This Eames replica recliner chair was snagged up from Craigslist for only $200 — but the dull vinyl upholstery left much to be desired. A reupholstering facelift made this chair more of an interesting element in its new white-walled home.
We contacted a family friend who had just started a reupholstery business. His prices were affordable, and we were happy to give him business. To start out, the reupholstery guy checked out the chair and told us how much fabric we would need to buy. So, we waited for a 50% off sale on Custom Cut fabrics at Joann Fabrics & Crafts, and then waited patiently for the order of Robert Allen fabric to arrive.
- Cost of the chair: $200
- Cost of materials: $180
- Services: $140
- Total cost of chair: $520
After the materials arrived, we brought both the fabric and the chair to be reupholstered, and waited about a week for the project to be complete. The quality did not disappoint, and now the chair adds a little bit of sass to the living room!
Images: Amanda Johnson
100 DIY Ideas for the 3-Day Weekend
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Flatwa...
Party Recipe: Creamy Crawfish Dip
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
Loving the way that turned out!
Lovely chair! I'm loving the Arcade Fire poster in the before pic even more though...so happy for their Grammy win last night :).
Tessa - I noticed that too!
Chair looks great. You were lucky to find such a cheap upholsterer.
I've got one that needs recovering and fortunately my father in law does it. Thanks for the inspiration!
The chair seemed to disappear. I personally don't think the fabric's pattern is the right choice for the chair. It's like an optical illusion with those tufting buttons.
Love that Chair! Also, I designed that Arcade Fire poster hanging on their wall! Love it when that happens. You can see more about poster here: http://bit.ly/gHGtsI
I liked it much better before.
the houndstooth is PERFECT; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. BRAVA!
love it. how much fabric did you end up needing?
The houndstooth is a surprising choice, but I think it looks quite smart.
I just got a Plycraft chair off Craigslist for $150 --- but I'm thinking of reupholstering in cream-colored leather. So far, it looks like a minimum of $750 to do so. (I wish I had a friend or father-in-law in the business.)
both are gross.stick with the original
Do whatever makes you happy! I wish it was an original, not a replica...just to see how many people had strokes. Life's short, enjoy it!
Does your family friend need any additional work? :-) Chair looks great!
Wow wow wow! What a transformation!
I think it looks great. How much fabric did you need? My husband and I are in the middle of re-furbishing a plycraft and I would love to know how much fabric they needed.
Love it!
i preferred the before version!
This is design blasphemy. Not only is the "new" fabric too busy for the room, you've ruined a classic. Disappointing that Apartment Therapy condones this type of "design."
I don't understand how anything can be "design blasphemy". Design is not a belief system. It's a form of expression. To reinvent is to grow.
It looks like some kind of strange barcolounger kind of thing. Not working at all.
I think it looks great!
This is design blasphemy. Not only is the "new" fabric too busy for the room, you've ruined a classic.
A "classic"? Have you even the remotest idea what you're talking about? It's an Eames ripoff covered in vinyl. It's about as classic as Ke$ha.
The new fabric is wonderful - it offers a better contrast with the wood, thus outlining the shape and construction of the chair better. Well done!
I absolutely LOVE IT! It's essentially a cheap knockoff of a stunning original transformed into a memorable one-of-a-kind piece of furniture. Great idea!
Ha! I found myself looking for a "like" button ala facebook. Blandwagon's response was about what I was thinking.
Personally, I love the new fabric. I was a bit taken aback - in a good way - when I scrolled to the 'after' picture.
When you make such a bold choice, you're probably going to get love-it-or-hate-it kinds of reactions. Which, if you yourself love it, means success!
I'm totally down with re-upholstering, knock-offs, knock-offs of classics, etc. But that fabric kind of kills it. Up close it's cute, but from a distance the pattern seems off in scale somehow.
I love it. It's hard for me not to love anything with houndstooth. The only thing I'd have done different would have been to paint the "wood" parts a glossy black, but I still like the results.
The unexpected fabric choice makes the chair really stand out. This looks interesting and fresh.
What is wrong with people who insist that you cannot rework a design knock-off? Presumably these are the same people who have conniptions every time someone gives a third rate danish modernish piece of furniture a coat of paint.
Not the fabric I would have chosen, but I like KaBoomBOX's idea of painting the wood black.
Houndstooth! My heart goes pitter-patter!
@blandwagon: ditto!!
The fabric is PERFECT; bravo! Knock-offs, especially ones upholstered in cheap-looking vinyl, are meant to be played with!
Here is my favourite Eames reupholstery job (and love the vintage Czech movie poster in the back!):
http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=69808&page=3
I love these chairs and this one looks great.
These are actually easy to do yourself if you're up for it. I've re-done one for about $150 total with an Plycraft I've found in an alley by accident and 50% off Vinyl at Joann Fabrics. I am currently redoing another one just like this one I found walking home from work a few months ago and so far only have spent about $50 on vintage corduroy fabric from Dubois textiles located here in Baltimore. The only thing you really pay a pro to do is the buttons but that ends up only costing you about $10-$15 a set. I guess I'm lucky to get them both for free but having 2 of these for under $250 makes me happy.
Design Blasphemy? That sounds like a great name for a band.
But seriously... it's a designer knockoff. Lighten up people.
What is the pattern name/color of this fabric?
Even if it was the real deal, if you don't like it, give it a make-over. It isn't as if it is an unique piece of art, they were (and still are) mass produced, so do with them whatever you want. I am almost sure Charles and Ray Eames would tell you to do so. Apart from that it is only a knock-off so really, even if they would have used them to light a fire it wouldn't be a design blasphemy.
I know I'm going to get chased off of AT, but I would love Eames chairs more if they came in more fun upholstery options like this. Great job!
"Design is not a belief system. It's a form of expression. To reinvent is to grow."
I wholly approve of this comment! However, reinvention shouldn't come at the cost of respect. If you're going revitalize something, you have to take the time to investigate what the object actually IS: what was the original design intent, what are the qualities inherent in its materials, what condition is it in now, etc. Then you have those concepts in your mind and can create something purposeful that respects the object.
For this plycraft chair, the choice of fabric kind of overpowers the wood - it's interesting, but would likely work better with less contrasting colors than black and white. (Or alternately, staining the wood to bring fabric and wood closer together). The buttons also get lost in the pattern and might be better served with either larger buttons or a solid color (black?) that can stand out against the pattern. Overall, i think it's a good job, and certainly something had to be done about the brown vinyl, but maybe it needs a couple tweaks to really get it right.
Amanda, I would LOVE to contact your upholsterer! Can you email me with his info?
I recently moved to Chicago from LA and left behind a fabulous upholsterer who I used constantly (for myself and clients). I have yet to find someone like that here, but your guy looks like he'd be great!!
my email address: goodnightdean at gmail dot com
@szymonkan how many yards of fabric did you need?
It seems like alot of money, even starting with a friend who started upholstery business and waiting for cloth on sale, then waiting for chair to be finished. If you care very well for the chair, and keep it the rest of your life, then it is a Bargain. Lots of time, lots of cash, patience, and good care. Still a bargain. sincerely, mary
@my little apartment: The upholsterer is based in Canton, Ohio. But if you are still interested, here is his marketplace profile: http://marketplace.apartmenttherapy.com/store/j-l-johnson-upholstery
I've been dreaming of owning a Eames recliner since I was a child & I just purchased a Eames replica myself recently,but "new" (see below). I know how trilling it is to actually own this lounge chair even if it is a "copy". Congrats. Your old/new lounge chair is AWESOME!!!
http://www.rexkelly.com/modern-classic-
seating/replica-eames-lounge-chair-ottoman-ebony/
PS: Side note. The customer service of company I purchased my Eames replica lounge chair was AWESOME. The day my chair was being delivered the deliver called out sick & the owner called me personally to update me on the situation. He tells me he is going to deliver my chair personally. I was really impressed. I was even more impressed once he arrived with my recliner. The owner was a really nice guy. He has a real love for mid century designs & thats shows in the quality of his recliners. My recliner is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I can't be more pleased. You know what they say. All in good time....
I like the idea of reupholstering this classic piece, but I'm not convinced the finished product is an improvement. But then again, as long as the owner totally loves it, who cares what we think?
@degerkas I used 3.5 yards. 3 should do it but i like to have a little extra just in case.
Design blasphemy? Gross? Reinvention shouldn't come at the cost of respect? "Disappointing that Apartment Therapy condones this type of "design."???
What's disappointing is that AT condones these types of comments...and what about respect for the people who are posting, never mind for a piece of furniture.
Wow. I'm new to this site, and I'm already wondering what motivates people to even share their designs when nasty comments like these are so common.
Anyway, I personally love the chair. I love anything houndstooth. I don't know a lot about design, but I think the purpose of furniture pieces are to bring interest to a room and joy to the owner. It looks to me like you've respected both the piece and yourself with your re-design! It's great :)
It's a used chair folks, take a knee.
This is a great reupholster!
Ditto thisparadesucks (and I LOVE that name!). it's a chair - in someone else's house. Such sharpness behind the keyboard....geez.......
I am not sure that fabric does that chair justice even though I adore houndstooth. I have always wanted a womb chair covered in houndstooth fabric.
Ew I agree, don't like the after. Before was boring, definitely, but still classic. Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-bold print on a replica eames lounge, but I don't think the high contrast black and white translates well on the chair, I also think it looks like an optical illusion. I do think that subtle prints look best on chairs that large with tufts. Even a brown and black, or gray and black houndstooth would have looked less intense. Or maybe a smaller houndstooth. Just my opinion.
This one of the easiest chairs to do over yourself, provided you have a staple gun that has enough power to go into plywood and you use a forgiving fabric with some texture. I have done 3 so far - two in very nubby solids and one in cowhide.
VERY NICE !!!
i stumbled upon a Selig Lounger in the trash one morning a few years back and restored it more traditionally.
The shells were in such horrible shape that I had to re-veneer.
You can check out here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/topher-james/sets/72157622854949496/with/4124797179/
You really don't need an upholsterer to do this job. The old fabric comes out by lifting a little from the frame. Replace new fabric. I have done it myself. Tufting also does not work on most plaids, stripes, herringbones or houndstooths as it distorts the weave. Solids, florals or other conversational prints work best.
Sounds like a lot of people think we should be screened before we're allowed to buy Eames or MCM -- kind of like adopting a child. "I can let you see this vinyl-covered replica, but only if you sign a waiver granting upholstery approval to a bunch of people you don't know, who will never be in the same room as this chair."
I love it. I just need to get brave enough to do mine. I know there are lots of people who've done it but I really need a step by step guide; so afraid of destroying it!
(Even though it's a knockoff it took me 2 years to find one I could afford!)