We all love a chic recycling project, it’s even better when it’s easy and sustainable too. When I was asked by the Laura Ashley team to design a project that fitted with their ethics I knew exactly which fabric I’d be calling in. I love the William Morris vibe to the Laura Ashley Willow Leaf Hedgerow pattern fabric which chimes really well with contemporary interior style.

In a house clearance shop I discovered an ugly brown drop in seat chair, ripe for a makeover. With the lyrical curvy lines of the seat back and legs the only thing stopping it from revealing its potential beauty and taking centre stage was a simple makeover.

In this step by step project I show you how I transformed this chair into a stunning head turner using a lick of chalky pastel paint and new print fabric to cover the seat pad. To protect the new finish from any of the of the old wood treatments seeping through the new finish a couple of coats of stain stopper were applied before painting with the emulsion.

I hope you enjoy this renovation project to bring new life to an old and neglected chair as much as I did.

You will need:

Laura Ashley Pale Grey Green Matt Emulsion Paint
Laura Ashley Fabric Willow Leaf Hedgerow
Pliers
Screwdriver
Hammer
Tacks
Scissors
Paint brushes
Medium Weight Polyester Wadding
Zinsser Stain stopper paint

Step by step

Step 1

Remove the seat pad from the chair frame, wipe chair over with a weak solution of warm water and washing up liquid.

Step 2

To protect the new finish from any of the of the old wood treatments seeping through and spoiling the new colour when the chair is dry paint with two coats of stain stopper.

Step 3

When the chair is dry, apply two thin coats of emulsion.

Step 4

Use a screw driver and pliers to remove the tacks securing the old covering fabric

Step 5

Cut to polyester wadding to the size of the seat.

Step 6

Cut out seat fabric with a 10cm overlap.

Step 7

Place seat fabric right sides down, place wadding in the centre, before positioning the seat in the centre of the layered textiles. Fold the fabric over the seat edge, use a tack to secure the fabric, work from the middle of the frame towards the outside. Turn fabric and secure on all the seat edges.

Step 8

To complete the first corner, fold the fabric into the corner of the seat then tack in place.

Step 9

Fold and turn the edge of the remaining fabric over the corner, then secure with a tack.

Step 10

Repeat to finish all the remaining corners. Use scissors to trim off excess fabric.

Tip

When you’ve finished applying the first coat of emulsion paint wrap the paint brush in kitchen film to prevent the bristles from drying out before you apply the following coat of paint.