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.
Gaidig says
I’m interested to see an update down the road about how they’re holding up. I guess it may not be much of an issue, though, if you usually eat in the kitchen and the chairs don’t get a lot of wear.
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah, we probably use them once or twice every two weeks. Will keep you posted!
xo,
s
karen says
A for effort! I think these chairs are too heavy for your space. I could see a more modern chair with that rustic table. or even ghost chairs….especially now with your bright airy kitchen. I know you guys are stodgy and i admire that (so are me and my husband)…but sometimes don’t you just want to splurge because you LOVE something?
YoungHouseLove says
I love ghost chairs (or their cheaper acrylic counterpart from Ikea – haha) but we thought it would draw too much attention the spool-like center of the table (which we don’t mind, but kind of like better when it’s surrounded with chairs to keep it from becoming too much of a focal point). But who knows where we’ll end up!
xo,
s
The Real Housewives of Bucks County says
Love your spray paint socks! I ruined two pairs of flip flops last week painting (good thing they were Old Navy Cheapies!) Although, my favorite black Nike’s now have a green tint from another spray paint project. Perhaps you’ve now inspired me to get a little crazy and just go with “spray paint socks”
Actually, now I’m laughing, because I was thinking of “Business Socks” from Flight of the Concords. If you haven’t seen it it’s a must see! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGOohBytKTU
Even for an Eminem fan! Ha!
-Monica
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, never saw that before! Where have I been?
xo,
s
alg at rental house rules says
“I can’t leave well enough alone.”
This was my EXACT quote to Dan about 3 minutes before reading this post!!
I was done… DONE I tell you… with a spray painting project. It looked fan-freakin’-tastic. But did I sanely walk away??? No, no I didn’t. I decided that my project just wasn’t QUITE shiny enough & went all mental with the clear gloss spray. Which — of course — ate through my paint. Which means I have to wait for the catastrophe to FULLY dry, then backpedal like crazy to fix the damage…
Ugh. And I have TWENTY-FIVE years of spray painting experience. I don’t know what came over me. (Imagine me hanging my head in shame.)
So glad your project went better than mine — I like the way they look & have mad respect for your self-restraint ;)
PS — I actually am Team Green. But maybe I’m alone on that…
YoungHouseLove says
OH MAN. I can totally feel your pain. So sorry for the spray painting snafu!
xo,
s
Mary says
Mmmhh, I kind of like the original pattern and color. Why didn’t you change the curtains instead? The chairs look dirty now…I’m sorry this project didn’t work at all. :-(
YoungHouseLove says
We like the ikat fabric on the curtains way more than the old chair fabric (it felt very eighties and hotel-y to us and had stains/faded parts, plus it definitely looked too busy with eight of them in the room fighting for attention). Since I still have the slipcovers for the chairs, I wasn’t afraid to give paint a try since I can always cover them again if the mood strikes!
xo,
s
Jen says
I actually like that color and I like that it fits in with Karl! It definitely looks better than the old slipcovers. I love brown and gray/silver together.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Jen!
xo,
s
B Mom says
Wait, there’s one more EASY avenue you haven’t tried yet!
tweak the slipcovers!!
you’ve got a chair that’s skinnier at the top than on the seat, so there’s a bit of extra fabric to take care of…but it’s not hard to fix!
think like a plastic surgeon here…ready?
turn those bad boys inside out, get them where you want them on the chair and then pin and mark where the extra lumpy fabric is. Carefully take the pinned cover off, and sew a new seam on each side that corrals the extra fabric. when it’s sewn and you’ve checked it on the chair, trim extra fabric, turn it rightsideout, and you’ll have a whole new (slimmed down) slipcover!
check out this lady’s awesome blog and video tutorial if my writeup isn’t making sense…(minutes 7-8 should be a good visual, although she’s showing you how to make one from scratch, you could use the same insideout pin-fitting idea on an existing slipcover)
http://missmustardseed.com/2011/03/video-slipcover-tutorial-series-part-3/
you (and your sewing machine) can do it!
YoungHouseLove says
I have totally slipped them on inside out and tried to pin them in a way that makes sense but I just can’t master it quite yet! The bottom part where the sides meet the seat always looks bunchy so I’m just gun-shy. Thanks for the link! Maybe that’ll help me figure it out!
xo,
s
Chelsea @ Chelsea Eats Treats says
They look beautiful! So cool how the paint wound up being that color. I’d be nervous to try it out myself…good thing you had the slip covers as a back up! Love your blog :)
Laura says
I love the evolution of the chair!! I like the new painted look definitely better than the brown slip covers. But I also think you should still consider your original dream of the green, Candice Olson inspired chairs. Those were so poppy and fresh! I know you’ve captured that same shot of color in your office chair, but I think the dining room chairs could still pull off some sort of major color, too. I just LOVED that inspiration dining room!!! Your room is looking great too, I love the ikat curtains and feel like a bright color will make them look even more fantastic!!! Or should I say, “FANtastic?” :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Laura! For a while we thought dark eggplant would be cool for the slipcovers but we hear they probably won’t take redying very well (and will just cling to the brown color). Anyone had any luck with overdying something so dark already?
xo,
s
Larissa says
I think RIT make a dye remover. Maybe you can use that on the slip-covers to neutralize them and then re-dye them.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a great idea!
xo,
s
Nicole @ Chic Cheap Nursery says
That was one crazy idea $herdog –but you pulled it off! I have yet to find a slipcover that doesn’t require some maintanence to keep it looking good.
p.s. love the painting socks ;-)
Misty says
Hmmm…sorry, but I haven’t been a fan of either option so far. I hope someday you will just get them reupholstered! DIY isn’t really working for these.
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe someday we’ll learn how to reupholster them ourselves! DIY or die! Haha.
xo,
s
NIC says
Daring!
Just a note on ORB (which I looove now too, all thanks to you!!), you can get it as a non-pray paint – it is sold as Painters Touch item # 254101, which is apparently at some stores or can be special ordered.
When I get my hands on some, I am going to try painting my old white powder room vanity in this lovely colour (or color for you non-Canadians…)!
Hey – how is your sliding door handle that you ORB-ed holding up? I am sorely tempted to try spraying my brass door handles, but am a little worried about doing a high use surface….
YoungHouseLove says
We owe you an ORB door handle update (with pics)! Hopefully this week!
xo,
s
Erin says
Oh, my goodness, you are too funny Sherry.
You remind me of my grandmother who painted everything, even bedroom slippers (I’m not kidding).
And I have a male friend who does the same thing. He’ll touch up his car’s paint job and
come inside to spraypaint anything he can before his wife stops him.
I’m thinking those dining room puppies of yours are crying out for wide stripes. Maybe grellow, gray
and white? White and dark purple? It would maybe be a nice accent to your kitchen grellow.
Stacy at Conspicuous Style recently added a wide black stripe to her white slipcovers
and they look great. Check it out:
http://www.conspicuousstyle.com/2012/04/my-dingin-room-re-reveal.html
Or maybe alternate the colors of your chair covers (though that works better with an even number)?
Dunno. It seems a little too dark now. Maybe take your curtains and make them into as many slipcovers
as you can, then slipcover the rest of the chairs in one of the colors in the print and do white curtains??
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh- that idea is amazing. I’m in love with the stripes.
xo,
s
Kathy says
I’m curious how the chair that had already been painted green turned out? Can you tell the difference between it and the previously unpainted chairs?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh I didn’t do that one. We usually only have seven chairs around the table for more elbow room (now that we have four additional chairs in the kitchen at the peninsula it has been all that we need) but in a pinch we figure we can bring it out with the brown slipcover.
xo,
s
Julie R says
I actually think they look pretty cool, esp. if they’re not *quite* as shiny in real life. But I gotta say, I think they’d look really good with matte forest green, or even not-very-saturated teal-ish green, legs. It’d tie the whole room together, you know?
YoungHouseLove says
Someone just had a stripes idea that I’m in love with. We’ll have to see where we end up!
xo,
s
Blake says
I definitely like the darker chair legs. And they look much better than the slipcovers. I think they would look great upholstered in white or light grey leather. Really chic but wipeable and durable. That’s my vote :)
YoungHouseLove says
We’d love leather or pleather upholstery since it’s so easily wiped down!
xo,
s
Brian says
I gotta be honest… I don’t like them, looks weird Sherry
sorry
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- no worries Brian! We’re still on the fence, but are glad we still have those slipcovers to add back if the mood strikes (so we really didn’t have anything to lose, ya know?).
xo,
s
Megan says
Have you seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding? ORB is your cure-all like Windex is for Mr. Portokalos. Just don’t go spaying it on people! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Bwahahaha, it totally is.
xo,
s
Lindsay L. says
Totally team grey!! Good job Sherry! I think you will need something different that you love down the line, but this is a good fix for now. Some people might not like it but making a home is a lot trial and error, way to be brave.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Lindsay!
xo,
s
Randa says
Ya know, I like em – it’s that nice gunmetal color that I admire on purses or shoes (or your dyed wedding dress), so why not on dining room chairs? Way to start a trend. :)
Randa says
Ooooh, though I did just see Erin’s suggestion above. The chairs in that link are amazing.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Randa!
xo,
s
Carley says
I’m like you, like them better than the green, pattern, or slipcovers, but not sure it’s a forever thing. My favorite part though is how the legs turned out! They look amazing!
Personally, I’d be happy living with them until I had the time/means to recover them! Mainly because I like the way the shape of the chairs look with the table!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, you’re right! The legs are the best part. They look great! And the fabric is food for now, but definitely not forever. Haha.
xo,
s
sophie says
this might be a fun lamp – plus you make it yourself (and it comes in different sizes).
http://www.smartylamps.co.uk/best-sellers/ingo-lampshade-extra-large/prod_90.html
We have it in our living room. fun to put together and lots of compliments
YoungHouseLove says
So much fun!
xo,
s
Sarah says
I hate slip covers. I buy them with the best intentions thinking, “omg this will definitely look as good as it does on the package…” WRONG. They get bunchy, move everywhere, look sloppy, and take up more of my time than if I just reupholstered. Love this spray paint look and gotta say, I’m surprised it turned out so well. Also, I always thought the green chair turned out kinda cute, but pictures don’t ever do the actual product justice so what do I know haha.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I think you’re right about most slipcovers. They just look so good on the package! Haha. It’s like a haircut that you can never recreate after you leave the salon!
xo,
s
Amanda S. says
I don’t know if you’ve answered this before, but I always wonder when you leave painted objects outside to dry: does pollen not get dried into the paint? How do you prevent this?
YoungHouseLove says
Thankfully spray paint dries really fast when you apply it in thin and even coats, so little branches and leaves and other tree stuff drops onto them but it can be brushed off since it’s already dry. The same is true with painting furniture if you do thin thin thin coats! It dries faster so bugs don’t get stick in it or anything. Haha.
xo,
s
Ashley @ The North Carolina Cowgirl says
I don’t think the chairs look that bad. I can’t say I would ever have tried that myself tho, lol. You’re a brave brave woman! I would have thought it would have messed the fabric up. Not to mention, I would feel bad painting the chairs. I don’t know why but I know I would. :/
Nancy says
Did you ever watch Trading Spaces? I did about 10 years ago, you know, before I had kids – is it even still on tv? I remember noticing the format changed and it jumped the shark at one point. ANYway, Hildi painted a couch and several chairs. She painted fabric furniture all the time. She always swore the fabric felt fine after it was painted, but I also got the impression that she and a couple others like to see how far they could push it. And, of course, she never had to live with it after it was done. But, I do think she encouraged people to think past convention and be more creative. I like seeing posts like this one because I unrealistically need things to be perfect the first time around, and sometimes it just has to be “good for right now.” Thanks. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I totally remember that crazy Hildi! And I know what you mean about it not being perfect (we are 100% sure our sprayed chairs aren’t perfect) but they work for now! I totally thought I’d try one and it would be a hot mess and I’d give up but it wasn’t bad so I did all eight figuring I can always just plop the covers right back on if the urge strikes!
xo,
s
Karrie F. says
You could totally make slipcovers if you wanted to, Sheri! It wouldn’t be any more difficult than the Pinterest pouf you made for Clara’s closet.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks for the encouragement Karrie! I think after tackling the rocker took about a million hours the idea of tackling eight chairs is scary! Haha.
xo,
s
Alice says
Love the paint job! Love how sleek they look with that hint of swirl. Looks much more high end and looks great with your table.
Lisa says
I am thinking you are going to be reupholstering soon! If you aren’t thinking about doing it yourself, why not see if you can work out a barter with a local upholsterer (is that the right word)? Anyway, you could trade services…you buy the fabric, the supplies and they do the work, then you offer them services in return…whatever they need, etc. I traded web design services to get my landscape design done. They designed the landscape and put together the plan for me (just on paper, not in the yard) and I designed their website for them. They just wanted a basic, clean look, so I would say I spent the same amount of time on it as they did on drawing up my plans for our 3 acre property. :)
It is a great way to get things done…a true win-win situation! You just have to figure out the time part and what you are both wanting. You guys don’t take “perks”, but you could surely help someone with web design or photography of their work, etc. in return for the same hours spent reupholstering your chairs!
YoungHouseLove says
I do love to barter! Who knows where we’ll end up- but you know we’ll keep you posted!
xo,
s
LibraDesignEye says
Great shortcut – I knew those brown slipcovers couldn’t be your fave. This is a great taupe neutral – doesn’t look charcoal to me, but I have painted fabric with that and it is definitely a gray taupe, not a brown one. Know you will be singing every time you pass.
Count me still in the green camp – challenge was to match your grellow – imho last time you got a shade a tad too lime and you were right that all chairs solid might be too much.
The design board ladies know I LOVE mixing prints and matching colors – my favorite thing to do so forgive me for finding a mini print fabric that works great with your curtains I think you might LOVE as a slipcover. Maybe only for formal occasions, or for how they look most of the time since it is a white based print just in time for summer –
http://beautifulfabric.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&page=1&categoryID=67&productID=7366&cartID=360739024297&pStart=0
They also have your window curtain fabric at http://beautifulfabric.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&page=1&categoryID=67&productID=7322&cartID=574739024251&pStart=0
so I like to open them in tabs and tab back and forth to see how they work together.
Apologies for jumping ahead to the next idea, when sewing for you is like for me (torture!!!!). I’m glad for you that you’ve improved on the brown linen covers. I think the stretching would not have bothered you if you really loved the color. Here’s that one vote for ‘hard to find green’ but in the long run your original vision was great. I think that will be what you love (and think of the extra fabric pillows you can make for Karl!!!)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I LOVE that fabric! It might not be practical for the crazy kid-house we’re trying to create (we have nine nieces under the age of 5, so we like to keep the house kid-proof with darker fabrics and stuff) but you’re right about it looking great with our curtains!
xo,
s
LibraDesignEye says
What IF?
You took the fabric above you LOVE http://beautifulfabric.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&page=1&categoryID=67&productID=7366&cartID=360739024297&pStart=0 that is less practical and put it on the back panel, and you took something coordinating and indestructible for the front and seat?
look what i found . might go together with one above that you love – seems to because both geometric and little square dot on ecru and green ties them together, but only with swatches in hand can you mix fabrics on same chair
As if you hadn’t had enough crypton fabric for a lifetime – here’s the place for indestructible seconds for a steal – all this fabric, $50 (and you WANT this web address – i bought furniture for outdoor things here)
http://www.newtoto.com/928yapirkeyl.html
It is a remnant, only 9 + yds but if you are only doing front and seat, then that is over 1 yd per chair. It ‘looks’ like the right green/gold (there was a gerwurstramiler with that name when I was in college – go figure), and a softer blue green but in the right teal color family for the room.
At least get some free swatches if you don’t hate the tweedy look – in person it is hopefully more like a weave and less like a print since the repeat is only 1/2 inch. With savings like this on fabric (and chairs, remember), professional upholstering fits the budget easier.
Love that ya try new things. Love that you make it easy to suggest ideas – even if you hated them, it makes for a friendly conversation. AND I love that in design, what works for one person doesn’t work for everyone. You guys keep evolving your own style and that makes it really fun for us too!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love all the ideas! Adding a different fabric to the back panel is definitely another option! We’ll have to see where we end up! You know we’ll keep you guys posted!
xo,
s
Ashley says
Totally unrelated, but I’ve been wondering what is going on between your hallway and kitchen opening. I think I spy a little dresser – a nice little moment in the room. I was thinking we would get a better shot of it during your last video house tour, but it was still a blur. Have you always had that piece of furniture? How did it all come together / did it take much planning? Just curious (I bet you feel like there isn’t a single corner of privacy in your beautiful home – sorry!).
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, it’s a night table that we put there randomly and actually kind of like. Maybe once I hang the art and call it done we’ll blog about it!
xo,
s
Janelle says
You’ve got me hooked on ORB! I bought a $10 thrift store hanging light fixture and painted it with ORB bought at Michael’s with a coupon. Now I walk through my dining room just so I can see my new light! Thanks for all of your great ideas and I like the spray painted chairs!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Janelle! Happy ORBing to ya!
xo
s
Lou says
Oh I love the original, they really fitted in with the colours in your home. They look awful now.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I think it’s just a personal preference thing! In person the original fabric was soooo not us (old and faded/stained, crazy busy on so many chairs, really eighties and hotel-y looking to us) but that’s the beauty of everyone having their own tastes! Wouldn’t it be boring if all of our houses looked the same?!
xo,
s
Momlady says
I vote team Grey! What a happy experiment. Sometimes new (or re-new -ed) is better just for the nouvelty value,doncha think?
Jo says
I adore you guys, and it it BECAUSE I love you that I must be honest. The spray paint is a hot mess. Reupholster them. I’m positive you can do it.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love you right back Jo. And I’d love to reupholster them down the line (it’s a big job, but I’m sure I’ll work up the momentum someday…)
xo,
s
Momlady says
*sighs* some days are just spell fails.
Amy @ a new old house says
So glad you posted this- and linked back to the apple green experience too!
I have a couch that has a water-stain on it’s cream colored fabric (which is otherwise in great shape).
I’m trying a little bleach/water/sunshine mix to get it out, but if that doesn’t work, I’m thinking about painting it.
Figured it’s a last ditch effort before I go and get it reupholstered! Can’t hurt, right?
YoungHouseLove says
Exactly! Maybe I didn’t emphasize this enough in the post, but it’s best for a last ditch effort! If you’ll be recovering or reupholstering something (especially a big job like 8 chairs or a giant sofa) it can totally be a “good for now” experiment. And if it bombs you’ll just cover it or reupholster it anyway!
xo,
s
Susan (Between Naps on the Porch) says
Love that you don’t “leave things well enough alone.” I’m the same way. lol I’ve been wanting to sew slipcovers for 6 chairs dining chairs and the task feels daunting. I think if we just make one and get the hang of it, we can “assembly line” the rest, cutting 5 of each section/piece. Probably wouldn’t take as long as we think once we get going…right?
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah, you’re probably right about assembly lining them! Just have to ploy some friends with pizza and drinks or something! Hah. Set up a little chair workshop…
xo,
s
holly says
i keep wanting to hate it but i think it’s actually kind of interesting. On my screen the color is actually really nice, and I think it’s much better than the brown slipcovers. The color fell flat for me and blended into the table too much. it never hurts to take a risk once in a while.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Holly! I would go as far as to say that in person they look a lot better than the pics, but we’re still on the fence! Very glad we took the risk though, since we can just cover them up and we’re back to where we were before. Should be interesting to see where we end up!
xo,
s
Stephanie says
The timing of this post couldn’t be better. I just bought two excellent Craigslist chairs for $25 each, that need some upholstery help (white with yellowish stains). I was going to reupholster them, but now I’m thinking…spray paint? :) Thanks for sharing your experiment. I think it looks great!
Megan Circelli says
I’m not really a fan. I may be crazy but I liked the pattern although they might have looked busy with the curtains. I think slip covers in a lighter colour would look nice. You’re brave though!
Corey says
I personally think they look amazing…….we’re talking about the socks and sweatpants combo right?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, yes! Score one for impeccable DIY fashion sense.
xo,
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Lynn @ SafeBeauty says
What does my opinion matter? If you like it, you like it. (said in my best Woody Allen voice) But i’ve decided I like it. :o) And you look like a spray paint ninja in that foot snapshot Sherry.
My best, Lynn
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Lynn!
xo,
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Jamie says
I can TOTALLY relate! I purchased eight brand new exterior light fixtures for our new house and spray painted them ORB before they were installed by our contractor. My husband freaked! He couldn’t believe I would spray paint brand new lighting. Hey…you do what you do to get the finish you want, right? :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- I love it!
xo,
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Wrenaria says
I like the color better now, but I’d be concerned with how well they’d hold up in the long run.
In general, I’m not a big fan of slipcovers. All my slipcover experiences have ends in shlumpiness.
YoungHouseLove says
Amen. I fear the same thing. Eventual shlumpiness from the covers. I think somehow learning to upholster them down the line might be best, although with so many chairs it’ll be a big job I think…
xo,
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Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says
They look good! I really like that the pattern shows through! I painted a chair using Kristy’s tutorial recently and it worked out really well! http://www.attemptsatdomestication.com/paint-a-chair/
YoungHouseLove says
That looks awesome!!
xo,
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Katie J. says
Team ORB! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, it sounds like a futuristic alien team.
xo,
s
Kelly says
I purchased a chair at the Salvation Army and wanted to try spray painting myself. I got Tulip fabric spray paint in dark teal and I have to say I love the color and the feel isn’t bad. The only thing (like your problem) is a pattern. Flowers..and not cute ones. It didn’t hide that fact at all so looks like I’m going to learn to be handy and upholster a chair myself!
YoungHouseLove says
Ugh, isn’t it the worst that the fabric pattern shows through? Sorry about the flowers! And if you upholster it I’d love to hear how it goes!
xo,
s
Karri says
I think the one commenter had it right when she said you need to sacrifice a chair and take it apart and just figure out how to recover them. I want to be on team grey, but I can’t. Being able to see that 90’s patterned fabric through them is just no bueno.
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah, I like the idea of sacrificing greenie, since we use just 7 chairs a lot (thanks to 4 stools in the kitchen, we have lots of seating).
xo,
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Dana R says
Oh my… that seriously took guts. If you ever decideto recover them you can totally DIY. If you haven’t heard of them check out The Furniture Guys who used to have a TV show that showed how to do it. I did it to a chair and it looks great. Maybe the episodes are on YouTube.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Dana!
xo,
s