Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Updating An Old Wooden Highchair

This is such a fun and simple project that is so smile-inducing it’s ridiculous.

updating-an-old-wooden-highchair

Remember this old highchair that I got from my mom almost a year ago, which she ate out of when she was a bambina? Well dude, I finally got on that.

Playroom High Chair

I had been waiting patiently to give it a little upgrade (it was covered in old paint splatters and smelled musty and smoky from a ton of years in storage) and now that Clara is big enough to sit in it without a lap belt, it was finally time to get ‘er done (after, you guessed it, sticking it in our playroom for at least eight months).

I debated a ton of “refinishing” options:

  • sanding and staining it
  • spraying it white or black for a classic look
  • going bright turquoise, navy, lime, yellow, or even a fun orange-red color

But in the end, I thought about the three places it would probably get used the most:

  • the dining room table
  • the kitchen peninsula
  • the living room table (the round pedestal one by the window where we sometimes eat)

So John and I had a little pow-wow and decided the finish that worked the best for those three rooms was…. bright happy yellow! How did we come to that conclusion? Well…

  • our front door is bright yellow and the dining room looks awesome when that door is open so you can see that pop of color (it’s also in our curtains)
  • we have a few happy yellow accessories in the kitchen and they look great against the grellow, gray, brown, and white backdrop
  • I carried these yellow horse heads into the living room and they looked so fun in the space

And so it was settled. I did my little pre-spray painting jig (oh spray paint, how do I love thee – let me count the ways) and brought the chair outside:

High Chair Unpainted

First came the spray priming step. I intentionally didn’t sand the chair at all because there were old paint splatters on it that I worried could be lead paint, since this chair is very very very old (haha, sorry for all the verys mom- you don’t look a day over 29!). So per the recommendation for lead paint, I let it lie and just opted to paint right over it. I applied three super thin and even coats of spray primer (more of a mist than a coat actually, and I always kept my hand moving and my nozzle around 8-12″ away from the chair – see more spray painting tips here).

High Chair White Primer

As for what I used, I actually went with my favorite spray paint with primer built in. It’s called Rustoleum Universal in the satin white color. I had a can on hand and have already used it as a primer under brightly colored spray paint with success (just because it has paint and primer doesn’t mean you can’t layer another color of spray paint on top of it and have that first few coats of primer/paint grab it and hold it for the long haul). So here’s how it looked after the white primer + paint was fully applied:

High Chair White

Then on went a few thin and even top coats of Sun Yellow, also by Rustoleum (from Home Depot) which I actually used on these horse heads and this box (I’m convinced it’s the perfect yellow color, which is harder to track down in spray paint form than you’d think).

High Chair Yellow Spray

After a few thin and even coats of that when I had nice solid coverage, I had this:

High Chair Yellow

I left it outside for two consecutive nice and sunny days so it could cure (bringing it into the sunroom overnight in case there was an unexpected storm or morning dew to contend with). After two days outside it was pretty much cured up, but I let it sit for another 48 hours in the sunroom with the windows open, just to be sure that it was nice and dry (and no longer smelled like spray paint) before bringing it inside.

By then the paint was hard and glossy – and fully ready for serious kid abuse (jumping the gun and using something that you’ve painted too soon is probably the number one way to end up with scrapes and dents in your paint job – especially when a toddler is in charge of quality control). So it was finally time for Clara to give it a try. I brought it into the corner of the living room before grabbing her after her nap so I could document her “discovery” when she came padding in and noticed it.

High Chair Done1

The good news is as soon as she saw it and I told her it was her new big girl chair she got crazy excited about it and tried to climb right up:

High Chair Done2

She needed a little mommy help to get up there, but she was definitely comfortable sitting in it. Here she is beaming like the proud big-girl-chair-owner that she is.

High Chair Done3

The kid was all smiles (and apparently still figuring out how to sit up straight in it, but she got the hang of that soon enough):

High Chair Done4

Then there was some happy singing (at a very high volume, but it was for a good cause):

High Chair Done5

It was at this point in The Presentation Of The Yellow Chair process that I wished I had something this exciting to give to her every day – or at least every month. She really was loving her big girl chair as much as any toy we’d ever given her. This is her face when daddy walked into the room to see her trying out her new chair.

High Chair Done6

Here are some detail shots because I can’t step. away. from. the. camera. See those shiny gleaming spots on the chair in the pic below? This is the beauty of gloss paint. It’s also super durable and wipeable since it has extra flex and shine in the formula. The only thing with gloss paint is that it shows imperfections more (they’ll gleam right along with the rest of it) so you’ll want to be extra careful about applying thin and even coats of primer and paint (you can even sand a drip down between coats if you get one).

High Chair Done7

Really, what’s a hand shot without a foot shot?

High Chair Done8

And how about a shot from above?

High Chair Done9

Oh yeah, and then this happened. A few rousing rounds of “Where’s Clara?”….

High Chair Done10

…. “there she is!” ensued.

High Chair Done11

So… victory! The girl loves her big girl chair and yellow just happens to be her current favorite color. At least today it is, but if you ask her tomorrow it might be pink. Although now that she has her new yellow chair, it might stick. And I showed my mom and she beamed, so apparently she’s in love with her old chair’s new life. She said yellow was the perfect color for Clara while still being friendly for a future kiddo of either sex and I didn’t even think about that so I’m glad it worked out. Haha. So a big thank you goes out to my mom for handing down such a charming little seat for the bean and encouraging us to make it our own with some happy color. It’s kind of amazing to think that three generations of our family have snacked on things while sitting in it (I also used it for a stint when I was younger). And you gotta love free hand-me-downs!

That’s what I got on this week for my Dude Get On That Already challenge. And it was a nice big item to remove from the playroom. Huzzah! I wish I could take photos of the playroom as my embarrassingly giant mess o’ things is reduced each week, but since we have secret book projects in the mix we’re not allowed to reveal those. Boo. Anyway, what highly overdue task have you guys tackled recently? Any chair makeovers or spray painting sprees going on? I think along with Ceramic Animals Anonymous I might need Spray Painters Anonymous…

Comments

  1. Heather says

    Such a great color and excellent paint job! But I’m more amazed at Clara- when did she turn into a toddler???? She’s a cutiepie!

    Reply

  3. Allison says

    Love it times a million! What beautiful gifts you make with love for the Bean. Pretty yellow beanbag ottomans and chairs. No wonder she is on a yellow kick. Hope she thanks her awesome mommy! Great work!

    Reply

  5. Ty Lee says

    I actually have that exact same shade and brand of yellow spray paint! It’s such a bold color that I have been too chicken to use it yet. But seeing you use it on a kids’ piece of furniture is perfect, and I don’t know why I didn’t once think of revamping something that belongs to one of my shortie-kins. It’s a total “Well, no duh!” sort of moment for me. Thanks for sharing, and it’s a super cute chair!

    Reply

  6. Theresa Rivers says

    WOW The yellow is great! I just re-did one for my daughter for her 1st birthday party on Satruday. It is a deep purple but you’re making me wish I did yellow haha. It’s great!

    Reply

  7. Theresa Rivers says

    p.s. do you use some sort-of sealer on your spray-painted projects? I don’t know much about spray paint and am wondering if it’s really necessary.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      When spray painting I prefer to use a gloss finish so I don’t have to add gloss, but when I’m painting larger pieces of furniture with a small foam roller that I really want to protect (like Clara’s dresser or a pedestal table that we eat at) I use SafeCoat Acrylacq (which is great because it’s low-VOC, non-toxic, and doesn’t yellow like some poly can).

      xo,
      s

  8. LIsa P says

    What a transformation Sherry!

    I cannot get over how grown up Clara looks and she definitely has your smile! What a cutie!

    Reply

  9. Sherry from BC says

    Love the chair and Clara’s reaction…..so fun. Nice to use something that has been in the family for a while but give it a bit of a lift. Thought I would share a link I found on Pinterest for you to try with the bean.

    http://pinterest.com/pin/65020788339697472/

    It is such fun. I buy shaving denture foam (usually minty) at the dollar store and add the food colouring and the kids love it. My grandchildren paint it on the tile in the bathtub area and “cook” with it in the tub toys…..lots of fun and it washs away off my white tiles like a dream…..somehow a splash of unexpected colour just makes ya smile doesn’t it.

    Reply

  10. Sayward says

    Love it!

    FYI: The Tivoli radio from the Joss and Main collection is also on sale at Fab.com for $139, and they’re offering it in a few different colors.

    Reply

  11. Rachael says

    I found a beautiful wood kids rocker for $2 at the flea market this weekend and painted it orange. it turned out great! now on to the big rocker that i found for $15! i’m going to paint it dark gray and sew a new cushion. thanks for your DIY inspirations.

    Reply

  14. Johanna says

    I LOVE the yellow, great color choice! I recently spray painted and reupholstered a little bench to put in my baby girls nursery, very similar style to the celery green one you have in Clara’s room, it was such a fun little project! On a side note…. Do you still use cloth diapers for Clara? We are considering them for our baby who’s due this summer, but I was just wondering how they’ve held up for you guys! And also how many did you get? I want to try the bum genius, but I don’t know if I’m brave enough!!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yup, we still use the same original 12 diapers we bought two years ago! They’re holding up really well and definitely have saved us a ton of money. They’re all different colors too, so I think they’re super cute! We hear that folks who don’t work from home might want to get 18 instead of 12, if that helps though!

      xo,
      s

    • Meg@ Green Motherhood says

      You can do it, Johanna! We have bumgenius too but use the pocket kind. They have saved us sooooooo much money! And they save us time, no running to the store when you run out or taking the trash out all.the.time.
      It’s totally worth it! Good luck!

  17. Kim Wynne says

    I cannot believe this post! I have a similar wooden chair (though not as high, it’s child table sized) that I want to refurbish and I was planning on emailing my favorite DIY duo to see what you recommended!! I actually found mine in the trash and the seat is cracked in half, think I can just use some wood glue? (before I spray paint, right? I’m very new to anything DIY – but you guys are always my inspiration and motivation!!

    Looks great – I think I’m going to go with red or navy or white…I don’t know yet ;O)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, for the seat I’d try some wood putty to fill in the crack! Then sand it to make sure it’s flush and smooth and prime and paint away! Good luck!

      xo,
      s

  20. Sarah says

    Seriously, you at least need a whole section on the site for spray painted projects, and before you even said it I knew you’d go yellow. Seems to be the go to color around there these days…I love it!

    Reply

  21. Beatrice Chan says

    Sherry, OMG, this is EXACTLY the post I was looking for! I have a little rocking chair for a toddler the same (old) wood color and had no clue on how to paint it. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Love you guys! Going to Home Depot now with the baby to get my primer and color.

    Reply

  22. Whitney says

    I DO have a chair makeover planned. I found one in an antique store for $40.00 that I’m in love with. I had planned on using it for her everyday highchair, but it didn’t have a strap and she was too short (the tray was almost touching her chin). I’m excited about using it when she gets bigger though and I think we may use it for her 1st birthday party. I love the yellow that you used. I’m torn between yellow, green, and red! I love the tutorial that you showed, It would be so simple to change it if I wasn’t happy with the color that I choose or if I get tired of it!
    This project turned out great!!!

    Reply

  23. Meg says

    I love seeing people (kids and adults alike) this happy! It makes my day to see a smile that big on anyone! Your girlie is too cute! And good job on the chair!

    Reply

  25. Sarah Hausmann says

    We’re slowly but surely working on our whole house. We call it Project No More Beige. We thrifted an old pedestal dining table that needs to be refinished and I think our old Ikea chairs are just begging for a little glossy spray paint to complement it! Next up, attempting to build that awesome console you guys featured a while back by the couple in Chicago! Ours will be longer and won’t have shelves, but my husband is drooling over the record storage :)

    Reply

  26. Alissa says

    I haven’t read through all the comments yet so sorry if this was already asked, but did you clean it before spraying? Most wooden chairs I’ve known get a build up of tacky brown suff on the frequently-touched areas from the combo of dirt and skin oils. Wondering if you had a suggestion for how to handle that. It looks so pretty! :o)

    Reply

  27. Erin says

    I love when you paint things because my parents always pick on me for my urge to paint everything… My reply is always to pull up your site and show them what a difference it can make! I couldn’t stop looking at the rhino on your wall in the background… Do you remember where you found it? CAN’T WAIT for your book to come out!

    Reply

  28. Veronika says

    Dude…I wish I had a playroom full of stuff to get on!!! Isn’t that every DIY-ers dream? It’s like a magical place full of potential. When I buy a house first thing on my list is to dedicate a room for stuff to get on!!! It’s just too fun!

    I looove the chair btw!! Oh how I love your blog! Such a ray of sunlight in my rainy New England days.

    Reply

  31. Laura says

    I love it! Can we see some pictures of it at the table? I still can’t get my 2.5 year old to sit at the table without being strapped in. I bought one of those wooden high chairs that restaurants have so it should work for another year I hope.

    Reply

  32. Laura says

    I’ll be right there with you at SPA! I just finished spray painting and recovering a chair for my desk {that I got for $6 at Goodwill} and a shelf/coat rack for my entry {that I got for equally cheap at Salvation Army}. Thanks for your inspiration and how-to’s! They were a sanity-saver.

    Reply

  33. Katie says

    I’ve been looking for yellow spray paint! Haven’t been able to find the right shade — but that looks perfect! Good to know it’s at home depot :)

    Reply

  39. Katy @ The Non-Consumer Advocate says

    Very, very cute!

    I just finished up refurbishing a Goodwill-purchased lamp that I painted with chrome spray paint from the auto supply store. I re-wired it last night and blogged about it here:

    http://thenonconsumeradvocate.com/2012/03/hello-gorgeous-lamp-wanna-come-over-and-see-my-etchings/

    My next project is to finish up two curbside-find chairs, one of which needs to be painted, the other of which needs a new seat cushion. Unfortunately, I need a sunny day here in Portland, so it might have to wait a week or two.

    Again, your chair looks adorable, great job!

    Katy

    Reply

  40. Lauren says

    $herdog, I’ve actually taken inspiration from you and am spray painting two matching folding bookcases I got from Target a zillion years ago that I love. They are stained in a dark cherry maybe lighter mahogony finish and have some sort of gloss top coat. I did research (mainly from YHL) and head out to get your recommended brand of spray paint. It took me a WHOLE can to do one side of the four shelves from one bookcase… And to get a solid finish its quite thick. After realizing I might have missed a step, I saw that you sometimes wipe things down with deglazer first- do you think that’s where I went wrong? How awful would it be to sand and start over?

    Thanks for all of the inspiration! I’m glad Clara loves her chair!

    Reply

  41. Penni McNamara says

    I envy your spray-painting skills!!! Ugh….mine always turn out looking….well….spray painted!!

    Reply

  42. Meg@ Green Motherhood says

    I was actually scouring Craigslist just this morning for a toddler chair ( i must be younghouselove psychic!) I love that you have this family heirloom. How wonderful would it be for it to be around for Clara’s children!(although I know you’re not ready to think about that!)

    Reply

  43. Kim W Rily says

    You should take pictures of the room getting emtpied out and post them later after the book is done. Then they won’t be secret anymore.

    Reply

  44. Julia says

    Love it! Sooooo adorable! And I love hand-me-downs. My grandmother just passed away about a month ago, and I was gifted her darling mid-century china cabinet, along with many of the dishes, vases, candlesticks, and other little knick-knacks that she displayed in it. I have very fond memories of seeing it in her house when I was a child, and now everytime I see it set up in my dining room it makes me smile! My plan is to eventually paint it a deep turquoise color, to go with my peachy-creamish walls. That’s my next project to “get on.”

    And speaking of support groups, thanks to your blog, I definitely need to join ORBers Anonymous! LOL! Rather than replacing the doorknobs, hinges, and cabinet pulls in my outdated bathroom, I ORBed everything – what a cheap (and stylish) fix! Next I’m going to ORB the ugly and outdated pendant lamps in my kitchen and dining room! :)

    Reply

  47. Sara says

    Clara is SO cute! She seems to have gotten a lot bigger all of a sudden! Love the chair :) We have 2 chairs like that in our kitchen. Good idea painting them a bright color (right now they’re painted white)! I am going to keep that idea in the back of my head for when our baby gets bigger, he can sit in it at our table! Sweet!

    Reply

  48. Molly says

    You’re Dude, get on that challenge has inspired me to get things done!! Thank you!! I made an embarrassingly long list of half finished & ready to start projects, & have already crossed 3 things off!!

    Reply

  49. Jessie says

    How darling. <3 The shots of her toes curled up on her bare feet is my favorite! And I don't know how you feel about painting toddlers toes, but I would say girlfriend needs her toes painted a pretty bright color for summer. (and to match her new chair!)

    :)

    Reply

  50. Hillary says

    Just checking in to make sure John is ok… been missing him on the blog for a couple of days!! Love and well wishes.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks Hillary, he’s good! Doing a lot of deck planning/research (calling the county about permits and miss Utility, etc). So excited to start that project, hopefully in a few weeks if we get this stuff squared away!

      xo,
      s

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