DIY Upolstery Project

This rocking chair is a family heirloom and from New York State.  The transformation is unbelievable.  It had sat in her bedroom for12 years in disrepair.  It's possible that this rocking chair is 80-100 years old.

 The fabric was screaming 70's.

The binding in the seat was a in pieces.

The stuffing that was there had disintegrated.  All of the rust color on the floor is old batting.

Amazing transformation!  Great fabric which the owner choose herself.



The rich wood was not cleaned but walnut oil applied.  It keeps the patina on the the goose neck arms.

The wood was so dry that oil was absorbed quickly.  I love the details on this rocking chair.

Rich chocolate brown trim adds a richness to this piece.

I had a very happy customer when she came to pick it up. 

Tips and Tricks:

1.  Practice on a chair you don't care about.  Pick one up at a local thrift store and practice on that. 

 You want to keep your own family heirloom just that an heirloom!

2.  There are lots of pretty fabrics out there.  Make sure you get upholstery fabric it will wear better over time.  A few places to get fabric for an affordable price are  Utah Design Center and Home Fabrics.

3.  Buy extra fabric.  It takes more fabric then you think.  When covering a dining chair I add at least 2 inches more around your seat pattern.  It will make it easier to wrap and tuck around the seat if you have extra.   

4.  You'll need a good staple gun and a hot glue gun.  A sturdy staple gun is your friend.  It makes it go faster and less time pulling out staples. You can usually find this at your local craft store. 

5.  Find a friend or helpful hubby.   My hubby will staple while I hold the fabric.  You can do this on your own but i goes quicker if you have 2 people. 

One of my favorite blogs is Miss Mustard Seed.  She has some great tutorials on DIY upolstery.   

If you don't want to do it yourself you can contact me.  I only do dinning chairs and rocking chairs.  Anything else needs to go to a more skilled professional.  Hopefully you will feel comfortable tackling your own DIY  upolstery project!

Debbi

BE YOUR OWN KIND OF BEAUTIFUL