Restore and Redesign a Retro Metal Chair: Screwdriver and Old Fabric Are All You Need

The metal chairs of the sixties and seventies can be a great touch to any mid-century, modern-style room. These are very easy to come by as well. So many people discard them by the road, give them to thrift stores (e.g. Goodwill, Salvation Army) or sell them for next-to nothing at garage sales. The construction of these nifty chairs is simple, thus making them very easy to redesign. So if you have access to one of these great chairs, a screwdriver or drill and a 3-by-3-foot piece of your favorite retro fabric, then you can create a great piece for your living space.

Removing the seat will be the first step. The seat is usually attached by way of a couple of brackets and screws on the underside of the seat. Just use your Philips screwdriver or drill bit to remove the screws and the brackets.

Here's a tip: sometimes the seats of these old chairs have begun to rust and that rust may have gotten to the screws. This can cause the screws to be a little stubborn when trying to unscrew them. If you have a screw that you cannot get to turn, try sticking the tip of a flathead screwdriver under the bracket and apply upward pressure. This will lift up on the screw head. While applying this pressure, try again to unscrew the screw. The upward pressure should help break through whatever is preventing the screw from turning and it will come loose.