Dining chairs upholstered with burlap coffee sacks

These eight (8) solid oak dining chairs were custom made fourty years ago by a local artisan and family friend.  They have been in my family ever since, and I've just given them a new lease on life with a fresh coat of pain and new upholstery. The initial thought was to restore them exposing the original wood and integrate them back into the new decor of the family home, but the decision was made to use new chairs instead and get these vintage beauties ready for a new home.

The original fabric upholstery was removed along with all of the fastening staples.  

Each chair was painted with approximately three coats of creamy "Cottage White" paint.

New foam cushions were cut for each chair.

Burlap coffee sacks were used for the seat upholstery fabric.  First they are steam ironed which softens the fabric and removed the wrinkles. 

I then cut the burlap coffee sacks to the correct size using a template made from kraft paper.

Once the burlap is cut to size, I then cut a lining fabric to the exact size/shape.

The lining fabric is then sewn to the burlap creating nice neat edging all the way around.

The seat upholstery fabric is then fitted overtop the foam cushion and tacked into place on the underside of the chair.

As illustrated in the above photos, each seat cushion is unique, and as a set, they are not only function and attractive, they will make for a great conversation piece in your home. These solid oak chairs are build to last the ages, and now they are completely refurbished with a new lease on life.