Sunday, August 1, 2010

Taking the Painting Plunge Again!

About a year and a half ago I purchased this dining room set from Craig’s List.
It is made by Henredon and included the table, four chairs, two leaves and custom made table pads. We had no dining room furniture (or any other furniture in this room) and considering the quality of the pieces, for $400 I think I found a pretty good deal.

My husband and I instantly agreed the striped velvet fabric (which I think was the original fabric) had to go. I choose pretty fabric from Calico Corners, used the old fabric as a pattern and even reused the original cording - a simple reupholstering project, which immediately updated the look of the chairs.
It was at this point, the agreeing stopped. I wanted to paint the chairs and Mr. RDH wanted me to leave them as is. So for 18 months I held off painting, thinking I might change my mind. I kept seeing pretty pictures, however, on some of my favorite blogs like the ones below.

unknown source


image via Cote De Texas

I have always loved a mix of finishes and now was even more convinced I needed to paint! So last week - unbeknownst to Mr. RDH - I took the plunge and once again I am so glad I did! (you may remember I had a similar dilemma with a clock.)

Chair before:

Chair lightly sanded:

Chair painted with my favorite paint – Valspar satin in Porcelain:

Chair glazed:

My dining room with newly painted chairs:

A big improvement! I love how the painted chairs make the space brighter and the table and chairs less “matchy-matchy.”

For a centerpiece I used an architectural element filled with sticks, along with several different style candlesticks and a linen table runner I made (for directions click HERE). Since this is one of the first rooms you see when walking through the front door, all of these elements provide the perfect transition into the rest of the house.

So what does Mr. RDH think? I am happy to report he likes the chairs better now that they are painted. Turns out he was never really crazy about the chairs to begin with – he liked the table. Harmony found!

Linking up to some of my favorite parties HERE

63 comments:

Cassie Bustamante said...

love the chairs painted! i think they lighten up the space and make the table a little more focal... great job!

Christina said...

Ooooh that looks GREAT! My husband is the same...he wants everything to remain with the original wood (he says, "Christina, you don't have to paint EVERYTHING!") haha. Great work!!

Kelly @ Much To Do With Nothing said...

Oh so much better! The lines of those chairs were screaming to be painted. Beautiful fabric too. It's such a good feeling, isn't it?
Kelly

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Painting the chairs changed the look of the whole room...gorgeous! I love the architectural piece and your curtains. Beautiful dining room!
Hugs, Sherry

Bonnie@Creative Decorating said...

They turned out awesome! Men have issues with wood being painted! I go through this all the time! I think it makes the table look better!

Boxwood Terrace said...

The chairs look great and your whole dining room is beautiful. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
Deborah

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal said...

Really looks great! Did you use a spray paint? I would think it would be easier with the cane backs. The fabric is a big up date too. And I love the big center piece. Fantastic idea!

Unknown said...

What an amazing difference! Men and their wood fetishes...I just love what you did!

Andrea said...

Looks fabulous! I recently did a post on my dining room, and mentioned my disatisfaction with my table/chairs. A lot of people commented that I should take the painting plunge. I am a little nervous to, but after seeing yours, I think it would look great! If you have time, check it out & let me know what you think. I love your blog, and would love & value your opinion =)
www.willowispandrea.blogspot.com It's my Dining Room Reveal =P

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Ha! Men! You could have painted them 18 months ago! : ) I like the way they look and I think they fit right in with your style in the dining room.

Paula@SweetPea said...

Painting really changes the look of these chairs. I love the fabric that you used on the cushions. Your room looks great!

Megan Gunyan said...

Ha! Great compromise. I love the glaze look. And, adding that large element to your table center really works! I love it! So different and creative.

Patti @ Pandoras Box said...

I really like how these chairs turned out...nice contrast with the table...but what really caught my eye is the cute table runner on the table!!

The Smith Hotel said...

Love how the chairs turned out! I really like your "vase" you used too!

Jody

Julie said...

Wow. I love it. Especially the caning. A dining table & chairs is on my long list of things I'm searching for :) Great job!

MJ said...

You did a great job, the dining room looks like a magazine page. Im often torn with painting perfectly good pieces. I love the painted chairs with the solid wood table. Nice fabric for the seats too. Oh and the drapes are really nice! - Melanie

Carmen @ Life with Sprinkles on Top said...

I think your dining room is lovely. I love the way the chairs turned out. So pretty!

Trish @TheOldPostRoad said...

WOW - those look great!!!

ROSE VINE COTTAGE said...

They look so much better,very pretty!! I have some cane back chairs that I want to paint, how did you paint the caneing,I'm afraid it will drip or clog up in the cane??

Amy Kinser said...

Your chairs look wonderful and I love your centerpiece. What a great statement.

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

What a great find that was. Henredon is really good quality & I love those chairs painted too. Your DR turned out wonderful.

Blue Ridge Altered Art said...

Great transformation to the chairs. It really brightens up the room. I am really loving your centerpiece container. Very elegant. Thanks for sharing.

white flower farmhouse said...

I LOVE IT! You have such an eye! The rooms looks amazing. Lori

Sue said...

Amazing re-do! The combination of the wood and painted finishes turned out great. Glad the hubs liked your "Let's get it done now" project! Sometimes just taking the plunge is the smartest thing.
:-) Sue

Karen said...

What do you glaze the chairs with after painting? Did you spray or brush the paint on?

Karen @ Garden, Home and Party

Red Door Home said...

Answers to a few questions:


The paint is from Lowe's and is an interior/exterior satin spray paint made by Valspar. The color is Porcelain.

The glaze is something I bought 10 years ago from Home Depot and still haven't run out! It is by Ralph Lauren and is called Smoke. I am guessing it is no longer available. If you would like me to send you the formula please email me.

I have not had any problems with painting the caned part of the chairs. I have used this process before with good luck. I always very lightly sand the caned parts of the chair and then use several light coats of paint as to not cause drips.

Andrea said...

Thank you so much for hopping over to my blog to answer my question about my dining room chairs & table. Now, to convince the hubby =)

Atticmag said...

Have to confess as I followed you through the steps I was thinking, hmmm, just pickle them. But they came out great and they do completely update the look of the dining room in a great way. And what a buy you got in the first place.
I'm a week late stopping by as we were traveling but I really enjoyed your post today. Jane F.

Leslie {Goodbye, house. Hello, home!} said...

B
E
A
U
T
I
F
U
L
!
!

Anna said...

I have a couple of similar wicker back chairs I painted white too, you did a great job on yours, love the fabric too

Unknown said...

Wow, what an amazing change! These chairs look great. They truly add something to this table.

Unknown said...

Beautiful room and the chairs look great!!

michiganhome said...

Perfect job on the chairs, perfect fabric to go with the new finish. Thanks for more eye candy!

Holly Lefevre said...

You never fail to amaze me! This is stunning. We are having some chair issues ourselves...I may have to keep this in mind!

Sjn said...

I do like them painted white so much more than the brown stained. You did the right thing!
Come see my old chair that I painted coral, show that to your hubby, ha!

Amy @ Keep'n The SunnySide said...

WoW.. nice "re~do" project. I like them better too. The room looks great! Love those curtains too. I recently recovered our dining chairs. I didn't realize how easy it was.

Copycat Creator said...

Great job!! You've got me think I want to do the same finish on mine! : )

decor4poor@blogspot.com said...

Those chairs look so good, that is a project I am going to be taking on soon! Love your house.

Jane, Naples, Florida said...

Fabulous! Fabulous! I am so impressed! How beautiful your
dining room looks with the new
painted chairs!

Jane
Flora Doora

KG said...

That looks fantastic! I am a huge huge fan of using the old and making it new! Looks great.

Pam said...

Isn't it amazing how paint and fabric can change things. Looks great.

Roeshel said...

Beautiful! I just replaced an dining set with a reclaimed barnwood table and creamy white chairs. lol I LOVE your chairs in white. Great job! :)

R

Michelle @ Sweet Something Design said...

Those look fantastic!! Harmony indeed! The corbel thingie is a fantastic centerpiece, love it! Great plunge! :)

Angela said...

Wow, what a wonderful difference!!

Patina said...

That's great! I love a happy ending! The chairs look wonderful with the dark table. Love your dining room!

Ann said...

Wow! Amazing what a little paint and fabric can do to a piece that has good bones! Your dining room is so pretty.:)
Fondly,
Ann
@
The Tattered Tassel

Jen said...

I love the chairs painted white!
Its just brightens the whole room!

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

Sometimes we just gotta do it and then our hubbys can see our point of view! These look fantastic!

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door said...

You made a great choice! They look wonderful. I've been putting off painting my own chairs for way too long! Great inspiration!

Susanne said...

Wow, you're braver than I am! The set turned out great, good job.
Susanne.

Maryann @ Domestically-Speaking said...

I love them painted... what a huge difference such a simple change made to your room... enjoy!

Victoria said...

First off, I LOVE the whole set! What a wonderful find on CL. Secondly, I do love them painted! Changes the whole look.

I was wondering if you could share what kind of glazing you used.

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

So much better painted! It is amazing how much lighter a room feels with painted furniture!

Sixty-Fifth Avenue said...

Now you can see the pretty detail on the legs. I love the color you chose. I just did my chairs.
Londen

for the love of a house said...

wow! your new painted chairs look great! you did a wonderful job. husbands are silly sometimes:)

I notice in your two inspiration photos that the chandeliers don't have shades... I was wondering;) if you have ever tried your chandelier without them??

Mandi @ Vintage Revivals said...

These turned out great! And I love the broken column! Where did you get it?

Red Door Home said...

Thank you! I like this column too. It really is one of my favorite finds. I purchased it from Genevieve's a local store which I have featured on my blog a while back - The Home Store Connection. You can view the story by clicking on the store link on the right side of my blog.

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

Hi! Love the white chairs. I just painted my dining room chairs Heirloom White after 30 years of NOT LIKING them! You can see them on my blog.....I'm still thinking about which fabric to use. Linda

Pamela said...

I am in LOVE with your dining room! Your curtains are fabulous and give me much inspiration and now I am thinking I might need some bling for our chandy!;) Really the entire room is just beautiful!

The Hip Hostess said...

Wow! This post really caught my eye as I just purchased 6 dining chrs frm Craig's list also. After stripping, sanding and a coat of Heirloom White I've got a look I love. You did a beautiful job, the chairs are simply stunning. Funny how just a little paint can transform just about anything.

TuckerZ said...

I love your color choices and how you put everything together!!! What colors did you use in the bathroom! They remind me of the beach!!

TuckerZ said...

I love your color choices! What colors did you use in your bathroom? It reminds me of the beach!!

Unknown said...

The chairs look great and your whole dining room is beautiful. Thanks for sharing such a great blog.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin