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Upcycle an Old Chair Into a Mossy Garden Centerpiece
A charming addition to photo shoots or a garden art display, this cottage-inspired moss chair looks straight out of a fairy tale.
This upcycled moss chair is the statement piece your garden or Instagram-worthy photo spread has been missing. If you’re a fan of all things whimsical and antique, this is the DIY for you.
Materials Needed
- salvaged upholstered wooden chair
- pliers
- spray paint
- orbital sander
- hardware cloth
- tin snips
- plastic drop cloth
- staple gun + staples
- coconut liner
- hot glue gun + sticks
- sheet moss
- peel and stick moss
- scissors
- creeping jenny
- Scotch moss
- ajuga
- creeping wire vine
- sphagnum moss
- upholstery nails
- rubber mallet
Prep Chair
Start by pulling all of the existing upholstery materials off of the seat and back of your chair. If there is a fabric bottom, feel free to leave this, but it is not entirely necessary. Next, wearing the proper safety gear, spray paint the chair in your desired color and distress with a sander.
Create Base for Plants
Shain Rievley
Cut a piece of hardware cloth the length and width of the base of the chair, plus three inches on all sides. Cut a three-inch slit in each corner of the cloth, then fold up and staple the corners to create a box. Place a piece of plastic (we used a plastic drop cloth) between the hardware cloth and the chair and staple both to the chair. Line with a coconut liner and begin to add your plants.
Add Plants
Shain Rievley
Shain Rievley
Shain Rievley
Start by lining the outside of the mesh with sheet moss. Use hot glue to hold the moss in place or use peel-and-stick moss where possible. Fill the seat with an assortment of plants including scotch moss, creeping jenny, ajuga and creeping wire vine.
Plant Chair Back
Shain Rievley
Shain Rievley
Shain Rievley
If your chair has an upholstered back, staple coconut liner in place of the removed upholstery. Before adding final staples, stuff the liners with sphagnum moss soaked overnight. Cut slits in the liner and plant the same plants used in the seat on the front of the chair, then glue various types of moss to the back hot glue. Use peel and stick moss to fully cover any visible coconut liner.
Trim and Water
Once your chair is fully planted, finish off by trimming around the seat with peel and stick moss and adding upholstery nails on each corner for a bespoke look. Take the chair outside and give all plants a light watering. Mist moss regularly and water plants with a gentle shower when soil starts to feel dry.
Shain Rievley
