DIY Office Chair Makeover: Refresh Your Workspace with Style

Every home office deserves a touch of personality and comfort, and your desk chair is no exception. If you’ve been eyeing that worn, uninspiring office chair and wishing for a transformation, you’re in the right place. Many readers have asked about the stylish update I gave my own ergonomic desk chair, and today, I’m thrilled to share the full, detailed guide on how you can achieve a similar stunning makeover!

This isn’t just about covering up an old chair; it’s about infusing your creative space with a chair that perfectly reflects your unique style while maintaining its essential comfort and functionality. Let’s dive into the world of fabric, staples, and creativity to give your office chair the upgrade it truly deserves.

Why Remodel Your Office Chair?

You might be wondering, “Why go through the effort of a DIY office chair makeover?” The answer is simple: customization, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. Many ergonomic office chairs come in standard, often bland, fabrics that don’t complement your home decor. While these chairs offer essential support and comfort, their aesthetic can be a major disconnect in a thoughtfully designed space.

Buying a brand-new ergonomic chair that also boasts a high-end, stylish fabric can be incredibly expensive. A DIY makeover allows you to retain the functionality of your existing chair while transforming its look for a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, upcycling your chair is an environmentally friendly choice, reducing waste and giving a beloved piece of furniture a second, stylish life. It’s a project that combines practicality with personal expression.

Office Chair Makeover 101: Getting Started

Before we pick up our tools, let’s take a look at the original state of my desk chair. As seen in previous posts about organizing my creative space, this chair was chosen for its excellent ergonomic features and affordable price point. Its original red fabric, while functional, was far from my personal style, making it a perfect candidate for a transformation. The moment it arrived, I knew a makeover was in its future!

Here, you can see the initial slipcover I made being removed, revealing the typical, somewhat dull, office chair fabric underneath. My goal was to completely change its aesthetic to better suit my creative environment. This transformation process is simpler than you might think, especially for chairs with removable seat and back cushions.

Tools and Materials for Your Chair Makeover

To embark on your office chair makeover journey, gather the following essentials:

• Fabric of Choice: Approximately 1-2 yards, depending on chair size.
• Heavy-Duty Staple Gun & Staples: A manual or electric stapler for securing fabric.
• Screwdriver Set: Flathead and Phillips head for chair disassembly.
• Fabric Scissors: Sharp scissors for precise cuts.
• Measuring Tape: For accurate measurements.
• Sewing Machine (Optional but Recommended): For creating slipcovers.
• Pins: For fitting slipcovers.
• Seam Ripper: For any accidental stitches.
• Piping/Trim (Optional): For decorative accents.
• Putty Knife or Flathead Screwdriver: Useful for plastic-backed chairs.
• Iron and Ironing Board: For crisp fabric edges.

Choosing the Perfect Fabric

Selecting the right fabric is crucial for both aesthetics and durability. I often keep a stash of leftover fabrics from previous projects, which is where the black and white check and polka dot fabrics for my chair came from. Since I didn’t have enough of a single pattern for both the seat and back, I chose two coordinating fabrics, proving that mixing patterns can create a cohesive and stylish look.

• Durability: For an office chair, consider upholstery-grade fabrics, cotton duck, canvas, or even durable linen blends. These will stand up to daily wear and tear.
• Washability: Opt for fabrics that are easy to clean, especially for a removable slipcover. Cotton or cotton blends are usually machine washable.
• Style: Let your personality shine! Choose patterns, colors, or textures that complement your existing decor. Stripes, geometrics, floral, or solid colors can all make a statement.

You can see the slipcover I created draped over the arm in this photo, showcasing the combination of polka dots and checks. This approach offers a dynamic look and allows for creative use of smaller fabric remnants.

Step-by-Step: Fabric-Backed Office Chair Makeover

Crafting the Back Slipcover

For the chair back, I opted for a removable slipcover, similar to a “pillowcase” design. This method is incredibly versatile and allows for easy cleaning or future fabric changes. Even if you’re not an experienced sewer, this project is very approachable.

1. Measure the Back: Carefully measure the height, width, and depth of your chair’s back cushion. Add 1-2 inches to all sides for seam allowances and ease.
2. Cut Your Fabric: Cut two pieces of your chosen fabric according to your measurements. These will form the front and back of your “pillowcase.”
3. Sewing the Slipcover: Using a sewing machine (mine is a fantastic circa 1950s Singer, a gift from my mother-in-law, which still works like a charm!), stitch three sides of your fabric pieces together, leaving the bottom open.
4. Adding Detail (Optional): I love the surprise of small details, so I added striped piping around the edges before sewing, which elevates the look. This step can be skipped for a simpler design.
5. Fitting for a Custom Look: Since my chair back was slightly curved, achieving a fitted look required a bit of trial and error. Turn the slipcover inside out, slip it onto the chair, and pin any excess fabric to contour it to the chair’s shape. Remove, sew along your pinned lines, and repeat until you’re happy with the snug fit. For rectangular or square-backed chairs, this step will be much easier!
6. Hem the Bottom: Hem the open bottom edge for a clean finish.

How to Cover the Seat on an Office Chair

Reupholstering the seat is generally simpler, as it often involves direct stapling. The key here is to ensure the fabric is taut and neat.

1. Remove the Seat: Begin by unscrewing the seat from the chair base. This makes the covering process much easier and ensures better access.
2. Prepare the Fabric: Place your chosen fabric (I used a stylish polka dot silk for the seat) right-side down on a clean, flat surface. Center the seat cushion on top of the fabric.
3. Cut to Size: Cut the fabric around the seat, leaving ample extra fabric (at least 3-4 inches on all sides) to wrap around the edges and staple to the underside.
4. Staple the Fabric:
   • Start by pulling the fabric taut and stapling it to the underside of the seat, beginning in the middle of each side (front, back, left, right).
   • Work your way outwards from these central staples, continuously pulling the fabric firmly to eliminate wrinkles and ensure a smooth finish on the top side.
   • For corners, carefully fold the fabric as neatly as possible, creating pleats or gathers, and secure with multiple staples. Remember my display designer motto: “Whatever you can’t see can easily be faked or not so pretty.” While unseen, a neat underside contributes to durability.
5. Finish Edges: To prevent fraying and give a cleaner look, I tried to be a bit neat by folding the raw edge of the fabric under, similar to a hem, before stapling. This creates a more professional finish and prevents unraveling threads over time.
6. Reattach the Seat: Once all fabric is securely stapled, reattach the seat to the chair base with the screws you removed earlier.

The result is a striking improvement over the original office fabric! Not only does it look fantastic, but because the slipcover is removable and the seat fabric is easily accessible, cleaning is a breeze. Remember, almost any fabric can work for this project. My seat is covered in silk, and the back in a durable cotton duck cloth, showcasing a blend of textures and patterns.

How to Cover an Office Chair with a Molded Plastic Back

A common question, like the one from Heather at My Frugal Family, often concerns chairs with molded plastic backs, which can seem challenging to cover. Don’t fret! It’s entirely possible to give these chairs a stylish update too. Here’s how, using an IKEA chair from my partner’s desk as an example.

If your chair features a design similar to this one, you can still cover the bottom seat using the exact stapling method described above. The challenge lies with the molded plastic back.

There are a couple of approaches to tackling the plastic back:

Method 1: Pry and Tuck

If the plastic back doesn’t easily come off in separate pieces, you can attempt to pry the plastic casing slightly away from the upholstered front using a flathead screwdriver or putty knife. Once a small gap is created, you can carefully push the fabric edges into this crevice to secure it, possibly using a strong adhesive or additional small staples if the material allows.

Method 2: Disassemble and Reassemble

For many chairs, particularly those with a two-part back (upholstered front and plastic shell back), disassembly is the cleanest approach. Look for screws, often located on the underside or sides of the backrest. Carefully unscrew the back components and gently pull the plastic back away from the upholstered front. This usually reveals the internal frame where the fabric is attached.

Once separated, cover the upholstered side of the chair back using the same stapling technique as for the seat, ensuring the fabric is pulled taut. Trim any excess fabric. After covering, align the upholstered front with the plastic back. Many chairs use a snap-together system. For this specific IKEA chair, there were four snaps.

Line up the front and back pieces carefully. Place them on a hard surface and press firmly until you hear all four snaps click securely back into place. Finally, screw the entire revamped back assembly back onto the chair base.

Care and Maintenance for Your Newly Styled Chair

One of the significant advantages of creating removable slipcovers or using easily accessible stapled fabric is the ease of cleaning. For slipcovers, simply remove and machine wash according to your fabric’s care instructions. For stapled fabric on the seat, spot cleaning with a mild upholstery cleaner is usually effective. For deeper cleans, you might be able to unscrew the seat again for a more thorough wash, depending on the fabric.

Regular vacuuming or brushing can help keep dust and debris off your fabric, extending the life and freshness of your chair’s new look. With a little care, your custom office chair will remain a vibrant and comfortable centerpiece in your workspace for years to come.

Update: Explore Another Office Chair Makeover!

Inspired to try even more creative chair transformations? If you enjoyed this guide, you’ll love my other office chair makeover project. This time, I used a vibrant green and white fabric, combined with paint, and guess what? A throw rug! Yes, a throw rug for upholstery! It proves there are no limits to creativity when it comes to personalizing your space.

Check out the full tutorial here: How to Make Over an Office Chair

Transforming an ordinary office chair into a stylish, personalized piece of furniture is a rewarding DIY project. Whether you opt for a simple slipcover or a full reupholstery, your workspace will thank you for the refreshed look and feel. Happy crafting!