Gates of Crystal: Reupholstering a Bergere Chair and Ottoman

March 31, 2015

Reupholstering a Bergere Chair and Ottoman

I finished my daughter's kitchen chairs yesterday, so it's back to my Bergere chairs. I hope to have them done this week. I reupholstered several chairs a few years ago but I am doing something different with my new chairs that I'll share soon.

I bought this chair several years ago but it didn't look like this when I got it.

It was originally covered in zebra? is this zebra? and the piping was very worn. I always laugh that the men at the used furniture store that I haunt must think I have a really ugly house! Most of my chairs are pink underneath so if they're keeping track, they think my decor is pink and zebra! lol

I had never reupholstered anything before but I loved the beautiful wood on this chair and ottoman and felt I had nothing to lose. I wasn't going to leave it at the store and I wasn't going to leave it like this.

I wasn't blogging yet when I did the chair so I'm sorry I don't have any pictures of how I did it but I can show you how I did the ottoman and it's the same steps.

I wanted to make the ottoman cushion fuller so I added some batting under a piece of foam that I cut to fit the shape of the cushion.

This is the same poly-fil batting that I use when I make pillows.

I had already made a cover for the whole thing. You can find how to make a cushion cover here. How to Make A Slipcover - Part Two

I got this blue linen at Hobby Lobby.

On 'How to Make a Slipcover' I show how I make cushion covers fit perfectly and how to add the piping.

I then attached my cushion cover to the ottoman with a staple gun. After pulling it tight everywhere, I stapled right next to the wood and trimmed away the excess fabric.

I wanted the double piping that you see on professionally covered furniture.

I measured out a length of piping long enough to go completely around the ottoman and covered it with my fabric.

I then added a second piece of piping right next to the first, rolled the fabric over it, and covered it, sewing between the two pieces.

I trimmed the fabric off. This unfinished cut will now be under the piping and will not show when you attach it to your chair or ottoman.

I attached my double piping with fabric glue. *Be sure you're not wearing nail polish when doing this step as the glue will dissolve it onto your fabric. I ordered this glue from Amazon.

I held the piping on with straight pins over night until it was good and dry.

And there's my new ottoman!

I used all these same steps to attach the fabric to my chair. We've lived on it now for a couple of years and it's held up well!

The small lumbar pillow came with the chair and I covered it to match and then made my toile pillow to coordinate the chair with the rest of the room.