Tangerine Chair

Meet my "new" vintage tangerine chair. There's a bold addition to my living room and I love it! I don't know why, but this chair makes me so happy. 

It completes the corner of the room and feels like it was made for it. 

Originally, I had a pair of tan arm chairs in here, but one has since taken residence in my home office, leaving room for a replacement. I've been on the lookout for a Queen Anne chair with some character, for a loooong time. But, I wouldn't settle until I found the right one. Plus (as always), the price had to be right.

A couple Saturday's ago, I was perusing Craigslist, and came across this chair listing at a newly discovered second hand shop. As you can see, the photo isn't the greatest. I couldn't tell what shape it was in or the exact color. That afternoon, I had to see it in person. I walked through the shop a few times, trying to decide. It was only $30! Could I pass it up? Would I really like it in my house? Was it too risky? It was in very good condition. The chair kept calling to me. I had to take it home. Call me crazy. And impulsive. 

I considered putting it in my office, but once I got it home, it matched too perfectly with the living room to put it anywhere else. You should have seen me, I was so excited! 

The touches of orange accents already in the room tie it all together. 

The fabric is a soft velour in really good condition. It's comfortable too! This piece was a gem on many levels. I was giddy. It reminds me of my parents velour chairs. It also reminds me of the orange carpet, orange couch and orange checkered wallpaper in the kitchen of the house I grew up in. That might explain what I'm not afraid of orange. 

Don't you just want to sip a cup of tea and read a book here? 

If you're looking for new-to-you furniture, I am a fan of checking Craigslist before dropping a large amount of money on something brand new. Check often and don't get discouraged. Sometimes you might find exactly what you're looking for. I usually email first and ask a few questions, such as: Is it from a smoke-free, pet-free home? Is there any major damage to it or repair needed? Does it need to be cleaned?

This time I really lucked out because I discovered a second hand shop that I didn't know existed. The shop people told me that they know who the chair came from and they will be very happy to know it's going to a good home. That makes me feel ever better about my purchase. Welcome to your new home.  

Reupholstered Office Chair

I did quite a bit of shopping around, looking for a new desk chair for my remodeled office. I considered a variety of styles and even a Craigslist makeover, but nothing seemed to be just right, or the price tag was steep.

This is the type of chair I've had since college. A standard adjustable office chair on wheels. The green fabric was looking a little rough and cat hair stuck to it like crazy. Yuck. I thought about getting rid of it but wondered if I could save it. 

Photo from www.thedesignitch.com

I turned to Pinterest (where else) looking for inspiration and how-to. Sure enough, other people had reupholstered their regular 'ol office chairs too. This tutorial by The Design Itch was especially helpful and provided the information I needed to give it a try. 

I unassembled the chair back and seat, and removed it from the base. I had a total of 3 sides to cover with fabric. The seat base (that you sit on), the back (that you rest your back on) and the other side of the back (facing out). I don't have detailed photos of the work in progress - I was more focused on seeing if I could make it look good or not! 

Supplies:
1 yard fabric (oil cloth or regular fabric)
Staple gun and staples
Spray glue
Letter opener or thin tool to wedge fabric between boards

As you can see, my fabric has a "shine" to it because it's actually oil cloth or vinyl fabric. The bottom side is soft fabric, but the top side is coated and feels like a plastic table cloth. Perfect for easy clean up! I found this pattern at Hobby Lobby. 

I cut the fabric into the sizes I needed by tracing around the cushions and adding a couple inches extra, all the way around. I sprayed the fabric with spray adhesive, to get it to lay flat and stay in place. It worked great. 

I used a staple gun to staple the fabric all the way around the bottom of the seat. 

Here's a look at the back. I had to use a letter opener to wedge the fabric in between the back boards because there was no way I could take it apart. It fit nice and snug though.

Now I have a "new" custom office chair in a bright fun pattern. Don't toss out that old chair just yet. Consider if you could reupholster it yourself. It's easier than you think and will save you from having to purchase a new one. I love a good furniture makeover!