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I am in love with chairs! I am always scouting for unique ones in consignment and thrift stores. They are always begging for a spot in my home and sadly I have to walk away because I know my husband has already warned me to not bring any more furniture home.
However, I can bend the rules if I find a brake and gasp deal. What is a brake and gasp deal you may ask? My personal definition is this: when you’re driving down the road and see a glorious transformation piece that you absolutely cannot pass up, it’s a brake and gasp deal! It’s sitting there in all its glory, absolutely free, and waiting for your trunk and creativity. It wants to be transformed into a piece that will gather lots of compliments from your friends and family!
I will share with you a few simple guidelines that I follow when it comes to drive by deals and then give you the easy steps I took to recreate these chairs.
- This is a free piece of furniture, so you want to keep the cost of refurbishment as low as you can.
- There is no major structural damage (ie busted frame, broken legs, rotted wood). You don’t want to spend a ton of money on fixing your free piece!
- This next step is so important! Check the condition of the foam (because IT IS expensive to purchase new foam)! Check to see if you can use the existing foam or if you’ll lose it altogether.
- Now ask yourself, can I paint it and or recover it with fabric?
If you’re able to check off all three of the above, then you should quickly throw it into your trunk!
Okay, so technically I did not find these chairs in a brake and gasp deal, it was more like a halt and gasp deal. These old brown folding chairs were found in my in-laws shed. After running through my guidelines, I quickly swooped them up and got started on the transformation!
Now here are the easy steps for you in case you find some old folding chairs that you want to make fabulous:
- Remove old fabric and cushion (usually you will need to remove old screws or staples).
- Clean the piece with a vinegar and water mixture.
- Check for the need to sand your project & do so.
- Apply a primer if there is rust or exposed naked metal.
- Apply a few light layers of spray paint
- Recover the old cushion with your choice of fabric (be sure to use upholstery staples).
- Lastly, assemble your cushion back onto the frame with the existing screws…then get really excited about your new piece of furniture that has your style written all over it!
Remember to not be scared of your unique piece! It will take a few projects before you get the hang of all the details, but I promise you that it will be fun and well worth your effort!
What are some of your favorite pieces to transform?
About Sarah Span
Hi, I am Sarah. I have a very handsome and loving husband, Jerry, whom I have been married to for 12 years now! We are the parents of two beautiful, crazy and sweet little girls, Pence and Autumn. I am taking a stab at being a mostly stay at home mom for a second time (I work as a caregiver for a few hours for a sweet elderly woman). I chose this transition to take on the goodness and craziness of teaching my girls how to learn at home. I want my girls to have memoires that are saturated with laughter and lively moments and I felt that I could only offer them these things through a slower pace of life. I love to be at home because it allows me more time to take care of our four chickens, work on my furniture pieces and cook delicious healthy meals for my family! I am honored to be invited to share all of these enjoyable and merry moments with all of you. I can only anticipate that you will find them pleasantly encouraging to fulfill your inner desires of who you are as a woman, wife or mother.
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