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Thursday, August 2, 2012

Green Polka Dot Chair Makeover

Today I thought I would share my green polka dot chair makeover. I reupholstered this chair last year, so it's an old project, but I never shared it, so it's new to you!!

It was the very first time I had ever recovered anything bigger than a seat cushion, so I was a little nervous, and wasn't sure if it would turn out. But after some googling, I felt confident enough, to at least try. Plus check out this before, it's not like I had a lot to lose.


The chair had become "Chumba's chair", it was full of dog hair, and it looked like it was falling apart. My mother and father in law had given it to us years before, and when we moved to Nevada, my father in law actually asked me why I wanted them to bring the chair to us, from California. I told him my plans for the chair, but he didn't see the potential.

It's super comfy, and it was my favorite place to sit during my many sleepless nights I had with Riley. I'd just throw a blanket over it, and I was good to go. The big cushy arms, and the fact that it reclines were really nice, and the wings on the sides made a perfect spot to rest my head, I would fall asleep with him in my arms, and actually be comfortable.

Once I picked the fabric, it took me months to actually start recovering it, it was a huge project!! I took tons of pictures while I took it all apart, to remember how, and the order that everything went back together. Of course, once I started putting it back together, I didn't take progress pics, so I have nothing else to actually share.

After lots of sewing, and pulling and tucking and stapling and stopping to admire how far I'd gotten, I finally finished!! 


I planned on painting the legs, I still think about it sometimes, but I kinda like them the way they are. They look good with the other natural elements I have in the room. It's in my living room, although these pictures were taken in a then empty playroom.

Here is a detail shot, you can see the piping real good here.


I really wish I had added new foam and stuff when I recovered it, but I didn't realize how badly it needed it until I was finished. I was saying that to Mitch the other day, and I said, "Oh well, maybe next time." He looked at me like I was nuts, but it's a solid little chair, so who knows, I just might give it another makeover in a few years!


This last shot is with Howdy Cow, he has been around since Riley's first birthday. It was Barnyard themed, so he was part of the decoration, plus a present from mommy and daddy. Riley likes to have us bounce on him, while he rides horse on a stick, and we chase each other around the house and make animal noises. It's kinda exhausting, but he loves it so much, we can resist!!

♥ Kim

20 comments:

  1. Amazing! It is gorgeous now! You did an awesome job! I have a wingback chair that my aunt gave me (which she did a wonderful job recovering because it was actually her mothers) but it is now super outdated again. Can you share with me the sites you googled? I am thinking about tackling this chair and need lots of help! Thanks!

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  2. Heather,

    Thank you so so much!! I actually only used two sites when recovering the chair, I had to go back and google them again, but found them rather quickly, they are:

    http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/1974-11-01/Reupholster-Furniture.aspx - this one is boring looking, but it has so much useful information!! There are four total pages, so make sure you hit next on the bottom of each page. I know, common sense, but it's easy to miss, I almost did when I was just there!! :):)

    http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2010/07/how-much-fabric-do-you-need-for.html - this site shares how much fabric you will need. I measured everything, estimated what I would need, then compared to the estimates on this site, and went with the highest one. You don't want to run out of fabric!

    I also went to Pinterest just now, and did a quick search, I came across these two sites that might also be helpful (they weren't around last year when I recovered my chair)

    http://megeletto.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/how-to-reupholster-a-wingback-chair/ - step by step of how she recovered her chair, with pictures!

    http://honeyandfitz.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-much-fabric-do-i-need-to.html#axzz1m02VRvzL - another yardage estimator, with pretty color diagrams.

    So I hope those help!!! Good luck recovering your chair!! I hope to see pictures on your blog if you tackle the project. :)

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  3. It's amazing.
    I love how the dot pattern is matching on the different parts.
    Great job.

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  4. Thank you Sam!! I hadn't really noticed the matching, can't remember if I planned it or not, kinda cool though. :)

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  5. Oh my heck, for never having tackled anything bigger than a cushion you did a fantastic job. I love the fabric choice, so fun.

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  6. Oh, I wish you lived near me so I could pay you to recover my chair!! Beautiful job, looks professional.

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  7. This is great! You did an amazing job...and your first time at that!

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  8. So cute! I am getting ready to tackle building an upholstering a large ottoman/bench, so this is very inspiring.

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  9. my mom was a professional upholsterer so i have been around it all my life and i have to say "YOU DID AWESOME"! a really great job. i have done some slip covers but never tackled a total redo. love the fabric.

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  10. WOW! I am so impressed that this was your first big project! You did an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G job! Hope you don't mind, but I had to pin it, because this chair totally inspires me to try my hand at upholstery one of these days :)

    Absolutely luuuuurve that polka dot fabric! And the green is almost the exact same shade of green duck canvas that I bought two years ago, with the idea of re-upholstering some old chairs. I picked up 20 yards at $5/yard on sale (and then hauled it back to Argentina in two separate suitcases 'cause it weighs so stinkin' much!) but haven't had a chance yet to work on those chairs. I did, however, pick up upholstery supplies last year when we were in the states, so once I do have time, I am ready!

    Just curious: How many yards did it take to do a chair that size?

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  11. I am in looooove with this chair! I have a big old club chair that's comfy, but covered in the ugliest forest green cord fabric. Something fun like this would be awesome.

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  12. Thank you all. :)

    Kim, I totally don't mind if you pin from my blog! Pin away!!! And I used 7 yards for this chair, it was barely enough, luckily I didn't make any mistakes cutting the fabric, cause I wouldn't have had enough fabric to fix it.

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  13. Just found your blog through Better After and I love what you did with your chair (and I love polka dots)! I recently reupholstered a chair too! A lot of work but so worth it. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. I love this chair! It's so fresh and young now. I've been making slipcovers but this is all out reupholstry! I giving sideways looks to an old chair in the corner now that I was planning on slipcovering. HMMMM. Thanks for the idea. great job.

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    1. Erin, Thank you! Is it funny that making a slipcover seems more intimidating than reupholstering something, haha!! I'm sure it's not, but it is a lot more sewing, and this is mostly stapling, which for some reason seems simpler. Good luck if you decide to redo your chair. :)

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  15. Green is my favorite color=love this!

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    1. Thank April. Mine is turquoise, but green is second! Hope you have a great week!! :):)

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  16. Holy amazing! I have a rather ugly red reclining chair that I would love to keep for it's comfort, but I'm a little daunted by the recovering idea. Maybe I should rethink it. You did an amazing job!

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    1. Thank you!!! It's not as scary if you take it one step at a time. Good luck if you decide to do it. :):)

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