🖼️
The project:
Rescued from a shed, this carved walnut chair needed minor leg repairs and endless tack removal! After sanding, I applied an undercoat and rich black paint to breathe new life into the frame. For a bold statement, I upholstered the rounded back in Spoonflower’s Peony linen cotton. The seat features high-density memory foam, plush Dacron, and sage green bouclé, hand-appliquéd with pink flower lace. Black/taupe cotton covers the back, matching the custom contrast piping and rear-leg wrap details. Self-taught upholstery is my creative, hands-on escape—problem-solving to save a beautifully crafted piece from landfill so it lasts another century!
- Materials:
Grunt Jute Webbing 50mm
Grunt 4mm Cotton Macrame Cord
Peony Flower Fabric from Spoonflower
Sage Green Boucle Fabric and Black /Taupe cotton Spotlight
High density memory foam
Dacron
- Tools:
British Paints Black
Cabots CFP Floor Sealer
Ryobi compact hot glue gun
Hot gun glue sticks
Dewalt Air Stapler
Powerfit 8mm Staples
Bernina sewing machine
Dressmaking shears
Electric bread knife to cut foam
- Step 1:
The first step was to strip the old dirty stained fabric, cotton wadding and lever out what felt like a million sharp little tacks, stripping the chair back to bare wood.
One of the back legs needed strengthening as it was a bit wobbly. Otherwise the frame was in good structural condition.
They were quite a few scuffs and dints which were mostly sanded out, leaving some for character.
After applying the undercoat, the transformation started taking place as the black British Paints paint was layered on and it was exciting to see her come to life and feeling good as the old was painted away!
Once what's the paint had time to dry properly, the Cabots CFP Floor Sealer was applied to protect the paint for extra durability against wear and tear.
- Step 2:
Using the DeWalt Stapler, the Grunt Jute webbing was applied for a firm framework across the base of the chair. The base drum layer of cotton was stapled over the jute webbing and then Dacron was mounded to create the rounded curved shape of the seat.
A 50mm layer of high density memory foam was laid over the Dacron wadding. A generous layer of Dacron wadding was then stapled over the high density memory foam to give the seat the final lovely curved profile.
The back of the back of the chair had the black and taupe fabric stapled in followed by the drum fabric. A thin mound of Dacron wadding was applied which then had 20mm of high density memory foam and another layer of Dacron stapled to the back of the chair for a nice profile.
- Step 3:
The sage green boucle fabric was cut to size and stretched over the seat, tucked around the back legs and securely stapled down.
The black and taupe geometric fabric was stapled into the back of the chair. Then the gorgeous Peony fabric was carefully positioned on the back of the chair to get the Peonies in exactly the right place and stapled down.
Strips of the black and taupe fabric were cut on the bias and made into double welt piping cord using the Grunt 4mm macrame cord to finish off all the stapled edges neatly.
I used the Ryobi hot glue gun to glue the double welt cord to all the raw edges.
- Step 4:
The last step was to cut the flowers and leaves from the lace and applique them onto the seat and the back of the chair using the Ryobi hot glue gun.
