Yup. I spray painted chairs. Upholstered chairs. Dude, I’m the first to admit it’s weird. And it’s definitely not the answer if you’re sane. But when you’re a desperate woman with nothing to lose, well… stuff happens.
Remember these Craigslist chairs we found last March? They were originally from an old hotel (with faded and stained eighties fabric to prove it) but we got them for $25 a pop.
Then I tried to paint them a soft apple green color like a tutorial I’d seen, but didn’t have as much luck (read more on that hot-mess here).
We were set on green for a while (not this neon of course) until we realized it’s a ton of chairs in a room, so you don’t want them all screaming for attention and stealing thunder from things like our patterned curtains and the boldly painted built-ins. That’s when I got $20 off-white slipcovers for them from World Market (which clashed with the white trim and accessories everywhere – but were cheaper than buying fabric and making my own), so I dyed them brown.
But the slipcovers were a little schlumpy. After they came out of the dryer they were nice and tight, but over time they got droopy and sad. They just looked a little loosey goosey and messy. Sure, I could wash them again to get them looking nice for another week, but that’s a whole lotta work for something that should be low maintenance. Here in this pic from our House Tour page you can see the slipcovers looking a little baggy on the sides – and that’s from far away.
So I decided since I already painted one chair (and it works just as well as the others with the slipcover on it – it’s literally impossible to tell which one is painted when it’s covered) I figured I had nothing to lose by painting the rest of them (I could just cover them up again if they were blotchy and gross). And instead of using craft paint and textile medium (read more on why that didn’t work out for me here) I woke up one morning and decided I wanted to spray paint them with this old friend:
Who does that? $herdog does that. Beware of a woman with nothing to lose (and eight slipcovers to hide any potential disasters).
First I donned my trusty spray painting socks. Can your brain even comprehend this hotness?
I must really love you guys to share such glamorous shots of my life, huh? I just hate potentially getting my shoes or my flip flops all sticky/painted, so my painting socks do the trick (with the bottoms of my sweatpants tucked into them, so I don’t get stickiness on the bottom of my pants).
I started off slow. Really light light coats on just one chair. Nothing thick or drippy. Here’s a shot of things when I was just getting started. I was biting. my. nails.
I expected a total disaster, but after a few more light coats applied pretty much one after the other (maybe four total?) my first chair was looking pretty good. I was kind of shocked, actually because I expected to just do one and hate it and toss the cover back on. You still see the pattern in the fabric since that’s a texture thing that paint can’t change (the actual fabric itself has those patterns sort of embossed into it), but instead of being a riot of crazy stained/faded/eighties swirls…
… it’s all one color. A pretty gunmetal charcoal color. Almost the exact same color as Karl the Sectional actually. Which is funny because we have an avocado green kitchen between two rooms with soft gray walls (the living room and the dining room) both of which now have charcoal upholstery. Hooray for a little accidental house-wide balance. The funniest thing about the whole charcoal color result is that ORB is usually a dark brown color, but on upholstered chairs I guess things can get crazy. Imagine that. Ha. So I was expecting a dark brown look but I got a nice Karl-ish color instead. Which was a nice surprise. It’s like hoping to find a half-eaten box of raisins in the bottom of your purse when you’re starving and finding a granola bar instead. Cha-ching.
As for the spraying specifics (you know, for any other nuts out there with nothing to lose and thrill seeking spray painting tendencies), here’s a post with my general spray painting tips (like buy the good stuff, mist things to avoid drips, keep your hand moving, etc). There’s a slight metallic sheen when the light hits the fabric just right thanks to the type of spray paint we used (Rustoleum Universal Metallic in Oil-Rubbed Bronze), but they don’t look like Liberace chairs. It’s more of a subtle thing at the right angle, but most of the time they just look like charcoal gray fabric. Also, from certain angles in certain lighting you can hardly see the pattern in the fabric and other times it’s more obvious, but it’s much less offensive now that it’s all one color. The pattern is actually more noticeable in some of these pics than in real life (must be how light bounces off of them into the camera or something? No idea).
I spray painted the slightly-banged-up-formerly-more-reddish legs as well, which turned out a lot more like the typical ORB color (dark chocolate with a bit of metallic sheen). They’re our favorite part, because whether we decide to add the slipcovers back on or even reupholster these babies down the line, those sexy ORB legs will always be around.
Here’s a slightly inaccurate long shot of them in the room. Haha. They look darker and more patterned in this photo than in real life. We can’t wait to add a giant chandelier over that 70″ table and bring in a nice large rug to break up all the wood (wood floor, wood legs, wood table). And of course it looks less like a black hole with a colorful runner and some dishes on the table. We’ll eventually refinish the floors to be the same color as the one in the kitchen, so the future rug (perhaps something big and jute?) will be lighter and should help the darker legs/table and floor pop while keeping them all from blending together in one big mocha-wood-fest. Someday…
The big question is probably “what do they feel like?” I went into it thinking that a few coats of spray paint might make them feel rough like burlap or thick like leather, but they feel pretty much exactly like the original durable-hotel-upholstery fabric felt beforehand (which was always firm and not too soft, but not crunchy or anything). It’s kind of hilarious that they didn’t really change. The only way I can explain this phenomenon is that I’ve noticed when I get spray paint on a pair of painting pants, for example, they still feel the same (just as soft in that spot, but they’re a different color). Maybe it just goes on thinner than paint applied with a brush or roller so it’s less obvious on some types of fabric?
Update: A reader (thanks Krystie!) cracked the code by reminding me that the reason it worked so well on these chairs might have been because the hotel fabric is a Crypton (which means it’s coated in a protection to keep anything from penetrating – so the spray is sitting on top and not soaking in and getting crunchy/blotchy).
But let’s be clear. I never (inamillllllionyears) would have had the confidence to give this a try if we didn’t already:
- paint one chair green and know that it worked just as well as the other unpainted ones once the slipcover was on it
- already have slipcovers to hide my little paint job if it went bad (not much to lose there since they can be covered)
Remember, I was a woman with nothing to lose and a deep love of spray paint. I have no idea how other fabric would do, but these chairs were made out of thick upholstery grade fabric, so it wasn’t as soft as cashmere to begin with. But if you’re dealing with something like velvet or silk, the spray paint could very well make it crunchy and hard. I’m 100% certain that different fabric or even more thickly applied spray paint (or a different brand/type) could yield different results. Maybe you can find similar fabric to the item of furniture you’re thinking about spraying and just apply a few light and even coats of spray paint on your test fabric to see how it works out first?
Another question might be “if someone sits in them, can they rub off on their clothes?” After allowing them to dry a while (we left them outside for four days after making sure there was no rain in the forecast) they’re all cured up and don’t smell like spray paint. And just like dried spray paint that gets on painting clothes, they shouldn’t rub off (I wash mine and they remain ORBed and don’t bleed on other clothes – even when they’re wet in the washer). If someone spilled water on the chair it shouldn’t rub off since it’s oil-based paint. I even rubbed a wet white rag on them to make sure nothing transferred.
As for how we feel, we’re still sort of on the fence. They’re definitely better (muuch better) than the green painted chair debacle. And in person we think they’re marginally better than the baggy slipcovers. But we’ll probably recover or replace them someday down the line – so I think the verdict is “fine for now.” We still have the brown slipcovers so we can always throw those back on or somehow tailor them someday? No idea. It would be cool to learn how to reupholster them or sew better slipcovers but with eight chairs it’s too big of a job for right now, so we’re happy to live with what we have. Who’s on Team Gray? Any Team Brown folks? Anyone care to join us on the fence? I don’t think there are any Team Greens out there, are there?
There’s probably a lesson in here somewhere about how $25 craigslist chairs might not always be the answer if they have a crazy pattern and don’t fit typical store-bought slipcovers. Ah well, live and learn. At least they’ve served us well for the past year and will seat our sweet family whenever they come over until we figure out what we want down the road. Has anyone else reached the end of their rope and spray painted something in an act of defiance and desperation? Can you believe I’ve painted, slipcovered, dyed, and re-painted these guys? One thing’s for sure, I’m a stubborn gal and I just can’t leave things well enough alone.
Dee says
It takes a fearless person to paint upholstered chairs. Probably less fearlessness than to keep those chairs in their original condition. On my computer screen however, the original colours looked like they go with your scheme and seemed kind of a lively, fun way to go.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that’s so funny that they look ok on your computer! In person they were so eighties looking and really “hotel-y” (they came from a hotel liquidation on craigslist) and they really were faded/dirty up close and clashed with the patterned curtains. I have wished many a time that they were just basic brown or gray or tan chairs. Haha. I guess that old hotel wanted some fun pattern!
xo,
s
Kylie says
Girl. Get thee to an upholsterer. I am always torturing my not-quite-right “steals” until I finally give up and throw them out. Take them to a professional and get exactly what you want!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s definitely a possibility down the road! Just trying to work with what we have since getting eight chairs reupholstered might not be a drop in the bucket!
xo,
s
Stacy says
I aint hatin, I think they look phat! Way to go, $herdog!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I will now don pigtails and perma-grin at you while saying “yeaaaah” a lot.
xo,
s
LaMadre says
one more thought…how about dipping a couple inches of the chair legs – maybe a nice green?
YoungHouseLove says
Love that look! It’s always a possibility down the road. It all comes down to how much of a focal point we want the chairs to be (we love the emphasis on the built-ins and the curtains for now- but ya never know where we’ll end up!).
xo,
s
Malissa says
You are BRAVE! The other reader is probably right about it being a crypton fabric, or atleast treated fabric. I wonder if it will crack over time though? If you do decide to put the slip covers back on, maybe you could dye them charcoal since you like that they coordinate with karl.
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah we actually chatted about that- not sure how much gray dye they would soak up since they’re already pretty brown (sometimes overdying something like that has weird results) but we could certainly give it a try!
xo,
s
Kristina says
I am going to join you on the fence. Admirable job though.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, welcome to the fence Kristina!
xo,
s
Jamie says
The trick with making non-baggy slipcovers is that you need to choose a fabric that has a little stretch. It’s just like buying jeans – 2% lycra in denim helps your jeans hold their shape and keeps you from getting a droopy butt.
YoungHouseLove says
I love that tip!!! Thanks Jamie!
xo,
s
Kristen says
Ha, I love this post. I would never do this, but you guys are just so positive and game for anything. Spray painting fabric chairs?! Sure, why not! :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Kristen! Another way to say that would be: we’re crazy. Haha. Or at least I am and John knows not to get in my way when I’m holding spray paint. Hahaha.
xo,
s
Isabelle says
Love the white chest against the wall! It’s adorable and love how that entry area by the door is starting to come together. Have I missed a post about that?
YoungHouseLove says
Nah, we just haven’t decided if it’ll live there forever (it’s actually a nightstand- haha) so we owe you a post on that! Maybe once we hang the art over it, etc.
xo,
s
heather s. says
I’m a huge fan of spray paint but sadly I just don’t love these. I was never a fan of the brown table, brown chair legs and brown covers so I applaud that you tried something new. However, I’d take the current covers, dye them a dark (fun color) and then take them in a bit to make them more taut on the chair.
YoungHouseLove says
I’d love to play around with redying the covers although I have read a lot that if you dye something white or off-white a medium to dark color (aka: brown) it might not take more dye very well (ex: you can try to make them dark eggplant, which I thought would be fun, and they’d still look brown after your dye bath). Anyone have experience with overdying something this dark in another color?
xo.
s
Ashley says
Quick question… how many cans of spray paint did this project take?
YoungHouseLove says
I think it took five or six. Thanks to the built-in primer and thin coats it went on pretty well. I think we ran out for three cans and already have some on hand because I’m weird and I literally hoard ORB since sometimes it sells out. Haha.
xo,
s
Chelsea says
I prefer the slipcovers but I like that you took a risk with the paint.
I’d probably replace them all at some point but for now it’s a creative solution!
Jen says
I think it’s time for you to give in and reupholster those babies. It’s not that bad and very little sewing – you could even hand stitch. I did a little video tute on it…http://www.simply-inspiring.com/2011/03/flowers-be-gone.html. Love the socks by the way!
YoungHouseLove says
I LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing! How much time did each one take? With eight of them I’m not sure I can tackle something that involved right now- but maybe down the line!
xo,
s
jillian says
I think it was worth a try, but re-upolstering still gets my vote when you are ready. I know the feeling of it not quite being right!
ShellyP says
Sherry: I vote for new slip covers. You can sew them yourself. They are not difficult. You can use canvas drop cloth from Home Depot or Lowe’s or discounted curtain panels or discounted fabric. It would probably take a couple hours to sew one slip cover. Make a pattern out of kraft paper, sew a sample one using muslin and then you’re good to go. You could even mix fabrics to get that apple green effect.
YoungHouseLove says
I wish I could just whip up eight new slipcovers. I’m just not confident my slipcovers would look good and wouldn’t get baggy. Someone said a little stretch in the fabric can help it from getting baggy so that’s good to know. Since it’ll probably take a few hours per cover and I have eight chairs I think it just sounds a bit too intense for now, but down the line I totally expect that we’ll revisit these babies for their annual tweaking! Haha.
xo,
s
Dina says
Slip covers are pretty simple, but I agree that they’re a risky project for a new sewer. If your seam allowances vary a little, you’ll end up with slip covers that look no better than the brown ones that irk you now!
What about treating your chairs like you treated your rocker and just upholstering it? I’ve done this with parsons chairs successfully in the past. Start with the front side of the chair back, pulling and stapling like you would anything else. Then do the seat, then the chair back. Use some herringbone tape and decorative nailheads to hide your staples where the back fabric is attached.
YoungHouseLove says
I’ve definitely considered that but I’d guess my rocker took me about 15 hours to do (ack, I’m a terrible upholsterer) so with eight parsons chairs to tackle, it might be a year until I have another post to chair if I decided to tackle those. Haha. Maybe I just have to build up some upholstering momentum by tackling a few other projects before diving into these!
xo,
s
Kathryn says
I never would have thought of this and/or had the guts to do actually do it, but they look surprisingly good. I like the way you can still see the original pattern through the spray print, it’s just more subdued. Good job!
Jenny B says
I actually think they turned out great! Definitely an improvement on the baggy brown covers :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Jenny!
xo,
s
Robin says
What a coincidence! Iwas up till midnight last night, reading up on how to spray pain my outdoor cushions. I talked myself out of it, but after reading this, I think i will take the leap! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh I wonder if those will work well since the fabric might be the same sort of sealed/waterproofed kind? Good luck!! Maybe do the back side of one just to see how it works!
xo,
s
Christine says
Maybe if you aren’t 100% about this look, you could barter with a seamstress for some fitted slipcovers in exchange for some decorating services! The painted fabric may be a little shiny in the light, but really, if I walked into the room, I’d just think, “nice chairs!” if I thought anything at all. They’re very simple and nice as is.
Random question: are you thinking of getting a round rug? A rectangle? A square?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I like the bartering idea. Maybe one of my neighbors can sew while I paint a room for her. Haha. As for the rug, we have no idea. Maybe a big square or round one since a rectangular one might be oddly long in some areas (two sides of the table will get more rug than other other two). Since it’s such a huge table, it might be hard to find a rug big enough (we’d probably need a 10 x 10 square or round one). We’ll have to see where we end up!
xo,
s
Christine says
Not sure how to respond to YOUR reply~ but if you want a plain rug, i.e., no pattern, etc., you can get really nice, really big carpet remnants for CHEAP, and then have them bound on the edges. That way, you could get the exact dimension or shape you want. I did that by going to a carpet warehouse and looking around at the remnants. The guy was actually glad to get rid of them.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, this comment plug-in is so weird. You have to hit reply under the original comment and it’ll nest your reply under mine. Hope that makes sense! As for the carpet remnant, that’s a great idea! John’s parents did that for their new house in the dining room and living room and love it!
xo,
s
Suzy says
I love all the spray painting you do. After reading your blog I spray painted two wicker side tables white & a metal piece over our bed lime green. Both turned out great. Look fresh & springy. More projects to come like outdoor table & chairs. Found a pretty blue in Rustoleum. Thanks for blazing the way…need to get some socks!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, so glad! Congrats on your fresh and springy projects!
xo,
s
Shana says
Love, love, love! It reminds me of when you did your wedding dress with all your fingers crossed. I’m going to get some spray paint this weekend and do our back deck furniture. I was so nervous because the actual seats are fabric/plastic like but the structure is metal. Now I’m gung ho to to try it.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, how funny is it that the dress and these chairs both came out an unexpected color (and both ended up gray!)
xo,
s
Sarah says
I saw the first picture and was prepared to hate it (in the grand scheme of the room). I was pleasantly surprised to not hate it, but I don’t think it fits either. It’s definitely better than the brown, though! I would like to have seen the green chair in a picture with the room, just for comparison sake, but I’m pretty sure that it would’ve made the room too bright for my liking. I think I can see myself being Team Light Blue-with-a-hint-of-Turquoise!?!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love it. Now turquoise is in the mix!
xo,
s
JessiBee says
Now I kind of wish I had thought to do some spray painting! I have four parsons chairs that I scored on craigslist a few years ago. They were in great condition when I got them but they are a beige microfiber and I just couldn’t live with that. I am an embarrassingly constant redecorator anyway so I got it in my head that not only did I need them to be a different color but that I also needed them to be shorter! They seemed to be unusually tall for parsons chairs and towered over my dining table and drove me nuts! So I wanted them to be short short like the now discontinued Nils chairs from Ikea for a more modern look. Yeah. Really. Anyway…that was about six months ago…the good news is that it works! I’ve shortened two chairs and have the other two all ripped up upholstery wise and waiting to be done (slow, I know!) I just thought I’d figure out the new slipcover or upholstery situation once I had actually completed the (de)construction phase. It’s a crazy project but I’m so excited to “get on it and get ‘er done”!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, good luck with it JessiBee! I bet it’ll look awesome when you’re done!
xo,
s
Loren says
I think it is MUCH improved over the funky pattern before, but I’m still not sure it feels ‘right’ for this room. You did a lovely job though! I think once you have more items for the room picked out/pulled together they might seem perfect.
Jessica says
I like ’em! It just looks like they don’t photograph particularly well. They’re by far the best of the options so far though!
I do agree with some other commenters that they would be improved even further by some sort of trim, whether nailheads, or a corded trim, etc. They just need some sort of finishing touch, and I think that would convert a lot of the Team Browners who think they look cheap into fans.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Jessica! It’ll definitely be funny to see where we end up!
xo,
s
Jyl says
It’s really exciting that these worked out! I also wonder if maybe we should hide the ORB from you for a while, Sherry. Do you lie awake at night thinking of things you couple spray paint? I joke because I love :)
Also, thank you for always including a photo of the spray painting socks. I enjoy that hilarious little interlude.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I seriously just woke up and sat up straight in bed and said “maybe I should spray paint them.” Then I wrote it off as a crazy dream or something and it kept nagging at me so I was like “ok, I’ll try just one and it’ll be a disaster and I’ll cover it and forget about it, and then it wasn’t so bad! Haha.
xo,
s
Zandi says
They are definitely looking better! I feel you, i also had a weekend of redoing hotel furniture, and its never as easy as you hope it will be. The progress is here, and while the end result was good, it took two days to get there! http://zzzandi.blogspot.com/2012/04/when-i-dip-you-dip-we-dip-part-two.html
YoungHouseLove says
THAT LOOKS AWESOME! I love the cost too!
xo,
s
A Wife and her Carpenter says
I sorta like the idea of bringing in some grellow on the chairs. The center of the room seems too “heavy” with all the darker colors. Maybe a fabric that incorporates karl’s color and the grellow from the kitchen, in a complimenting pattern to the curtains.
I have to say though, this option is far better than sagging slipcovers. that would drive me nuts!
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah, when I set the table I use fun bowls and plates and sometimes a green runner so it breaks up all the brown!
xo,
s
Paula says
Maybe the brown slipcovers look better in real life, but they never photographed well in my opinion. I think the spray paint is an improvement. Kudos on the courage to do it!
I hope it’s OK but I’d like to post a related question to your knowledgeable readers. We got 6 Ikea Henrikson chairs on craigslist for less than $20 each, but the slipcovers always reveal the unfinished white upholstery underneath. Does anybody know if this is a result of the previous owners putting the covers in the dryer or is this a problem with the slipcovers in general? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Paula! Anyone have an answer to her Ikea question for her?
xo,
s
Donna says
Sherry, I LOVE your bravery when it comes to design! Nobody ever got a stylish, funky space by playing it safe! You and John have really made a beautiful home.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Donna. You’re sweet. I think I might just be crazy, but I’ll take it!
xo,
s
Carli says
ORB is definitely the best so far!! Love the way it finished. I’m not sure what it looks like in real life, but in the pictures, the contrast of color, the pattern and the texture seem a lot more sleek and saucy than the slipcovers. These suit the personality of your home. I like this redo. Well done!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Carli!
xo,
s
MoHole says
brilliant! they really look good.
How many cans of spray paint did you use on this job?
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks! I think I used 5-6 cans (thanks to the built-in primer and the thin coats, it covered well). I had to run out for three cans but had some at home already since I basically hoard ORB stuff (it sells out sometimes and makes me crazy so I buy like five cans at once – haha).
xo,
s
Laura says
Could you dye the slip covers a dark grey color? Would that help in the meantime if you aren’t totally in love with the spray paint? I love the idea of putting on a “slip cover”, but making it permanent with a contrasting nail-head trim around the edges…
YoungHouseLove says
I have wanted to dye the slipcovers gray or dark eggplant for a while but lots of folks say those colors only work well with a white base (ex: dying over brown with gray or eggplant just leaves you with brown covers with a tiny tint of gray or eggplant instead of a nice deep color). We’ll have to see where we end up!
xo,
s
Sibyl says
I wish I could be on board with these because, I know how much work you put into them but, I just don’t dig them. I see reupholstering in your near future. Good luck
Jess says
They look awesome! I hope they stand up to time’s test. :):)
Callie says
Wow I love how this spraypainting turned out! I’m not a huge fan of covers because they can look baggy so easily – I love the charcoal gray, and the swirl textures make it look more intentional and layered, in my opinion. So cool!!
Maggie Rose says
It’s the pattern that doesn’t work for me… but no harm with living with ’em for a while and keeping an eye open for something else (I’m currently living with gross pumpkin orange chairs with puke brown microsuede seats (shudder) but they were $40 each and the shape is totally cute). If you hired me (I’m a decorator) to choose chairs, I’d do a similar shape (or reupholster these) in a warm light gray faux ostrich that would wipe off nicely but look a little more upscale. Just an idea!
YoungHouseLove says
We saw Ikea chairs in a light gray fabric and they looked so pretty!
xo,
s
Courtenay G says
Hey guys! Where is your table from again? We are in the market for a nice big, round dining table:-)
Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
We got it from a local furniture outlet called The Dump here in Richmond. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
April says
I like, just saying. :)
LW says
Just to be honest, I’m on Team get new chairs soon!
Rebecca says
I don’t think I ever realized what your chairs were like under the slip covers. Definitely hotel looking but I love the pattern. I can see that it doesn’t really go with the other patterns in your dining room though.
Maury @ Life on Mars says
Ha! Love it. You’re not alone. I definitely spray painted curtains last week. I asked a few opinions and everyone said “DON’T DO IT!” I did it anyway. It worked better than craft paint. You can see it here, if you want (but no pressure because I know you’re busy and you get about 1million requests to see peoples blogs): http://www.lifeonmarsblog.net/2012/04/spray-painting-fabric-tutorial.html
Oh and I saw that you and John are going to be the speakers at Haven. I’m going and I’m SO SO SO excited to see you both.
YoungHouseLove says
NO WAY! Those came out awesome!! Thanks for the link. And so excited to see you at Haven (although admittedly nervous to speak- ack!). Haha.
xo,
s
Jan says
Love it. But I’m so surprised that you haven’t sprayed the kitchen counter chairs in ORB to coordinate with your hanging lights.
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah, that’s definitely something we talk about! Sometimes we love that they tie into the stainless appliances and gray backsplash, and sometimes I think they’ll look so cool and old and substantial with a darker color!
xo,
s
Holli Coats says
I definitely think the grey looks better than the baggy slipcovers. As for whether you should reupholster or make new slipcovers down the road, I vote reupholster. I’ve been sewing since I was 8 years old and I have only reupholstered exactly one thing, but I think those would be easy to reupholster and give you the snug fit that you want. Even the best slipcovers still look like slipcovers, I think, and getting a good fit when sewing them is harder than reupholstering them where you can stretch the fabric and staple it in place. I went to UFab last time I was in Richmond (thanks for the recommendation!) and got some great tips about a chair I am going to reupholster from a guy who works there. I bet you could pick their brains about it. Either way, I’m excited to see how they evolve! I’m a gal who goes for cheap and makes it work, which, like these chairs, sometimes ends up being a lot of work, and in my case not really as much money saved as you’d imagine, but I love that you are making them work!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips Holli!
xo,
s
Amy W. says
This is such an awesome project! I’ve seen it done on some antique couches and had mixed feelings because it was done with a brush and was applied too thick. The spray paint is a perfect fix because it keeps it looking like actual fabric. They look great!!
RachelW says
I will make your slipcovers. Invite me over some weekend & I’ll bring my machine (no offense to your Brother) & get it done. I’m in Virginia, so we could definitely make this work.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Rachel! You’re sweet! I think we’re leaning towards learning to upholster them down the line since slipcovers might always look a bit less streamlined than recovering them might!
xo,
s
threadbndr says
I love the grey with brown undertones that the spray paint created. And I’m sure with the rest of the updates (floor color, rug, lighting) that it will look good. But that center of the room is still so dark when the table is not set.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, I put a bright green runner on the table with lots of white dishes and colorful napkins and it breaks up all the brown when people are visiting!
xo,
s
Stephanie H. says
Wow! They turned out great, and definitely looks cleaner than slouchy slipcovers. So adventurous! =D
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Stephanie!
xo,
s
Katie says
Well, it’s a definite improvement on the slip covers, but I can’t help hoping this is a temporary adjustment, as well. Your ORB addiction seems to be getting wildly out of hand.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, my name is Sherry and I have an ORB problem.
xo,
s
Larissa says
I think you need to mark out the “white ceramic” on John’s t-shirt and change it to “oil rubbed bronze”. Using ORB spray paint, of course.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, it’s true. I have a few obsessions going on at once.
xo,
s