So, first things first, you are either really into the idea of a furry pink office chair or really not into the idea – and that’s OK! It’s definitely a statement chair for sure, but that’s exactly what I was going for. Our little 60s ranch house is really cozy, but the bedrooms are pretty boring (low ceilings and small high windows), so they need a lot of help when it comes to infusing them with personality. I love how our bedroom turned out, so now I can move on to turning my office/craft room into something a little more fun. A fun office chair seemed like a good place to start!
I saw this grey office chair at Target (similar here) and thought it was a little more unique of a shape than your standard office chair (and a pretty good price too!). The perfect base for a makeover chair!
Before putting on the base and wheels, I spray painted the silver legs and the top of the wheels gold (use a primer on the metal first). I left the shaft that goes into the base of the chair alone though. It’s kind of greasy on purpose so the chair can go up and down. Not the most ideal paint surface…
I bought two yards of this beautiful blush faux fur to recover the chair with and draped it over the chair (fur side down) with the excess fabric hanging over the front side. Once I did that, I basically made two big gatherings of fabric on the back (spaced equally apart) until the fabric fit snugly. I then pinned the gatherings in place. Then I smoothed the fabric down the front side of the back of the chair and pinned the excess bit of fabric above the arms of the chair as well.
Make sure you think about which direction your fur is going when you are doing this so it’s not “upside down” when you flip it all over!
Once I knew what fabric was “extra fabric”, I sewed down those pinned lines and then tried the shell back on the chair to see if any parts needed to be taken in a little more for a snug fit.
Once the fit was right, I cut off the extra sections, leaving about a 1/2″ seam allowance.
I then followed the line of the bottom of the back of the chair with my scissors, making sure the fabric was about 1″ longer than where the bottom of the back meets the seat. I then cut another piece of fabric that followed the line of the seat of the chair, pinned them together, and repeated the process of sewing, trying it on, adjusting if needed, and cutting any extra fabric (again, check the direction of your fur before you cut!).
I pinched, sewed, and cut any extra fabric on the front of the chair as well so I ended up with a pretty tight fit when it was all said and done. Flip your shell right side out, and you are ready to attach it to your chair!
I made sure to leave an extra 5″ or so of fabric hanging off the bottom of the shell so I could fold it under and staple gun it to the bottom of the chair all the way around.
Then, if I had any areas of the fur shell that weren’t sitting smoothly against the chair or looked puffy, I used a curved upholstery needle and thread to tack the fabric onto the chair material so it would stay in place (it’s way easier to sew onto a flat surface with one of these guys). Once the material was tacked, all I had to do was clean up the fur, and I was done!
I’m not going to lie, this is probably one of the messiest projects I’ve done in a while – there was faux fur flying everywhere!! Definitely best done in a small contained room so you don’t have as much clean up to do at the end. Regardless, I think the result is a really fun version of what can usually be a pretty boring category of chairs. I think it looks so cute under the gold BONJOUR sign and helps to give the room a little boost. Now I just have to get to work on the rest of the room, but I think this is a good start! xo. Laura
Credits // Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
44 Comments
Can you make another pink chair like the one here for sale? I would like to buy one. It is really pretty.
Soooooooo cute! I think I’ll try it with purple or lavender faux fur to cover up my boring blue desk chair and spray paint the legs silver glittery or gold.?
love love.
what primer did you use?
Que linda!
Vou tentar fazer!
Beijos,
Isa | http://isabellalessa.com
I’ve been looking for a new office chair that won’t break the bank but they are all so boring! Definitely going to jazz up our studio with some custom upholstery!
www.lionandwolf.co
My daughter would love that chair!
haha!
Laura
http://laurelandfern.com/
Love this! I’ve never recovered a chair before, but your steps make it look easier than I thought it would be! Thanks for the tutorial! Such a fun project!
Laura
http://laurelandfern.com/
I am so incredibly in love with this I don’t think a chair could ever be more me. I’m curious about the upkeep though, faux fur can get a bit flat and yuck after a while, how can you prevent that?
love this idea, the chair looks fab
Mel x
mediamarmalade.com
Any spray primer for metal will work!
Laura 🙂
This is very cute, but I would love it as a throw so you had the option not to sit on it at all times/seasons. Maybe because we just had a heat wave but this seems so potentially sweaty. Sticky legs and faux fur make me think of my legs dipped in cotton candy. In the winter it sounds absolutely divine, though.
You are really creative, very thoughtful, do very well
http://www.chichandbagnews.com
This is sooo cool! It looks so cozy and fluffy, amazing!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
This is amazing and really perfect! I’ve been planning to upcycle my old desk chair and this is just the DIY I need. Great job guys!
http://annescribblesanddoodles.blogspot.com
oh, this is a great makeover! Totally love it! (and the Bonjour sign!) Great work Laura! thank you for sharing!xx
I love this project. Totally pinning it! http://www.hannamarielei.com
I am in LOVE with this chair! great tutorial!
This chair is fantastic! What primer did you use?
Wow! Your craftmanship is incredible. Such a cute addition to an office space!
http://www.wonderlustly.com
Love this!! So much better looking than any office chair I’ve ever seen!
You’re right – it’s definitely a marmite one. I wouldn’t have it in my house if you paid me however I do think it’s utterly fabulous in the right setting!
It’s very custom looking! Not something you can pick up just anywhere, and the pink and the gold together is just perfect 🙂 I could also see trying this with a velvet-type material!
http://danielleandco.com
Nope! Unless your fur is a really bad quality it shouldn’t come off when you sit on it. You can give it a quick vacuum to remove any stray hairs from cutting the material, but the fur attached to the backing shouldn’t be shedding 🙂
Laura
Yes, I like it very much!
Incredibly fun and darling wrapped in one! Your continuous inspiration is ahmazing! Thanks for sharing!
Are you covered in fake fur every time you get up?
Heart eyes all over!!!!!!! Now if I only knew where to find pale pink fake fur in Austria….
Om my gosh, girls! This is EXACTLY what I needed right now. I have a chair that I was about to throw out because it looks old (but is soooo comfy). Thanks for the great idea! 🙂
I’m obsessed with this chair! It’s incredible!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
This is such a cute idea for making a plain office chair look cute! I love this.
My goodness – how cute is this?!
It’s this paint! And yes, I would use a primer first…
http://www.amazon.com/Montana-Acrylic-Spray-Paint-GOLDCHROME/dp/B004CMP782?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
Laura 🙂
So cute! I actually own this office chair already – but I love the monochromatic aesthetic of my office area already. It’s such a great chair!
www.whatcheerblog.com
This is so ridiculously fabulous, I love it!
Anika | anikamay.co.uk
Love this! Everyone needs one to sit at their desk!!
http://www.sprinkleofroses.co.uk/
Love this so much!
Well you are an adventurous person and you stick to your convictions which is pretty awesome! Personally, I’m not a big fan of pink or furry furniture so your colour choices in your home would not match mine but it’s all very visually appealing nontheless and if I ever get around to setting up an office space in my home, I could reupholster an office chair the same way with my less adventurous choice of fabric 😉
Brilliant. I appreciate the how-to. Might not do it with pink fur, but it’s really cute in your space.
‘It’s so fluffy I’m gonna die!!!!!!’ LOVE, LOVE & LOVE!
Wow! I need to develop some sewing skills to do things exactly like this!
That chair looks sooo comfortable and warm… is it a good nap spot? 🙂
Love it!!! How fun, if you’ve got to work why not do it in a pink fuzzy chair?! What spray paint did you use? The finish is really pretty and did you prime first?
Well. THAT’S awesome.
Also “If you don’t like pink faux fur” what are you doing with your life? There’s the door.