Today is a great day to have a great day. This is what I have to repeat to myself over and over again while my kids are sticking to me like glue. We're all recovering from a cold so there are a lot of emotions up in the air. It's hard to have a good attitude when you're not feeling well yourself. Nevertheless a few day before this weekend, I was actually pretty productive. I've accomplished several DIY projects and this was just one those projects. This mid-century modern chair project turned out so good, that the day that I finished it, someone was interested in buying them. I say them, because it was two chairs that I refurbished but this particular one was my favorite because of the fabric and the design.
So here is a step by step guide on how I accomplished this look.
Step 1: Take seat and back portion of the chair off of its base.
Step 2: I checked to make sure that both the seat and the back portion was the same. (they were) Then, I traced one of the wooden pieces over the fabric that I was going to use. (Trace on the back of the fabric so that you don't see any kind of marks when you start to assemble it together) The top fabric is going to extend over the edge onto the backside by about 3 inches. After tracing the exact shape of the wood, use a ruler to measure about 3 inches around the shape so that you can have enough fabric to be stapled to the back of the wooden plank and then cut the shape out. I made two same size cuts for both the seat portion and the back portion of the chair. (see pictures)
Step 3: Using the same tracing method, cut the foam that is the exact size of the plank as well as a few sheets of batting. For this particular project I added one sheet of batting to the bottom of the seat and then a thin foam over that. The back piece of the chair only had two sheets of batting but no foam.
Step 4: Using a foam adhesive, I sprayed the surface and then layered the layers. (Spraying in between each one.) I made sure that I sprayed outside because the adhesive has a very strong fume. This step is very important because it will keep the layers from moving around as well as keep that con caved modern shape that you want for this style chair.
Step 5: Spray the top layer of foam and lay the cutout fabric over it. Using your hands, press it down and brush out all of the creases. This will help the fabric to stick to the foam and keep the shape. (If you fabric has a specific design, make sure that you keep it in alignment when cutting out the exact shape that you need as well as when attaching it to the cushion. If you don't pay attention to this step then it is more than likely that it will look very sloppy and uneven.)
Step 6: Staple the fabric to the back of the plank. (Make sure that it's the same tightness all the way around the whole cushion. I stapled four corners first to serve as a guide and then went from one end to the other, working the fabric and making sure that it lays as flat to the surface as possible. Both of the ends can be a little more tricky because it will require you to play with the fabric so that the creases are only seen in the back and that they are spread around equally in that corner.
Step 7: Now, we are ready to make the back piece. This step may sound complicated but it's really not. All you have to do is repeat the tracing step. You should have a cutout that is exactly the same shape and size of the cushion.
Step 8: Using pins, make about a half of an inch fold all the way around. See the picture. In the picture it may look like it's attached to the board, but it's just laying on top. I used the full board as a guide and made sure the fold was pretty equal all the way around.
Step 9: Using an iron, steam the crease so that it stays down by themselves without any pins. (Steaming makes it quicker)
Step 10: Attach the backing fabric using fabric glue and secure with the pins until the glue dries. (30 minutes)
Step 11: Repeat the same process for the second board. (Back of the chairs) Except you will not add any foam to this step. (Just two sheets of batting)
Step 12: Once the glue dries on both pieces, attach it back to the base of the chair. (I used small scissors to create small cuts in the spots where the bolts went in.
So before, I had an older chair and I've used some foam and fabric to elevate it and make it more comfortable and appealing to the eye.
I am proud to say that the day I finished and posted this chair, I had a buyer right away.
I linked some of the items that you need for this project. The fabric, the foam, and the batting you can pick up at most craft stores like JoAnnes or Hobby Lobby. (I prefer Hobby Lobby since you can use a 40% coupon that you can find on their website. Plus, I personally think that their prices are cheaper.)
I hope that you guys enjoyed seeing this project as much as I enjoyed working on it. This is just another way to elevate a piece of furniture and do so on a budget.
Please comment below and let me know if you want me to continue sharing these DIYs on this page and if you find it easy to understand. :)
Create Coleture, Be YOU
Viktoriya Cole