Memphis Apartments

When I set out for a day of flea market or junk store shopping, I never quite know what I’ll find. But there’s one item I am almost certain I will come across at some point during the day-wooden chairs. If they’re sturdy (try sitting on them and shifting your weight around a bit) and inexpensive (sometimes as little as $5), I always grab them. They’re functional and easy to recycle.

If you’re looking for ways to bring a wooden chair back to life, try these simple tactics:

· Paint. Skip the stripping if you’d like. Just clean the surface thoroughly, sand it carefully, them prime and paint. A few hours later, your junk store chair is as good as new.

· Pad. A pretty, soft chair pad makes a hard wooden chair a lovely place to rest.

· Netting. Take a strip of netting a few yards wide and about two feet deep. Wrap around the back of the chair and secure into a bow or cinch with a decorative pin or silk flower. Drape the netting on the floor and you have a romantic chair that’s perfect for a bathroom or paired with a vanity table.

· Beads. Glue wooden beads in the colors of your choice along the top, along the bottom, and even up the sides of a chair for a funky look.

· Decoupage. Use photos, postcards, stickers, or any kind of beautiful paper, glue it on the chair, and coat with a decoupage solution.

· Whitewash. This technique works well with wooden chairs that are stained. Just thin out some latex paint and brush on lightly, letting some of the stain show through for a rustic, country cottage look. Lightly sand painted areas if you want more stain to show through.

· Makeshift slipcover. Take a length of fabric or a sheet, drape it over the chair, and secure it into place by tying ribbons in various places. (You may need to cut sonic holes in the fabric to tie it very securely.)

· Ivy. Wrap and glue plastic ivy on the sections of the chair where it won’t interfere with comfortable sitting.

· Ribbons. Tie or glue ribbons on legs and other areas for a storybook effect.

· Rubber stamps or stencils. Clean, prime, and paint the chair, and then use stencils or rubber stamps to create texture by adding an interesting pattern.

MEMPHIS APARTMENT TIPS

· Know your furniture brands. If you always seem to love pieces from a specific furniture manufacturer, make note of it. Check with buying clubs, Internet sites, designers, and anyone else who might know of places that carry your preferred brands for less.

· Whenever you find used furniture, be sure to clean it thoroughly and test out its strength before you put it to use.

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