Extreme Makover! Thrift Store Diningroom Chairs Edition!

Hi Everyone,

I have been very busy the past few weeks working on projects. I am in the midst of a design project and planning a huge yard sale but I wanted to take a few minutes to share my latest redesign with you. I’ve been wanting to swap out the chairs in my diningroom for quite some time. I created these toile  inspired slip covers about 6 years ago when we moved into our house. They were a nice cover up for the left over, cheap metal chairs I had  from a K-mart kitchen set we purchased years ago.

Toile diningroom

I think they are pretty but the slip covers have some stains and tears in them from years of celebrating the holidays. I really wanted to find some nice wooden chairs with upholstered seats I could redesign  and make mine. I saw these babies  a few months ago at my favorite thrift shop sitting outside waiting for a home.

thrift store chairs before

They were being sold as a set  for $75 with a nice wooden table included.  The chairs seemed to be well made but two of the seats were broken. At the time I was overwhelmed with work and really didn’t think I wanted to take on such a project. So I passed on them.

thrift store chair

Weeks went by and the chairs remained, sadly sitting there waiting for someone to take notice. I looked at them again, and again, and still walked away. After about two months the chairs started to call out to me. I figured the nice older gentlemen working in the furniture room were probably sick of looking at them and were ready to make a deal.  I approached one of the volunteers who happened to be strolling around outside and asked him if he would just sell me the chairs as I had no use  (or room) for the table. His eyes went wide and coldn’t believe I wanted those old broken down chairs! He even yelled over to his co worker…”HEY So~and~So! We’re finally getting rid of those chairs!!!” LOL.

I snagged all four for only $15. He even offered to throw in the table for FREE and in a moment of mental illness I turned him down. Yes I could have taken the table and sold it at the shop but honestly, I don’t have room in the shop nor in storage for it right now.  I brought the chairs home and proceeded to rip them apart.

Chair

Removed the seats and painted the frames a nice white and distressed them. I cut two new seats out of 3/4 inch plywood. The foam cushions on all 4 chairs were in good shape so I was able to reuse them.plywood seat

I reupholstered each one in this  beautiful yellow and blue floral fabric I had stashed in my closet.Reupholstering a chair

I love this fabric!

chair seat

And here is the finished product! A true Shabby to Chic makeover!

shabby chic chair

Adding the yellow fabric brings a new element of color to the room and the new chairs just didn’t seem to “fit” visually in the room and my mental “wheels” began turning. The chair makeover has acted as a catapult for an entire room redesign. I mentioned to my husband what I wanted to do and he jumped on board. We immediately went to Lowe’s Home Improvement and bought new paint and the supplies I needed. I’ve spent all weekend with paint brush in hand and I am in the middle of my Diningroom makeover.

I am so excited to see my vision become a reality and even more excited to share it with my readers! Stay Tuned for the big reveal!!!!

Thanks so much for visiting today!
~Lisa
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7 Responses

  1. abeachcottage

    Love the chair make-over. You did such a wonderful job with them. Can’t wait for the reveal of your dining room 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Beach Cottage Good Life Wednesdays and sharing.

  2. Courtney`

    What a deal and they turned out wonderful! So charming with the fabric you chose too~ thanks for sharing at FNF 🙂

  3. Deana

    wow!! they look so much better. great job! this post would be a fabulous addition to my weekly blog party “from trash to treasure” I’d really love it if you joined in!

  4. VICKI

    I am so glad to see this post! I recently bought a dining room suite at an Estate Sale, and the chairs are similar…the backs of mine have more cane. I’m yearning to paint them, but wondered how the caning would work painted. I have a china cabinet that I’d need to paint also…big job! I am covering mine with muslin and painting grain sack designs on the seats. Your chairs have inspired me! Saw you on JMS…my regular hangout! Love the closet door reuse! Best, Vicki

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