Furniture

Jazzing Up Cheap Chairs

I am not a fan of cheap upholstery. My philosophy is buy the best upholstery your budget can afford and then DIY/rework/save up for the other items in a room. If you know how to upholster, vintage furniture is a great route. They just don’t make things like they used to, so nowadays you really…

I am not a fan of cheap upholstery. My philosophy is buy the best upholstery your budget can afford and then DIY/rework/save up for the other items in a room. If you know how to upholster, vintage furniture is a great route. They just don’t make things like they used to, so nowadays you really get what you pay for when it comes to new upholstery.

I don’t know what I was thinking then a while back when I ordered some cheap chairs on a whim. I had been shopping for a new pair of chairs for a long time, but everything I liked was at least $1500 per chair with my discount (like the Odette chairs below from MGBW). We’re thinking of moving in September so it just didn’t make sense to shell out thousands for chairs right now. Plus, I didn’t want to wait two months to get them.
Then last month we hosted five dinner parties and I was desperate for chairs. I looked on Overstock and Wayfair when I was up against a wall and saw these chairs. They were on sale for $275 each and I had a 25% coupon code and there was free shipping, so I went ahead and just bought them. I liked the shape of the arms (they sort of reminded me a little bit of the Odette chairs) and I liked the nail head trim. And they came in just two days.
When they arrived I was a bit disappointed. They weren’t as nice and crisp looking as the photos and they just felt blah. Rather than deal with returning them (and since we *really* needed extra seating), I decided to jazz the chairs up.
I went to my local fabric store (JEM) and bought six yards of black twill tape that was about the same width of the upholstery nail.
I used these handy staple removers to take out all the old upholstery nails
I actually thought the brushed nickel was pretty and would have looked great with the black twill tape, but I have some polished nickel lighting nearby and it was all looking a little matchy-matchy. So I bought some brass nails and brass caster cups for the front feet.
To get started with the new trim job, I just rolled the end of the twill tape under:
And used the old nail hole to make things really easy.
The only real trick to keep in mind is to pull the ribbon tight so there is no gaping between the nails. I also went back and tapped everything in with an upholstery hammer.
To keep the corners smooth, I just folded the ribbon in under itself and put the nail into the folds.
I added brass caster cups from Lee Valley but the legs ended up being a little wider than I expected so I had to cut away some of the wood so the casters would fit right. It was a pain! Totally recommend double checking your dimensions before adding casters!
Here’s the front view of the finished chairs. It’s not a drastic change, but I think the trim and casters help the chairs look a little less cheap.
I like them from the side best.
Here’s a wider shot of the space. In case you need a refresher here’s a link to our floor plan.
They’ve grown on me. I like the shape of the arms a lot and I think the new contrasting trim highlights the shape. So even though I broke my own rule about not wasting money on cheap upholstery, I think I’m pretty happy with these chairs for now and they fit in well with the mix of furniture styles I have in the space.
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64 thoughts on “Jazzing Up Cheap Chairs

  1. I hear you on waiting to buy the quality, "right" piece. I've jumped the gun a few times out of sheer desperation (as in: I need something to SIT ON!) and regretted it later. You really made them special though – all's well that ends well!
    -SF

  2. I really enjoy reading your posts. You have such great ideas for turning inexpensive into something that looks downright fabulous! Keep posting more terrific ideas for decorating!
    Kat

  3. They look so much more custom! way to go.. and I LOVE those caster cups, really amps it up!
    Nancy
    Powellbrowerhome.com

  4. They look so much more custom! way to go.. and I LOVE those caster cups, really amps it up!
    Nancy
    Powellbrowerhome.com

  5. You are so darn good at this stuff. I love the way the casters look and you just gave me an idea for my living room chair. LOVE that. And the trim looks awesome, especially from the side. So good to seee your house too :)

    Great job Jenny!

    Bethany
    http://www.PowellBrowerHome.com

  6. JENNY! What fabric did you use for those hot pink pillows??? That is the EXACT FABRIC I have been searching for for ages!! Please share your source!

  7. SO interesting to see a pulled-back shot of the whole loft. I've looked at the floor plan before but for some reason was picturing it differently as a 3D space (it looks like you've moved a few things too). It's like a totally different apartment! Haha.

  8. Such a great transformation! Also, love your changing nail polish. I was just looking back on your original floor plan: do you not have windows in your bedrooms? It looks like the only bank of windows is the one that stretches across the living room / office space. Just curious!

  9. Such a great transformation! Also, love your changing nail polish. I was just looking back on your original floor plan: do you not have windows in your bedrooms? It looks like the only bank of windows is the one that stretches across the living room / office space. Just curious!

  10. wow, you really made those chairs look pricey! I think the pillow really helps too. Love that your nail polish changes in different shots. Funny what we notice :)

  11. Love the transformation of the chairs. Quick question- I'm trying to source a couch similar to yours for our new home. Any recommendations? I haven't been able to locate any with the tufted seat- just backs. Thanks in advance!

  12. Those chairs look great! I have been looking for chairs just like those. Can you tell me which store you ordered them from and where you got the coupon? Thanks for always sharing such fantastic ideas!

  13. I love how the brass really compliments the rug and sofa. Your chairs and home are beautiful!

    Julia

  14. Love it! Excellent job transforming those chairs! (By the way, I have the Odette chairs in a lighter color and I often think they are a little blah. I guess a beige chair can be blah!)

  15. just curious: why didn't you use an adhesive on the tape to attach to the fabric, then the tack, just for extra stay-put-ness? (of course that's not a word) or did I miss something?

    thanks

  16. just curious: why didn't you use an adhesive on the tape to attach to the fabric, then the tack, just for extra stay-put-ness? (of course that's not a word) or did I miss something?

    thanks

  17. This looks fantastic!

    Question: When you added the caster cups, did you also have to shorten the front legs so that they chair seat isn't sloping back ward due to the extra height?

    Thanks!

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