Fabulous friends, welcome back!! After getting away for a week, I was refreshed and ready to get back to it, and today, I’m sharing what I did with this petite antique dining chair:
This chair was the best deal ever at only $6!! It was half off of $12 the day I found it, and there were three matching ones that did not have any arms and I LEFT THEM BEHIND. What was I thinking??
This one was SO cute that I had to have it, but it did have quite a bit of wear…
This chair has seen a lot!
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
The PREP
I started the makeover of this chair by removing the upholstery:
I believe this was filled with horse hair as I could feel it poking out of the muslin fabric, but I never looked. It seemed to still be in tact and holding up so I left it as is.
You can see how to replace that if you wanted to in this post.
I used this tool to help remove all the furniture tacks:
Unfortunately, I didn’t see any screws on the bottom, so I couldn’t remove the seat to continue, but I was able to work around that just fine.
Clean
Next up was a good cleaning with White Lightning:
Just mix one TBSP of White Lightning with a half gallon of warm water and wipe down. Replace the dirty mixture with clean water, and give it another wipe down. These terrycloth pads are perfect for the job!
Fill in imperfections
I filled in those imperfections in the back of the chair with Dixie Mud in White. Once it was dry, I sanded it smooth with 220 grit sandpaper.
Prime for Possible Bleed through
Because this is an antique piece and I got quite a bit of color in my dirty water, I decided to play it safe and apply one coat of BOSS stain blocker in white just in case those tannins tried to come through:
I let that dry overnight and it was ready for paint!
Paint
The fabric I chose for the new seat was actually a shower curtain I found at the thrift store for $10:
It had a really nice weight to it and I figured I would find a use for it eventually!
It was a silvery gray and so I decided to custom mix a color to go with it using Cotton and Hurricane Gray:
I like to keep a large size of Cotton or Fluff on hand for this purpose. Many of Dixie Belle’s colors are deep, rich colors, but by mixing them with white, you get a whole new color that is softer and often even prettier!
I eyeballed this mixture, but it is about one part Hurricane Gray to three parts Cotton. I just added the gray to what was left of this quart of Cotton.
The result is a lovely, soft gray shade and was just what I was after…
And I’m such a lady when I’m painting ha ha!
I took a pic of this too to share…I often will add two pieces of wood to my lazy Suzan to make painting small pieces easier:
I can sit in one place and keep turning it as needed while I paint.
This color covered fantastically in one coat, but I gave it two.
Sand and seal
Once the paint was dry, I sanded all over to distress it a bit. That also helped to hide some of the imperfections.
Then, I sealed with Best Dang Wax in clear, applying it with the La Petite brush and buffing it with a clean, soft cloth:
The upholstery
Before recovering the chair seat, I added a double layer of cotton batting:
I cut it to fit around the arms and back and let it hang over about and an inch or two.
Then, I cut the fabric in one large square that would cover the entire seat. I started along the front edge securing it in place with my el cheapo staple gun:
It does the job just fine!
Next, I turned the chair around to the back and pulled the fabric taut while I secured it to the back as well:
Once I had the back and front mostly secured, I cut around the arms and back, and then tucked it down…
I secured the front corners, adding one fold on each side. Then I trimmed away the excess fabric. I continued along the sides and back…
Double Welt Trim
To cover the raw edges, I made double welt trim:
I always say that if you can sew a straight line, you can TOTALLY make this!
My more detailed tutorial for making double welt trim can be found HERE.
Then I secured it in place with hot glue:
The After
Here is how this cutie pie chair turned out!
I love the soft gray for this piece.
And can you spy what I added to the back?
It needed a little something there, and this Secret Letter transfer in white was perfect!
That transfer is available in black too HERE.
Here you can see the double welt trim I added to conceal the raw edge…
It adds a nice finishing detail.
And you would never know this was a fabric shower curtain to begin with!
It looks and feels like high-end upholstery fabric!
Remember my new art?? This is the new Maison de Paris Maxi transfer that I framed and shared HERE with a thrift store frame a couple of weeks ago…
I love this transfer!
Transfers are such an easy way to add a custom touch to your projects!
My Etsy Shop is back open for business! See over 120 transfers from small to large in my shop HERE!
And that is one project closer to being done with this bunch!
See everything I’ve completed so far below!
Vintage Magazine Table Makeover
Painting the Smalls #21 (Six seven more mini Makeovers!)
Update an Old DIY Toolbox
How to Make a Tray from a Picture Frame (Super Easy!)
Freebie Chair Makeover
Vintage Stool Makeover with Terra Clay Paint
Mini Basket Box Makeover
Mirrored Wall Shelf Makeover
Rolling Buffet Makeover
Painted Antique Side Table
Pretty in Blue Box Makeover
A Great way to Repurpose a Chair
Painting the Smalls #20 (Six mini makeovers!)
White Painted Desk with Transfer
As always, I appreciate you stopping by today!
I have a real gem for y’all on Thursday! If this doesn’t scream Furniture Fixer Upper, I don’ know what does lol!
UPDATE: No need to wait! See how cute this dresser is now HERE!
See ya then!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
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Mary Kaiser says
Oh it turned out so beautiful! I love the color, and I love the fabric/shower curtain with that color! You saved that chairs life! What a beauty it is now!
Christy says
Thank you, Mary! I really wish I had a spot for it lol! XOXO
Kim Meadows says
Hello! I love the shape of this chair and it turned out gorgeous! I was wondering why you remove some chair cushions and not others when recovering them?
Thanks, Kim
Christy says
Thank you so much, Kim! If the seat no longer has a shape to it because it has been so flattened over time, I will replace it. That is often the case. With this one, when I sit in, it contours nicely to your behind lol, so I decided this time to keep it! XOXO
Janice Holt says
Now this is such a pretty chair. Love the fabric and the transfer. I do have a question; did the seat part not come off? It had to make it harder with it intact but it still turned out really well.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Janice! I could not remove the seat on this one. There were no screws on the bottom?? Otherwise I would have removed it. Glad I was able to work around it! XOXO
Cecilia says
What a cute chair! Love how it turned out. I can’t believe that material was a shower curtain! What a score.
😊 Cecilia
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! Right? I wouldn’t have believed it either if it didn’t have the holes at the top for the shower hooks lol! XOXO
Peggy says
Christy, this is a winner! Love the light grey. WHO would have thought to use a shower curtain for material!!! Genius! What can I say? The double welt trim and the lettering were the perfect touch!
You should be glad I don’t live near you. I would be scrounging and leaving projects at your garage door! 🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤
Christy says
Thank you, Peggy!! I found that shower curtain a while back and as soon as I saw it in my fabric stash, I knew it would be perfect for this chair! And ha ha…that would be so fun if you lived closer! XOXO
LORRI says
Who would have thought this was a shower curtain? This chair turned out amazing!! I love the way you put some script on the back part of chair. One classy chair.😍
Christy says
I’m so glad you like it, Lorri, thank you!! That was one fancy shower curtain lol! XOXO
Niki says
Very soft and pretty Christy. It is a cute little chair. Was it frustrating to not be able to remove the seat for reupholstery?
Christy says
Thank you, Niki! There were no screws on the bottom holding the chair seat in place, so I had to work around that, but it was no trouble at all! XOXO
Jackie C says
Super cute! The transfer set it off! Love that shower curtain fabric. Great idea. I’m excited to see what you do with that dresser next week. I actually like those cup pulls, but not the color. Have a great week!
Christy says
Thank you, Jackie! I’ll be back with the dresser on Thursday…it is so cute now! XOXO
Nancy Sharp says
I love that chair! Adding that detail on the back is a lovely idea too. I always look forward to your posts.
Christy says
Aww thank you, Nancy! I appreciate that! That transfer was just what the space on the back needed! XOXO
Linda Young says
Hi and welcome back. I love what you do and always look forward to Tuesday and Thursday Could you please tell me what kind of mask and sander you use?? Thanks so much.
Christy says
Hi Linda! Thank you! I use a mask like this when I sand: https://amzn.to/40yLFg9 (That’s an amazon link.) My sander is a Ryobi battery operated sander you can see here: https://amzn.to/3LEqh5f. The batteries are quite pricey, but we have all the tools that share the batteries and it is nice to be able to be cordless. However, they make a corded version also which is at a better price point. Also, my last sander was a Black and Decker brand rotary sander and it lasted for many years! XOXO
Kelly Howard says
That chair!😱 Truly a beautiful piece with such character and so charming! It looks wonderful with that artwork , too. I haven’t commented in a bit but I am forever a stalker, heehee! You are remarkably talented.❤️
Christy says
Thank you so much, Kelly! You are the sweetest and I appreciate you! XOXO
Marietta says
One of my favorites. I love doing old chairs! This one is extra special, made so by you. Beautiful!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Marietta! This was a sweet chair to work on! XOXO
Lizzy says
It’s so pretty! I love it!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Lizzy! XOXO
Caye Cooper says
Hey Christy! I LOVE that cute little chair all in white. Good job on the double welt cord, too. I save myself some time and buy double welt cord from an upholstery shop near me–just call me lazy!
Question for you. Is your lazy Susan a commercial one, and what is the dimension? I need to buy one because all I have is a cheapy plastic one for spices, etc. and am not sure of the dimension.
Christy says
Thank you, Caye! Good idea with the trim lol! My lazy susan is one found on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3L9UvLR It’s a bit pricier than when I bought mine, but I’m sure that’s a reflection of the cost of wood these days. I liked it because it was the largest I could find at 21″. You could probably add the lazy susan hardware to the bottom of an unfinished table round from the Home Depot maybe for less? My hubby threw the one I found for $2 at the thrift store away thinking it was trash a couple of years ago, so he bought this one lol! XOXO
Ruth Anne says
Love your little chair–the white transfer is the perfect finishing touch! I’m looking forward to seeing how you will transform the chest of drawers on Thursday!
Christy says
Thank you, Ruth Anne! I was looking forward to this working on this one! See ya Thursday…I don’t think you’ll recognize the dresser now lol! XOXO
Michele M. says
WOW!! What a transformation! Looks GREAT!! Bravo! Well done.
Christy says
Thanks so much, Michele! XOXO
Sue says
Your chair turned out beautifully, it has a romantic vibe! I will make sure to look through the fabric isle the next time I go thrifting!
Christy says
Thank you, Sue! Yes…I always have a peek at the linens/curtains, etc! XOXO
susan says
I love how this turned out! So sweet! Can’t wait to see that dresser makeover….that’s some fancy hardware on it 😄
Christy says
Thank you so much, Susan! See ya tomorrow!! XOXO
P says
Ooh la la !!! Sooo cute now. 😉
Thanks for sharing
P
Christy says
Thank you, P! Glad you enjoyed it! XOXO
Karen R says
Wow ! I don’t even like gray, but this is exceptional . I would have this in my home. Beautiful job, and more great ideas, thank you .
Christy says
Aww yay! I’m so glad you like it, Karen, thank you!! XOXO
Petra says
Double welt trim? Well that’s something new I’ve learnt today 😀 Love this little chair and the fabric is perfection!
Christy says
Thank you, Petra! You can buy premade gimp trim also, but this is a great alternative for no extra cost! XOXO
Rose Lefebvre says
It looks so lovely! You even pay attention to the details.
Christy says
Thanks so much, Rose! I do try! XOXO
Bonnie says
When I come back in another life I want to be you and do a million makeovers. Lol
Seriously you know how I feel about your amazing makeovers and I seem to be running out of compliments so guess I will start over with them😆Glad to see you got away and this may sound dumb but it was weird not seeing all of you together.
Carry on my friend and know that you have left your mark on this world. Hugs
Christy says
Aww you are the sweetest, Bonnie!! Thank you my friend!! Funny…we actually only have one of us all together on our trip and I’m in a bikini, ha ha nope!! Maybe because we were missing Jack, we didn’t take as many photos of all of us? It was definitely nice to get away though! Always appreciate you!! XOXO
Heidy says
Elegant! Just lovely. You have the magic touch. This has to be one of my favorite of your makeovers and I have quite a few.
Happy Spring❤️
Heidy
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Heidy! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one!! I’m trying to find a place for it so I can keep it lol. XOXO