Another element we added to the kids room when we renovated it, was their own desks. I wanted then to have space in their rooms to do homework , and create. With the desks came fun chairs. I wanted something art deco and fun, yet affordable. Here is what I came up with. I think just about any chair could be altered after doing this, and I did it for fairly cheap too!
Here is what I started with! I got it for $5 at my local restore business!
Materials:
- Old chair
- fabric ( I used a old velvet skirt)
- Foam pad
- Batting
- scissors
- spray adhesive
- spray paint
- OSB plywood
- Jigsaw
- Handheld Staple Gun and staples
- Screw driver
Step one: Dissemble
First I took the whole thing apart. I took the seat and back parts off of the metal frame. I also removed all of the older upholstery from the wooden forms they were attached to.
Step 2: Paint
After I had the metal frame out, I painted it with some gold spray paint to give it a fresh look. I cleaned it before I painted it, and sealed it with a satin clear coat over the gold paint to help it last longer.
Step 3: Seat cushion
Next I did the seat cushion since I knew it would be the easiest part. It was just a square piece of wood with an old cushion on it before, so I added a fresh foam pad. I sprayed spray adhesive on the foam and wrapped it in cotton batting, folding the edges like a present. I then stapled the batting to the bottom of the seat, pulling it over each edge.
I then did the same step with the fabric, as I did the batting, pulling it tight over each corner. I used an old velvet skirt I got at a local thrift store. It had some stretch to it, which made it easy to pull it tight over the corners without any wrinkles etc. I stapled it to the wood underneath, and screwed it to the metal frame of the chair like it had been before.
It wasn’t the prettiest under the bottom, but honestly I am never going to see it, so I didn’t care. If you wanted to cover this part up with more fabric that is totally an option.
Step 4: Making a pattern, and cutting it out for the back
Next using some old brown craft paper, I made some shapes that were fun and angular. I cut them out, and then used the paper as a patter to draw onto the OSB plywood. You don’t have to use OSB, it is just some scrape pieces I had laying around, so it was free for this project. Any type of wood will do. I ended up using several separate pieces, because I was going to use the original back rest shape to help the back have a slight curve instead of being straight. If you don’t care, then these pieces could technically all be one piece. I used the original back rest to attach each piece to and I love the subtle comfort it added. I used my jigsaw to cut the pieces out.
Step 5: Cutting foam for the back rest
Next I used those same paper patterns to cut out foam in the shape of the wood again. This is the foam I used.
Step 6: Spray glue the foam to the OSB wood.
Next I used some spray adhesive to attach the foam to the wood. This is the spray adhesive I used.
I sprayed the back of each piece of foam and attached it to the wood, pressing firmly on the front of each piece.
Step 7: Cotton Batting
Next I did the same exact steps I took with the foam, and cut out batting, attaching it with more spray adhesive.
I ended up stapling the batting in between each piece to get those crisp lines in between, because the glue wasn’t enough.
Step 8: Adding fabric
Next I cut the fabric into strips matching the size of each section on the back, and used a handheld staple gun attaching it as I went along the seams.
After the first section, I flipped the fabric over on the next seam, stapling from the backside, and over my last row of staples to hide the work in between. Then I flipped the fabric over the next section and attached in the next seam on the right side of the fabric again.
I finished the front, and then added a larger piece across the back. I stapled under fabric across the top in the back and then flipped the fabric over the staples to lay flat down the back. This left the only raw ends at the bottom where it would be hidden by the metal frame.
Then I re- attached the back piece in the same way it was before screwing it to the metal frame, and boom. One art deco chair makeover!
Thanks for stopping by!
-Amanda