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Monday, March 7, 2011

The Painted Chair {a shabby chic project}

Remember this chair?


My $30 purchase that I had every intention of re-upholstering but never found the energy or know-how.  The couch I tossed, the guy was supposed to send me the missing foot, but never did so it wasn't worth the keeping.  The chair, however I could not part with.  It has always been in my head to paint it.  This is a task that made me VERY nervous.  As a once avid watcher of Trading Spaces, I have seen many episodes where they end up in tears because the furniture was ruined because of such a project.

This weekend I started on the guest room and knew I wanted the chair in here.  I had only the intention of painting the dark wood trim white but found that once I did, the chair took on this mustard yellow color, much like the color of the foam in the above pic.  So I took a deep breath and said, what the heck, and started slathering away.

Here is my beloved chair now.


Fabulously white and shabby chic.    



A few things before you take a brush to your furniture.  

This is in no way perfect, but to me that is sort of the point in shabby chic.  It is also not intended for your everyday furniture.  The fabric is stiffer, but that is to be expected and softens in time, but you will not be pleased (and sending me hate mail) if you do your comfy living room couch.



It takes a lot of paint.  This chair took an entire quart.  The fabric just drinks it up and at one point I was tempted to pour the can of paint right over it, but refrained.  It also took two coats to get a true white.  


To really make the paint on the chair to hold up to buns on the seat, setting the paint with heat while wet (either a hair dryer or heat gun) is recommended.  It is ready to be used in 48 hours.


Overall, I am greatly pleased with the results.  Perfect for the direction I am going in this room. What guest wouldn't want to say here?!  Final reveal (which you are getting a teeeeeny sneek peak of) on that later when it is finished!!

Have a wonderful and inspired week!




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