Saturday, March 26, 2016

Walk the Walk (Chalk the Chalk)

Hi everyone!

I am finally ready to show you how my chalk painted wing back chair turned out.  If you remember, I had an old burgundy wing back chair that we use in our master bedroom. For awhile, I've been wanting to replace it with something that went better with our color scheme.  

But here's the thing:  this chair was in good condition, it is sequestered away in our master bedroom where only the two of us see it and I would rather spend my $ on other things if I can figure out a way to make things work.  I had read that people have had success with painting upholstered furniture with chalk paint, so I figured why not give it a try?  

A quick trip to WalMart and I was back in a flash with two bottles of Waverly Chalk paint in Crimson and a hand full of foam sponge brushes.  And just like that, I dove in!


Here you can see the chair cushion, still with most of the original burgundy color.  I figured the nubby, flame stitched fabric would be a good candidate for painting, as there would be a lot of forgiveness if the paint didn't cover evenly. The first few brush strokes were a tad scary, I have to admit.



I did two coats thinned down with about 25% water.  The last coat was full strength. Around the seams, I had to really dab and apply the paint heavily for the paint to get into all of the crevices.


I also worked under the every watchful eye of my pal, Palmer...


As you can see, he is not a very good supervisor and ended up wearing some chalk paint for a few days! (You can see the shame in his eyes, can't you?)


And, yet, he perseveres!


And ta da!  The finished product!  The fabric started out just a bit stiff, but over time it has softened and does not feel painted.  The coverage is even and also, most importantly, does not look painted.  It looks great in our room.


It has been about five months or so since I painted this chair and it still looks perfect.  I am thinking of giving it a new coat of paint this summer - a faux leather maybe.  I think the fabric would be perfect for that.



In the meantime, I will enjoy my "new" chair a bit longer.



 Closing thoughts:

1. Painting an old chair that was just headed to Goodwill anyway is a great idea - what do you have to lose?
2. I would recommend two watered down coats and a third full strength coat of paint for a smooth, even coverage.
3.  Would I do it over again?  Oh yeah, and I will!!! Soon!

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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10 comments:

  1. That is so cool! Who knew! Thanks for sharing.
    deb

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  2. Looks great. If you want to soften it up a bit you can sand it lightly. I used to do that between coats of paint...and it gives it more of a 'leathery' feel. You did a wonderful job---GREAT change!!
    Happy, blessed Easter to you and your family- xo Diana

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  3. It looks REALLY good! I chalk painted a burgundy wing back chair several months ago but you got much better coverage. I didn't go full strength on the final coat and that is probably where I went wrong. Love your new chair colour!

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  4. Looks fabulous! My only question would be....weren't you afraid to sit on it and get chalk paint on your clothes?! Or is it just to look at and not for sitting? My experience with chalk paint is that it rubs off without a sealer on it.

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  5. It looks wonderful...like a new chair!

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  6. love the fresh new look on your old chair! I have ambitions to paint a couch...but unsure how the floral pattern will affect the final result. Thanks for posting your tips on the two watered down coats first. :)

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  7. WOW! What a change! It looks great! How much paint would you think this took? Did you have to add wax after or sand it to soften it? I'm just curious as I have been considering painting an upholstered piece for quite some time now but it seems everyone has a different experience with it so I'm undecided :) I hope you have a great day!
    Smiles!
    Terry
    The Curator's Collection & Making Broken Beautiful (Thursdays)
    http://thecuratorscollection.wordpress.com

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  8. I think your chair looks amazing, but I have the same question as Terry just before me.....does it come off on clothing? You did a beautiful job and gave some very good tips.

    Warm hugs,
    Carol

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  9. Jane, heard that giving it a coat of soft wax makes it smooth and comfy. Your chair turned out great. I started one 5 years ago and really need to bring it out and finish it up. Amazing what chalk paint can do.

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