Project Design -Exceptionally Clever Chair Makeovers

Until we decided to do this post I had forgotten how many Thrift Store Chairs I have rescued over the years.  I have always had a hard time passing up a great looking chair. The more pathetic the chair the bigger the challenge.  I remember one wing chair had cat barf all over it (my kids were mortified when I rescued that one).  It still resides in my guest room. Another wing (I have a thing for wing chairs) was covered in Pink Velvet and came from a ravenous smokers home.  I had to leave it outside for a week before I could even take it to Fred (my upholsterer).I found this chair in a consignment shop many years ago.  It was a well made chair, it still has it's original down cushion. It has had a couple of incarnations. It once was covered in a salmon woven fabric. During my tuscan faze it was covered in this. It was a lovely  fabric at the time.  Luckily you can't see the back.  It was completely shredded courtesy of the cats.

Tip #1 Recover a dated chair in a modern fabric and add a graphic pillow

I wanted something fresh and light for our bedroom refresher.  I found the Peter Dunham Raj fabric on Etsy for a great price.  I only had enough for the front.  Fred covered the front with the Peter Dunham and the back is covered in a more practical Sunbrella Trax.  The Sunbrella is fade resistant and hopefully more cat proof. 



I have an early desk  (that we found on a trip to Savannah) next to my bed.  Our master bedroom is large and has high ceilings. It really needs large scaled furniture.  Here is a before pic of this beauty.  Don't you love the fabric? It's kind of liberace meets old florida.

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Tip #2 No Chair is too ugly for a redo, and the back should be as pretty as the front

The owner of the junk shop had two of these beauties. He so desperately wanted to get rid of them; he practically bribed me to take them both.  One was all I could handle. This chair will be seen from the back most of the time so why not make the back just as pretty as the front? My slipcover guru Katie Baker made the beautiful slip with scraps we had left over from other slipcovers in the room.

Tip #3 Add a comfy cushion and dressmaker details

I have had two wingchairs next to my armoire since we have lived in this house (over 30 years).  I originally ordered them from a company in the East.  They were covered in a coral and cream buffalo check.  Several years later Katie worked her magic on them.  We ordered a nicer more comfy cushion and she slipped them like this.  They weren't really too outdated looking but the cats shredded the backs. 

I found a really reasonable ticking stripe in biscuit and cream. When you enter the room one of the chair backs is visible.  Once again we wanted to make the back as interesting as the front.  I found the cute buttons on Etsy.

Here is another look at the before and afters

I can't wait to see what the rest of our Project Design participants have come up with.  Stop by their blogs to see their transformations. You are in for a treat.

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