Any ideas on how i could update this antique chair?

Jeanne Martin
by Jeanne Martin

I don't want to try and recover it. I want to keep the wood trim (tiger oak!) Paint it? Stain it? Leave it alone? There is a bumpy pattern on the material so that would show thru if paint/stain. It just isn’t my style. The seat could use some extra fluff cuz you can feel some springs a little. I'm a sewer/crafter so I can probably figure out how to add some more fluff to seat. But what to do with it? I’ve had this chair for years pondering this question cuz i really love the chair! Thanks!

  14 answers
  • GrandmasHouseDIY GrandmasHouseDIY on Sep 21, 2018

    Hi there, it looks like it would be possible to strip it, sand it and restain the wood in any color you would like. I think a darker stain would make it more modern and really pop.

  • Holly Lengner - Lost Mom Holly Lengner - Lost Mom on Sep 21, 2018

    You can always paint the wood trim (I would paint it with chalk paint) and you can always make a custom seat cushion for more padding. The fabric on the chair could really pop if the wood was painted a fun and bright color... or even black!

  • DD DD on Sep 21, 2018

    Jeanne I think the chair is lovely as is, that said that is my taste and not yours. So if you like the chair and just want to update the wood then you could try stripping it being super careful with the fabric unless you pull the tacks out of the arms so you don't stain the fabric and then staining it a color you like or you could follow the same preliminary steps and then paint the wood so not to jeopardize the fabric



    • Jeanne Martin Jeanne Martin on Sep 21, 2018

      I agree except the taupey-tan doesnt go with anything in my house! I haven't touched it cuz i just love it but it just sits in a corner of my bedroom where no one sees it. It would not go well with my living room or guest bedroom colors. I will not touch the wood!

  • I would recover it. I have a chair too, that is begging for an overhaul. Carefully disassemble so you can use your old fabric as a pattern for new fabric. Seek out a commercial foam store for the cushion. Someone that sells to professional upholstery shops. Quality is much better than what is typically sold at craft and hobby chops.

  • Jeanne Martin Jeanne Martin on Sep 21, 2018

    Thank you for the responses but I think a couple of you missed where I said I wanted to keep the wood. It's tiger oak, in excellent condition and the perfect color match to my other antiques. It's the material I'm not fond of. If it was gray & white it would work, but it's actually a taupey-tan and cream color. Nope...doesn't go with anything in my house! I have upholstered before but never with the tack type edges. So I was thinking of trying to paint it a light-medium gray. Maybe dry brush white lightly to hit those designs a little? They stick out a little from the tan. I guess I could try it, if I fail then break down and reupholster it. Those beautiful tack edges scare me!

  • Old grouchy granny Old grouchy granny on Sep 21, 2018

    Jeanne

    The new tacks would go in the spaces between where the old tacks are now. You can buy tacks on paper strips to help get them lined up right. If you use plain upholstery strips, have good ruler handy to measure the distance between tacks. I think i remember that there's a spacer tool. You might find one on Amazon. I always winged it. But that does take a good eye and practice, in my experience.


    Sailrite website (below) gives instructions, with good photos, on how to tack.


    If you are not feeling confident, maybe you can find a partner to help with the work. It will give you more confidence and two minds can often solve problems better than one. It's the reason we have girlfriends..LOL


    If you want to be brave on your first job, you can do the whole nine yards, with fabric you like, new padding, etc. If there are springs they will probably need to be retied. This info is all online. Look for 'upholstery" and search until you find what you need to know. If you are still not confident, practice on a footstool or small chair from a thrift shop, just to get a feel for how it's done.


    https://sailrite.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/3-types-of-upholstery-tack-strips-how-to-use-them/

    https://www.joann.com/tack-strip-with-nails/11325461.html


    Good luck!




  • DD DD on Sep 21, 2018

    Sorry I misunderstood from the paint it stain it comment.

    If you love the wood but hate the fabric I would try to reupholster the chair

    If the upholstery nail head trim cannot be saved when you pull them out they can be replaced they are available at fabric stores as a sewer I am sure you have seen them.

    When you remove the fabric use it as the pattern for the new fabric,

    when you have the fabric off it will make adding the extra padding easier also.

    I see others have given you links to some step by steps on moving forward.

    I am no expert by any means but I have done some simple chairs it seems daunting but as a sewer I am sure that if you take it slow you will be amazed at the results. Good luck and again sorry for the misinterpretation of you question.

    • Jeanne Martin Jeanne Martin on Sep 21, 2018

      I went back and saw that it is a bit confusing how i wrote it. Right after i said i wanted to keep the wood i then said paint or stain? I meant the fabric...sorry!

  • Josie Blixt Josie Blixt on Sep 21, 2018

    Beautiful chair!!!

  • 16999903 16999903 on Sep 21, 2018

    Hi Jeanne......I'm understanding that you don't want to reupholster the fabric, or paint the wood. I honestly think it's beautiful, but I get that if it doesn't fit in anywhere that you might want to change it up. Everyone has shared some great ideas, but I think it might be as simple as adding a bright colored throw cushion with fabric that will compliment the chair, and tie in colors from whatever room you decide to put it in.


    I'm not a fan of painted fabric, and yours does have the issues of the raised design. I personally don't think that would be an option.

  • Jeanne Martin Jeanne Martin on Sep 21, 2018

    Thank y'all again! Great tips & links. Funny...I have no memory of when or where I got the chair! I was an avid antiquer in my younger days so I'm sure it was an auction somewhere here in my area in North Carolina. I can assure you it was pretty cheap cuz thats how i roll! I may reupholster it during the winter in my garage as it's still way too hot now. Hopefully I find some info on it once I start...like a manufacturer or something! Thanks for the push I needed!

    • Jeanne Martin Jeanne Martin on Sep 21, 2018

      P.S. I took an upholstery class back before kids...early 80's? He didn't believe in staples so we used furniture tacks. I still have the weird hammer. Unfortunately, I don't temember much else!! But my rocking arm chair came out great...I do remember that.

    • Jeanne Martin Jeanne Martin on Sep 22, 2018

      That's exactly what I was imagining! A light dye tint. Thank you so much!! I could iron most of it too.

  • DD DD on Sep 21, 2018

    You have lots of talent would love to see the outcome. Hope you were far from Florence. Have a wonderful day

    • Jeanne Martin Jeanne Martin on Sep 22, 2018

      We had high wind gusts and got about 6 inches of rain. But only some limbs down and my poor impatiens got beaten to death by the hard rain! This pic is a week later so they are trying to come back full, but gives you an idea of how hard they were beaten. I pushed them all under the overhang but didn't help much with the wind. They were so full and beautiful. Fall's coming soon so it's okay, almost time to go anyways. Thanks for the thoughts tho!

  • Jeanne Martin Jeanne Martin on Sep 22, 2018

    The Annie Sloan watered down paint method (almost like a light dye) is what I'm going to try first. Big thank you to Nan W. for the idea and link! If that doesn't work I can always reupholster (ugh!). Thank you to everyone who replied!