I rescued this green chair (left) from my husband’s great grandmother’s basement nearly 10 years ago. Despite the skeptical looks I got from family and friends, I was determined to turn it into something pretty.

A small can of gray paint, a couple of yards of fabric from Ikea, a roll of cotton batting and a staple gun were all I needed to convert this retro chair into a modern seat for our eclectic living room.

The first step was to detach the base from the back. It took a little while since the bolts were rusted shut, but after a little elbow grease I was lightly sanding and painting the wood legs a medium shade of gray. Once the paint was dry, it was time to tackle the worn green leather. Instead of completely reupholstering the chair, I simply covered the seat and back with cotton batting (for extra cushion) and then fresh fabric. I chose a black linen to keep the chair versatile.

Now this retro heirloom has a place front and center in our living room. A far cry from the dark basement is sat in for tens of years!