Today, the kitchen in many apartments has become the most lived-in and favorite place: not only do people dine here with the whole family, but they often receive guests, have business conversations, and discuss the latest news with neighbors. That is why the kitchen corner, which decorates most kitchens, quickly loses its attractive appearance: the fabric on the seats wears out, becomes faded, and begins to tear. The structural elements become loose and fragile.
Kitchen fumes also do their job, negatively affecting the strength of the material from which the seats and backrests are made, as well as the condition of the filler. It gradually becomes saturated with moisture, falls down, loses its softness and elasticity, which means that the kitchen corner needs urgent help.
It can be provided by inviting a specialist who will perform all restoration and repair work. But it will bring great joy to the household if the home craftsman does the upholstery of the kitchen corner with his own hands.
Content
Benefits of DIY Repairs
Restoration and restoration work of the kitchen corner, due to its simple design, does not present any difficulties not only for an experienced, but even for a novice home craftsman. He will quickly master the intricacies of re-upholstering furniture in the kitchen. But in addition to pride in the work done independently and the admiration of the family, do-it-yourself repairs have other advantages:
- significant savings to the family budget;
- consolidation of repair skills;
- the ability to plan work time;
- choice of upholstery material to suit your taste.
We decide on the design and construction
Kitchen corners differ in different sizes and configurations. When reconstructing furniture, you can use your own design solutions and even try to make structural changes. To improve the design of the kitchen corner, to bring an element of freshness and comfort will help:
- using materials for backrests and seats of different, possibly contrasting colours;
- changing the overall shape of kitchen furniture;
- use of leatherette with decorative buttons on the backs.
No less effective can be a partial change to the usual design, which can be achieved through:
- changes in the configuration of the dining table;
- use of wooden panels on the backs of sofas;
- applications for glass, plastic, marble countertops;
- remaking chairs into light, elegant stools;
- abandonment of semi-soft seats and backs and the use of a completely wooden base;
- production of original armrests and semi-soft cushions and others.
Necessary materials
To implement kitchen corner restoration plans in a short time and enjoy the work, you need to make sure that all the necessary materials are prepared in advance. The master will need:
- upholstery
- foam rubber
- cardboard
- plywood
- glue
- fittings.
Among the upholstery materials, the most popular are jacquard, artificial leather, velour, tapestry, flock. Genuine leather is also used for re-upholstery, but it is the most expensive, although almost the most durable. In order for the fabric to last longer, you need to give preference to a dense and soft material.
Foam rubber is traditionally used as a filler when restoring kitchen corners. Moreover, the denser and higher it is, the more voluminous and comfortable the seats and backs will be.
Furniture cardboard is used to align seams, and plywood may be needed to replace damaged frame elements.
You will need special glue: it is needed for gluing the foam rubber.
Necessary tools
Although furniture reupholstery is considered a simple task, it is nevertheless important to have all the necessary tools at hand.
- staple remover – for removing staples from furniture, although a regular knife can also be used;
- fabric cutting scissors;
- hammer and mallet;
- machine for sewing covers;
- open-end wrenches for dismantling the frame;
- furniture stapler for attaching new upholstery;
- pliers;
- crayons and a pencil.
This is the minimum and necessary set of tools, which you cannot do without when restoring and updating a kitchen corner. Other tools may be needed to perform restoration and recovery work, but their use will depend on their complexity.
Manufacturing process: step-by-step instructions
When starting to reupholster a kitchen corner, you need to clearly think through the order of actions and follow the outlined plan. The work is carried out as follows.
| Type of work | Description |
| The old upholstery is removed | Using a staple remover or knife, carefully remove the staples holding the upholstery. |
| The old filler is removed | It is usually glued to a wooden or plywood base. It is removed quite easily, the remains are scraped off with a knife. |
| Patterns are made for re-upholstering the seats and backrests | Thick paper will do for them, but thin cardboard is better. Making patterns is not difficult: if the old upholstery is carefully removed, it needs to be straightened (or ironed) and traced, including allowances. You need to cut out the template and the fabric blank for the upholstery carefully so as not to spoil the material. If the old fabric is damaged, it can still be used, but you need to work with it very carefully.
|
| Sewing covers | They can be made by hand, but it is long and not easy, because the fabric for them is thick, and it is difficult to sew by hand. Therefore, it is best to use a sewing machine.
|
| Strengthening foam rubber | To do this, use a construction knife or scissors to cut out foam rubber elements using a pattern made of thick paper or thin cardboard, which will make the backs and seats soft. The base is coated with glue, onto which the foam rubber "sits".
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| Strengthening the covers with new upholstery | They are carefully pulled over the seats and backs and secured with staples using a stapler. It is worth paying attention to the neatness of the fastenings of the covers, so the work should be done slowly. |
The final stage is decoration
Many DIYers believe that reupholstering a kitchen corner is only half the battle. It should not only be durable, but also pleasing to the eye, uplifting and creating a cozy, good atmosphere. Decorating restored furniture can bring it. And here there are no limits to imagination; moreover, other household members can join in this exciting activity. A variety of techniques can be used for decoration:
- decorating the backs of sofas or chairs with decoupage:
- decorating with pillows in multi-colored covers;
- using pillows and semi-soft cushions as backs and armrests for sofas if the corner is pushed close to the wall;
- using blankets as additional decoration;
- ornaments cut from thin plywood and painted according to the design or simply varnished can be carefully glued or nailed with small nails;
- the use of various decoration methods, including foil patterns, inserts made of genuine leather and suede;
- making covers for chairs and sofas in macrame or knitted style,
- decorating homemade rollers with tassels and fringe,
and other methods of decoration that depend only on aesthetic preferences and ideas about beauty and convenience.
