Painting Upholstered Furniture

Did you know you could spray paint upholstery?  It was a new idea for me.  I had dyed fabric before using RIT dye packets but that tactic obviously wouldn't work on furniture.  During one of my daily browses of the web I came across a spray painted wingback chair.  It actually looked really good so I decided to give it a try.  A while back I had purchased a barrell-shaped swivel chair at my local Salvation Army Thrift Store.  It was in good shape though a bit faded. 

I recalled reading that the paint could be found in craft stores.  So last Saturday I headed to JoAnn Fabrics.  I found a product called Simply Spray.  They carried it in 2.5 oz. spray cans.  I wasn't sure how much each can would cover but since they only had (3) packages of the Poppy Red that is what I got.  When I got home I carried the chair out into the back yard and began spraying.  After emptying the (3) cans I had only painted about half the chair.  Already knowing that JoAnn's didn't have more of the color I needed this time I headed to A.C. Moore.  There I picked up (3) more cans.  Sadly the paint was $1.00 more per can.   Once I got home I finished my chair and left it out to dry for a few hours.

I think the chair came out great.  The chair originally cost me $25 and for another $30 or so in paint I have a brand new chair.  If I had sent the chair out to be reupholstered, it would have cost me way more than that.  Below you can see the finished product in its final resting place in my living room.  The chair now matches my $5.00 vintage ottoman perfectly.  This was a really easy DIY project and one I would do again.

My Favorite Furniture Make-Overs

I love shopping flea markets, yard sales and auctions for great furniture pieces.  This past summer I came across two great finds.

One was a chipped green painted chair with a stained fabric seat.  I picked it up for $1 at a yard sale.  I saw great potential here.

I painted it glossy black with a can of spray paint.  Then with my husband's electric stapler I recovered the seat with animal print fabric I picked up at JoAnn's Fabrics.  Now this beautiful Chippendale-style chair can sit with the best of them.

The second item was a mid-century modern night table I found at the Thrift Store.  I think this cost me $5 and actually looked pretty good as it was.

Nonetheless, I decided to give it a little extra lift with a can of turquoise glossy spray paint.  Now it is a real gem.

What is great about these older pieces is that they are made from real wood and not particle board.  Of course, the price can't be beat either.

A Mirror for Mom

This past weekend I made a trip to Connecticut to visit family.  Mom and Dad will be heading to Florida for the winter months the beginning of next month and Mom's birthday is the end of November. 

I have always enjoyed making things.  When I was a teen I used a shallow wooden crate that previously held mail order fruit to make a wall hanging for my Mom.  I painted it blue, framed it in silk flowers and glued vintage porcelain doll house bath fixtures inside like a shadowbox.  It still hangs in her bathroom to this day.

Since my Mom obviously appreciates my handiwork I decided to make her something special for her birthday this year.  In order to see her reaction and avoid shipping charges and possible breakage, I decided I would present it to her this trip.

I purchased a large chunky plain mirror for $4.99 at my local Salvation Army Thrift Store (my favorite haunt by the way).  My intent was to dress it up.  Using leftover sheets of glass mosaic tile from my bathroom back splash project I did just that.  I cut the mesh between four rows of tiles and adhered them to the mirror with white tile adhesive.  To avoid having to cut the tile to fit the miters I left the four corners uncovered.  Once dry I grouted each section with unsanded grout so as not to scratch the glass.

I think the finished product looks like something you could easily spend $100 or more on.  More importantly Mom loved it.  She hung it up in her foyer before I even left for home. 

Before

After

Lamp Renovation

Above are the before and after pictures of a small bronze lamp I found at my local thrift store for $2.99.  You would normally put a round shade on a lamp with a round base but I wanted to mix it up a bit.  I found the square shade for $2.99 at the same thrift store.   The shade was a bit dingy but I figured I could do something with it and I really loved the shape.

To update the lamp I picked up a can of silver metallic spray paint, a roll of adhesive shelf liner and some decorative ribbon that had elements of the green and pink found in the shelf paper.  I spray painted the base and the electric chord and when dry I cut a piece of the shelf paper to fit, pulled off the backing and adhered it to the shade.  I then glued the ribbon around the top and bottom edges of the shade.   I actually purchased two of the lamps and shades so for $12 and the cost of about $6 in supplies I now have a cute pair of bedside lamps to grace my guest bedroom.