Vintage Desk Chair: From Prized to Precious

Such a sweet little vintage chair!

I’m converting a vintage sewing table into a desk for a client, and it needed a matching chair. I found this little darling online. When I picked it up, the gal told me it had a special history. It had been her grandmother’s desk chair and then her desk chair growing up. I assured her it was going to a good home!

Time for a refresh to match the bedroom furniture I’ve been preparing for my client’s daughter. (See, Bench Makeover: From Stained to Stunning and Twin Vintage Nightstands: From Disco to Dramatic).

This is an easy chair update you can try for a chair in your home — follow along to learn how.

Step One: Removing the Seat

Most chair seats are held in place by screws beneath the chair frame. Once you locate and remove the screws, the seat should pop right off.

I used the old seat as a template to cut a new base since the original wood was cracked and badly stained. Once the new piece of wood was cut and the edges sanded, it was time to make the “stuffing sandwich.”

Step Two: Reupholstery

Here you can see the three layers of the sandwich. I used my new wood base as a pattern to cut a piece of 1-inch high-density foam. You want the foam to be a tiny bit larger (about 1/4-inch) than the wooden seat base so the chair edge will be softened. Then I wrapped the wood and foam in polyester batting.

Attach the batting with a staple in the center of each side first. This holds the layers in place at the proper tension before adding the remaining staples around the perimeter. Do the corners last, tucking the batting as if you were gift wrapping the corner of a present.

When you flip the seat over, it should look something like this. Then it’s simply a matter of repeating the wrapping process with your fabric, attaching it just like the batting.

Step Three: The Frame

After cleaning the frame, I sanded it with 120-grit sandpaper. Then I added a coat of Zinsser BIN® primer since the chair was going to be painted a light color. (You can generally skip this step with dark colors.) I followed this with two coats of Farmhouse® paint in “Classic White.”

To protect the finish, I applied Minwax® Polycrylic. While this clear product claims to be nonyellowing, I recently read you can ensure this by tinting it with your paint color. So I added a pinch of the Classic White and was pleased with the result.