| So you've just bought your dream house and | | | | room set. |
| after a lot of hard work and organization, | | | | |
| you've gotten everything out of the boxes and | | | | If you're ready for a new hobby too, below |
| moved your furniture into the new rooms. It's | | | | are some of Tracy's re-upholstery tips. Best |
| a great feeling to see everything in a fresh | | | | of luck! |
| setting. Possessions take on new meaning and | | | | |
| look slightly different in a new house. The | | | | WHAT YOU'LL NEED: |
| lighting is different, the views are | | | | |
| different, the way the rooms flow into one | | | | -A staple gun, hammer, pliers and scissors |
| another is different. Furniture that faded in | | | | |
| your previous home now shines. | | | | - 4 to 7 yards of fabric you love as much as |
| | | | the ugly chair |
| When Tracy moved into her new home last | | | | |
| spring this was the stage she loved best. | | | | - Strip nails or stud strips (from fabric |
| "I've always been interested in interior | | | | store or hardware store) and upholstery tacks |
| design," says the 34 year old librarian. "So | | | | |
| having a house full of empty rooms to | | | | - Cardboard strips or tacking strip |
| decorate from scratch was a real thrill for | | | | |
| me." Pulling the rooms together in her new | | | | If you want to do a really thorough job, the |
| two bedroom home was also challenging. "I | | | | first and most important step in the process |
| work full time so decorating is more of a | | | | will involve carefully taking the old |
| hobby than anything else. Plus, after we | | | | upholstery off the chair. Using the claw part |
| bought the house there wasn't much left in | | | | of a hammer, pliers and or a screwdriver, |
| the budget for new furniture. I really had to | | | | remove the pieces that can come off first, |
| get creative with what I had." | | | | first. As you're doing this, take note of how |
| | | | they were attached to the frame and the order |
| One of the things Tracy had to get creative | | | | in which you removed each piece. That way, |
| with was an antique chair handed down to her | | | | you can simply reverse the order when you're |
| from her grandmother in Iowa. "It's a really | | | | putting the new ones on. If you are not one |
| great chair,"she says, "the lines are | | | | to take notes, take photos instead. You can |
| perfect, but no matter where I put it in the | | | | also use the original upholstery as a pattern |
| house it looked ratty and wrong." She tried | | | | for the new material. |
| throwing blankets over it, angling it in | | | | |
| corners, moving it from room to room. "It | | | | TRICKS OF THE TRADE:: |
| just wouldn't work," she says "I was almost | | | | |
| ready to banish it to the basement when I got | | | | - Staple cardboard strips or tacking strip to |
| the idea to reupholster it to fit the room I | | | | rough edges to get a smooth under surface or |
| wanted it in." | | | | fold fabric over them and nail down to get |
| | | | clean edges |
| "I got a book on upholstery to see if it was | | | | |
| something I could do. I was worried because I | | | | - Use stud strips or upholstery tacks to |
| really can't sew. I'm all thumbs." What Tracy | | | | fasten the outside edges of finishing pieces |
| learned though was that with a staple gun and | | | | and get an easy decorative trim at the same |
| a bit of time she could get rid of the ugly | | | | time |
| without getting rid of the chair. "It took me | | | | |
| all weekend, but it was worth it," she says | | | | - When choosing your fabric avoid lines, |
| beaming. "I get so many complements on it and | | | | stripes or patterns that have to be matched. |
| the room now." | | | | Choose medium weight fabric. Fabric that's |
| | | | too heavy will be difficult to work with and |
| The chair did have one cushion that demanded | | | | fabric that's too light will tear. |
| sewing skills though. Tracy just took the | | | | |
| cushion in to a local tailor with the fabric | | | | Dining room chairs and chairs with more frame |
| she'd chosen. "The tailor made me a perfect | | | | than material on them are relatively easy. |
| cushion with a zipper at the back, new | | | | For dining room chairs, just remove the seat |
| padding and piped edges. I didn't even need | | | | from the chair with a screwdriver, cover it |
| to sew a stitch!" When all was said and done, | | | | with the fabric of your choice, neatly staple |
| she paid only a fraction of the cost it would | | | | it down on the underside, and then screw the |
| have taken to either replace the antique | | | | newly covered seat back down. This also works |
| chair or have a professional upholsterer do | | | | really well for vintage kitchen chairs with |
| the job. "I can understand why they charge so | | | | vinyl seats. |
| much," says Tracy. "It's not necessarily | | | | |
| difficult or expensive, but it's time | | | | For extra help as you embark on your project, |
| consuming. You really have to love working | | | | get support from your local library or |
| with your hands." | | | | bookstore. There are plenty of great books on |
| | | | the market that will take you through the |
| The project was a great experience for her | | | | process step by step. Of course if you just |
| and something she plans to do more often. | | | | want to get started, just get started! Use |
| "I'm so glad to have this new skill," she | | | | your intuition as you tuck, staple and hammer |
| says. "It's become a hobby for me." Tracy's | | | | down, you have nothing to lose but an ugly |
| next project will be the chairs in her dining | | | | chair. |