I have been wanting to embellish the backs of my dining chairs for a while, but couldn’t quite figure out what I wanted to do…until now! And you won’t believe how easy or inexpensive this update is!
I embellished all of the chairs in under 10 minutes for under $6 for all six chairs!
As you might have seen, I recently posted some updated pictures of my dining room.
I’ve posted photos of this room before, but I recently made four changes to this room that to me, have given it quite a different look!
- I replaced the old area rug with this new one from Target. Not only are the colors a better fit with my decor, but since it was inexpensive, I won’t cringe as much when I see our cat clawing it!
- I created a display with my serving platters in the corner. Details about the plate wall can be found {here}.
- I turned my Italian-style chandelier into a more French looking one with the addition of some crystal bling! {I’ll post more about this later in the week.}
- I embellished the backs of my dining chairs with numbers to give them a more customized look.
I have the Vintage French Round chairs from Restoration Hardware in my dining room, similar to the one shown below but in a different finish.
When you first walk into my home, my dining room is visible, and so the backs of the chairs are always on display. I’ve posted before about ideas for embellishing chairs for everyday use (post here) and from the photos, knew that I wanted to add numbers to the backs. I first considered vinyl numbers but then decided that even if I could get them to stick to the linen, I wouldn’t love the vinyl texture in my dining room.
Luckily, while browsing Michael’s not so long ago, I came across these small, wooden numbers and letters. That’s when inspiration struck! Here’s what I did:
Supplies
- Wooden N’s and O’s and numbers 1-6 {$0.29 each)
- Permanent Marker
- Glue Dots
Step 1:
Color the letters and numbers with permanent marker. I used black for my dining room, but keep in mind that the wood absorbs the color a bit so a black marker doesn’t necessarily translate to a rich black color on the wood. Paint would work as well, but I wanted something quick and easy that didn’t require any drying time.
Step 2:
Affix glue dots to the back.
Step 3:
Stick on the backs of the chairs and enjoy! It’s that simple!
You could of course use something more permanent to affix them to the chairs, but I tend to change my mind a lot and so want the option to remove them without damaging the fabric. Although my hubby thinks it’s a little odd that our chairs are numbered, I’m happy with the way they turned out and feel like my chairs now have a more custom look that is definitely more “me.”
Have you embellished or customized your chairs? I’m always on the lookout for new ideas and would love to hear what you’ve done!
P.S. – Additional photos of my dining room can be found {here}.
Sharing At: The Scoop – My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia – Savvy Southern Style – A Stroll Thru Life
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Love the numbers. Also the draoes are just beautiful. Were they custom or did you purchase?
Hi Mari,
Thank you so much! The drapes are from Half Price Drapes. Great quality and really reasonable prices! Here’s the aff. link: http://shrsl.com/iq7o
:) Kim
Thank you!
Gorgeous!
Just found your blog…can’t wait to look around!
Hi Jen – Thank you! I’m so glad you found me and took the time to leave a comment!
Sneaky! I love it! I change my mind too, so this is great!!
Nancy
wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com
Thank you, Nancy!
Hi Kim, what a fabulous idea and your chairs turned out beautifully. So glad I clicked over to get a better look.
Popping by from Kim’s Savvy Southern Style.
Lovely project.
Lisa – Thank you so much for stopping by from Savvy Southern Style and taking the time to leave a comment. I really appreciate it! :)
Wow! What a great idea and your chairs look fabulous! Great job and I love your style.
Tracy – Thank you!!
Love your chairs. Your dining room is so beautiful!!
Thank you so much, Mallori!
Such a great idea. I love the look.
Thank you, Kim!
nice ideas on the chair backs. I think the wood might fall of after awhile. Felt might work also. Got me thinking. Thanks!
AMAZING! What a wonderful way to bring lots of pizzazz to an already gorgeous dining room! Thanks so much for joining THE SCOOP! Pinning!
Hi Yvonne – Thank you *so* much!!!
So fun! I love the new look!
Thank you!
What a cute idea! Your dining room is so pretty!
Thank you, Kris! :)
I love the idea to be able to change up your decor by using the glue dots!
Me, too! Glue dots, double-sided tape, Sharpie and the hot glue gun are all staples in my house. :)
Your decor is so insperasional. As a first time homeowner I am trying to find my style which is vintage yet modern. With that said, your RH chairs mixed with the dark table – is so classic. The French vintage round chairs are on the top of my list, what finish are these?
Hi Jenn – Thank you! I’m *fairly* sure that my chairs are Brown Oak Drifted. They are distressed brown oak with a slight gray look.
I also love what I see on your site…I may be wrong but I think your N’s are upside down.
You could be right! I debated for the longest time about that…luckily, I can just pull them off and flip them over if I need to! :)
I found your lsite a few days ago…I’m hooked! I love your ideas and your style!
Janet – I’m so glad you found my site and are enjoying the posts! Thank you for reading…and for leaving a comment. I always appreciate comments. ;)
I love your dining room – especially your plate wall. Your new rug looks great too! And I love the crystals added to the chandelier – definitely gives it something. I like the “idea” of your chair numbers and your execution of them – but I’m sure I actually like them. It’s great they are permanent, especially on chairs from Restoration Hardware. You really have some great pieces – like your pitcher and silver vase. You seem to have a collection!
Thank you, Jennifer! The plate wall is one of my favorite things, too. Practical and decorative!!
Love this Kim. What a great idea. Thanks for the tutorial. Have a great start to the week.
Kris
Thank you, Kris!
Looks great…love this idea!
Thank you!
I luv the numbered French chairs. I too tend to change my mind often and have been wondering how I could get our monogram on the backs of the dining chairs in the sunroom without them being permanent. Thanks for showing me how.
Happy today!
I saw beautiful wooden letters at Michaels that were just a bit larger and would work beautifully as monograms. Good luck!
I love it, they look amazing. Such a fantastic idea and great tutorial. Hugs, Marty
Thank you, Marty!