Sometimes a project doesn’t start with a chair. It starts with a feeling.

My client knew one thing immediately — she wanted blue and white. Not just liked it. It lit her up. And when a client lights up like that? That’s where I begin. Because great upholstery design isn’t about following trends — it’s about making something that feels completely like them.

Setting the foundation: Benjamin Moore Linen White

Before a single yard of fabric gets cut, I paint. I grounded all four French balloon back chairs in my go-to creamy white — Benjamin Moore Linen White. It’s warm, soft, and never stark. Think of paint like the frame around a painting: its job is to support the star, not compete with it. If you’re ever wondering what white to paint chairs before reupholstering, this is the one.

Step 1: Always choose your hero fabric first

If you take one thing from this post, take this:

For these chairs, we chose Lansdale Bouquet by Schumacher — and oh my goodness, this fabric. It tells a story. Peacocks. Florals. Vases. Little moments tucked into every inch. This isn’t just upholstery fabric. It’s art you can sit on.

Step 2: Make each chair feel collected, not matchy

Here’s where the real craft comes in. Instead of centering the same motif on every chair, I moved the pattern intentionally. One chair features the peacock. Another highlights the vase. Another leans into the florals. So while they coordinate beautifully, they don’t feel factory-made.

And to top it off, I used the stripe fabric for the welt cord on top. This adds more whimsy.

 

Step 3: The seat fabric — where most people get stuck

Now the real design question: what do we do on the seats? We looked at large-scale patterns, medium checks, bold stripes. All beautiful… and all competing with the Schumacher print above. When your hero fabric is already telling a story, you don’t need another loud voice in the room.

We had so many choices.

So we pulled back. We chose the fine blue and white pinstripe — and that’s the magic of mixing upholstery patterns by scale. The pinstripe adds interest and grounds the chair, all while letting the bouquet print stay the star.

Small pattern on the seat, large pattern on the back. Every time.

Step 4: Add the skirt — because why not have a little fun?

My client wanted a skirt, and you know I’m never going to say no to that. A ruffled skirt in the matching pinstripe softens the whole silhouette. It adds movement, a wink of personality, and that layer of handmade detail that makes a reupholstery project feel truly bespoke. Skirted dining chairs are having a major moment right now — and this set is exactly why.

The finished set? Four chairs that feel cohesive, collected, full of personality — and completely unique to her. No two are exactly the same, but together they tell one beautiful story.

Now I want to know, which part is your favorite? The peacock, the vase, the florals?

If you love blue chairs, check out my last blog showing another set. I’m sure you’ll love them!