We all have that old armchair that looks bad and we know it but which we also love for some reason and we don’t want to get rid of just yet. It’s a situation known all too well. An appropriate response to it which we greatly encourage is to give the armchair a makeover. The change doesn’t always refer to a change in upholstery although usually that’s where the problem is. We’ve prepared six makeover projects as examples and we hope they’ll offer you some much needed inspiration.

When deciding to reupholster an armchair, the basic main steps you need to follow are pretty simple in theory. First you cut off the old upholstery. Then the new upholstery takes its place. This is a part you can get done using a staple gun. Of course, there are several other things to take care of in between, such as cutting the fabric to the right size and shape and then sewing the pieces together.{found on yourfavoriteraymonds}.

Sometimes the design of the armchair allows you to easily expose the frame and to get rid of the seat and back cushions. In that case, you can get replace them with new ones. Get some foam and fabric and make brand new cushions. Sand down the frame of the armchair and apply a fresh coat of stain or paint. It’s a pretty simple project and you can find more details about it on yvetteadams.

On the other hand, if the armchair is bulky and looks similar to the one featured on lovelyetc, the whole process of reupholstering the piece becomes a bit more tricky. First you strip the armchair down to the frame. Remove the old fabric one piece at the time so you can use it as a template for the new piece. Label them all so you can be organized. Then cut all the new pieces of fabric and staple them to the armchair.

If the upholstery and the chair are in good condition but simply lack the right color to match the rest of the room’s décor, a solution can be to repaint the whole piece. First you should vacuum the chair to get rid of any dirt. Then mix your paint with some water and apply a coat. Let the chair dry. All another coat. Sand the chair, vacuum, apply another coat of paint, let it dry and then sand again. Apply one more coat if necessary. You can then add some tacks to highlight the design of the chair, as shown on redheadcandecorate.

A similar transformation is described on homemadebycarmona. There are actually two strategies you can use in this case. The wood parts of the chair can either be painted to match the new color of the upholstery or can be stained to look fresh again while also contrasting a little bit with the upholstered portions.

If the armchair has a slipcover then a new range of possibilities becomes available. You can experiment with a variety of strategies since all you have to do in case you don’t like the results is get a new slipcover and try again. An interesting idea is to make a stenciled design. So find a stencil you like and tape it onto the chair’s upholstery. Then spray paint the cover. For more details, check out aliitlebiteofeverything.