Furniture

One thing I love is giving a plain object new life and personality with a simple change.  Sprucing up my beat up dining chairs by stenciling the seats is precisely that kind of project!

With just a little patience and some paint, I was able to take my kitchen chairs from boring to beautiful in no time. 

After six years of use, my white kitchen chairs were getting a little beat up.    The seats were in especially poor condition due to my kids’ use of a portable booster seat on top of them.  It scratched the painted finish off of almost every seat.  

I always toyed with the idea of repainting the chairs, but I pretty much despise spray paint because I never do it correctly (duh). Since the easy way out wasn’t an option, I was just going to leave them. Brush painting these chairs was too much work for me.

But then a lightbulb went off in my head: stencil the chair seats to fix the problem left by the booster seat and give the chairs a totally cool new look at the same time!

Supplies Needed to Stencil Chair Seats

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• Cutting Edge Stencils Nagoya Craft Stencil (size small)
• Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint in Vintage
• Americana Multi-Surface Paint in Cottonball
• Spray adhesive
• Mini paint roller and tray
• 2″ Paint Brush
• Painter’s Tape
• Screwdriver
• Sandpaper (220 grit)
• Polyurethane (or some other sealer)

Stenciled Chair Seats: How to with a Lasting Finish

If possible, unscrew the the seats from the chairs. This will make it much easier to paint the seats and add the stencil design.

Next, clean the seats (any any other part of the chairs that you’re painting). You can use a Magic Eraser, or clean it with a pre-paint cleaner that doesn’t leave a residue (like Krud Kutter or TSP).

Now, give the seats a scuff sanding, and wipe off all of the dust. Then, paint the seats whatever base color you’d like. For this project, I chose Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint in Vintage (a soft blue green color).

Let the paint thorougly dry, and then apply a light coat of spray adheisve to the back of the stencil you’re using. The spray adhesive not only holds the stencil in place, but it also prevents paint from bleeding through or seeping through the stencil pattern and ruining the crisp lines you’re after.

Press the stencil onto the middle of the chair seat, and then place painter’s tape on the edges of the stencil for extra hold.  The painter’s tape is probably unnecessary, but I like to play it safe.

Next, dip the roller into the Americana Multi-Surface Paint and remove as much of the paint as possible from the roller. You want to use as little paint as possible here.

Then, gently roll over the entire stencil.  

Once the first coat dried, I applied another.  TIP:  If you’re impatient like me, get out your hair dryer and speed up the drying process.

After the second coat of paint dries, gently remove the stencil. Match it up with an already painted edge, and stencil the next section.

Repeat this process until the entire chair seat is stenciled.

Once all of the stenciling is complete, seal each of the stenciled chair seats with polyurethane. This will protect your hard work!

Reattach the chair seats by screwing them back onto the chair frames.

Then sit back and enjoy the new look of your old chairs!

Stenciling old furniture is such an amazing way to give it a whole new life. It’s a win for the environment and for your wallet!

Would you try to make over a set of old chairs with a stencil? Let me know in the comments section below!

A couple of months ago I spotted the most PERFECT little rocking chair at Goodwill.  You guys – it was $2.99.  $2.99!!!  I knew it was too small for my kids, but I snatched it up anyway because I enjoy buying things I have absolutely no need for.
It sat in my basement until my husband gave me the dreaded ultimatum that he makes approximately every other month – “do something with it or I’m getting rid of it.” So I decided to paint it for one of my oldest friends’ new baby girl, Grace.  They’re moving to a new house next week and Grace will have her own little nursery, so I knew a pretty painted rocking chair would be a great addition to her room!

I started out by painting the top part of the chair in Country Chic Paint’s Vintage Cupcake. (You may recognize the color from the Butterfly Bench Makeover I did in the spring.)  
Next, I painted the bottom half in Americana Decor’s Chalky Finish Paint in Everlasting.  While I was at it, I watered down some of the Everlasting and brushed it over the Vintage Cupcake for a cute, whitewashed look.
After it dried, I lightly sanded for a distressed look.  Then I made a contact paper stencil of her name on my Silhouette Cameo, and painted it on in metallic gold acrylic paint. Once that dried, I finished the entire chair with a coat of Country Chic Paint’s Pearl Wax. I am OBSESSED with pearl wax because it gives a beautiful, all-over shimmer. It’s perfect for a subtle, glam look that every four-month-old loves.
It turned out pretty cute, I think!

My daughter’s favorite lovie, Lambie, was happy to model for this photo shoot. She sort of became a diva after appearing in the Butterfly Bench Makeover post.

If you liked this idea, you can definitely replicate it. Michaels sells unfinished child size rocking chairs in-store for $49. With a 40% or 50% off coupon, you’ll have an awesome gift for someone at an equally awesome price!

– Bre

In 2009 my husband and I moved from a small condo to a much larger home.  We had a lot more space to fill and hardly any furniture.  Recognizing that we looked like squatters in our new home, my mom gave us an old side table that used to be my grandma’s.  It wasn’t exactly the style we were going for, but we were grateful to have something that we didn’t have to buy or assemble.  Plus, the sentimental value of it having been my grandma’s was priceless.   Fast forward to the summer of 2010. I decided to paint this little guy a beautiful shade of red. (My husband contends the color was pink, but I think he’s color blind.) Anyway, I had a brand new baby, was completely sleep deprived, and had NO idea what I was doing. (This was pre-Pinterest, people!) So I opened a can of latex paint and slathered it on. No prep work, no sealing, no nothing. Let’s just say it was the worst.paint.job.ever. And the paint peeled off all over. And, embarrassingly, I kept it like that for FIVE years.

Thank you to Country Chic Paint for providing the paint used in this project.  The project, post and opinions are all my own.  Also, this post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you purchase through them. To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

OMG, I cringe just thinking of it. So yeah, anyway, I seriously had to repaint this little eyesore, er side table. I decided to go in a different direction and try one of Country Chic Paint’s limited edition colors, Forever Green, and go for it. At first it looked like Christmas gone wrong. Not gonna lie, I definitely had a minor freak out.
But I powered through my doubts and gave the entire table two coats of Forever Green, and accented the little decorative detailing on the front with some Rub ‘N Buff.
And of course, I properly sealed it this time. I used my tried and true S.C. Johnson Paste Wax and let it cure outside, due to the strong smell. Once I brought it back in, I kicked myself for waiting so long to repaint it!
It looks twelve million times better. Oh, and look at this other FUN detail I added. . .
Super cute paper lined drawer and drawer sides. Love it!
The pulls from Anthropologie are too adorable, too. Pinch me.
All in all, I think I redeemed myself from my horrible red makeover circa 2010. Thank goodness. What do you think?  Are you digging the green?
– Bre

Slowly but surely I’ve been working on my little guy’s “big boy” bedroom makeover.  (Emphasis on the “slowly.”)  And that’s left my little girl feeling, well, a bit jealous.

“Uh, mommy, why are you ALWAYS making things for his room.  You never make ANYTHING for me.  EVER.”

Whatever, drama queen.  The truth is that almost every piece of decor in her bedroom is something that I made – while pregnant and working full-time, which totally earns me bonus points.  But anyway, since she was convinced that she was a neglected child, I decided to fix up a hand-me-down bench just for her, and in a way that probably only a five-year-old could love – in pink and covered in butterflies.

This is the bench as it came to me from my mother.  In all honesty, I really liked it as it was, but I had nowhere to put it in its “before” form.  I decided it was better to repaint it and keep it than to give it away.

So I started by painting the entire bench with one coat of Country Chic Paint in Cobblestone.  

Next, I applied two brushy layers of Country Chic Paint in Vintage Cupcake.  I wanted some of the gray to peek through even before sanding.

Then I used my Silhouette machine to cut some butterfly stencils with Contact Paper.  I applied those babies and got to work!  (Sidetone: it’s super tricky to hold a stencil brush in one hand and photograph said hand with the other.)

After everything dried, I sanded to distress the piece and then sealed it with finishing wax.  But the absolute BEST thing was when I applied a layer of Country Chic Paint’s Pearl Wax to the top of the bench.  Let me just say that I am OBSESSED with this stuff; it leaves the most gorgeous and subtle shimmer.  I pretty much wanted to douse myself in it.  
My daughter is thrilled to have this special piece of furniture in her room.
It really is the perfect addition to her space with its pretty color and sweet charm!

Oh, and say “hi” to her most favorite “lovie.”  She insisted that Lambie make an appearance in this photo shoot.

– Bre

After posting my changing table upcycle project, I got some questions about how to apply fabric to furniture.  

I am by no means an expert on this subject (my expertise centers on things like any of the Real Housewives franchises and the latest shipment of inventory at the Target Dollar Spot), but I do think I did a pretty darn good job with this, so I’m happy to share my tips on how to Mod Podge fabric to wood (or any other type of furniture, for that matter)!  

Supplies Needed to Apply Fabric to Furniture

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I will receive a small commission at no added cost to you. To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Here are the supplies I used to make this fabric application a successful one.

• Mod Podge in matte finish (you can use any finish, actually; I just like matte for wood projects personally)
• a large foam brush
• cotton fabric (mine was a canvas-type fabric, but any type should work just fine)
• a rotary cutter
• a fabric cutting mat
• a clear fabric ruler
• an X-acto knife
• a credit card or gift card

How to Mod Podge Fabric to Wood or Other Types of Furniture

First, I measured the shelves to which I was planning to apply the fabric.  I did this twice because you know the old adage “measure twice, cut once” was on repeat in my head.

Next, I cut my fabric to be slightly larger than the size of my shelves.  (I did this to ensure that the fabric would totally cover each shelf.  I didn’t want any gaps at the edges, and planned to trim it to fit after I applied it to each shelf.)  

I found it very easy to cut the rectangular shape of my fabric with the rotary cutter and clear ruler on top of the cutting mat because the measurements were right there in front of me.  It also made it really easy to cut straight lines.  

I think that if I would have tried to cut a straight line freehand, I probably would have messed that up big time.  The large-scale pattern on the fabric I chose made it especially important that my cuts were straight!

After I had all of my fabric cut out, I ironed it really well to ensure there were no folds or wrinkles left.  

Then it was time to really get down to business! I grabbed my large foam brush and applied a thin, even layer of Mod Podge to an ENTIRE wood shelf. I had to work rather quickly to make sure that the Mod Podge wouldn’t dry out before I got the fabric on.  

Once the shelf was coated with Mod Podge, I held my breath and laid the fabric on top of the shelf. I had to move it slightly to get it into the correct place, but once it was where I wanted it, I breathed a sigh of relief and pressed it down.

Then I took a gift card and began using it to remove any wrinkles or gaps.  This was essential in getting a smooth finish!  I gently pushed the gift card all over the fabric to press wrinkles and gaps out toward the edges.

I let this sit for about 30 minutes to ensure that the Mod Podge was dry. Then I began removing the excess fabric from the edges of each shelf. I used a combination of my rotary cutter and an X-acto knife to do this.

You will want a VERY sharp razor for this step. My X-acto knife was really dull and made the process much more difficult than it should have been. If it had been sharp, I probably would not have needed to use my rotary cutter at all for this step.

Once this somewhat tedious step was finished, I applied a thin, even layer of Mod Podge to the top of the fabric to seal it all off. It goes on murky but dries clear.  

Once it’s fully dry, you’re all finished!  It’s so easy to Mod Podge fabric to wood – can you believe it?

I will admit that this whole process was a little nerve-wracking. I was scared that I would ruin my newly-refinished console table, but I think that the risk was worth it.

Adding fabric to furniture gives it a really unique, custom look – one that isn’t totally achievable with paint alone.  And, learning how to Mod Podge fabric to wood is a skill that you can use in all kinds of crafts and decor projects!

– Bre

This idea for repurposing a baby changing table will have you rethinking getting rid of yours.

Some of you are going to hate this project and think I’ve lost my mind.  So I apologize in advance.  

Maybe I have lost my mind, but I prefer to think of this changing table upcycle as a smart way to reuse and repurpose something that was no longer needed.

For about a year I have been scouring Craigslist, Goodwill, and all of the local resale websites to find a console table for my living room, but I just could not find what I was looking for.  

But then one day a changing table was posted for $20.  It was the perfect size for my space and I thought I’d take a chance and see if I could make it work as a console table.  

So I sent my wonderful husband to pick it up for me and bear the strange looks from the seller when he found out that this changing table was not going to be used for a baby.  (I’m thinking this guy was kicking himself for not coming up with this idea.  (Sure.))  

This is what the changing table looked like when I bought it.  I feel bad for the baby who had to get his or her bottom wiped on this sad table.  I knew it could be so much more!

** Thank you to the kind folks at Country Chic Paint for providing the paint I used in this post!  Also, there are affiliate links in this post, which means I earn a small commission if you purchase through them.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.**

I wiped it down with a wet rag and gave it a coat of Country Chic Paint in Dark Roast.  It is an amazing paint that goes on smoothly and covers brilliantly.  That is some good coverage for one coat!

After that dried, I applied another coat of Dark Roast and was happy to find out that I wouldn’t need to do a third coat.

To seal the piece, I applied two coats of Country Chic Clear Coat.  Although I typically prefer to wax pieces that have been chalk painted, this stuff is supposed to help your pieces resist scratching and stand up to a lot of wear and tear.  

Since this console table is in a high traffic area of my home, and since my kids will be digging in the baskets, I figured it was smart to apply a heavy duty sealer.

Once the painting and sealing was finished, I decoupaged fabric to each of the shelves.  Then I drilled holes in the drawer for new hardware.  I was SO proud of myself for not screwing that up!  Aren’t these handles awesome?!?

Here’s a good shot of the fabric-lined shelves / table top.  I think it’s kind of fun!  (And if you do, too, and want to learn how to apply fabric to furniture, make sure to check out that post.)

I think the sophisticated color transforms the piece from a nursery staple to a chic console table.  

I couldn’t be happier with my new table!  

So what do you think?  Does it work as a console table or is it ridiculous?  It won’t hurt my feelings too much if you don’t like it.  I promise.