Velvet Upholstery Painted Chair Makeover
Hello and welcome!! After many coats… my pretty pink, shabby sweet chair is done. (for those of you waiting for this, thanks for hanging in there with me!) Between demo on the flooring and re-painting the entire upstairs from ceiling to baseboards, I maybe should have waited to do this project, but you know me. Inspiration struck and I just had too!
I had to clear out of the living room quick. We needed to get the underlayment down for the next section of our new wood floor installation, so I only got one decent photo. I’ll share it again soon, when I show you my latest bedroom refresh. But for now, this will have to do!
I have decided it’s near impossible to photograph baby pink! What the heck right? Did my best though and in person, it’s the prettiest, softest shade of barley there pink. But more there then you can see. lol.
Now, for the det’s and the what not to do!
How to paint velvet fabric (better then me!)
- 1. Don’t be a Miss Rushy Pants. My paint cracked a bit and I am supremely confident that is was because I wanted results like, rightnowthisminute (see #2). I bought this with the express purpose of painting it and was perhaps a little excited to see results. We’ll call it a $9.00 experiment. I knew it was not staying as is, and it was fun to try something new. The button tufting was a bit hard to get the paint into all the nooks and crannies. A flat surface is much easier. Although, I think with patience and the right formula, it would have been fine! The pink upper section with the button tufting was done with fabric/textile medium at a 2 to 1 ration per directions. I also spray bottled the fabric with water and worked the water into the velvet before painting.
- 2. After reading this great tutorial on painting velvet upholstery, (after the fact of course. haha) the second half, the seat, went really smooth. I was clearly not using enough water. This tutorial had the fabric medium to paint ratio at 50/50 and then adding 50% water to the mix. After I used this ratio, everything was super. I still had to build coverage and it took many light coats. I think about 6. I lost count since I was letting it dry and coming back to it over several days. It will depend on the nap of the velvet, the color you’re using and the color you are trying to cover. So it’ll vary I’m sure. It’s my understanding you can lightly sand between coats for a smoother surface but was not concerned with the texture. This was purely a form, not function project, otherwise I would have had it reupholstered. This was more of a “I want to change the look cheap & easy” sort of project. Right up my alley. Ascetically, it’s lovely. Pure beauty. And yes, you can sit on it and everything! I just wouldn’t do it naked. Unless you reallly needed to exfoliate. Your butt.
- 3. I used Maison Blanche Vintage Paint for my project. You know I love to paint in the house and I love that there is no smell! I used Magnolia on the chair body with Gold Organza on the tootsies. She needed a pedi {winks}. The pink is a custom mix of Cerise and Magnolia (1 cup Magnolia to 1/8 tsp. Cerise). The seat is pure Magnolia white. I may add a few more details, so I did not wax her yet. I’m going to let her simmer a bit first.
I would do this again because it’s fairly simple, just a little hard to walk away and wait. So worth it. It looks wonderful in person. Now that I’ve got a good coat on.. I can play and repaint easily anytime I want a change, and there is always the option of having it recovered too. Which I may do at some point, as I really like the chair body, shape and style!
But for now. Paint it is! So simple and more affordable for sure.
Here is a shot of the before…
It was in fairly decent shape, but it was a tag sale find… and very gold. I just didn’t feel comfy with some random fabric with a mysterious history in my home.
That sucker is sealed up now though! LOL.
The Before & After
Hope you like it. I sure do. It’s girly with the perfect whisper of pink. I’m hoping for some sun tomorrow so I can get some pictures of our refreshed room. It was too grey and gloomy today. I’ll cross my fingers for a bright day tomorrow.
Thanks for popping by the hollow. Mwah!
Desiree @ The 36th Avenue says
WOW! I love this makeover. I am pinning my friend!
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
Hey Desiree! Thanks sweetie. It was a fun experiment (: Happy Fall! Have a great Halloween with your kids.
Painter Perth says
What an incredible makeover…. Love the white color.
Tara says
I wonder if you could add liquid fabric softner to the mix if it would make it more pliable. Just a thought. I have a velvet chair I am wanting to redo also in the Gold color and, I would like for guest to comfortably sit on it. Thinking I will check out that sight and see if the sanding helps, but I have just really wondered if a touch of fabric softner would be worth a try..
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
I don’t know what that would do tho the integrity of the paint?? Good thought though!!
Jocie@OPCThe Better Half says
LOVE THIS, Shannon!!! I can’t believe it turned out so well. Thanks so much for linking up with OPC and Unskinny Boppy to support Habitat4Humanity. Sharing on FB and featuring you tomorrow on the blog. 🙂
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
Oh WEE! Running over now! Hugs – Shannon
Krista @ the happy housie says
Awesome awesome awesome transformation!
Home Coming says
Wow! I had no idea you could do this! Great work. I’d love for you to link up to The DIY’ers! http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-diyers-and-my-new-rug.html
Debbie refresh restyle says
I love it! I am totally using Maison Blanche to paint a chair 🙂
Debbie
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
I just bet you will! Your choice of colors too. LOL!
Gee says
Luv the before and after 🙂
I can see me doing the said same thing .. Miss impatient pants. That’s why Is witched form oil paints to acrylics for my work :-/
Luv the chair. Perfectly and shabby pink.
Hugs, Gee
Susan says
Shannon I also painted a fabric chair which will be posting on Monday…. My chair was not velvet so it was probably much easier. The results I got were a leather-like finish on the fabric and I couldn’t be happier. The chair is in my bedroom and looks like white leather… Stop by and take a peak on Monday. Your chair came out very nice… I’d choose that pink and white any day!
Susan
Beth Waldrop says
Love it Shannon! Sharing on my fb page.
I’ll have to try on one of my chairs.
Beth
Shirley says
This is beautiful. No other words can discribe it.