#4 Reupholster Something: What I learned

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I used to watch a lot of Trading Spaces. Did you ever watch it? Two neighbors switch houses, get a fancy designer, a small budget and redo a room in their house without their neighbors say in it. Then after two days, there was a reveal and they got to see their newly designed living room/bedroom etc. I secretly always wanted them not to like it. I don't know why, it just made for better TV. I bet the producers also liked it when the women would cry or cuss about how bad it was. Usually though, they liked it. And usually the designers would take a piece of furniture they already had, and recover it with some fun fabric. They always made it look so simple. When they were done the furniture had new life and looked fabulous. Ever since watching that show, I have wanted to reupholster something.

Since writing my list I have been scouring thrift stores for a cute chair with good lines that was in need of a coat of paint and some new fabric. However each time I would look, nothing would jump out at me. And, realistically, I didn't know where I would put it in our house when I was done.

One of the blogs I read, Better After features before and after posts about furniture/room redos. If you have never seen it, you MUST click the link and check it out. Have a tissue near by because a lot of the stuff is drool worthy. She has shown a couple of rolling desk chairs that got a make over, and I was inspired. I have a cheap-o rolling desk chair that is in less than perfect shape, and I want to recover something. So today, I grabbed the Mister's tool box, some pretty fabric and my staple gun and got to work.

As far as materials and costs go, I only had to buy one thing: 1/2 yard of fabric ($3.49). Everything else I already owned.

This is not entirely a "before" I forgot to grab my camera until
after I started to remove the hardware.



I started by removing the arms, legs and hardware that kept the chair together.

The bottom cushion had a rubber thing surrounding it that was stapled to it. That was annoying.

After all the hardware is off and the bottom and top cushions are free, lay the cushion on top of the fabric, and begin to staple around it, pulling it tight.

When you are done with both, put it back together!

Tada! Isn't she lovely?  It's not perfect, but for my first try at this, I think it turned out okay, and when I open the door and see her at my desk it makes me smile. This was easy/cheap enough that I might do my chair at work.

What I learned

• Buy 1/4 yard more fabric than you think you need. I was this short on fabric. You can't really tell from the picture, but the bottom cushion has a small "patch" that I rigged up. I may actually go buy some more fabric and redo it later.
• It is hard to take pictures of yourself doing a project for a blog. How do you other bloggers do it?

Do you have a desk chair that needs a make over? Have you ever reupholstered anything? Any tips for a novice like me?