Painting Fabric on a Chair!!! You Can Do This!!

So how long HAS it been since I've blogged?

wow!

So much has happened in the last month that I honestly haven't had the time, or the energy.

So, back around Thanksgiving, "W" and I decided that we wanted a 2nd home.

In Birmingham, Alabama.

We were really, really sick of staying with everyone and their brother literally every week that we came here to visit.  And I'm pretty sure they were pretty sick of US staying there as well.

I'm kind of a "high energy" person and when I come in to someone's home, it's kinda like "Gigi's here!!! Time to do crafts, or cook, or talk really loud, or get up at 4 a.m."  I just bring a different element in to a family situation.

And it's okay, I'm comfortable in my own skin.

But I'm not the perfect house guest if you know what I mean....

Anyway "W" and I just happened upon THE MOST perfect place we could have found! It was available in January.

So, we took the plunge and decided that we would have two residences.

And I'm telling you guys, I could not be happier.

But, cleaning out 2 storage units, moving stuff from our place in Atlanta, furnishing a new home,  then trying to replace the stuff that I stole from the condo and trying to work (a little) has been quite overwhelming....Leaving me with a week and a half of an upper respiratory/sinus infection, finally going to the doc and getting treated.

....i hate going to the doc....like hate it. (for some reason I think I can cure myself.) 

Okay, that's the scoop on me (if you were interested ;)

Now, here is what I want to show you.

We had these two chairs that were in "W's" study at our lake house years ago.  They had been in storage.

I decided I would paint the frame and then have them recovered.

Well, sister said to me, "why don't you paint the fabric?"

I never in my life thought that could be done, but she swore people do it all the time.

So, pinterest, google and my "up doer" friends to the rescue.  Yes, it can be done.

So, I went to my local Annie Sloan retailer and got (my new favorite pop of color)

ORANGE

(don't mistaken me for liking that colour because of Auburn University)

 Crimson just isn't in my colour palette right now.

Okay, so here we go.

Here are the chairs...

before

Well one at least.

Totally outdated in my humble opinion but great bones.

And here is what you need to get started

1) patience, patience and more patience

2) time (like 15 hours or more)

3) Paint (obviously) I first used a can of Annie Sloan Barcelona Orange but quickly realized that it would take about 6 quarts to do two chairs, so I matched the colour with Behr FLAT LATEX

(a whole gallon) and I used every bit of it.

4) Martha Stewart FABRIC MEDIUM.  1 part medium to 2 parts paint (this is an absolute must have)

For a gallon of paint I used 7 bottles of this.

4) Paint for the bones of the chair.  I used Farmhouse Paint which I LOVE

Creamy Linen

5) Brushes....I used Annie Sloan big fat one but honestly was not all that impressed with it until the waxing stage,  I also used a GREAT short handled angled brush from Home Depot and a small detailed brush.  Believe me, when you are working with a chair that has wood surrounding it and welting, you will need a detail brush.  Like ALOT

and, a spray bottle filled with water.

Now.  I started with the cushions.  I thought it would take oh, two coats.

nada.

More like 4.  Maybe 5.  And getting in the groves where the welting was was a total pain in the ass.

I'm serious.

Before you paint you MUST spray down the cushion with water

not a lot of water, just enough to dampen

then I painted the chair.  This is the first or second coat, I can't remember

and painted the wood surrounding the upholstery.

Really, I'm not sure whether I should have painted the fabric first or the wood first.

oh well.

I think this was the 3rd or 4th coat.

patience my friends.

And since we all know it's been ridiculously cold, I had to use whatever resources I could to help the drying process along.

like the fireplace...

finally it got warm enough to take these outside.  Let me tell ya, I painted orange, got it on the white, painted white, got it on the orange, I must have touched up these suckers for probably 2 hours.

then I used frog tape.

And this is where I forgot to take pics....so sorry!

I used my big fat Annie Sloan brush and covered the white with Dark Wax.

I screwed up.  And I knew this so not sure why I screwed up.

You are supposed to put clear wax on before you put dark wax on.

At any rate, I didn't.  

Juries out on whether I'm going to sand down some of the dark wax, but I might wait a day or two.

here ya go!!! (I still have to put clear wax on the fabric, but have to go get another brush

UPDATE!!!

I PAINTED OVER THE WAX WITH LINEN CHALK PAINT

and got EXACTLY what I wanted!!! Endurance pays off!!!

better huh?

SO glad I did that!

and in the room

The question everyone has?  Are the stiff? Will they crack?

First of all the original fabric WAS stiff, but this is more stiff.  Are the comfortable?

Well, I wouldn't sit and watch TV on them.  But to put on a pair of socks they're just fine.

After I wax the fabric I believe it will soften up a bit.

Also, no paint will get on you.

Now to the rest of the house!

next project? drapes. (maybe)

edit.  couldn't stand it, had to get drapes ;)

good choice if I say so myself ;)

and I absolutely LOVE my "Wall of Pride"!!

Have a great day y'all!

I promise I'm going to get back ta bloggin!!!

kb