It’s easy to revamp an old chair into a fresh, modern piece of furniture that can add a splash of colour to any room. The key is to be adventurous and to move away from the more obvious safe colours and fabrics.

There are fantastic fabrics to choose from, silks, velvets, tweeds, faux fur, animal prints or abstract designs. As for the colour, the choice is endless. Take the chair pictured below. Recently rescued from potentially ending up as firewood, it was decided that it needed a ‘new look’.

First the chair was sanded down and cleaned. One coat of green Dulux undercoat was then applied and left to dry following the recommendations on the tin. Once dry, the chair was painted in a final satinwood green coat and left to dry for 24 hours.

Next was the ‘seat’ of the chair. The old tapestry material was stripped off and replaced with a modern ‘zebra print’ material, retaining the old wadding underneath. The new material was then carefully stapled into place using an upholstery staple gun and the seat was formed.

The paint used for the final coat is from the Colourtrends range and is available in any home decor shop. Most decor shops stock a suitably sufficient selection of paints and if you have any queries just ask the staff. The material was purchased in KA international, Blackrock, or alternatively Murphy Sheehy in Castle Market, off South William Street, stock an excellent range of fabrics that offer huge potential to be creative.

Auction rooms are a good place to find cheap items that can be transformed into something contemporary. Friends or neighbours, too, are often keen to get rid of old, unwanted pieces of furniture. Try using fabrics that blend in with curtains, rugs or wallpaper and don’t be afraid to use and mix vibrant colours.

Use your imagination, get creative and experiment. Move away from the predictable, be inspired and, most importantly, have fun.