white+chippy+burlap = DIY ♥

This chair wasn't so cute just a few weeks ago. Think dark shiny mahogany and faded red plaid. This is one of 6 chairs we salvaged for a very low price last year {original post here}.

I was going for a tattered looking chair with a feed sack inspired burlap cover.

I grew impatient letting this chair sit in the garage so I decided to just print a large '&' sign from the computer and trace it onto the burlap. I dry brushed black craft paint onto the burlap, wanting it to appear faded and aged.

After transforming the other chairs last year, I gave up on using upholstery tacks. These small nails were so much easier to work with. On the front of the seat I tied a short piece of burlap fringe to the nail for decoration and to help secure the nail in front of the burlap.
{quick note: if you ever visit my house and are wearing anything fragile or expensive, please don't sit in this chair}.

Just cutting the fabric off of this baby took me f.o.r.e.v.e.r!

Mr. MT liked the idea of taking the back padding off to expose just the wood. Man that factory made stuff is sturdy and hard to take apart.

I cinched the corners together with the nails just below the seat.

I tried something different to distress this chair. While sitting in this chair out on the lawn with my daughter one evening last week, sipping wine and relaxing while it dried, I picked up a small stick from our yard. The paint was still a bit wet and I started scraping the stick all over the fresh paint. I love how easy it was {although I don't recommend trying this while balancing a glass of vino!}, and it looks a bit more genuinely distressed, versus just sanding. A close up of the fringe~nail detail.



I wish I'd counted all of the industrial staples I pulled out of this thing. I did count the injuries I received while doing so~ two jabs in the pinkie, one in the thumb, and a tear inducing, blood drawing jab with the screwdriver right in the thigh (hope I'm up to date on my tetanus shot). Sorry, probably more detail than you wanted but I had to let you know there was literally blood, sweat, and tears brought on by this little transformation. OK where were we? Oh yes, the backing. This is my favorite detail of the chair. I used the upholstery webbing from WalMart (thanks again Susie, I've gotten lots of mileage out of this stuff!) intertwined as the backing on the chair.
Of course I'll leave the pillows on for comfort, but this backing is secure and good looking.
Now for the before images.

The leg detail as I sanded it down.

Once the fabric was entirely off the back.

And this is what I started with, yikes, huh?!

Nothing like a good, and basically free transformation.