DIY Network

Camouflaging Inexpensive Chairs Camouflaging Inexpensive Chairs From "Ask DIY Decorating & Crafts" episode DADD-208

Bea Pila shows you how to add some extra seating to your dining-room table without spending a fortune. She'll explain how to spot some chair bargains, and then she'll show three different approaches to transform these chairs from cheap to chic. Get ready to expand your guest list for your next dinner party!

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Q: I don't want to pay for some extra dining-room chairs to be upholstered. What options can you show me for some quick fixes?

A: When you're short of chairs in your dining room, you can mix and match with other chairs. Inexpensive chairs (under $25) are easy to find at yard sales or at chain stores such as Target -- and dressing up those chairs is an affordable way to have extra seating.

• Don't use a chair with a damaged wicker seat -- it will be much harder to work with successfully.

• Chairs with a removable seat work best, so you can reupholster the seat. All you have to do is remove the seat, use a staple gun to re-cover it, and then reattach it using the same screws that held it in the first place.

• Clean lines make a chair easier to cover.

• You can use a table runner over the seat, up the inside back and down the outside of a dining-room chair. Just add a button at either side to help you control how mush it hangs down at the back.

• For an elegant look, buy enough heavy silk fabric to cover the seat and hang down about 7" all around. Lay the silk over the seat and pin it to hold it in place while you work. The fold each corner under diagonally to hide the raw edge and tuck the edges of the fabric under the seat, holding it in place with staples. Throw a large silk scarf with a bold, coordinating pattern over the back of the chair and knot it at the sides. (It won't be damaged, so you can even use one of your own scarves if you wish.)

• To wrap the chair, use enough fabric to cover it completely (a high-backed chair will require about 3 yards). Fold the edges under, hot-glue and iron to form a hem (no sewing necessary!). Softly drape the fabric over the chair, then top with a faux-suede table runner. Tie everything in place around the chair back with a decorative cord and tassel.

• You may prefer to use ready-made slipcovers on your chairs -- it won't be as much fun as making your own, but it's an affordable way to visually tie all your seating together.