French Chair Makeover

This French chair makeover happened several months ago and I completely forgot to post about it. I get questioned about these chairs all the time, specifically about the fabric.

Originally, I found this pair of Louis XVI style chairs at one of my local antique markets. They had posted a picture of them on Facebook and I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them. They were made of century old gilt wood with beautiful carvings in the fauteuil style. 

If you’re a lover of French furniture, you’ve probably heard the term “fauteuil” (fō′tĭl) in reference to French chairs. Fauteuil literally means an upholstered armchair usually having sides that are open. 

This pair of Louis XVI chairs peaked my interest because they had been deconstructed and were presented in their original burlap “underclothes”.

I loved their shabby, worn look so I immediately visited the store and bought them. Unfortunately I only have a couple of pictures of them in their “before” state, but I’m sure you can get an idea of what they looked like when I brought them home. 

The burlap was worn, torn in places, and stained. And a lot of the original gilt on the wood had chipped and peeled.

I placed them in a spare bedroom, planning on giving them a makeover as soon as I could decide what kind of fabric I wanted to use to re-upholster them.

It took me several months, but one day I was scrolling through Etsy looking at fabric and found the perfect pattern to use on this pair of French chairs. This is how they look now after their makeover!

Every time I show these chairs in a photos, someone will message me about this fabric! 

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This fabric is a cut velvet or burnout velvet in a coral pattern, called St. Tropez, in color Laguna which is a beautiful turquoise on a dark gray background.

I have a tiny obsession with natural coral and love to collect it in large urns for display, so this fabric definitely spoke to me. Plus, it’s the perfect choice for living on the Gulf Coast. 

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I trimmed the fabric in a dark gray gimp tying it in with the dark gray background. 

This fabric comes in five different colors so if this color combination doesn’t work for you, check out the other options. It has such a rich luxurious look and feel to it. 

These chairs have such beautiful carvings and the recognizable Louis XVI legs.

{Be sure and check out our post {How to Recognize Louis XVI Furniture}

The century old gilding was very worn, so I took some Rub N Buff in color Gold Leaf and went over some of the more severely worn areas, just to give the gilt a little more life. 

I have to admit, I’m got a great upholsterer. Being completely self taught, I’m sure a professional would look at my upholstery work and cringe. But it works for me and my home projects. 

If you’re interested in trying upholstery, my best tips are start with something small, such as a small foot stool, or a chair with only an upholstered bottom. Get a good staple gun and try to use a good fabric. There are a lot of great video tutorials on YouTube for beginners as well. 

And, believe it or not, you can upholster furniture by using a glue gun! I have done that several times and the upholstery has held up for years, so if you’re looking for a shortcut, the glue gun method might be the answer!

If you’re wondering what the benefits are for re-upholstering furniture, well…there are a few.

1. Cost-effective: Re-upholstering furniture is often more cost-effective than buying new furniture, especially if you shop at estate sales, auctions, or Facebook Marketplace.

2. Customization: Re-upholstering allows you to customize your furniture to your personal taste and style.

3. Quality: Older furniture is often made with higher quality materials and craftsmanship, so re-upholstering can help preserve the quality and durability of the piece.

4. Sustainability: Re-upholstering is a sustainable option as it reduces waste and extends the life of furniture.

5. Sentimental value: Re-upholstering can help preserve the sentimental value of a piece of furniture that has been passed down through generations or has sentimental value to you personally.

I have this pair of chairs placed in the living room, one on each side of the antique chest that was an estate sale find. They give a fabulous punch of color here which is just off the foyer.

It’s truly amazing what paint or new upholstery can do to breathe new life into an old piece of furniture!

Cheers, Cindy