You may remember that waaaay back in June I found two great cane back chairs on Craigslist for a great price. The seller was so anxious to get them out of his basement he even delivered them right to my door. I have been hoarding these chairs in my stash ever since, part of me thinks I was waiting for inspiration (that’s the story I’m sticking to). I himmed and hawed about what to do with these forEVER. I had several conversations with myself over the course of a few months.
Update: Check out Part 1 of my detailed tutorial on How to Upholster a Chair here
Should I keep the wood? Nah it’s scratched and scuffed and I don’t want to refinish…
Maybe I should paint then white and use a colorful fabric…
Maybe I should paint the frames a really bright color and keep the fabric neutral…
It went on and I like that in my head for a while. Finally I just decided there wasn’t any rush and I would wait for the perfect fabric to come along and help me decide. A few weeks later I was browsing online and came across Dwell Studio’s Casablanca Geo Fabric in Citrine from Tonic Living.
At $28 the fabric was a little expensive for my liking but I did a little searching and found the same fabric at Fabric Guru one of my favorite places to shop for fabric online for $19 a yard. I used one of the rare 20% coupons they send out to their email subscribers and bought 5 yards!
I knew five yards would be way too much but I wanted a some left over. I love the fabric so much I’m going to make a few pillows. I bought it without buying a sample can be scary but sometimes you can tell you’re going to love something. When the fabric came in I loved it instantly and new the modern fabric would update the more traditional chairs nicely. Sometimes your gut is just right. Once the fabric was here, I still had a hard time figuring out what color to paint the frames. One whole chair was a bright blue before I quickly decided to go a little more sophisticated and spray the frames a glossy black.
The barrel back chairs I reupholstered last year was a really ambitious project for my first time but I learned a ton during and since. Chairs like these that only need would have been a perfect project for a first timer. I took a ton of pictures along the way and I’m putting together a tutorial for later this week on how to upholster chairs seats like these.
Update: Check out Part 1 of my detailed tutorial on How to Upholster a Chair here
Linking up to Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before and After Party
23 comments :
Jenna February 4, 2013 8:51AM
I have a chair like this just waiting to be re-upholstered! yours look great! Thanks for the inspiration!! Going to check out the ones you did last year as well!
Jenna @ http://rainonatinroof.com
Maria February 4, 2013 4:17PM
Awesome thanks Jenna. They came out nice, and they were so easy too!
Erin@Managing the Manor February 4, 2013 12:10PM
Ooh, pretty! Love the pattern
Maria February 4, 2013 1:45PM
Thanks Erin
Maria February 4, 2013 4:16PM
Thanks Erin!
June February 4, 2013 12:13PM
Wow, your chairs looks amazing!
Maria February 4, 2013 1:45PM
Thanks June, I lucked out and found a great fabric.
Jenny@Simcoe street February 4, 2013 1:03PM
These are beautiful! we have just acquired chairs similar to the before and i love the patterns you chose!
loving your blog
jenny
http://www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com
Maria February 4, 2013 4:15PM
Thanks Jenny
Hanah February 4, 2013 3:34PM
WOW! tHEY LOOK GREAT! tHE BLACK PAINT WAS A GREAT CHOICE.
Maria February 4, 2013 5:22PM
Thanks Hanah, I’m always a big fan of black paint, it can cover a world of sins.
Rhonda February 7, 2013 10:42PM
These turned out awesome! I’m so jealous that you found these on Craigslist! Great work!
Maria February 8, 2013 10:18AM
Thanks Rhonda, I actually looked for a really long time to find these. Everything I found was too expensive at first. Eventually they showed up for a good price and I snagged them.
Annie Gauthier February 8, 2013 4:26PM
Hello,
I’m Frenche speaking and I would like to know what is the name I should look for fabric for furniture when I shop on the net. Thank you very much.
Maria February 10, 2013 7:50PM
Hi Annie, I posted a whole guide to buying furniture online here:
http://www.ourlakelife.com/2012/11/05/10-great-places-to-buy-fabric-online/
Linda Miller February 8, 2013 9:24PM
Beautiful job, amazing how the black paint transformed the chairs and the fabric choice elevated them to a whole new level.
Reuzeit Emporium Blog
Reuzeit Emporium
Peggy wells February 24, 2013 8:14PM
Great job. can you tell me about the pillows and the fabric? Thanks.
Maria February 24, 2013 10:32PM
Hi Peggy,
The pillow fabric is made by Breamore and it’s their Wonderland fabric in the Pearl colorway.
Amber @ healthy, wealthy & diys March 4, 2013 10:23AM
Love love love it! love the contrast between the fabric and the black paint! Coming over from thrifty decor chick’s b&a party!
Maria March 4, 2013 10:28AM
Thanks Amber!
Jenny@EvolutionofStyle March 4, 2013 10:47AM
Oh my gosh – these are so cute!! Love the fabric and the patterns.
emma-jane swan April 14, 2013 11:34AM
Hi,
I love what you have done with these chairs.
I have never revamped anything, so I have been trailing the internet for ideas and tips. I also have a cane back chair and decided on painting it black and a bright turquoise Sanderson fabric. Can you let me in on what paint you used? There are so many different suggestions out there but your finish looks great.
Maria April 14, 2013 7:05PM
Thanks so much,
It was just regular krylon gloss black spray paint and gray primer from Walmart. I think it took 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of gloss black paint.
The key is a good coat of primer to let the paint dry for about a week before trying to upholster them. Even though paints dry to the touch after about an hour it’s still soft for a while. Once the week passes they’re much more durable.