9 DIY Ways to Make a Chair Look Totally Different
Update the look of any chair in your home to make it look different and make the room the chair lives in look fresh and upgraded, too! Peruse this comprehensive list of nine ways you can make a chair look totally different.
Obvious, but still effective:
1. Reupholster
If your chair has any cushioning at all, chances are it has some sort of fabric material on it. Give it a new look by upholstering it! But don’t feel like you have to copy the upholstery exactly; you can add button tufts where there weren’t any or choose not to tuft this time around.
→ 10 New Ways to Re-Upholster Old Furniture
2. Refinish
Your chair’s hard surfaces can get a dramatic makeover simply by updating the finish, which might mean sanding and staining another wood tone.
3. Paint
Of course there’s paint, which is available in a limitless amount of colors and sheens and can make even an old piece of furniture lively.
4. Pillows/throws
Don’t discount the ability of a simple throw pillow or blanket. Toss a few of these elements on to an old chair and you could get a new look without having to take the staple gun out.
→ The Power of Pillows: One Sofa, 5 Ways
Less obvious and awesome:
5. Paint details
Rather than paint an entire chair, instead highlight details you really love with paint. Or “black out” details you don’t love with paint. Or paint a really vibrant pattern on an accent piece.
→ Mini Trend Alert: Color Dipped Furniture
6. Paint fabric
Yes, you can paint fabric! This might be just the choice you need rather than reupholstering.
→ Can You Paint a Fabric Chair? Yes. And You Should.
7. Take away details
Don’t love the chair’s fabric skirt? Take it off! Not into the decorative chair back supports? Saw them off. Feel free to take off any details that aren’t doing it for you.
Drastic and long-lasting:
8. Make it shorter/higher/mobile
Why not change out the legs your chair came with with a more stylish set? Or legs that are lower or higher and make the seat’s height change? Or why not add casters to a chair to make it easier to move around?
9. Add-on
Details like nail-head trim, fringe, tassels and more are all simple ways you can add detail to a chair without doing anything drastic. But though it won’t be a hard change to make, it will give a chair a whole new look.
→ Before & After: Janell Nails a New Style on a Plain Chair