Pick up a cheap chair from garage sale & give it a trendy makeover

Once a hallmark of the grade school experience, chalkboards are now a decidedly nostalgic -- and incredibly trendy -- design element. From chalkboard walls in kitchens used to make grocery lists or outline chores, to chalkboard chairs like this one gracing living rooms, it's clear that everyone loves a household item you can draw on.

If you have an old wooden folding chair collecting dust in a closet, don't just let it rot. Give it a much needed makeover, complete with new upholstery and a chalkboard finish that won't take nearly as long as you might imagine.

- Old wooden chair
- Chalkboard paint and brush
- Box cutters
- Needle-nose pliers
- Power drill
- Fabric for reupholstery
- Sanding block, fine grade
- Staple gun
- Scissors
- Power sander
- Glass jar
- Metal zip tie
- Dry erase marker
- Chalk

1. Fold the chair and lay it on a flat surface, so the bottom of the seat is facing upward.

2. Use the power drill to unscrew and remove the seat cushion, then use the box cutters and pliers to remove the top layer of fabric from that cushion.

3. Lay the new strip of upholstery fabric over the top of the cushion, then turn it over so the wooden bottom is facing up. With the staple gun, secure that new fabric all the way around the seat cushion, cutting off any excess as you go.

4. Set the newly upholstered cushion aside, and unfold the chair. With the power sander, completely sand down the chair; follow with a more gentler sanding with the sanding block.

5. Apply an even layer of chalkboard paint to the entire chair. Follow the paint with another gentle sanding with the sanding block to give the edges a vintage look.

6. Fold the chair, and place on a flat surface once again, this time positioning the updated seat cushion to be refastened. Using the power drill, attach the seat cushion to the chair once more.

7. Wrap the metal zip tie around the glass jar, and mark where it reaches all the way around. Attach the tie to the chair with the power drill, then place the jar in the center of the circle, and tighten around it.

8. Add chalk to the jar, unfold the chair, and get started with your blackboard art as you take a seat.