Two Ideas For Reupholstering My Studio Desk Chair

Yesterday, I listed reupholstering my desk chair as one of the items on my “to do” list for the office area of my studio. If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you might remember that this desk chair was originally a dining chair that looked like this…

It didn’t have casters on the legs, and the nailhead trim was silver. So I did a little makeover on the chair by cutting the legs down, adding casters, and then using a little Rub ‘N Buff in a gold/brass color to change the color of the nailhead trim.

chair makeover - from dining chair to rolling desk chair - 1

What drew me to this chair in the first place is the really high back. I like a big desk chair that makes a statement. I don’t like small desk chairs that get lost behind the desk. Before buying this one, I had searched and searched for a pretty velvet desk chair in a bold color, and while I found plenty of them, they all had a short back that seemed to barely peek over the desk. So those didn’t fit the bill. I remember finding one that was perfect at Ballard Designs, but it would have been about $1500, and I didn’t really find a fabric from their fabric selection that I loved anyway. I say that as if I’d ever spend $1500 on a desk chair. 😀 I wouldn’t.

So that’s why I’m opting to keep this chair and reupholster it instead of just purchasing a new chair. It’s the perfect size, and it’s actually very comfortable. I love the design, the style, and the size, but I don’t love the color anymore. Plus, as I showed you yesterday, my cat has done a bit of redesigning on it for me.

So I need to reupholster it in a cat-proof fabric, and velvet is always my go-to fabric for that. I checked on Spoonflower (the same place where I had my floral mural wallpaper, the floral curtain fabric, and the colorful square wallpaper printed), and they do offer a performance velvet that can be used for upholstery. So I started playing around with a couple of ideas.

First, I tried doing some stripes using the colors from the floral design, which I also used on the square wallpaper design. Here’s a (very rough) mock up of what that could look like…

I added the stripe on the back and the seat, and then did the rest in a solid eggplant color. I’m not sure about doing the entire chair in the stripe. My first thought is that it might be overwhelming and busy. My second thought is that trying to match those stripes would be a nightmare, and might end up looking very sloppy. But I could do horizontal stripes on the back and seat cushion, and then vertical stripes on the rest so that they’re very intentionally different, and wouldn’t require matching up the stripes from one section to another. I didn’t do a mock up of that idea, though, because I’m just not that good at doing mockups.

The second idea I tried was using the same colorful square design that I made for the studio bathroom wallpaper. I can have that same design (but probably with smaller squares) printed on fabric. That would look something like this…

Again, I paired it with a dark eggplant color for the sides. And the chair in those pictures is sitting in front of the old, original wallpaper that had the smaller, darker flowers. If you’ll remember, when I decided to go with the larger flowers, I also lightened the colors on some of the flowers quite a bit. But the new wallpaper isn’t so drastically different in color that it would affect what goes on the chair across the room.

So those are the two options I’m toying around with right now. I might play around with those stripes a little more and try out some various edits, like perhaps doing the stripe vertically instead of horizontally, or using fewer colors with wider stripes.

But just based on the two options I’ve done so far, I think the fabric with the colorful squares is my favorite. My only concern is that I might be getting a little heavy on the squares and rectangles. My floor is painted squares. The bathroom walls will be covered in colorful squares. The paint swatch cabinet is covered in colorful rectangles.

And then I bought a huge colorful wall calendar to go on the wall next to my desk. I haven’t shown y’all the wall calendar yet, but it’s this one from Kaleidoscope Living. It’s huge, and glorious, and colorful, and amazing…and more rectangles.

I feel like the room is already getting pretty heavy on the colorful squares/rectangles, and that makes me think I need to make the stripes work, even if they’re my second choice. But we’ll see. I may end up throwing caution to the wind and adding more colorful squares.

 

 

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65 Comments

  1. Why not just use the floral fabric that you used for the curtains? Just in the middle like you are mocking up. It would bring in the actual florals and would solve the problem with the hard lines (squares and rectangles). 🙂

    1. Came here to say this exact thing. The floral fabric seems like an obvious choice, solving all of the conundrums at once! Would be a great way to bring the floral to this side of the room.

      1. Why not a print less angular? More watercolor paint blobs of color? Maybe that’s to hard to create. But all these patterns may start to fight.

  2. I love all the color in this room, but I think a little calm would be great by using one of the colors in a solid on your chair.

    1. I really like the eggplant! The idea of a solid color chair using the eggplant color would be just lovely in the room! Still colorful, but calming all at the same time.

    2. Yes! Solid eggplant would be calming, elegant, and beautiful against all the rest of the colors and patterns in the room.

  3. Just curious why you didn’t consider doing the floral in a velvet for the chair. Seems like that might be an option since you are no longer doing glass doors with the wallpaper behind it.

  4. If your goal is to bring the wallpaper colors to that side of the room, you’ve accomplished that with the calendar. I love that! The chair in total eggplant velvet would look beautiful and not contrived.

    1. I was going to say the same thing. Definitely something in the eggplant/purple spectrum. The stripes or squares are much less appealing for me.

  5. Have you thought about making a slipcover? Make a pattern and if you need to replace, easier to do that than reupholstering each time.

  6. I didn’t realize you are not doing the glass door with the paper inside now. So, the chair would be a cool place to get a bit of that print over there. If you can get it printed on velvet…awesome. If not, will the cat do a number on that fabric again? Do you need to get her a scratching post for her visits to the studio? Did you get any other ideas about bringing the pattern over to that area of the room that you liked? I think the strips are better than the squares only because there are so many squares already. I can’t wait to see what you decide.

    1. I was thinking the same thing – well maybe not the velvet but that would be super cool! Do the sides of the chair in the eggplant (maybe that could be the velvet) and do the center in your mural fabric. As for the cat, get some wide, 2-sided sticky tape and put it all over the chair. I suspect she’ll get tired of sticking to it and eventually leave it alone.

  7. You’ve got so many points of interest going in that room my eye hopes to see a solid chair. Eggplant in rich velvet seems appropriate. Dark enough to hide the inevitable stains and not compete with the multitude of patterns that already are buzzing around in that space. (Kitty needs a scratching post in there.)

    Stand in each of the doorways, and calmly imagine each possibility so as to see the whole, rather than each design piece that you already have or contemplate added.

    Maintaining perfect order is not your pattern, if you’ll pardon the pun. I know it is a workroom and piling stuff is going to happen. Adding to the topic of open storage: it sounds like a good idea but it seems to me projects will be ongoing so stuff will not be in order behind you as you sit at your desk (except for photo shoots.) A fussy chair cover will just complicate things.

    All in all, it is your house. It will be fun to see what you decide but I doubt we will see “real life” depicted in future pictures.

  8. Kristi, first of all, I absolutely love your big colorful calendar. Thanks for showing it to us.
    I read one of the already posted comments by Cyd. I totally agree with Cyd….the chair upholstered in Velvet fabric in total Eggplant color would look so classy to me. Letting the outstanding colorful calendar stand out boldly on the wall, and your Eggplant chair would stand out perfectly.

  9. I always feel the desk area should have a calming vibe to keep one from being distracted as they work. I would make chair the beautiful eggplant velvet. If you feel it still needs color add a lumbar pillow in the curtain fabric.

  10. I still like the idea of a roman shade made with the curtain fabric. A solid color for the chair would be great. However, only an opinion…whatever you choose to do will be the best for you and your home. You always end up with something great and you do not mind changing your mind and redoing….I am too lazy and I now only change out (and not often) seasonal or occasional decorative items…LOL!

  11. I agree with what others have said about solid eggplant for the entire chair. There are already plenty of color and pattern, the chair as a solid would give the eyes a place to rest. Also, you could add your floral fabric or the square fabric as piping along the edge of the chair – provided you don’t hate making piping as much as I do!

  12. The stripes and squares look a bit too busy. A large stripe flanked by one or two narrower stripes about 1/2 the width of the chair running down the center of the inside back and seat might give you the pattern you desire without being so busy. I would love a solid eggplant velvet myself. An interior designer friend once told me repeating a fabric or design more than once in a space diminishes the value of the item. It made sense to me.

  13. you are having the wallpaper as a backer in the cabinets behind your desk, an all plum chair would be beautiful. I wasn’t liking any of the mock up designs. too much movement since the rest of the room has so much movement already.

  14. I could be way off base, but it feels like every time you do stripes on something, you end up redoing it without stripes. Just an observation. I know whatever you choose will look good. 🙂

  15. I know you like pattern, but I think that it will begin to look too busy. A solid eggplant chair would mimic the doors and give a nice landing place for the eye. The only other solid colors are the cabinet. A change up with the eggplace would be pleasing. I LOVE the chair!

  16. I think a solid eggplant velvet chair would look great in this room. The only concern I have is keeping a dark velvet chair clean in a workroom. It would be a challenge to get the chair covered in either the stripe or the color-block; a floral velvet would be a better choice, and it echoes the floral on other surfaces. Random thought: would it be possible to have your floral wallpaper design enlarged even more for the velvet, so that you would only have 2-3 extra large flowers on the chair front? Perhaps with an eggplant velvet on the sides and back?

  17. Why not just upholster it in the wallpaper print. Weren’t you trying to pull that pattern in over in that area of the room anyway?

  18. Hi Kristi- I don’t mind the squares, but in that size block they are over powering. Could you minimize the size of the squares. Also thinking it might be good to think of what you want to paint your desk first, as it will be going behind it. Good luck. Cant wait to see what you end up with!

  19. Could you shrink down the mural print? That might look nice on the seat and front seat back? If you have any of the curtain fabric, maybe you could use the dark eggplant for the seat, back, and sides, and use the curtain fabric for a large welt…That, along with the paper on the back of the upper cabinets, should tie everything together.

    So excited to how it all comes together.

  20. With all the color and pattern, I’d need a solid color for my eyes to rest. I like the idea of a pink like the setee you have.
    But I know you need lotsa colors!

  21. Check out Chair Whimsy on Facebook for some upholstery inspiration. She often uses colors you love and those she teaches share photos of their creations.
    I stretched my comfort zone by doing a similar chair seat/front in teal cheetah, the back side in teal/aqua/green large birds. The cheetah brought in the blue in the room, some texture. The birds on the back gave the artistic creativity I was looking for without the energy of it all getting too strong or playful/animated. Having only on the back gives it a surprise when you walk past. 3 years later and I still love it.

    Also…. assume you will have art in the room on various walls plus the activity of the projects. You will find a sweet spot to strike balance in focal points, energy of the room.

  22. that purple is just beautiful and it really is a statement. Why not do it all purple. I think you have enough colour every where else the block colour purple is beautiful.

  23. My vote would an all eggplant velvet chair with a lumbar pillow in the flower material. I would also paint the bottoms of the two rolling tables eggplant. I think that makes a great grounding color for an already very bright colorful room and the eggplant color is a bit of a segway to the breakfast/TV room. I love what you do so have at it!

  24. My vote would be an all eggplant velvet chair with a lumbar pillow in the flower material. I would also paint the bottoms of the two rolling tables eggplant. I think that makes a great grounding color for an already very bright colorful room and the eggplant color is a bit of a segway to the breakfast/TV room. I love what you do so have at it!

  25. Time to think about a solid color chair (eggplant) With all the florals, rectangles, and colorful cabinetry it is time for a solid restful item. With the bath as well it is becoming cartoony. I love all the colors but the eye needs to rest.

    1. Completely agree. The two pattern options you presented are both, in my opinion, way too busy and way too much pattern, ruining the beautiful scene you’ve set with the wallpaper.

  26. What about a deep eggplant with thin stripes in your varied colors for the seat back and cushion? (Solid eggplant for the wings) Perhaps something like 2-3 inch eggplant stripe interspersed with 1/2 inch stripes in different colors?

  27. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel both the stripes, or the squares are a bit much. Like quite a bit. And believe me, I love bold color. I’m talking dark sage green on my dining room walls, with a deep teal chest and drapes. If the floral pattern isn’t available, why not do a solid velvet.

  28. I think you need something with more white space in it. I don’t have much time to search right now, but a stripe similar to Nomance at Ballard Design but in your colors could be terrific. Complementary to the mural and the cabinet without overpowering and run vertically, not horizontally. I am sure Spoonflower has a stripe that could be customized to your palette. There might even be a stripe that looks like it is handpainted. Even with the fabric ideas you show, the purple seems too dark.

  29. You do a great job on your mock-ups. Why not just do a dark eggplant solid color chair to cut out some of the business. No squares, no stipes, just solid. The style of the chair is nice. You just do not need stripes or squares or rectangles to make the chair look nice. Or to make the room look nice.
    Good luck.

  30. Sorry, but I’ll be blunt — I don’t care for either idea. I would, at the most, bring in the green color from the foyer for the seat and back, and the eggplant for the outside framework. No patterns, there are enough in the room already. And if you are going with the glass doors (yesterdays post) I would choose a color from the wall Mural and paint the inside of the cabinets that single color.

  31. Why not use the floral fabric on the inside back and seat of the chair, with the eggplant for the rest of the chair?

  32. Not that yo asked 🙂 … but I’m on TEAM EGGPLANT as well!!…(seems it honors the lines of the chair as well…)

  33. If the chair is going in front of a full set of coral cabinets, I think it would be nicer in the floral print, rather than the plain eggplant so many are saying. Is it possible to see the chair mockups in front of coral cabinets instead of the wallpaper?

  34. First let me say how much I love your house and all the color. I am longing for color in my life right now. I love all the murals and bold color choices but I have draw the line on the chair. I agree with most everyone else…..leave the chair a solid color. I love love the eggplant. Stick with one color and do a lumbar pillow in the stripes or the flowers would be just enough for the chair without being garish.

  35. How about upholstering the inside back of the chair with sisal to make it a combo office chair/cat scratcher? Mostly kidding….but not entirely!

  36. First let me say that you are amazing and your vision of this room, the back entry, and the half-bath is stunning. I agree with others that another pattern in there might just be “one baby’s breath over the top” but I wonder if bringing the entryway wall color in by upholstering the chair in that green in velvet might be a good idea. You already know it coordinates so well with the fabric and it is not so dark as the eggplant. Just a thought! You do you, though. It’s your room and you will live in it! Hugs

  37. Hi Kristi. Of the two designs for the chair I prefer the blocks. They seem to go with the chair design better than stripes. However, I love the eggplant colour you chose and having the whole chair done in the eggplant velvet sounds so pretty. Perhaps you could make a pillow for the chair in the wallpaper colour. I think the entire chair eggplant velvet and a floral pillow would be so pretty. Love the work you do.
    Also, could we have a picture of your cat and dog? Thank you.

  38. How about trying wider stripes. The small stripes look a little busy. I have been visiting your blog since you were in the condo. Beautiful, amazing job!

  39. I agree with others that it should be a solid color. Even though I love the eggplant color I would love to see it mocked up in several other colors pulled from the wallpaper, I’m thinking a deep rose, any of the greens, teal and peaches. Just a thought.

  40. Lots of people are suggesting the solid eggplant, and while I adore both colors, I would hesitate to have the solid eggplant with the solid pink cabinets. One comment about the stripes is that I’m a bit thrown off because I typically see wing chairs in vertical stripes rather than horizontal. So maybe that’s something to consider?

  41. I like the way the chair looks better with the squares…but feel like the “many colored squares” look could be getting a bit overdone. It feels like the statement is less of a statement when it’s everywhere. What about a large scale check with just a couple of your favorite colors? Or just go with a solid eggplant. It would be beautiful in the room but let all the other items (the cabinets, wallpaper, swatch cabinet) takeover and shine.

  42. Dear Kristi,
    I’m looking forward to the finishing of your studio. I think, once you get the walls painted, cabinets painted and any other finishes that have already been decided for the room; it will become clear/obvious what the perfect colors your chair and lamp should be.

    At the very least, once the major painting is done, some of the choices you’re contemplating now, will be easily ruled out. I think if you are patient and get the main things complete, your mind and your eye will intuitively know what the space needs in terms of additional colors or pattern.
    You have a great eye, and your finish styling is perfection!
    Enjoy your day. Each day is a gift!

    YHWH Bless You : )

  43. To share my own opinion based on my own personal taste, I have an EXTREME dislike of the stripes and squares on such a beautiful chair. It also would look more classy if it were not 2-toned (imo). Have you considered doing the entire chair in your beautiful back door drapery fabric?

    1. In reading the other comments, I can’t see a solid color chair with solid color cabinets. The print would be beautiful on just the chair and would compliment the beautiful cabinet color so well (imo).