Armchair Refreshed

Patient diagnosis: Critical. Torn upholstery, overused cushioning, a dated paint job, and a wobbly leg made this chair badly in need of a tune-up. Still, the chair had great classic lines, so we couldn't give up on it.

 

Design triage: Rescued from the curb, the chair immediately went in for surgery -- the old upholstery and padding were removed (and saved for pattern reference), the wobbly leg was secured with wood glue, and the old paint was removed with sandpaper. Using the old upholstery and padding as a reference, new striped fabric and a new cushion were cut to fit the chair, plus fine-braid trim was added to define the fabric edge. An allover coat of white high-gloss paint cleaned up the chair's arms and legs for a crisp new finish.

Expected recovery: Full. It required some elbow grease, but the old chair has been given new life as a radiant side chair or desk chair, with dainty sage and lilac striped upholstery and a clean, cottage-inspired look.