Simple Desk Idea: Boho Style Chair And Painted Table

Pair a small table and vanity chair to use as a desk. To make the desk set cool give the chair a Boho style seat cover and paint the table a deep rich color. I have all the project details and lots of photos for you plus today is Furniture Fixer Upper Day and you know what that means!

This is one of those projects where I changed the plan several times and I’m glad I did. Replacing a wood chair with a vintage vanity chair was a great move. I found the table at my favorite junk shop and I think the price was $20. The table was the perfect size and height to make a great desk so I paired it with a wood chair I had in my furniture stash.

My first plan was to paint the table a soft gray and then give it a light whitewash finish. The chair was to be off-white with a drop cloth covered seat. Well, I painted the table with a gray color I had on hand and the color was too pale and to tell you the truth I wasn’t feeling the gray.

Moving on to plan number two. I decided to go with Miss Lillian’s No-Wax Chock Paint, color Graystone, for the table. I was also planning to whitewash the paint. The wood chair was still in the plan at this time with the color being off-white.

I brushed on two coats of the Graystone color, which is a lot more brownish than grayish, and then instead of whitewashing the paint I used a layering block to faux distress the table with a dark paint, giving the table an aged or antique paint finish.

The layering block (found here on Amazon) is such a fun tool. As the name implies it is a simple wood block. To use the layering block just apply a thin layer of paint to the block surface and then run the block over the painted furniture.

Any raised details or lumps and bumps on the furniture will be covered with the dark paint. You can layer a lot of paint or a little paint. In this case I decided to layer the paint lightly. I could have used white paint instead of dark paint but that would have resulted in a totally different look.

At this point the wood chair I picked to go with the table just didn’t feel right. Too conventional for  me. The vanity chair in the photo above has been sitting in our family room for a few years. I think I bought it at a local vintage/flea market shop and I don’t remember the price. But…..I decided with a new seat cover the chair would look great with the table.

Taking the seat off of the chair was as simple as removing three screws.

Now this is the best part. The fabric for the seat cover is actually a skirt I bought at Goodwill several years ago. I spotted the skirt hanging on the rack from all the way across the store. The design and the pretty colors caught my eye.

The skirt was not my size, way too small, but I knew I could work the fabric into a project at some point and I did. You can see the earlier project here….Metallic Copper Furniture Makeover

Re-covering a simple chair seat like this one is super easy. It isn't anything like upholstering a whole chair. You guys should give it a try if you have chairs with outdated fabric seats. Just cut the fabric large enough to fold over to the back of the seat and staple down.

Always staple opposing sides first and pull the fabric taut. You can see a complete seat covering tutorial here…..How To Paint An Oak Table And Re-Cover Chair Seats With A Drop Cloth

It’s a bit different covering a round seat compared to a rectangular or square seat but the technique is the same. When the fabric design is really bold be sure and decide what part of your design you want to showcase before cutting the fabric! This is important. You can see I made the floral design in the blue area the centerpiece of the seat although I did not center it on the seat.

Do you like this desk idea? The boho style chair and the wood table have a fun eclectic look. Very different from the typical desk and chair. Perfect for a ladies writing desk.

The detail in the table apron highlighted using the layering block is a standout.

The original black vinyl fabric on the chair seat is still there and undamaged. I wasn’t sure how the new seat fabric would look because of the piping around the top of the vinyl seat but it’s fine.

Leave a quick note before taking off on the tour or email me at kathy@petticoatjunktion.com with any thoughts. Just click the text links below the “before” makeovers photo collage to take the Furniture Fixer Upper Tour……

Furniture Fixer Upper Tour
Oak Drop Leaf Side Table Makeover - Confessions of a Serial DIY'er
Salvaged Settee Bench - Salvaged Inspirations
How To Paint A Desk - Girl In The Garage
Simple Desk Idea: Boho Style Chair And Painted Table - Petticoat Junktion (you are here)

Video showing how to re-cover chair seats......

As always thanks for being here and have a great day, Kathy

Kathy Owen

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Author: Kathy Owen
Kathy Owen is the founder of the home decor blog Petticoat Junktion where she shares tutorials on painting furniture and upcycling thrifty finds into unique home décor. Her DIY projects have been featured on the Home Depot Blog, Plaid Crafts, Behr Designer Series, and in numerous magazines. Kathy’s newest website is HappyHomeDIY.com