Before & After: Mother and Daughter Team Up to Revamp an IKEA Clearance Find
Kenya bought this IKEA stool in the As-Is section for a song and swiftly realized it was in need of some serious flair. Working with her mother, she was able to put some fabric she’d been holding onto to excellent use.
From Kenya: I purchased an IKEA HENRIKSDAL bar stool from the clearance section that was in really good condition. The only thing wrong with it was the the footrest was missing and the seat covering had been removed.
I had a vision for this lovely chair! I wanted to add a piece of furniture to my living room that had a little African flare. Since this chair didn’t have a cover I knew my indigo fabric from Nigeria would complement the chair quite nicely.
It took us a total of about two hours to complete this project. The original price of the chair was $69; the clearance price was $20. Great deal for something that didn’t seem damaged to us. We didn’t have to refinish the chair so that made this project pretty straight forward. With my mom’s superior upholstery skills, she told me what to do and I followed mama’s orders! The biggest surprise was how much we enjoyed doing this together and how much we both loved how the chair turned out.
I love the fact that my mom and I worked on this chair together and because of that it’s perfect to me! The chair is a great addition to my living room and adds a bit more character. I purchased the fabric in Nigeria over ten years ago and had been waiting for a special project to use the fabric. The only thing I would do differently is to put a glaze over the fabric so that it wouldn’t lose its color over time.
Kenya’s words of wisdom: African fabric is beautiful to use for upholstering furniture, but the truth of the matter is it’s not the best for furniture pieces that will be used daily. Cotton African fabric prints do not have the same sturdiness as upholstery fabrics, so keep that in mind when selecting fabric for your chairs. Know that the African prints may not keep its shape over time. Lastly, remember the golden rule; ensure you have ALL your materials before you start your project.
Thank you, Kenya! You can see this project and more on Kenya’s blog Me All Over the Place.