Guest post- Spicing Up Your Decor by Re-Purposing Old Seats and Bar Stools.

This article is brought to you by Lisa Steele.

Repurposing old seats and chairs can bring new life to them, as well as your home. Reupholstering and repurposing furniture is a big trend for 2013 because it is economical and eco-friendly. There are so many options in reusing those old chairs and bar stools that you are sure to find an option or two that you love.

Lighter Woods

Light-colored woods are making a resurgence and natural finishes like blond and light woods are most popular. Dark woods are still in, but lighter woods are easier to work with. Lighter stains are a lot easier to use and typically require fewer coats than dark stains do.

If you want to reuse an old wooden chair you just need to make sure that it is structurally sound, sand it down well and then just add some stain. This is something that would make a neat weekend project. You can do this completely on your own without having to pay a professional.

Small Geometrics

Small patterns are hot right now and this is a good thing especially if you like patterns but are afraid of big, bold prints. The easy way to incorporate small patterns is reupholstering a wooden dining room chair or a bar stool. 

On these types of chairs you simply need to get your fabric, cut it so that there are a few overlapping inches when it is wrapped around the seat, place your batting to cushion the seat, place the fabric over this and then simply staple the fabric to the underside of the seat. 

The seats of the bar stools of chairs are just placed back on and nailed down. This can make a chair into a completely new piece of furniture and it does not take a lot of time. If the rest of the chair is wood then you can stain it and make the piece look like new.

Jewel Tones

Jewel tones are trending right now and this is a great way to repurpose a chair and add some luxury and spice in your home. Look for colors like emerald, ruby and sapphire. These are bold without being really out there like neon colors are. This also allows you to break free of the neutral trend that started several years ago. 

If bold color scares you a bit, then you can keep your neutral scheme and just add a few chairs that are brighter. For example, have your wood dining room, but repurpose the seats of your dining room chairs with a jewel tone fabric. You can repurpose other chairs in jewel tones too, but the process is more difficult and may require the assistance of a professional to get the job done right.

Old Bench

If you have always wanted a porch swing, then an old bench is a great way to start. You want to get the old bench and remove the legs. You can generally just saw these off without much of a problem, but be sure to put safety first when using a saw. 

Once you have this part done you need to decide if you want to stain or paint it. If you choose to, then you should get this done before hanging it. Once it is done and dry, it is time to hang it. You can find porch swing hanging kits at hardware stores that will have all of the hardware you need to hang and secure the bench. This is actually quite easy to do, but you will likely need a friend to help you in the hanging process, so keep this in mind. Once it is hung, you can add cushions and pillows if you like. These can be just set right on the swing and do not need to be secured.

About the author: Lisa Steele’s expertise in the home and garden industry has been felt for many years. When she is not writing poignant articles, you can find her reviewing the Breuer chair as well as other great décor options.

Disclaimer: I have received compensation in return for publishing this article.