BEFORE: moldy chairs
This is my first re-upholstery project, so I am pretty stoked about it! I actually salvaged these chairs from my grandfather's house. The arms and legs were covered in mold and very undesirable…
I sprayed bleach and hosed them down with water and let them sit in the sun for a few days before bringing them into the garage. Once they were completely dry and free of mold. I took the cushions off and began removing the caning from the sides of the chair to give them a lighter feel.
I had to fill in some of the areas where I had removed the caning with wood putty. I then sanded all exposed areas of the chair. After wiping off any sand particles, I spray painted the chairs with white lacquer spray paint. This was probably a 2 day process waiting for the putty — and then the paint — to dry. I had to spray about 2-3 coats of paint.
The next part was to re-do the cushions. I sewed the cording and then cut the fabric around the cushions leaving a few inches to be stapled, then began stapling! I also had some left over orange fabric that matches a wing back chair I have and made some pillows. All in all, it was probably a 2-3 day job. I am very happy with the turn out and of course my cat also appreciates his new lounge chairs.
Thanks Ashley!
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Comments (18)
great job. Personally, I wouldn't have painted the wood though. The glossy white makes it look kinda cheap and plastic-y
In the context of HER home, though, the white is perfect. Her living area needs the contrast and brightness only white can provide!
Great job!
very lovely
I love the white & the fabric - Great job! You have inspired me, I am now on the hunt for some moldy chairs of my own to redo!!
WOW - what a wonderful transformation. Obviously Kitty agrees! After re-upholstering 4 dining room chairs and a larger accent chair - it is a tough job and you pulled it off beautifully!
Good idea to remove part of the caning, as well!
I did the same with a similiar chair I found in the trash. It was a a hot battered mess when I found it.
Yours looks great! Good job!
I guess I'm not from the school where any wood is good wood and should be left unpainted -- I think that the white paint looks great! And, there's no reason to only use white if it suits your taste and your decor.
i do prefer the wood but i think the painted form is great too. these chairs have a beautiful shape. i love the caning. great job.
A great addition to such a lovely place.
I can't imagine that wood arms and legs covered in mold, as she said, would have looked good left unpainted.
AT, I'm getting tired of all the posts with photos that look like they came off of camera phones.
I get that not everyone has a decent camera or photography skills, but the grainy photos hurt my eyes!
That said -- the chairs look good, what I can really see of them.
Thanks for the comments! I actually agree with not painting wood typically, but the wood had a black speckled look to it... anyway, needless to say, I painted it much against my boyfriend's advice as well!
Thanks again!
You did a fantastic job. They are beautiful.
Very nice.
These are beautiful! You did a fantastic job with these--very creative.
Yea for grainy photos! Please AT, don't listen to the likes of LSUgrad03. Where the photos aren't swiped from someplace else, it shouldn't matter that they're not pro quality. Perhaps LSU would be happier at a site that was less participatory.
As for the quality of the shots: I appreciate that Apt Th opens up their pages to folks on all tiers of the economic scale. I'd want to see this DIY regardless of megapixel.
Real life is so grainy & for me- minor poetic license - what Ashley has done here is sharing how to make things less grainy in your home: from the basement's back corner up to the living room's front and center...
I'd say the quality of her work and the need for a share on this very sort of DIY greatly justifies the very minor shortcomings in the images.
Come to think of it, maybe you should see an eye doctor. How long has it been? You can't take your eye health for granted.