Swivel Chair Makeover Plans! ~ Diane's Vintage Zest!

Swivel Chair Makeover Plans!

I have been dying to makeover a piece of furniture for the longest time.  However, I can't rationalize spending any money on something new, especially when I'm not really in need of it.  However, I recently had the good fortune to find a chair sitting next to the recycling area near my gym.  Yes!  Free furniture!

That being said, it is definitely in need of some love.  Since it has such a good structure, I am willing to put some time into making over the chair and learning a few new processes along the way.  Say hello to my new project!

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She doesn't look like much now, but for $0, she's amazing!  I'll go over the details and all of the steps that I think I'll need to take to uncover this gem's full potential, but I wanted to share my main inspiration with you.  This Swivel Desk Chair from Pottery Barn is $399 for the chair and $29 for the cushion.


Obviously, the lines are much more clean in the inspiration photo, but it will hopefully be a good match.  Right now, I'm not sure if I prefer white or black, but I'm leaning towards the white right now.  I'll have to see it in person again, but for right now my lovely friend is keeping it at her house.


On a side note, my friend does some amazing upholstery work that obviously won't be necessary for this chair, but hopefully she can teach me some of her skills on a future project!


Now, let's get into what work needs to be done.  First off, the most obvious defect is the two missing casters.  However, I love the structure of the five-legged base, which is something pretty uncommon!  All of the metal needs to be cleaned as well, but it is all still very functional!

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Otherwise, the chair is in great condition.  There's a slight gap between two of the slats of wood in the seat, which I don't think is a problem.  Does anyone out there know if I have to correct this?

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All in all, I just have to take it apart, clean it up, pick out the right paint & new casters, paint it, put it back together, find a cute fabric for the seat, and sew some new cushions!  I KNOW I have something in my stash that I can use!  Maybe a black & white toile?  Pink damask?  Elegant mocha and beige stripes?  If I can't choose, maybe I'll sew up a few cushion covers.  :)

This is probably a small project for some of you guys out there, but I have never done something like this before!  That means that I'll have to do this makeover in baby steps whenever I visit my friend, and I'll make sure to document my progress along the way.

I'd love for any advice that you guys might have for me.  Share away!





8 comments:

  1. Hello Diane! I came across your link on HouseHoneys' Bloglovin' Blog Hop. I'm following you via Bloglovin'. Please follow me back. Have a nice day!

    Vashti

    http://www.inlinkz.com/displayurl.php?id=12702051

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  2. LOVE the chair, and see the possibilities with it as well! I wish you luck, and look forward to seeing how things progress for you. Good Luck to you, and have a sweet weekend!

    Kim
    LilacsNDreams

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  3. Nice! I like the chair! To fix the gaps that have happened in the seat, all you need is wood filler. Give the whole chair a good sanding before refinishing it. Then, fill the gaps with wood filler (you can get it in tubes at a hardware store). Sand it smooth once it's dry (as per the instructions on the tube). And you should be good to go. Just make sure you get a filler that goes with whatever paint or finish you are going to be using (they usually say if they are paintable or not, etc). Hope that helps!

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  4. Oh, and when you sand it, make sure you start with a course sand paper and move down to a lighter, finer sand paper. Eg. start with 60 or 100 and then follow with 220.

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  5. Wow! Thanks so much for the tips! I just showed my guy your comments because I'm wowed at how helpful the blogging community, especially you today! I'll definitely keep everyone updated!

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  6. I can't wait to see what you are going to do with this chair. I am really wanting to get old/used furniture and fix it up. I'm a mother to four and can't seem to find the time to go out searching for the perfect piece. :) Hopefully soon! I'm your newest follower through pinterest, bloglovin, twitter, facebook, & google + and would love some follow backs if you are interested. :) My blog is gloriouslymade.blogspot.com.
    Have a great sunday!
    Deanna

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  7. I have a chair similar I got for $10. I'm in the process of creating a sewing space "happy place". Since I now have a 3 year old and a 3 month old.. Need a space that's MINE. Anywho..
    I just transformed an old desk into a pretty sewing desk and now time to do the chair. Have you started your chair makeover yet? I'm about to start sanding mine down alittle, then I plan to chalk paint it lime green. (The desk is a teal/turquoise color) room will be yellow. After painting and distressing, I will apply a clear shellac finish, then maybe sand with extra fine grit and top it of with wax and buff.
    Does that sound about right for those if you that upcycle furniture? I'm just going by all that I've researched. The desk was my first project. Wish I could add a pic to this post. Darn it

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  8. I haven't started the chair makeover yet. It would be lovely to see your project. It sounds amazing!

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