Staple gun Sunday

I don't mind the rain, in fact, I adore it. It gives me a reason to nest and play house! So Sunday I decided to tackle the annoying dining room chairs that have been staring blankly at me, literally. Originally I bought the set from a small contemporary furniture place because I liked the sturdy wood, and the size fit into the space I had to work with. But I never liked the plain cushions that came with it... it just felt too... how do you say, boring? Anyway, I have been scouring thrift stores for a print that would work, with no luck. I knew I wanted something geometric, or interesting without being loud. Also had to be durable considering the amount of work these chairs are under (hehe). By chance on Sunday I finally found a nice one! HomeFabrics in La Mesa is having a huge sale on cotton/ blend fabrics, so I had to check it out. Here's what I found:Regularly priced at about $8/yard, these were marked at $3.00/yd, what a steal! Not sure what they will go towards in the future, but I couldn't pass up a chance at a cool throw pillow or handbag... The chocolate brown starburst design is what I found for the chairs. I spent twice as much time browsing around the fabric store than the time it took to cover both chairs, it's that simple.

All you need is:

- Fabric (one yard of 56" tall covers 2 seats with room to spare, so add accordingly)

- Staple gun

- Fabric shears

-Screw driver

Start by removing the cushion from the frame. Most wood chairs have a top that's just screwed on, and if you prop it onto something upside down, it is easy to get off. My couch was the perfect height...

On something flat, lay out the fabric with the print side down. Using the cushion as a guide, center it onto the pattern as you want it to look. Sometimes it helps to just fold the fabric over the cushion to get an idea of where the edges will land, before you make any cuts. You can also align the edges with points on the design to get it right, or if you are a type A kind of person and have to have it perfect, you can measure it out and use a pencil to trace it (I'm "type A" but a little lazy on the ruler). Once you have that done, cut out the square, making sure to leave at least a 2 inch border around all edges. This is going to fold under the seat, so don't scrimp. It's better to have some to cut off, than to realise it's too short and have to start over. Once you have the first one cut, make sure it fits right, then use it as a template to cut the remaining. Then, center the fabric, again with the print side facing down. Staple the corners diagonally down first, then the sides. Use a staple every inch or so, to make sure it is secure.
Repeat for all the chairs. When you're done, screw the tops back onto the frame the same way they were taken off. Super simple!

Rainy Sunday + staple gun + fun fabric = new excuse for wine night at my place!

Before & After:

(That's Gizmo, admiring the new look!)