Today’s project is a throwback to my very first piece of furniture I painted with a chalk-type paint. I learned a lot and was immediately hooked! I bought it for one project and ended up turning it into a chair planter. Here’s what the chair looked like when I found it at the thrift store.
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Over a year ago now I saw a shelf on Pinterest that was made out of the back of a chair. I loved the idea and started looking for a cheap, rickety vintage chair that I wouldn’t feel bad about cutting up.
Of course, I see chairs like that all the time until I start looking for one. I bought 3 other chairs while looking but they were all sturdy enough so I repainted and used them at home.
Then I found this ugly chair, really cheap ($3.00), at my favorite thrift store. But when I got it home I realized that even though it was ugly, it was sturdy and I felt bad about cutting it up. So I decided to paint it.
Prepping and Painting a Thrift Store Chair
Remember this was over a year ago and I hadn’t used the CeCe Caldwell natural chalk and clay paint that our shop, Paris Flea Market, started selling. Almost every time I worked a customer would ask me about the paint. I figured I better try it so I would know how to answer their questions.
You never know what you’re gonna find when you pull fabric off an old piece of furniture. This chair had a cane seat on it under the vinyl. It was rotting in places so I just pulled it off, planning to recover the seat after I painted it.
So I picked my favorite color, turquoise. CeCe makes a color called Santa Fe Turquoise but it was lighter than I wanted. The color I chose is called Destin Gulf Green.
The main thing I learned from painting this chair is that when you start painting you should NOT start with a chair like this. See those little spindles on the back and bottom? Those are much harder to paint and wax than flat surfaces. After I did this and talked to some other, more experienced, furniture painters they all told me that they’re rather paint a full-size dresser than one chair like this. Live and learn…
So this piece probably took me longer to paint than any other piece of furniture I’ve done. One, because it was my first and I wasn’t sure what to expect with this natural chalk and clay paint. And, two, because of all the thin little spindles on it.
Here’s what CeCe’s paint looks like as it’s drying. It’s easy to see which parts are dry and which are wet. The paint is much darker when it’s wet. I think I did two coats.
The photo below is a close up of the detail on the back of the chair. I distressed it with just a wet rag… one of my favorite things about this paint!
Another close up below. I love how this paint distresses. You can also sand it if you want. That’ll give you a different look.
Now the story slows down a lot. I loved the color and everything about this old chair. My plan was to reupholster the wood seat that I pulled off (not shown in any photos) and use it at home. But I was working and had a hard time deciding what fabric to use. So it sat… and sat… and sat. I got to see it every day but never sat in it. And the truth is, even though I love the color it doesn’t really fit in anywhere in my house.
So, almost a whole year later, I decided to sell it. But I still had trouble deciding on fabric. Then one day while Bikeman was planting flowers I had an idea. It should be a vintage chair planter!
{{{ See my other TURQUOISE projects HERE }}}
How to Make a Vintage Chair Planter
I had just bought some chicken wire to use in some old frames I bought (here’s what I did with them) so I cut a piece, shaped it to fit, stapled it in, and tied the back edges together with wire. As you can see from the photo it’s not a very neat job but I was going to cover that with coco liner
anyway.
‘Til the next project,
Ann @ Duct Tape and Denim
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Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. says
May 26, 2014 at 6:48 amOh pretty – I love chair planters! So cute on a porch or in the garden!
karen says
May 29, 2014 at 9:14 amI just love this project. SO CUTE! Thank you so much for sharing at Redouxinteriors. I am sharing at my party today 🙂
Allison says
January 10, 2015 at 6:56 amHow pretty! I love the color blue that you chose! It makes me look forward to spring.
Life Images by Jill says
March 18, 2015 at 7:28 pmI really enjoyed your post. thank you. I have some boards I want to distress but I haven’t heard of this paint before. Perhaps I can’t get it in Australia. But thanks for the tutorial. The chair looks great!
Have a wonderful weekend ahead. I am joining you over at Ivy & Elephants.
Rose's DIY Crafts, at FineCraftGuild says
March 23, 2015 at 12:44 amOh, my goodness, painting that backrest blue totally brought out the lovely detail of the chair. You were so right not to cut that up! Well, done and great share! Thank you for being a part of our party SHARE IT one more time, Saturdays. It wouldn’t be a party without you! Have a great week!
Charlotte says
March 23, 2015 at 7:08 amLovely idea! Repurpose is so much fun and with your creativity nothing is impossible 🙂
I found this on Snickerdoodle Sunday.
Jess says
March 24, 2015 at 7:19 amWow…this is so cute! I love this idea!
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week! Don’t forget to enter the $5 Starbucks Giftcard Giveaway!
Cathy says
March 24, 2015 at 7:22 amI love this! I made one a few years back but had to leave it behind when we moved. Now I am on the look out for a new chair to use. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Pinning. Cathy
Linda@MixedKreations says
March 24, 2015 at 7:38 amWhat a cute idea! Love the color, looks so bright and cheer with the pretty color of the chair and the pretty flowers.
Kathryn Griffin @TheDedicatedHouse says
March 24, 2015 at 6:22 pmAnn, it’s darling! Thank you for sharing. You are one of the features at The Round-Up from the Before & After Wednesday party at The Dedicated House. Here is the link so you can check out your feature. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2015/03/the-round-up-from-before-after-wednesday_24.html Hope to see you again tomorrow at the party! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Sarah R. says
March 25, 2015 at 5:58 amVery cool- I’ve been wanting to make one of these for a long time!! So glad you linked up at Snickerdoodle Sunday- can’t wait to see your latest makes this weekend!
Sarah (Sadie Seasongoods)
Jann Olson says
March 25, 2015 at 9:21 amSuper cute! I had a planted chair in the garden of my previous home for quite some time but it finally fell apart. Might need to make another one! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Barb @ A Life in Balance says
March 26, 2015 at 6:28 pmThank you for contributing to Motivation Monday!
Laci says
March 28, 2015 at 5:18 pmLove your chair !!! I did one also a few weeks ago and blogged about it. Mine is so cute on my front porch so far !! Glad i found your blog.
ducttapeanddenim says
March 28, 2015 at 7:25 pmThanks! I just went and looked at yours. Love the colors you used.
Laura@ Baking in Pyjamas says
March 29, 2015 at 6:30 amWhat a lovely Idea, sounds fun too! Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!
Lou Lou Girls says
March 30, 2015 at 12:13 pmThis looks so incredible! Loving it! Pinned and tweeted. Thanks for being a part of our party. I hope to see you tonight at 7. Lou Lou Girls
Sean Mahan says
February 23, 2018 at 10:06 amI love who it turned out, really beautiful! This is a wonderful idea to bring some life outdoors!
Debrashoppeno5 says
February 28, 2018 at 1:16 pmThis is so pretty. The color is perfect. It have always wanted to try this but usually, end up making something else out of the rickety old chairs.
Two Chicks and a Mom/Donna says
March 6, 2018 at 4:45 pmThat looks great–so pretty and colorful! Thanks for sharing at Party in Your PJs.
Denise Bryant says
March 6, 2018 at 8:00 pmGreat repurporse for a broken chair. Love the color too. Thanks for sharing this with us at the Waste not Wednesday link party. Can’t wait to see what you are up to this week.
Kim says
March 8, 2018 at 12:02 pmLove this! I’m on the hunt for an old chair to paint now! I’m so ready to get my hands in the dirt this year! Thanks for sharing your post on the Encouraging Hearts and Home blog hop! I featured your post this week at daytodayadventures.com which means I gave it some extra love on social media! Make sure you come link up today! Have a great week!
Sherry says
March 14, 2018 at 12:39 pmGreat idea! THanks for sharing at Home Sweet HomE!
Julie says
May 8, 2019 at 9:08 pmI LOVE this!! Thank you for the idea! I never thought about using chalk paint on a chair. We recently had a town trash day, where people put unwanted items out by the curb and the city picks it up and takes it to the dump….if it lasts that long! *L* People drive around town to see what other people have put out and I found a bright yellow chair with badly peeling paint, but the chair is in good shape so I thought I would just take off the peeling paint and put some polyurethane on it an use it in my yard to hold plants, but seeing this gives me a totally new idea!
ducttapeanddenim says
May 13, 2019 at 2:38 pmYay! Hope it turns out well for you!