Cover to Comfort: Chair Recovery

“Comfort is not a luxury; it is the essence of a home.” Anonymous

Recovered Single Lounge Chair

A cottage industry is a small-scale, home-based manufacturing business producing handcrafted or labour-intensive goods. It doesn’t have to be a business; some people produce homemade goods as a hobby. It is how most start out, making items for their own enjoyment. As other family members see the quality of their hobby, they request an item for themselves, and it grows from there.

Plastic Chairs

We all want comfortable and attractive chairs to sit in, whether they be for the kitchen or lounge.  My partner crafts, sews and revitalizes discarded household furniture. She looked at our four outside, stackable, lightweight, blue plastic chairs. After a few seasons they became sun bleached and powdery. They were cleaned up and using linen off cuts, the linen was glued to the back and seat of each chair. The result was bright and cheerful, ready for the summer.

Single Lounge Chairs

A single lounge chair was her next project. These used chairs were purchased on a trading site for $20 or were just given away if they showed extreme wear. The process involved stripping off the old covering and making sure any staples are completely removed. The old covering is kept so the pattern is used for the new cover. A number of panels were stitched together in the shape of the chair to be slid over the framework. The underside was stapled after the covering was pulled tight to give a spacious, cushioned seat designed for relaxation.

Upholstered in fabric, the style and function are retained while the fresh covering gives the chair new life. It is comfortable as a personal retreat within the living room for reading or tv viewing. Its soft padding of the same material makes it ideal for quiet moment or simply adding warmth and character to a home space.

Difficulties

Such is the wide variety of chairs that there were also different methods and materials used to put together the finished product. When the chair is disassembled there will always be difficulties you will encounter. It may be the combination of tacks and staples and even glue that makes the process of stripping off the old covering challenging. Having determination and the right tools will help you get the job done.

Tools

• Staple gun.

• Screwdriver with a curved, forked head to remove staples or tacks.

• Normal screwdriver.

• Small hammer

• Standard pliers.

• Sewing machine.

Summary

Upholstery is not for everyone but for others who recover old but still functional chairs, there is much satisfaction to be gained from seeing the end product of their efforts. Be it a hobby or a cottage business, it is a meaningful pursuit.

Upholstery Tools