We seem run across Ikea's Tullsta chair on Craigslist almost daily. At the time of this writing, a quick search through the New York listings brings up at least six posted in the last week.
Perhaps it's their low price ($99) that makes them so readily disposable; perhaps it's the quality, which we can't speak for. But we do know that there are an abundance of these waiting to be rescued from the landfill, so we were intrigued by Minouette at Craftster's transformation of a chair she found on the curb...
According to Minouette, "I found this chair. It had a sad little sign saying "FREE". It was filthy and had been much abused by a cat. The legs were scuffed and marked, but it looked solid and had potential."
She cut off the offending fabric, using it as a guide to make a new pattern, and reused the zipper for the cushion. To make the new fabric, she used a combination of thrifted pieces, including corduroy, some old pants and a men's shirt.
The result is a totally new chair straight out of the Urban Outfitters catalog, personalized and free but for the labor!
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
Before & After: A Bathroom Goes From Pinky Peach to Sleek and Chic
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Easy Pitcher Cocktail Recipe: Strawberry Basil Margaritas
Comments (13)
hey, look at this!
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/green-ideas/before-and-after-minouettes-ikea-tullsta-chair-063451
re-post?
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/green-ideas/before-and-after-minouettes-ikea-tullsta-chair-063451
Still a good idea!
Repost.
Yick, again.
Oh a side note, I used to own one of these chairs and absolutely HATED it. It was, by far, the most uncomfortable piece of furniture I ever sat in. The seat cushion kept slipping out from under your butt, and the arms are so high that your arms start hurting. And it's not quite large enough to curl your legs up into, not that you could since that would make the seat cushion shoot across the room like a cork from a champagne bottle. I would wish that damned chair on my worst enemy.
Yep - I thought I'd seen this before...
oh and AT had gotten so much better for awhile there with the reposts!
You cannot buy a new upholstered chair for $99 and expect it to be any good. That's why they sit by the curb:)
MyDesignSecrets.com
While I like the idea of recovering this rather uncomfortable little chair, the example is ugly. Urban Outfitters sells ugly stuff? Good to know, so I can avoid it.
If you're going to do this, practice with some cheap fabric, then do the real cover. There's something to be said for mastery.
Um..wasn't this posted a few months ago??
Nicely done! :)
I'm inspired to do my SOLSTA couch, which is way ugly.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70087108
theambershow - I DID my solsta couch (I keep meaning to send in pictures) and it turned out wonderfully! The key was replacing the low back cushion with 2 big pillows and adding some dense upholstery foam to the arms. I used a staple gun to add the foam, and sewed a new cover (did the arms separately from the fold out seat so we could still use it as a sofa bed). It took me a full Saturday (including time spent shopping for materials - JoAnns had pillows foam & fabric) and the result is great - it's visually a lot more appealing (the new pillow back is higher) and fits in with our more traditional decor, and it's a lot more comfortable! I think I spent about $100 on materials, but if I'd measured more carefully, I wouldn't have had to buy as much. I'd highly recommend it!
This might not be my favourite Ikea chair either, but that's not the point! A lot of effort and creativity has gone into this project! I love the patchwork upholstery too and I don't care HOW popular it is, there is still room for originality and, with recycled fabrics, always a sense of personal history. Now all you need is to find an abandoned foot stool.... ;)