The day is finally here when I can show off my Louis chair makeover. I know I say “this is my favorite project” all the time but this chair is so giving me life right now. First, I’m in love with the fabric. Yay for cherry blossoms and the colors pink and purple. Before we get deep into this post let me just say that it is a long post with a lot of pictures. Now, let’s take a moment and let the awesomeness of this chair soak in.
As for the reupholstering process, this chair would probably be at an intermediate level of difficulty. But that is only because it had been previously recovered and had about a thousand staples in it (the person before me didn’t remove them). My fingers get sore just thinking about (You can read about how I stripped the chair here). The priming and painting was the easiest to do. I really love how the white paint turned out.
The whole process took about 15- 20 hours total but this time was spread out over a couple of weeks. Plus I was working really slow because I was sick 🙁 . You could honestly complete one of these chairs in a weekend if you’re focused and have the right tools. And speaking of tools, these are the tools and supplies I needed for this projects:
staple gun | staples | jute webbing | webbing stretcher | scissors | razors | magnetic hammer | regulator | edge roll | cotton batting | dacron | pliers | staple remover | fabric thread | welt cording | sewing machine with welt cord foot attachment | high-heat glue gun & glue
I already had most of this stuff so the majority of the money was spend on fabric (around $80). 
Tips On Reupholstering A Louis Chair
- Take your time. Do not rush or cut corners. If you do, it will show.
- Sub-staple your fabric first to ensure everything looks good.
- Measure 3 times, cut once. Let’s just say I had an oh sh*t moment that could have been avoided. Lucky for me it was just welt cording and an easy fix.
- Use Youtube as a resource, Kim’s Upholstery channel has lots of information.
- A firm hand will ensure a pucker free application of your fabric.
- Wear gloves when striping your chair. Your hands will thank you. My hands hated me because I hate working in gloves.
- Have fun! If you don’t like this type of work then pay somebody to do it for you. Crafting & making should be enjoyable.
How this chair helped me heal
I lived with my grandmother for about 5 years before she passed so we were really close. As her side hustle, she re-upholstered furniture. Our house was always filled with the sounds of air compressors, hammering, and the buzz of her sewing machine. Sometimes I would help her. But for the most part I glued to the phone talking to my with my friends.
This project brought back all those sweet memories. Hour after hour, I used her old tools to recover this chair. I sat at her sewing machine and dug through her workbox (fyi: grand was not organized lol). Each time I worked on this chair, I felt like it brought me closer to her. I could remember her face a little better, the way she would doddle when idle, even the way she would spit tacks (grand was a total badass).
This project is an example of why I love doing what I do. I believe expressing our creativity can bring growth and fulfillment. That’s why I believe in my Crafting Life guidance course and the mission of Becoming Fab to promote personal development through crafting.
the louis chair makeover looks really nice i prefer it then how it looked before
Thanks Krissie
This reminds me of my mom antiquing!
Yay for antiquing
Wow! Beautiful! You did a great job!
Thanks Jenn
The purple and white really makes it stand out.
Thanks Adelynn.
Wow, love it!
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Thank you! 🙂
holy cow this is amazing! :O
what a fantastic job you did!!!
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Thank you so much Aimee
Wow! You did an amazing job. I’m impressed!
Thanks a million Emily
That chair rocks!! You did an amazing job!!
Thanks Alison
That chair has such beautiful lines and design, you did a great job accentuating them!
Thanks Leah 🙂
wow you should start your own business. Love the purple !:) fabuloussss s
Thanks Courtney. I just might be doing that in the near future 😉
Oh wow, this chair came out awesome! I wonder if it would have been easier to paint the chair with chalk paint. I have heard you don’t need to strip or prime with that paint. This looks like a great quality job that will last for years. Thanks for sharing your tips, I was particularly interested in the youtube channel. I’ve learned so much from youtube. Enjoy the chair!
Thanks Trish. I still haven’t tried chalk paint. I really want to but it is expensive and I’m cheap lol.
Thank you for sharing this with us . It turned out beautiful !!
Thanks Susan
this came out amazing!!! gorgeus chair and you really brought out extra beauty of it!
Thank you.
Looks fantastic. Wish I had the skills to do this
Thanks Richard. Just try it. You never know what you are capable of.
You did a great job and I absolutely love the fabric. I can see why you adore this chair!!
Thanks Christy, this might just be my favorite chair in the house.
You did an awesome job! The chair looks fantastic
Thank you so much Kellie 🙂
What a lovely print!
Thanks! It puts a smile on my face every time I walk pass it.
These look very good, especially in a Victorian setting.
wow, I Love it!!! this look great
thank you for sharing this post
Love this! Thanks for sharing!