Before and After: 5 Inspiring Chair Redos, and One Clever IKEA Hack

Thanksgiving and the holidays are upon us, which means your dining set will be getting plenty of use. Don’t have the budget to buy a brand-new set of dining chairs, but can’t stand to look at the hand-me-downs you currently have? With a little paint, stain, or fabric and minimal DIY skills, you can turn those worn-out seats into furniture that’s worthy of a place at your table. 

To inspire you, we’ve rounded up some of the best dining chair makeovers on the Internet. From cane seating to fancy tufted chairs to IKEA standbys, there’s something to suit every style.

When wooden Windsor chairs start to look a little worse for the wear—think chipped, scratched varnish—the easiest fix is a simple sanding and a coat of all-over paint. But for a cooler, more modern spin, reach for both paint and stain to give the chairs a paint-dipped effect. Get the full tutorial at The Painted Hive.

Because this well-worn wooden side chair had an uncomfortable back and a sinking seat, it needed a little more TLC than just a fresh coat of paint could provide. To spruce it up, Ursula—the blogger behind Home Made by Carmona—removed the seat, then gave the chair a fresh coat of paint. Once that was done, she cut a new plywood seat and a back to match, then wrapped them both in egg crate and fabric. The whole makeover cost less than $30 and took about one hour. See a step-by-step at Home Made by Carmona.

Old, ratty cane chairs in a light wood finish will make any space feel instantly dated and drab, but it’s easy to revive them—without ever touching all that intricate weaving. In this dining chair makeover, Angela, the blogger behind Unexpected Elegance, taped over the cane with frog tape and used a craft knife to create clean, crisp edges. Once that was done, she simply spray-painted the entire chair, then stapled new upholstery onto the seat. Get the full tutorial at Unexpected Elegance.

If your chairs have tons of nicks and deep scratches like this one did, use a little wood filler before painting to ensure the final look is polished. Once that’s done, try a technique like dry brushing to lend a two-tone look that gives more formal chairs added character and dimension. Find all the instructions at Girl in the Garage.

Just because your chairs have straw seats doesn’t mean you’re stuck with that characteristic golden hue. Here, Diane, the blogger behind In My Own Style, demonstrates an easy technique to transform rush seats—all you need is a little stain, a stiff brush, and a sealant. Read the full tutorial at In My Own Style.

If your budget calls for IKEA, but your taste calls for something a little more elevated, try this simple IKEA hack by Monica Karlstein, blogger and author of 99 Hacks. There’s no paint required for this stunning wood-and-leather look—just the IKEA Ivar chair, some strips of rich leather, and a few staples. Read all the instructions on Hemmafix.