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!
hey, look at this!
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/green-ideas/before-and-after-minouettes-ikea-tullsta-chair-063451
view ratita's profile
re-post?
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/green-ideas/before-and-after-minouettes-ikea-tullsta-chair-063451
view verano's profile
Still a good idea!
view Pommette's profile
Repost.
Yick, again.
view LilyC's profile
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.
view burpchick's profile
Yep - I thought I'd seen this before...
view bepsf's profile
oh and AT had gotten so much better for awhile there with the reposts!
view Enamorada's profile
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
view MyDesignSecrets.com's profile
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.
view Palmetto's profile
Um..wasn't this posted a few months ago??
view suzy8track's profile
Nicely done! :)
I'm inspired to do my SOLSTA couch, which is way ugly.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70087108
view theambershow's profile