, 2016
  @Hannah V Isn't it pretty? I love toile in any color but this one is very attractive.
  
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