One of the easiest ways to change the look of a chair is to replace the fabric on the seat. The same chair can take on so many different looks with a simple change of fabric.
The process of changing the fabric on a chair, stool or bench is really simple. If you need a detailed tutorial, click here for a demonstration of how I did it on an old bench. It’s the same process for a chair.
Here is how the piece looked when I bought it. I’ll bet any of you can see the potential in this cute little chair – especially for $4.00.
I love the shape of the legs and the detail on the top. It actually would have been great with just a change of the seat cover. But you know that I couldn’t just do that.
I removed the seat, cleaned the frame very well and hit it with black primer. Then a couple coats of black, satin paint.
Here he is with the first fabric change. I love this. It looks like that fabric and the chair were made for each other.
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And a quick change to a black and white damask pattern. Love this one too.
How about something a little bit funky? Hmmmmmm…not so sure about this one but it might work somewhere.
Maybe a stripe? That’s fun! I like it!
And a toile? Of course, I like that one.
For the spot that I have in mind, the black and white damask works the best so that’s how he looks today.
Changing out the fabric on a wooden chair like this is super easy. I love how you can completely change the feel by just using a different fabric. Do you have a chair that could use an update like this?
Today’s post comes from my archives. It was originally published on August 11, 2008.
You can still enter our giveaway for a $40 to SosoBella Designs! See this post to enter your name. A winner will be announced later this week.
Here are a few more chair makeovers to help get you inspired:
Office chair makeover ~ Craft Rookie
Bathroom chair makeover ~ My Pink Life
Ribbon upholstered chair ~ Home Workshop
Swedish modern chair makeover ~ Alicia B. Designs
$5 yardsale chair makeover ~ Stephen and Brittany Rivers
{ 31 comments }
I love the damask covering. Well done!
oh ah….I love fabrics…I like the black and white damask…my craft room will be done is this fabric….beautiflly done chairs.
What a great chair. My mom had a dining set with chairs like your exactly. My daughter now has it. She has recovered the seats many times. I love all the fabrics you've chosen. Great tutorial. Hugs, Marty
I surprisingly love the striped one. I currently have a project staring me down of recovering an old couch but I'm terrified to start it for fear it'll look terrible. Got any pointers?
I love those chairs!
I think we chatted before about how I picked up 4 very much like that at at thrift store. I changed out the fabric as well and it's like it breathed new life into the chair – even without paint! 
I love the toile fabrics, they look lovely.
Have a great day!
The damask is beautiful! Love that look with the black wood. But of course the toile is stunning, too. Decisions, decisions….
It looks like the chair that's sitting outside for spray-painting has been exiled in the wilderness!
My dining room chair seats are in desperate need of recovering. Guess it's time to start keeping an eye out for fabrics.
I love the damask. I just redid some chairs too! Check them out in my blog!
http://www.futuredomesticgoddess.blogspot.com
I remember that post! I guess I've been reading your blog for a long time! I like the first one the best… I bet I left the same comment a year ago! ha ha!
Kimba,
Definitely digging the Damask fabric. This is very timely. I was thinking…hoping, of getting on re-covering a slipper chair I picked up at a g-sale for $2 this week. I will definitely be reading your tutorial!
Cute chair! And so fun to change out the fabrics.
I LOVE it… I recovered stools awhile ago but it never occurred to me to paint them first… I am wanting to find a chocolate damask to cover them with, I should paint them…
I liked seeing the transformation in each photo.
I recovered a chair for my desk area, but had T help me with the fabric so it would be tight enough. Now I'm itching to do one upstairs too. 
Beautiful. They are all pretty, but I love the damask!
I want to steal your chair, it has such great lines! I love it and all your fabric choices. Very cute!
Perfect timing for this post!
I have an old ottoman that belonged to my fiancee's grandmother. We are keeping it because of it's sentimental value. But I cant stand the fabric. Never thought to recover it. Lol! Doy! This is perfect! Thanks bunches, Kimba!
Em
Oh Kimba…great redo's. My favorite is the first one too. Love the black and white combo.
You are right…by painting the chair and re~upholstering the seat…you get a complete transformation. I LOVE the black and white damask. ~amy
All beautiful fabrics. Love the damask.
It's amazing how the chair transforms with paint and different fabric!
Love your stuff! I would love to feature some of your redos on my blog sometime!
Love your stuff! I would love to feature some of your redos on my blog sometime!
I love the damask; it was my favorite
I have always wanted to try this but never have. You make it look so easy.
Sharon
Ooooh, de lolly.
Don't know where that came from. Disney's Robin Hood? Probably. Anywho, LOVE that black and white damask. It's got my, I mean, your name all over it. Great post!
The damask was my fave. Great fix up.
I like funky. Really cute.
I have changed out a few chair cushions in my day and I love the new looks you got. Kind of makes you think you got all new furniture, huh?
Hi there! You have so many great furniture redos, would you mind if I featured some on my blog? (with credit and links to you, of course!)
All beautiful fabrics…. Love the damask….really great talent..how the chair transforms with paint and different fabric!!!!
–
Reenee
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I love this tutorial. I don't have any seats to recover, but I do have couches that need to be recovered. So when you do a tutorial on that, be sure to let me know.
Love it! I'm going to try and redo an entry way bench one day…someday. Um, I think you need to do a switching fabric tutorial
pretty please oh, also, where do you get your fabric?