Refurbish a French-style chair :: Reupholster a dining chair

Painted chair - Refurbish a French-style chair - Home makes - Craft - allaboutyou.com

You will need

● Chair
● Grey linen fabric to fit seat plus approx 10cm on all edges
● Grey ribbon to fit around seat plus 20cm extra
● Staple gun
● Hot glue gun
● Sandpaper
● Undercoat
● Eggshell paint

To make

1. Remove old seat cover and braid from chair – you may need small pliers to remove any staples.

2. Sand down the chair to remove any excess varnish and provide a key for the paint. Wipe the sanded chair with a damp cloth and allow to dry. Apply one coat of undercoat and leave to dry completely.

3. Apply the first topcoat and leave to dry. Apply the second coat of eggshell paint and leave to dry completely.

4. Stretch the linen fabric over the chair seat and start by stapling to the front of the chair, as close to the seat base as possible. Then stretch the fabric to the back of the seat. Cut a slit on either side of the fabric so that it can be pulled down to the back of the chair. Pull the fabric as tightly as you can and staple to the back of the chair.

5. Repeat for the sides of the chair, making small pleats in the fabric at the chair corners. Make a second row of staples just above the first row.

6. Trim the raw edges using sharp scissors or a scalpel blade. Glue the ribbon trim to cover the raw edges of the fabric using a hot glue gun, folding the corners neatly to follow the shape of the chair.

Tip: For a really professional finish, use special upholstery trim such as a scroll gimp braid.

Feature: Catherine Woram. Photos: Richard Burns

Chair bought from second-hand shop. Painted in Traditional Oil Primer Undercoat, £21.50 for 1l; Lead Traditional Oil Eggshell, £23 for 1l: both Little Greene. Seat fabric, Aina linen in grey, £7.99 per m, IKEA. Ribbon, £1.05 for 5m, Hobbycraft. Table (supplied cream with wood top), from a selection at Mitzi B. Painted in French Grey Eggshell, £23 for 1l, Little Greene. Table lamp, from a selection at TK Maxx. Picture frames and tealight holders, from a selection at Zara Home.