We often get donations of good-looking dining chairs, but they are not safe, have damage (like dog chew marks) or something makes them not able to be sold in our stores. This got us thinking, what unique things could we make out of these chairs to upscale them into something different? That is when one of our woodworking volunteers stepped in to help us out!
Step #1: Start with a discarded chair. In our case we used a small rocking chair and removed the outdated chair pad and seat.
Step #2: Be creative! We turned the rocking chair upside down and decided to use it in a bathroom as a towel holder with hooks for your robe and a shelf to hold important bathroom items. At this point you will need some power tools or call in a favor from a friend who can help you with the construction.
Step #3: Cut the bottom of the chair in half with a chop saw. The cut half is the part that will hang against the wall.
Step #4: Use the discarded arm of the chair and use this to make a robe hook.
Step #5: Cut the length of the rocking chair arm the length you want your hook to be and attach the hook to the chair with wood glue and a screw
Step #6: Cut a piece of wood with a scroll saw to fit as a shelf. Secure this to the chair with wood glue and screws.
Step #7: Paint! Once everything is modified, glued, screwed and construction is complete, it’s time to paint! We use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint ® down at Charmed by Heirlooms. Don’t know how to paint using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint ®? We’ve got you covered! We teach classes, so you can learn different techniques, too!
Step #8: Add embellishments. You can add knobs, decorative hangers, or cute touches.
Here are a few other ideas that you can use to re-love and repurpose those old dining chairs.
Don’t have a chair to upscale? Come on down to Charmed by Heirlooms to find a chair to create your idea! Lastly, if you are looking for a unique piece for your house but you just don’t want to do the work, these lovely chairs are for sale in the Grand Junction store. Check back as our Charmed Volunteers continue to make new treasures daily!
