Redecorating on a Budget
Moving can be stressful, but it can also be fun. The challenge of creating an organized living space on a budget has reminded me of my first 15 years of marriage. We lived in 7 different cities and 13 different homes in those early years, so I became the queen of reorganizing and redecorating on a budget. Today the possibilities are endless with all the retail stores that focus on organizing closets, kitchens, bedrooms etc, but when you are on a tight budget you need to do your research and find the best deals possible.
My daughter and her husband are just settling into their new apartment and I came to give them a hand. They had found a fantastic deal on a dining room table and four chairs but the cushions on the chairs needed to be recovered. So we headed out to the local fabric store with coupons in hand. She chose some beautiful canvas style a pollsters fabric that was on sale and we headed home to recover the cushions.
Start to finish, the project took about 2-3 hours but it was worth the time because the new covers for the chair cushions completely changed the look of the table and chairs. Here are the tools you need.
2 yards heavy duty canvas or upholstery
Staple gun and light duty staples
Screw driver
Scissors
Remove the cushions from the frame work of the chair with your screw driver.
Place the cushions one by one, face down on wrong side of canvas fabric.
Cut out squares of fabric the size of the cushion plus 6 extra inches all the way around. ( a 16 by 16 seat cushion needs a piece of fabric cut into a 28 by 28 square)
Place the cushion onto the wrong side of the square of fabric and center it. Begin on one side by pulling the fabric up and over. Fold under at least 2inches to create a finished edge and pull tight over the cushion frame and staple down. Do the same thing on the opposite side. Follow these same directions for the two remaining side making sure to pull tight and keep the cushion centered. Keep the staples to a minimum until you have your corners finished so you can pull the sides tighter at the end.
To finish off the corners you must make a fold like you are tucking your bed sheet at the corners. Pull and fold and staple each piece to make a crisp and nicely finished corner.
Go around the entire frame and pull and staple to secure the fabric all the way around.
Place the newly covered cushion on the chair frame and screw back in place.
Repeat these directions for all of your cushions.
Viola, you have a refurbished dining room table.
One quick and easy way to redecorate on a budget.
What redecorating projects have you tried?
