How to Make Chairs Look Country

Knowing how to transform a basic furniture item like a chair into something that fits a country decor is a money-saving trick that can add real splash to a room. Basic items like chairs can be converted from one decorating style to another with a bit of imagination, creativity and simple supplies. Weather you are changing the entire theme of your home or just adding some country charm, one of the best places to start is by changing the look of a chair.

• 1

  Decide on the goal of your chair makeover. Ask yourself a few questions so you know the method of changing the chair that will work best to achieve your goal. Will the chair be used often? Is it simply a focal point that won't receive much wear and tear? Do you want to change the chair back to its original look at some point? Answer these questions and you'll know which of the methods described in Steps 2 through 5 will work for you.

• 2

  Paint the chair if it is wood or wicker. A chair without fabric on it is easy to paint and can be finished in a day.Set the chair on a drop cloth to protect the surroundings. Roughly scuff up the surface of the chair with sandpaper to help the paint adhere better. Wipe off the sanding dust with a rag. Paint the chair with a good-quality paint as recommended by a professional at your paint or home improvement store. Allow the chair to dry. Repeat with another coat if necessary.

• 3

  Distress a chair to make it look like it has been through years of use. This is a fun and easy project that takes a short amount of time. Place a wood chair on a drop cloth. Soften the wood edges of the chair with sandpaper. This will remove some of the stain color or urethane coating on the chair, which is what you want. Add nicks and dings to the wood with a hammer to give it a weathered look. Start with very gentle strokes of the hammer to determine the correct amount of pressure. Decide on the amount of distress you want. Make gouges in nicks in the wood with the end of a screwdriver, if desired. Wipe down the chair with a damp rag to remove any remaining dust.

• 4

  Add a ruffled chair cushion. Ruffles in all sizes add instant country charm to any item, especially a chair. Look for ready-made ruffled chair cushions in home decor stores, big-box stores and on country decor websites. These cushions normally secure to the chair with ties, so they are easily installed and removed.

• 5

  Mix fabrics on an upholstered chair for a custom country look. Have the chair reupholstered in country theme fabrics such as checks, ticking stripes, floral prints and mini prints. Mix two prints on one chair -- for example, put a floral fabric on the inside of the chair and a striped fabric on the outside. Add a contrasting fabric for the cording. The more mixing you do, the more country the chair will look. This choice is the most expensive option for transforming a chair due to the cost of the fabric and the labor to have it upholstered.