Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Noting Grace

Home
Family, Parenting and Religion
How to Paint a Fabric Chair- it’s easier than you think!

How to Paint a Fabric Chair- it’s easier than you think!

Last updated on: March 31, 2017 at 1:41 pm by Jennifer Fancher

How to Paint a Fabric Chair- it’s easier than you think! 2017-03-31T13:41:14-05:00 Jennifer Fancher

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I love when I get gifts from family, don’t you? Especially when they are sentimental, vintage and beautiful. When I was gifted two, gorgeous Louis bucket chairs, I jumped for joy! I knew exactly where I wanted them to go, and couldn’t wait to put them in place to see how they looked. Unfortunately the color wasn’t working for my decor, so here’s how I transformed them into stunners simply by painting the fabric!

Let me tell you about myself and color. I LOVE color! Pinks and aquas bring joy to my face. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve added pops of fun color here and there in my home, only to pack it up and return the pieces to the store.

When I put these yellow, damask bucket chairs in place, I thought, ‘this might be my color! I’ve tried all the other colors – but not yellow! This may be the one!’

nope

After a few days, it just didn’t suit me. I have tried and tried and tried to insert it into my decor, only to find myself putting it away. I think I’ve come to grips with the fact that I tend to not like color in my decor.

Why is it that I don’t care for color in my home? Maybe because my mind seems to never stop going that I need something calm and neutral to rest my eye on. All I know is that it just doesn’t make me happy – and that’s what your home should do – be a place of rest, and bring you joy and happiness!

After my other reupholstery project, and remembering what a feat that was…..soooo many staples…… I just wasn’t ready to tackle 2 more chairs. Plus, I loved the look of the damask and didn’t want to cover that up.

So what was my solution?

Fabric Paint! Say what?!

Before you click away and dismiss the idea – let me tell you all about how I did it and show you the final results!

You take fabric medium and acrylic paint in any color you want – I chose simple, plain white. I purchased 3 bottles of each not sure which formula would work best on this silky damask upholstery.

One cushion had a stain one the bottom side that wouldn’t come out, so I used that side as my tester, since I knew that side of the cushion would always be hidden.

*Always test your fabric first, y’all!

The first application is always the scariest! Follow instructions on the bottle, but be willing to alter it a bit if needed. I started with 1 part fabric medium: 2 parts acrylic paint. After the first coat, I could visually see that I had to increase the paint ratio just a little bit, so for these chairs, I used 1 part medium:2 1/4 parts paint. Not much of a difference, but enough to work with this fabric.

As you can see below, the first coat really soaks up the paint. I read on other sites where bloggers dampened their fabric first to help the paint to adhere better. When I did that, it turned out more stiff, probably due to the nature of the silk fabric. So after the first sample, I did not dampen the fabric.

I used an inexpensive craft brush and mixed the paint in a tupperware container that I could seal between coats. You simply paint the fabric in smooth even strokes.

After the first coat – allow it dry thoroughly before reapplying. I waited at least 24 hours, if not longer between coats. You can see the difference a second coat makes!

I thought I would need to apply three coats, but something beautiful happened after the second coat.

The damask pattern soaked up the paint beautifully, but the plain silk transformed into this gorgeous champagne color, making the chair slightly two-toned in beautiful neutrals.

The detailed carvings on the chair were previously painted with a golden faux finish to allow those embellishments to pop and that champagne color looked just perfect against those hints of gold. So I went on to the final step of sealing it to see if I liked how it looked finished.

To seal the chairs, you iron them. Isn’t that wild?! That sets the paint and softens the fabric. Now, lemme tell ya – ironing an armchair isn’t the easiest thing to do. So many angles and curves. I had to flip these chairs in all kinds of positions just to reach all the fabric. And ironing a chair with a new, curious puppy really isn’t an easy task! It was difficult keeping him away from the hot iron, so I may have missed a few spots.

Here’s the only side by side shot I captured of the two chairs – and even at night – they are stunners!

Didn’t they turn out just beautifully? Who knew painting a fabric chair would make such a statement?

They frame in my fireplace so beautifully! The height is just perfect for my space and I love the lines and curves! And I think the fabric turned out to be quite nice.

Now I will tell you this – they DO NOT feel like silk. If you’ve ever spilled something on a silk shirt and let it dry, that is similar to how this feels. Not crunchy or stiff, but also not soft like typical silk. Painting fabric does change how it feels and I noticed the more I ironed, the softer it got.

They are still comfortable and pair it with some beautiful pillows and they are the perfect occasional chair. I was chosen as a brand rep for Cover Love Pillows, made by a sweet instagram friend, Courtney, and I ordered this amazing ‘Be Still’ pillow in Ivory Linen and y’all – the quality is superb! The print is gorgeous and the linen is some of the softest I’ve ever felt! I love it so much, I’ve ordered another one for the other chair that will read ‘And Know’ – won’t that be the cutest?!

The chairs brighten up my living room and look nicely with my updated Entertainment Center and our Spring styled home.

So the next time you pass by a chair at a thrift store because of the color, or refuse a hand me down because of the fabric – give this a try! You may be like me – amazed at the results!

I’d love to hear from you! Scroll down to the bottom of this post to leave me a comment.

Or find me on your favorite social media and tell me there!

{Instagram} {Facebook} {Twitter} {Pinterest} {Google +}

I share with these wonderful people.

This may post contain affiliate links.

While I may receive a small compensation, all prices remain the same for you. Thanks for supporting me!

Previous Post

March 27, 2017

I DIYed that [week 5]

Next Post

April 3, 2017 DIY Dog Toy - perfect for puppies

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category $$ Saving Tips Beauty in the Blemishes Blog Boys Room Christmas Cozy Dining Room Dining Room Table DIYs for $25 DIYs to Try Encouragement Family Room Farmhouse Faux Fireplace Furniture makeover Grace Grace Notes Hardwood Floors Heirloom Home tour I DIYed that Instagram Kitchen Master Painted signs Pallet Parenting Recipes Review Rockin' the Roundup Selling Your Home Series Spring Sweet Tea Ambassador That Time I the Almost Farmhouse the Vegas House Tutorial Uncategorized wreath

Select a Month July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 November 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 August 2011 May 2010 March 2010 January 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "It is finished"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter Paul John Jesus