Reupholstered Accent Chair

It's been awhile since I've posted a fix-me-up project, so I figured it was about time...  I got this totally shabby looking high-backed chair from a retired music teacher.  He said he had taught thousands of hours worth of guitar lessons sitting in it, but it was no longer being used and needed a new (more updated) home.

Don't you just love that mustard colored velour?!?  Yes, I'm being sarcastic, but the uglier it is "before" the better it looks "after".  I knew the chair had great potential because of the detailed carving in the legs and the back.  I also loved the fact that the back had an upholstered panel on it...that's not something you see everyday in a chair of this style.

Now that you've soaked in the "vintage charm" of the chair, here it is after a dramatic transformation:

And, here is how I did it: The wood was in great shape so I didn't have to do any sanding...SCORE!  After I removed the cushions with a screwdriver, I primed the chair with some spray primer and then coated it with glossy red spray paint.  While the paint dried overnight, I upholstered the cushions with some discount fabric I picked up for 50% off at JoAnn's.  The padding under the old velour fabric was still in good shape, so I simply placed my fabric over it and attached it with a staple gun.  After the paint was dry, I screwed the cushions back on, and there you have it!

I love projects like this because I can do them all by myself...no hubby help required.  It makes me feel empowered to know I made something beautiful out of a diamond (ok, thorn) in the rough.

Here are some close-up shots:

I love this fabric - it's graphic and so bright and full of cheer.  I adore circles and sun bursts in design, the two of which are combined perfectly in this fabric!

I think this would look awesome in a chic boutique or as a desk chair in an all-white office, where it could be the wham-bam focal point.  For now it sits in my living room...but I'm hoping to sell this one.  We'll see if I can find a taker - someone with a big personality and a lot of style to handle such a high dose of color!  In the mean time, I guess I'll pretend that "someone" is me.  -Kristen