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Home Decor

Makeover a chair to suit your style

We challenged four interior-design experts to turn an old chair into an object of beauty
By Alex Laws
Makeover a chair to suit your style

Roberto Caruso

Playful and preppy

Designed by Candice Olson (Host of Divine Design and Candice Tells All). This chair is a jumping-off point for a tween room. “The paisley’s vibrant colour palette of fuchsia and kelly green provided the ‘wow’ factor I was looking for,” says Candice.

Tip: Pick out interesting features and unusual shapes within the structure of the chair, and highlight them with colour.

Paint (on chair), Natural Cream, Benjaminmoore.com.
Details (on chair), Strawberry Shortcake, Red Tulip, Rosemary Green, Revere Pewter, Benjaminmoore.com.
Fabric, Latika 317 , in Geranium, Kravet.com.
Spraying, Benjamin Furniture Refinishing, 416-745-2559.
Upholstery, NeedleIron Home Tailoring, 416-425-9898.
Desk, Westelm.com.
Lamp, owl, Potterybarnkids.ca.
Desk organizer, Potterybarn.ca.
Painting, rug, Elte.com.
Garbage bin, Ikea.ca.
Flooring, baseboard, Homedepot.ca.
Paint (on wall), Rosemary Green, Benjaminmoore.com.


chair makeover, home decoratingRoberto Caruso

Bold and tailored

Designed by Tommy Smyth (Sarah Richardson’s design partner on Sarah’s House). Play up the curved lines of the chair back and seat by covering them in luxurious fabric. “I wanted to draw attention to my favourite part and distract from the legs,” says Tommy.

Tip: Highlight one feature with fabric, and pick out a colour from the material to paint the frame.

Upholstery, Eurocraft Restoration, 416-762-6919.
Chest, lamp, Decorum Decorative Finds.
Horse sculpture, dish, Southhillhome.com.
Mirror, Angusandcompany.com.
Ceramic deer heads, Elte.com.
Marble and granite floor, baseboard, Homedepot.ca.
Paint (on wall), Blazer 212, Farrow-ball.com.


chair makeovers, home decoratingRoberto Caruso

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Coastal and casual

Designed by Jeffrey & Deborah Fisher (He co-hosts Arresting Design; they both run Jeffrey Fisher Home). The ikat-patterned slipcover easily changes the look of the chair. “We created a box-cushion seat, piped the slipcover and fitted it to the curve of the chair back to give it a polished finish,” says Jeffrey.

Tip: Slipcovers allow you to double your options by changing the look of a room without adding new furniture.

Table, chairs, Crateandbarrel.ca.
Art, chandelier, Elte.com.
Napkin rings, table runner, Westelm.com.
Rug, Ikea.ca.
Cork flooring, Slate Algae, Wicanders.ca.
Panel molding, baseboard, Homedepot.ca.
Osborne & Little Designers Guild wallpaper, in Glynde, Primavera.ca.


chair makeoversRoberto Caruso

Groovy and exotic

Designed by Arren Williams (Stylist, blogger, editor and design consultant). Choose a statement-making fabric to create a quirky seat that can hold its own in any room. Arren used a bold, nature-inspired pattern and painted the frame in basic white.

Tip: Fill the back panel to make the chair more substantial. Bring the fabric down to the chair base and embellish with painted nailheads for an extra level of detail.

Upholstery, DwellStudio Vintage Plumes fabric, Invudraperyco.com.
Paint (on chair), Fashion Gray, Behr.com.
Upholstery nails, Homedepot.ca.
Side tables, Absolutelyinc.com.
Chest, Elte.com.
Striped lamp, L’Atelier, 416-966-0200.
Owl, Westelm.com.
Vase, Southhillhome.com.
Bowl, Angusandcompany.ca.
Plant, Sheridannurseries.com.
Rug, Bevhisey.com.
Paint (on wall), Wrought Iron, Benjaminmoore.com.


chair makeoverRoberto Caruso

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