DIY Parson Style Counter Height Chairs
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Submitted By It All Started With Paint
In part one, I told you how I tiled the kitchen table (read about it here). Part two tackles the chairs. They started out looking something like this …
They were never comfortable or inviting. But at this point in the kitchen renovation, funds were running low. In an ideal world, I would’ve purchased some parson-style bar height stools and called it a day.
But I live in the real world. An alternate plan was called for.
I started with foam and batting …
I didn’t glue it to the chair but instead used some heavy duty Velcro tape I had left over from another project. I put a thick piece of foam on the seat …
And a thinner one on the back …
I probably should have put a second foam pad on the back. Oh well, I’ll just add that to my ever-growing list of 99% finished projects.
I painted the frame black many years ago. Surprisingly, the paint really stood up over time. And, quite frankly, at this point in the kitchen renovation I was pretty sick and tired of painting (you can read about why here) … so black they stayed.
I custom made the slipcovers. THAT project involved a lot of trial and error and ripping out of stitches.
I’d like to claim that we now use our re-purposed table and chairs like this …
… and this …
But truthfully the only time it’s used as a dining table is when my daughter and her friend make themselves some hot chocolate and a snack.
Mostly it’s where we put the morning paper (only, in real life, the table is much more cluttered with papers and receipts and such) …
… and occasionally on weekends, my husband sets up his laptop here (that’s my laptop filling in as a stunt double).
The best part: this project was relatively inexpensive. I found the fabric at JoAnn’s for about $3-a-yard. The tiles ran $3.99 per square foot. The foam was probably the priciest part … can anyone shed any light on why foam is so expensive?
I am the husband of the amazing Cassity of Remodelaholic. I love to problem solve and to design and build things inside and outside the house to make life better. I am a professional Landscape Architect by trade and love the outdoors.
Looks wonderful I have been thinking of doing the same to my dining room chairs since they are the wheat back and didn’t know how to attach the foam but your idea of velcro is great. Did you sew the batting to the fabric? No idea why foam is so expensive but I use a 50% coupon at JoAnn’s if I need to get foam.
Wow Cassity!! These chairs turned out great!! Why IS foam so expensive; those are the things that make me crazy!
I hope you will come see my new Annie Sloan Projects revealed!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Don’t use foam! I mean do but in a different way. Use a mattress topper.. I’ve always used a mattress toppers cut into the size pieces I need. You can get a twin size one for $9! The kind with eggshells or not, and just use the smooth flat side! works like a charm and saves you alot of money!! 🙂
Love the rug. Love the fabric. Love love love it all! Are you for hire? ‘Cause I got a TON-O-Projects…lol
Looking good! Is there a place where you can buy foam for a discount?
I love those barstools! Currently looking for new ones for my kitchen… great inspiration!
Fabulous!
That’s wonderful!!!
Love the “stand in laptop” line… hehe.
Sure looks GOOD. You are far more talented then I.
The covers look fantastic!!
Wow, Linda makes it look so doable to recover stools. They turned out great, wonderful way to reuse rather than re-buy.
~Bliss~
Your chairs look MAH-V-LOUS (as well as the counter…with and without the excess paraphernalia)!
About a year and a half ago, I went to my local upholstery shop to buy some foam that I needed to make a really long window seat cushion for a quite excellent friend of mine (I am so lucky to have a friend like her). The owner told me that when Katrina hit New Orleans and environs and the levee broke, it destroyed a foam plant that provided the majority of upholstery foam for much of the United States, so foam became more valuable. Supply & demand and all that, I suppose.
He also mentioned something about it being a petroleum product, which had something else to do with it, but I don’t remember why.
I love the idea of a mattress topper!! You ladies & gents out there in blogland are just too clever!!!
Wow! That’s some serious talent. The thought of making those slipcovers gives me a headache. They look PERFECT with your table.
…ps don’t forget to work on your science fair project. 🙂