How To Reupholster An Old Office Chair

Drab old office chair + fresh new fabric + easiest reupholstery job ever = sitting pretty.

THE CREATIVE SOLUTION | When my gaze fell on this cheeky little chair in a friend’s home office, I had to laugh. It was the unexpected choice of fabric, I suppose. Never intended to be a serious design statement, the chair seemed to represent many people’s working lives today, where the comforts of personal style meet stark office severity head on. It’s what I like to call the “cottage industry look.”

This Easiest Reuphostery Job Ever

1. Remove the screws then detach the cushion and plywood backing from the molded plastic seat and back.

2 Place the seat face down on the reverse side of the selected fabric. There is no need to remove the existing fabric unless the replacement fabric is super thick.

3. With a staple gun, attach the fabric with one staple on each of the four sides.
Then staple all the way around while pulling the fabric taut.

4. Repeat with the backrest.

5. Pop the recovered back and seat into the plastic backing.

6.Replace the screws and reattach to the chair frame. —Brendan Power

Photo: Vicky Tang