You all cheered with me when I found this cute chair a couple weeks ago yardsaling for $15. Didn’t really know where I’d put it, since I don’t have spare room around my house. But, I couldn’t resist and brought it home anyway.
And this recent conversation with my hubby prompted a FUN chair makeover, when he told me that the old dining room chair I had in his office had been cracked across the back by the big lugs who sometimes come to visit him and sit in his office. Those guys sat in the guest chair and cracked the back of it, so a sturdier chair was needed for the hub’s office.
So, since a makeover was needed, I decided to have some fun with it….
And, the Alabama chair was born! Ta-da! How do you like this one? Doesn’t it make you giggle out loud?
Someone sent me this Alabama fabric last year as a freebie (and if you are reading, I don’t remember who you were and so sorry, but I lost your email & didn’t hear back). I had this yard of fabric and figured it would look pretty snazzy to fix up this chair and make it Crimson Tide worthy for hubby’s office. I did purchase the houndstooth fabric at Hobby Lobby (only needed 1/2 yard, so it was $5.00 on sale). I found several online sites with the same fabric, along with many other colleges and one of them is here.
I love how it turned out, so I’ll show you all how I did to it to turn it into an enviable Alabama Crimson Tide wonder-chair. You Auburn fans will just have to shield your eyes at this point. 🙂
Started by taking off the seat and began ripping off the layer of fabric that covered the original fabric. I didn’t want too many layers on there.
I had never taken apart one of these chairs and you would think that this back piece, which has fabric on the front and back sides, would all be one piece, right? Not so! These are 2 pieces of wood that are placed in here and covered. I pried off the frontside and it had nails protruding out of it.
I then tried to get that back piece off and could not figure out how it was attached, so as usual got my hammer out and began banging away on that piece of wood, trying to dislodge it. Then, I figured out it has screws in it that were holding it in place. Turned the chair upside down to see these 2 small screw holes. So, just a warning, if you have a chair like this, look for all the small openings that might hold screws in place. I didn’t ruin it, but did splinter those screw holes just a bit. Not enough to mess it up though.
So, we’re ready for the fun part. Painting and recovering.
I used that famous Heirloom White on the chair frame and gave it a good 2 coats for coverage. I did wipe it down with my liquid sander first, just to degloss a bit.
All painted and waiting for her cushions.
The original seat cushion was in really bad shape, so no wonder the previous owners recovered it.
Get out the staple gun and get busy. I pull taut on one side and staple in place, then go to the opposite side and staple. Do the same things on the other 2 sides, that way all your fabric will be pulled equally taut all the way around the chair seat.
Keep stapling, pulling the corners in nice and tight and fold down as needed and it will look like this. I went back with my scissors and trimmed off the excess fabric outside my staple lines.
I put the back side of the 2 pieces in first (the back piece had a dowel that fit up into the chair & then 2 screws in the bottom part). Then the front side with the nails protruding went in place last. This is the only part I had trouble with. Once you take out the board with nails (the front side of the back rest), it’s not so easy to get them to stick back in place again. They tend to want to push back into the foam underneath. I finally got it in place with a rubber mallet and I added a bit of wood glue, hoping it would stick to the other side. If it comes out again, I may have to get some thick double sided tape to help it stay in place. So far so good.
And there she is! A cute chair now. Not at all what I had planned for this chair, but I think she is cute as a button. And later on, if we move things around, I can reinvent her once again.
For now, she’ll keep my hubby company in his office and be a suitable and sturdy guest chair for those guys dropping by.
Houndstooth was the perfect mix for the other Crimson Tide fabric.
Ador-able!
How do you like the Alabama Chair?? 🙂
Added to Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest.
Added to Traci’s Best Projects of April party.
Arielle says
oh. my. goodness. too cute. i would love to make an nc state chair- similar color scheme!
Candy says
Rhoda,
This chair is fantastic. I’m going to have to go thrifting this weekend to look for a chair for our condo in Tuscaloosa!!! Roll Tide.
Julia @ Hooked on Houses says
Ha! That’s too funny, Rhoda. Love it!! 🙂
Heather says
stop by my blog to pick up your award!!
pat says
Love the chair. Thanks for sharing.
Mary Jean says
Oh I love it….almost. Wareagle here ! Hubby went to Auburn, but his step dad played for Bear Bryant back in the day. A divided family we are. I”ll send him a photo of this chair…HE WOULD LOVE IT!!! Knew you would do something fabulous with that chair!
Cindy S says
Your chair looks GREAT now! You do such a lovely job. Btw, I bought two chairs somewhat like that last year and they had been in a smoker’s home and they smelled very badly. I left them outside, in my screened in porch, all Winter long and come Spring, they smelled as sweet as can be. I did the same with an old recliner of my hubbys that he wasn’t ready to part with. It just didn’t smell fresh anymore and Febreezing it wasn’t working anymore. It was only out for about six weeks and the smell was gone. So if anyone finds an upholstered piece that smells badly, they can try that.
Hugs, Cindy S
Lindsay says
I love it! Great job! And it’s perfect for a man’s office or even as an accent chair in a media room or otherwise with the sports fabric! I am on the hunt for a chair just like this to play around with, so thanks for posting!
xoxo,
Lindsay
Alex Gibson says
I love it, how creative.
The Lady of the House says
What a stinkin’ cute chair and what a sweet idea to do for your hubby – so chique with the Hounds’ Tooth lovey – Love it! The Lady of the House
deborah says
Fantastic chair! Love the style and the redo! I bought two similar chairs not long ago for $35. They are oak with leather backs and seats. Just love that style!
Susie says
Oh Rhoda…I can see why he loves it too….hehe. Great job!
Pinky says
Rhoda, I know the hubs was EXCITED to see his new chair! Great job! You are so handy…and clever…and THRIFTY!!! XO, Pinky
Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says
Rhoda, Just when I thought we were becoming close friends you recover a chair in Crimson Tide fabric! LOL I think I mentioned before that Hubby and two of our children are graduates of Auburn. I will hide this post from them…no reason to get them all in a tizzy. Seriously, your chair looks wonderful and I am sure your husband will enjoy it.
Jan says
Oh my gosh…I. LOVE. IT!!!! I’m going to have to make one of these for my hubbys new office!
Bonnie Morgan says
ROLL TIDE! Great job-Great chair. Very clever.
Elizabeth H says
Adorable and I know your Hubby loves it. Good job as usual. I think you can do anything!!
Lauren says
so fun Rhoda!! loved seeing the transformation & i bet you made your husband so happy!!!
xoxo,
lauren
Sylvia says
I love the chair. Perfect in every way. Auburn fans are more into tractor seats. Great job!! ROLL TIDE ROLL
Leigh Pearce Weddings says
My dear sweet boyfriend just happened to walk by while I was looking at this [super cute] chair. He now insists that I make us an NC State one haha thanks for inspiring him! :]