Sprucing Up Old G Plan Dining Chairs

My beloved G Plan dining chairs were an awesome find from The Modern Show last year held at Dulwich College, SE London. I wasn’t necessarily in the market for new dining chairs but as soon as I saw the perfect mix of teak and dark wood I knew I had to have them! Luckily, my husband and I had travelled in his roomy work van so our impromptu purchase didn’t incur any hefty delivery charges.

The only thing I didn’t love about them was the original fabric that was covering each of the seats: a rather itchy cord material in dark grey with large white spots (extremely retro, but not in a good way).  I knew that re-covering them would be a fairly simple job and I have been textile hunting ever since.

And then there I was in John Lewis last week, just browsing in the haberdashery (as you do), when I saw it...An art deco style fan patterned fabric in navy. It had a slight stretch to it too which is great quality to look for when re-upholstering. It wasn’t a bad price either at £10 per meter (especially as I only needed one).

To cover 4 chairs:

 

1m fabric
Scissors
Slotted screwdriver
Staple gun
Staples (13/6mm)

I began by using a screwdriver to release the screws and remove the seats. I was going to get rid of the old fabric but decided against it as I didn’t know what condition the padding would be in underneath and had visions of being covered in stuffing.

I trimmed around the seat, following the contours, leaving about 5-7cm clearance. I then made two small cuts at each ‘corner’ and fixed these with a staple.

To keep the fabric from bunching, I placed a loose staple to attach the fabric at the centre of each of the sides. Working out from that centre point towards each corner, I used the ‘stretch and pleat’ method, stapling as I went. If I noticed some gaping then I simply cut a vertical slit (4cm) in the excess fabric so that it could be easily overlapped and fixed with a staple.

I worked my way round in the same way – working from the centre, out to the corners – stretching, pleating and stapling as I went. I then checked that everything looked smooth and not ‘bunched’ from the top of the seat and threw in some extra staples for good measure.

I re-attached the seats by inserting and tightening the screws. (I removed the screws again shortly after, as I wanted to trim away the excess material that wasn’t visible at all but was driving me crazy because ‘I knew it was there’ and re-attached them for the second time).

So there you go – easy! Just three more chairs to go...

The Wedding Detox - Store Cupboard Ingredients for Healthy Eating

In the months leading up to my wedding I did what most brides to and began to be more disciplined with my calorie intake and decided to exercise a little more frequently (I even took part in ‘boot camp’ style classes early on a Saturday morning). I was fairly happy with my figure to begin with and didn’t want to make any drastic changes, especially as my dress had been altered to fit like a glove, but knew that this was the one day when I wanted to look and feel at my absolute best.

In the final week before the big day I decided to follow a detox plan by Dietitian, Juliette Kellow. I had discovered it quite a few months earlier and remembered having some noticeable results; I’d lost a few pounds, felt lighter and trimmer, my skin was clearer and I seemed to have lots more energy. All boxes ticked!

I would like to highlight that this isn’t one of those crazy ‘eat nothing but pepper and lemon juice for three weeks’ fads that had been very popular a few years ago (mainly because of a particularly bootylicious babe that shall remain unnamed!). It is intended to be followed for only seven days and shouldn’t leave you short of nutrients as all of the components are natural, wholesome food sources. It’s pretty easy to follow as it’s separated in to ‘foods to include’ and ‘foods to avoid’ (red meat, caffeine and alcohol to name a few – ouch! But hey, it’s only seven days). The ‘foods to include’ list is quite extensive and incorporates a mix of fresh produce as well as dried and canned ingredients.

If you’re looking to detox then take a look, but I’d like to run through some of the elements of the plan that I still consider ‘essentials’ in my day-to-day diet.  I found these items to be extremely versatile, and always having them stored in the pantry means that I’m never too far from a healthy meal – so no excuses!

Nuts and seeds – My favourites are cashews and almonds but all variations are great. Add them to stir fries, as salad toppings, or roasted and enjoyed as a snack. Flax seeds are a good alternative to Chia seeds when added to smoothies and cereals. Nut butters are also a favourite for thickening smoothies and adding protein.

Brown rice – including pasta and noodles made from brown rice flour. The possibilities are endless.

Pulses and beans – dried or canned (in water only, not brine). These can be the main protein source for a soup or curry, or blended and made in to a dip. Try roasting chickpeas in spices like I did here.

Canned vegetables – A humble can of tomatoes can be the basis of a sauce for pretty much any meal; chilli, lasagne, curry, pasta, soup. These canned sweet cherry tomatoes are a little pricier, but well worth it!

Honey – as sugar is on the ‘avoid’ list, honey is the next best thing. I like to include Manuka honey in teas, salad dressings and sauces (and anywhere else you would normally add a pinch of sugar). It doesn’t have to be Manuka, but I like added benefits that come with it.

Coconut Oil – A wonder ingredient. Full stop.

Rye Bread - This is a great alternative to bread made from wheat. It does take some getting used to but it's nice and filling - and better once toasted and topped with avocado and salmon, or with peanut butter. It can be a vessel for both sweet or savoury fillings.

Stock and spices – When cooking, I use lots of fresh and dried herbs and spices. I try to avoid using large amounts of salt – although I do use pink Himalayan salt – but don’t want my food to be lacking in flavour. These Kallo vegetable stock cubes are great as they are organic and low in sodium. A can of coconut milk is another cupboard hero of mine.


I do, of course, shop for fresh ingredients every few days but when doing a ‘big shop’ I like to buy two of every item mentioned above so that I know have the basis of a healthy meal to hand.

Let me know what your store cupboard heroes are.