One the easiest ways to update a pair of vintage chairs is to recover the seat. I watched my mom recover the chairs in our dining room every time she wanted to update the look with out breaking the bank. Today I did just that with a pair of vintage chairs.  I use them as side chairs next to the fireplace to add symmetry to a rather odd space to decorate.

This project was very budget friendly. Luckily, I had enough fabric left over from another project to cover the elegant vintage chairs.  I wanted something bold and colorful that would pop. The fabric I replaced on the seats was dull and lacked any sort of style. They were boring to say the least.

I opted for a really bold jewel toned paisley.  Crazy as it sounds, I’m not the only one to love the pattern. Pier One turned it into melamine plates. I kid you not. Back to the chairs.

Originally, these chairs went with a dining set I inherited from my grandparents. Since we don’t use the dining table or for that matter the dining room, the chairs were an excellent target for this project. My goal was to add color and bold pattern to the living room.

Step by Step Directions to Updating Vintage Chairs

• Start by unscrewing the seat from the chair frame, setting aside the hardware.
• Remove the fabric from the seat using a flat head screw driver to pop out the staples.
• Lay out the fabric you want to use and place the seat over it to make a template. Leave about an 1 inch. More if the cushion is thicker.
• Cut out the fabric and place the seat on the wrong side of the fabric.
• Gather the sides and staple to the seat.  I had to play with the gathers to get it to look perfect and clear of the screw holes.
• Place the seat back on the frame and screw it onto the chair.

It looks fabulous, don’t you think?