Thursday, March 4, 2010

Retro Desk Chair

My project last week was very interesting!
As, you designers know, Steelcase is a common manufacture we see, sell, and specify today. With that in mind, I had not done my research very well. Apparently the fun, retro Steelcase items are everywhere. I had no idea until I got the heavy metal chair home and looked it up!
So, I was thrifting (shopping the local thrift stores) when I came across a desk chair. This type is super easy to come by. You see them all the time. Anyways, I inspected it, sat in it, and then gave it a good test drive. It was to my satisfaction- and at $10 I couldn't pass it up!
The chair was not in bad condition. The way office furniture was built back then usually lends to a very sturdy, long-lasting piece. You would have to torture it to break it. So, the only down fall to it was that the finishes were outdated.
DON'T FRET PEOPLE. This is one of the easiest solutions. We are going to have to learn in this hard economy to start being practical. If it is functional, in good shape, and you can use it, BUY IT! New paint and sometimes fabric (this applies to anything) can go a long way. Learn to look at the lines or the physical shape of whatever piece of furniture you are looking at purchasing. Try not to look at the outdated finishes, stains, or the usual wear/tare. That can be fixed!
So, I got it home, took it apart, very easily I might add, and painted it silver. Found some left over fabric from a pillow project and simply recovered the existing black leather. Put it back together and WALLAH- a "NEW" chair!
IT'S REALLY THAT SIMPLY, GUYS! Don't be intimidated. You never know what you can do with a little imagination?!


Before:


Before Paint:


After:


Have fun guys,
~Karen

1 comment:

  1. That's really neat! I love the finished product! I am so not crafty... but I like cheap stuff, so maybe I should be crafty.

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