Seven remarkably easy DIY upholstering tips

By Jimmy Loughran 30-07-2010

If you want to refresh your home but don't feel like forking out for it, consider taking matters into your own hands - save money on hiring service people by improving your own DIY skills. “There are so many books and magazines around dedicated to DIY, there is no excuse for spending hard earned money paying someone else to do it!” says Lindsay Bertram, “Painting walls and furniture, wallpapering, covering sofas, making cushions and making throws are all things you can do yourself.”

Here are ten ways to add personality to your living space by using a little imagination and some basic upholstering skills...

7. Thrifty cushions

Julianne Kelly of Kevin Kelly Interiors has a thrifty tip for making cushions: “If you don't want to spend too much money on cushions, you can always have a plain inexpensive fabric on the back and go for the expensive fabric on the front.”

6. Recover lampshades

Rather than buying new lampshades, recovering existing ones with fabric is a cinch. “If you have plain lampshades in the bedroom, they're very easy to cover with fabric,” says Lindsay, “Split the glue on the join, separating the seam of the lampshade. Measure the height and width, cut your new fabric to size, peel the existing tape back on the top and bottom of the shade, cover the back of the fabric with spray glue and stick in place, fold back the tape and re-glue the join.”

5. Creative accessories

Get creative with your current home accessories rather than splashing out on new stuff “Glue or sew a contrasting colour trim or ribbon onto a lampshade. Sew some old buttons or beads onto cushions,” suggests stylist Sharon Hearne.

4. Cut and staple

If your dining table is looking a little sad, save on the expense of buying a new one and give your existing table a new look with some cheerful oilcloth, like these designs from Cath Kidston

Cheer up a tired dining table using oilcloth fabric. Rather than draping it like a tablecloth, cut it to size and staple it to the underside of the table for a neat, modern finish. Avoca, Murphy Sheehy, Hickeys and Cath Kidston all sell nice oilcloth.

3. Reinvent old furniture (How to)

Whether it’s an existing piece of furniture or a bargain find that you’re considering reupholstering, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a job for the professionals. You can save yet more money by tackling straightforward reupholstery jobs yourself. Dining chairs with drop-in seats or seats that easily screw out are easy peasy to reupholster.

  • Take out the seat and remove the old fabric.
  • Cover the seat with new fabric, and holding it firmly in place, staple the fabric to the underside of the seat using a staple gun.
  • A suitable staple gun can be bought for €15-€20 from any hardware store, and once you own one there’s nothing to stop you from inexpensively reupholstering your dining chairs whenever the mood takes you!

2. Learn to sew

“Learning to sew is really easy and great fun, and it’s the gateway to soft furnishings heaven,” says artist Elaine Prunty, “Curtains and cushions can make a room. There are so many 'how-to' books out there; it's not rocket science.” Interior designer Lindsay Bertram of Visualise Design agrees, “Take a spring class in sewing. It’s a valuable skill to have and you won’t look back.”

1. Scatter cushions

“New scatter cushions are great for updating a scheme or adding new colour to an existing scheme, and cushions are so easy to make,” says Lindsay Bertram, “If you have a sewing machine you can easily make them yourself. You don't even have to put a zip in - just sew two squares of fabric (50cm x 50cm, sewn size 45cm x 45cm) together inside out, leaving 5cm unsewn, then turn around the correct way, iron, stuff, and hand stitch the 5cm.”

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