Update an old-fashioned wingback chair with modern fabric for a contemporary makeover.
The lines and shapes of wingback chairs lend themselves well to a home full of traditional architecture and decor. However, a traditional-style home is not the only place where a wingback chair can be a welcome addition to the living room. Transform a traditional wingback into a funky statement piece by reupholstering the piece with a fun, bold pattern. A simple makeover adding a new colorful fabric can help these chairs fit into modern, contemporary and eclectic decor. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Turn your chair over to expose the bottom of the chair. Slide a flat-edged tool around the bottom of the chair to loosen the fabric panel. Pull off the loosened piece. Remove the staples securing the fabric to this panel. Place the removed staples in a disposable cup. Mark the fabric as "bottom" and set aside.
2. Use your flat-edged tool to loosen the fabric along the back of the chair. Stick your tool into the seam and slide it up until the fabric panel begins to pull away. Pull off the fabric. Take note of which edges, if any, were held in place with an upholstery tacking strip. Mark the piece as "back."
3. Continue to remove pieces of fabric from the original upholstered chair. Carefully pull out staples with a staple remover or use your flat-edged tool to loosen seams. Mark each piece as you remove it with labels such as "seat lip,", "seat cushion," "left arm," "right arm," "back rest," "left wing" and "right wing." Mark any seams that were attached with upholstery tacking strips. Number the fabric pieces in the order you remove them from the chair.
4. Examine the fabric pieces you removed from the chair. Look for any that were sewn together. Sometimes the wings or other areas of the chair feature two pieces of fabric sewn together. Use a seam ripper to pull out the stitches in those pieces. Mark the sewn seams with a dashed line.
5. Unroll your upholstery fabric face down on the work surface. Place one piece of the fabric removed from the chair onto your fabric. Trace around the outside edge of the fabric with a piece of chalk. Label the back of the fabric panels with the chalk. Repeat with the remaining pieces of fabric. Carefully cut out all of your pieces. Pin together the edges of any panels that should be sewn with straight pins.
6. Thread your sewing machine with upholstery thread that matches the new fabric. Sew along any pinned seams.
7. Locate the fabric edges where the upholstery tacks were used on the previous upholstery. Cut your tack strips to size. Thread a curved upholstery needle with coordinating thread. Line up the tack strip along the appropriate edge. Sew the tack strips in place through the gaps provided in the tack strip. Be sure to sew the upholstery strips to the inside of the fabric and not on the outer patterned side.
8. Reassemble your fabric panels on the chair in the same order you removed them. Wrap the new fabric taut along the wooden frame. Secure with staples. For edges secured with upholstery tack strips, use a rubber mallet to tap along the seams to secure them in place.
Tags: with upholstery, flat-edged tool, from chair, pieces fabric, tack strips, bottom chair, fabric along