This chair belonged originally to Penny’s father but had been in storage for many years optimistically waiting to be restored as a DIY project but when the unit needed clearing out Penny’s son Michael was keen to have the chair restored so he could use it in his flat.
Many of the tension springs in the back fell out as I removed the fabric and some were missing from the seat. There was also no seat cushion.
Michael chose a beautiful sea-green velvet for the seat and inside back which reminded him of his grandfather because he used to live by the sea, and I recommended a figured velvet for the back and outside of the cushion as a contrast. This combination really updated the chair but still gave a nod to the chair’s mid-century origin.
After replacing the springs (strong muscles required for that!) I started working on the back by adding a layer of hessian followed by foam and then polyester wadding to soften the edges. A layer of wool barrier cloth goes on just before the final fabric. Piping was stapled in place and the back was hand-sewn with a slip stitch into place.
I sourced new foam for the seat and made the seat cushion with a zip at the back for access.
I created a spring cover from black platform cloth and added the contrast fabric to create a panel at the front.
The arm pads were the most fun! I added a little bit of foam and stretched the fabric over the top (matching the pattern on each arm) and stapled into place. The arm pads are screwed into place with the original screws underneath.
Michael is very happy with his refurbished chair, which has pride of place in his living room.
