There’s something so charming about a thrifted find, especially when it has just enough character to become something truly beautiful. These sweet green dining room chairs had incredible bones, but the multi-colored primary striped cushions felt a bit too loud for a soft, coastal cottage look and the early 2000’s vibe jut didn’t quite fit our home decor! I don’t consider myself an expert DIYer, but our project to recover thrifted chairs on a budget has ended up being one of my favorite DIY projects ever!
With a little creativity (and the most budget-friendly fabric hack), they’re now fresh, airy, and cohesive with that relaxed Serena & Lily-inspired style and grandmillennial coastal decor
that I love so much. Now, the vintage Lexington Chippendale dining room chairs feel light, layered, and effortlessly pretty with the vintage cottage design elements that make this style fit our home aesthetic.
Let me show you exactly how we transformed them with a few simple steps, a low budget, and a little elbow grease.
Thrifting With the Gals
Before I share this simple and budget-friendly DIY project, let me introduce you to Thrifting With the Gals! Each month, I am honored to join this talented group of bloggers. We all love a great thrifted find, DIY project, easy decorating tips, and styling our vintage treasures. Most of all, we love sharing these ideas with you!
At the end of this post, you can find a sneak peek at what each of my friends are sharing this month along with a clickable photo to take you straight to their blog. You won’t want to miss any of their ideas! Since we are spread out across the country, there is always a lot of fun variety and inspiration that you can apply to your own decor style.
- Lora from Create and Ponder
- Rachel from The Pond’s Farmhouse
- Ann from Dabbling and Decorating
and me!
Please make sure to visit their blog posts today and don’t forget to pin their posts to your Pinterest boards for future reference!
Okay, let’s get back to my thrifted find. I can’t wait to show you the easy transformation of these gorgeous dining room chairs!
The Chairs: Vintage Lexington Chippendale Rattan (and Why They’re So Special)
Before we even talk about fabric and paint, let’s take a moment for these chairs—because they’re truly something special and one of my favorite thrifted finds of all time.
These are vintage Lexington Chippendale rattan dining room chairs, and they are such a beautiful blend of classic design and coastal texture.
A Little History & Style
I had to do a little research and quickly found out why I love these chairs and style so much.
The Chippendale style dates back to the 18th century, known for:
- Elegant lines
- Intricate details
- Timeless silhouettes
When brands like Lexington Furniture began reinterpreting this style in the mid-to-late 20th century, they introduced more relaxed materials, like rattan and wicker. These elements made these traditional shapes feel lighter, breezier, and perfect for coastal and cottage style homes.
That combination is what makes these chairs so unique:
- The structure is classic and refined.
- The material is casual and coastal.
It’s the best of both worlds.
Why They Hold Value
Pieces like these are highly sought after because:
- They’re solid, well-made pieces of furniture (no particle board here!)
- The design is timeless and never really goes out of style.
- Rattan adds warmth and texture that works in so many homes and with so many design styles.
- They blend beautifully with trends like coastal cottage and grandmillennial home decor, which fits my decor style so perfectly.
A beautiful set like this can often resell anywhere from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars depending on condition and market demand, which makes them a great thrifted find.
Our Find
I found a set of six chairs with a glass-top dining table at a local thrift store, such a great score for our dining space. Now, I’ll be honest that this Lexington Chippendale set wasn’t a steal of a deal. However, compared to the cost of even much lesser-quality dining room chairs, they were a great price.
Since we only needed the chairs for our dining area, we sold the table on Facebook Marketplace (which helped offset the cost of the entire set a little bit, always a win)!
And honestly? The chairs were the real treasure all along.
A Budget-Friendly Fabric Hack You’ll Want to Try
Instead of traditional upholstery fabric, I used an indoor/outdoor light blue check tablecloth. It might be my favorite trick yet. I originally started my search for outdoor fabric sold in typical yards. Not only was I not finding exactly the color and pattern I wanted, but the fabric was a lot more money than I wanted to spend.
Insert: outdoor tablecloth! The fabric is easy to work with and most of all, easy to maintain. Plus, it was super inexpensive. THIS is the tablecloth that I purchased. I already knew I loved it because I had the same tablecloth in my table linens drawer to use when we entertain outdoors!
Why it works:
- Durable and family-friendly
- Easy to clean with proper care
- More affordable than buying so much material from a fabric store
- Already gives that soft, coastal pattern we love
That gentle blue check instantly softened the fabric of our chairs and brought in that breezy, cottage feel.
Tip: Using patterned fabric like this also helps disguise everyday wear while keeping your home decor feeling elevated and relaxed.
Step-by-Step: How to Recover Thrifted Chair Cushions
This upholstery project is one of those beginner-friendly DIY projects that feels intimidating, but really isn’t. With the right upholstery tools and just a little time, you’ll be amazed at how simple it is to transform old dining chairs into something beautiful again.
Step 1: Remove the Seat
The first step is to turn the chair upside down and unscrew the chair seat from the chair base.
Set the screws aside carefully so they don’t get lost.
Step 2: Separate the Cushion from the Frame
Next, unscrew the wood chair frame from the seat base.
You can use a staple remover if you want to remove the old fabric, but if the existing material and seat pads are still in good condition, you can often staple directly over it like we did.
Check the underside of the seat and the underside of the cushion to locate all staples and hardware before moving to the next step.
IF the old padding is uneven or ripped, you will want to add a few steps here to put in new foam. While this extends the entire process, good seat padding is important for comfortable dining room chairs that will last you for daily use over a long period of time.
Fortunately, our chairs had obviously not been used much. The foam was still very thick, comfortable, and in great condition! However, if you need to replace the foam for your cushions, you’ll want to pause and add a few steps to have comfortable extra padding for your dining room chairs.
Step 3: Center & Staple Your Fabric
Next, lay the new fabric flat on the floor or table and place the cushion centered on top.
If needed, use a small center mark to keep your pattern aligned. My gingham pattern was easy to keep straight. Thank goodness for easy, straight lines, right?!?!
Then place the seat upside down onto the fabric and begin stapling the entire seat.
- Pull the fabric tightly as you go
- Keep your lines straight
- Staple one side first, then move to the opposite side
- Continue working around the cushion evenly
This helps create a smooth, professional-looking stretched cover.
We used our old staple gun, which worked just fine. However, you could also use an electric staple gun, which would make this process incredibly fast and easy.
Step 4: Fold the Corners
To create smooth corners, fold the fabric like you’re wrapping a gift box.
Pull tightly and staple securely around the seat bottom.
Then carefully trim extra fabric while making sure not to cover the screw holes needed for reassembly.
Step 5: Reattach the Frame
Once the fabric is secure, screw the wood frame back onto the cushion.
If your cushions need extra support, you can also add new padding or a fresh foam pad before attaching the fabric.
A sewing machine isn’t even necessary for this project, which is one reason I love it so much.
Step 6: Refresh the Chair Color
To bring everything together, we had the chairs painted a fresh, soft green inspired by the Serena & Lily palette.
Think:
- Coastal greens and blues
- Muted, nature-inspired tones
- Soft and welcoming, never harsh
This small update completely transformed each piece of furniture and gave the chairs that polished coastal cottage decor look.
Step 7: Reassemble
Finally, place the refreshed chair cushions back onto the chair frames and secure them underneath.
Seeing the completed chair cushions against the soft green paint completely transformed the look of our dining table and made the entire room feel brighter and more collected.
Styling the Table: Coastal Cottage Charm
Once the chairs were finished, the table needed a moment too, with simple, layered, and relaxed coastal dining table styling ideas.
Here’s how I styled it and how you can create this exact look for your own dining table:
- A neutral woven table runner with light blue trim for texture
- A thrifted chinoiserie pot from FB marketplace in the center
- Three tall orchids for height and elegance
- A white wicker lantern on each side for balance and softness
The result is that perfect mix of:
And the best part? It all feels collected and curated over time, with a comfortable mix of old and new.
Why This Look Works
This transformation is a simple reminder that:
- You don’t need expensive materials to create a high-end look.
- Soft color palettes instantly elevate a space.
- Mixing thrifted finds with new and vintage pieces is a great way to create a collected style all your own.
- Chinoiserie home decor ideas are timeless and easy to find right now in thrift stores and antique shops.
Whether you’re updating one chair or an entire set, budget-friendly projects like this are a wonderful way to breathe new life into vintage treasures while creating the aesthetic you love for your home.
FAQ: People Also Ask
What are Lexington Chippendale chairs worth?
Vintage Lexington Chippendale rattan chairs can range widely in value, often from a few hundred dollars to over $1,000 for a full set, depending on condition, finish, and current demand.
Why are Chippendale-style chairs popular again?
The timeless silhouette of Lexington Chippendale chairs blends beautifully with modern styles like coastal cottage, grandmillennial, and traditional design, making them incredibly versatile.
What fabric is best for reupholstering dining chairs?
Indoor/outdoor upholstery fabric is one of the best choices because it’s durable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean, perfect for everyday use. It is also great for a budget-friendly home decor DIY like we did with these vintage rattan dining chairs.
Can you use a tablecloth to reupholster chairs?
Yes! A tablecloth is a budget-friendly alternative to traditional upholstery materials and often comes in beautiful patterns that work perfectly for DIY chair makeovers. It’s a great option for budget upholstery ideas and easy upholstery projects for beginners (like us!)
Do you need to remove old fabric before reupholstering?
Not always. If the original material is smooth and secure, you can often place the new fabric directly over the existing layer like we did for this thrifted chair makeover project.
How do you get smooth corners when upholstering?
Fold the fabric like wrapping a present, keeping the folds tight and symmetrical before stapling.
What paint color works best for coastal cottage furniture?
Soft greens, pale blues, warm whites, and sandy neutrals all work beautifully for a coastal cottage aesthetic with Serena and Lily style decor. THIS post is full of ideas to use a soft color palette of light blue and green tones for cottage style home decorating.
Even though we wouldn’t win any awards for perfection on this budget-friendly thrifted chair makeover project, I am so thrilled with the finished upholstery product and how the dining room chairs look in our vintage, coastal cottage style space. The whole dining area feels so fresh and it makes me smile when I walk through this room now!
If you’d like more ideas for how to incorporate coastal cottage decor into your own home, you can find some of my favorites along with color and pattern inspiration HERE on my storefront.
Before you head off to take on your own budget-friendly DIY project, make sure to visit the other Thrifting With the Gals today for even more ideas and inspiration. You’ll love these great blog posts the ladies are sharing today!
- Lora from Create and Ponder
- Rachel from The Pond’s Farmhouse
- Ann from Dabbling and Decorating
You may also enjoy the following coastal cottage inspired home decor blog posts:
- 10 Easy Coastal Cottage Kitchen Decorating Ideas
- Coastal Grandmillennial Spring Home Decor: A Fresh Take on Timeless Style
- 34 Easy Ideas for the Coastal Grandmother Home Decor Style
- 21 Ways to Decorate a Living Room with Coastal Beach Decor
- How to Make Coastal Farmhouse Decorating Easy
- How to Decorate with Soft Color Palettes of Blue and Green
- Simple Patriotic Decorating Ideas for Summer Under Five Dollars
- 9 Easy Tips to Mix New and Vintage Home Decor Pieces
- How to Decorate for Summer: 34 Ideas to Thrift for Summer Decor
