The other day, I posted about some projects I needed to finish in this post. One of which was my son’s chair. This one…
Now, doesn’t this just scream “boy’s room”?
I think I picked it up at the thrift store for $5. Not a single piece of caning was broken, and even though the fabric on the cushion was faded, it was in good condition and it didn’t stink. If you stick around here long enough, you will know that I have a very sensitive nose. I can’t handle stinky stuff.
We are Philadelphia Eagles fans in this house, as we used to live in Philly and South Jersey for quite a while. Therefore, my son’s room looks like this.
E-A-G-L-E-S!!
Fly Eagles Fly!!
I guess I should mention that this is what it looked like a few months ago. See that shelf in the corner? It’s gone. And the chair sitting on the floor has been replaced with a little bedside table that is still needing to be re-painted, but I digress.
He was not excited by the chair, but I told him I would paint it any color he chose. Yeah, crazy idea because he’s 10, but it’s his room. So, he chose Eagles Gray, to contrast his wall that it would be against. How genius is that for a ten year old?! Awesome!
And so, I wiped it down, took off the cushion cover and washed it, and sprayed the frame with Rust-oleum’s Granite color spray paint.
I had a bottle of Rit liquid dye in my laundry room, from a project I did years ago. I figured I would try to dye the cushion cover before I went through the trouble of sewing a new one (even though I already purchased it – I’m a chicken when it comes to sewing anything that people will actually see!).
This is what I used.
This is the cover before…
Seat cover – before
And as I put it in the dye, the black just seemed to be sucked up into the cotton! Yay!
I let it sit for thirty minutes, moving it around every two minutes or so. Good lord, my back was killing me when I was done. I can’t imagine what it was like in the old days when people had to wash their clothes in the river! Ugh!
Anyway, I rinsed it and put it in the wash, as directed. But when I took it out of the washer, this is the color it was.
Sorta, kinda grayish. Eww.
Tulip Fabric Spray – Black
Sorry about the tape, I had forgotten to take the pic until I started taping off the stripes. So, upon seeing this, and knowing how well it worked for me before, I went to Jo-Ann’s and picked up Tulip Fabric Spray in Asphalt (black)
Then I taped off some stripes to give it some interest.
Don’t judge how even the stripes aren’t.
And sprayed away. This time, there was no need for me to use a brush to move it around and coat it. The spray-er on this bottle was better at hitting a wider target, had a finer mist, and the cotton SUCKED IT UP!!! I only had to use one bottle, and it covered two coats with some left over.
I let it dry for a few minutes, and ripped off the tape. Then let it sit overnight.
And here it is now!
Fabulous! Rust-Oleum’s Granite and Tulip Fabric Spray in Black
I finished this last night, and brought the chair back to his room this morning. He is already using it, as you can see here.
Doing what he loves most – playing video games
There is no color transfer on his pants, or feet.
And while I was at it, since it worked so well, I also painted this chair. I had painted the frame before, but I was waiting on sewing a cover for the cushion.
$4 dollar chair – I have a serious chair hoarding problem.
Faux Bamboo Chair – after Rustoleum Black gloss and Tulip Fabric Spray
Since you now know that I don’t like to sew, I was more than eager to try this first. I had planned on something much funkier and fun for the seat, but for now, it’s an easy fix. It is cotton too, so it just soaked up the pigment. And here is the chair now.
I’m beginning to think this might be pretty handy for me and anyone else that would rather not sew.
So, now we know that it works on polyester blends and cotton. I had a few questions about whether it would work on velvet type cloth too, and it just so happens that I bought a couch at the thrift store the other day for $19 that is covered in velvet-y fabric. Since I am going to re-upholster this one, I took off the cushions and tried it out. (I like to be thorough when people ask me for an answer!)
Wow! That’s quite orange!
I know it’s not beautiful now, but that couch will be STUNNING!!!
And this is the test spot…
Tried a little Tulip Fabric Spray
The paint was soaked right up, and covered this well after only one coat. I’m still waiting for it to dry all the way because I only just did it, but the spots along the edge are dry, and they don’t feel sticky or crunchy at all!
Okay, that wraps it up for this post. Let me know if there are any other questions!
Thanks for stopping by!
Eliesa
Rondell says
I just have to get me some of that paint, I’ll go to JoAnn’s tomorrow and you watch they won’t have it:( I love how both chairs turned out and can’t wait to see the couch done in either way!
A Pinterest Addict says
I can’t wait to see what you do with it!
mairzeebp says
Stink free is the way to be is what I always say. Ok, I don’t but, now knowing about your sensitive nose, I’ll refrain from sending you that tuna in the mail :). I love the pictures with your posts. Some day soon I’m going to have a home of my own and I know exactly where to go when I want to start some DIY projects. You’re my inspiration :).
A Pinterest Addict says
The stink is just one of the reasons I don’t care for tuna! Ewww! I can’t wait to see your house! Can I come up and go thrifting with you?? Or help with wedding favors, etc? I think I am just as excited as you are for the wedding!!
Susan (Between Naps on the Porch) says
Eliesa, this turned out great! This would be a fabulous Metamorphosis Monday post! Terrific Before and After. Thanks for the tutorial!
A Pinterest Addict says
Thank you! I will definitely link it, thanks!
Kristy Swain says
I love how thorough you are!! Good job.
Pamela Coll says
Love the chair in Vinnie’s room, looks fabulous and so unique. Super job!
A Pinterest Addict says
Thanks Pam! Thanks for the comment – they make me smile – like this 🙂
Rebecca Boling Trotman says
Bought a beautiful Broyhill chair and ottoman from a rather dark house. When I got it home it has bad stains all over it. Will the paint cover the stains ??? Also is it more like dye or rather stiff paint? I hope this is my answer !!!
A Pinterest Addict says
I don’t know if it would cover all stains, but it covers over designs pretty well. It’s more like a stain/dye. I found it covered great on the cotton pieces, soaked the color right up, and when it dries, its not crunchy or scratchy. If you try it, let me know how it turns out.
Joanna says
How did the velvet type fabric dry? I have a pink couch and chair that I I don’t want to reupholster because of the tufting.
A Pinterest Addict says
It dried a little crispy at first, but after a little use, it wasn’t so bad. Mine wasn’t a cottony fabric, so it depends on what kind of fabric you use. Can you test a spot where you won’t see it?
gayle dixon says
I was wanting to do something to my couch as well (it’s horrid but i NEED that pull out bed for family!) and I do not want to have to re upholster. nightmare. about how many bottles of paint did it take for your couch? has it held up well?
Kat says
Love how the chair came out! Ill be looking scouring second hand stores for good quality fabric chairs! If anyone has covered over stains. I’d love to know how it came out.
pat murphy says
Is there a way to paint outdoor cushions and make them fade proof? I need to touch up my RED cushions that are left outdoors always but they have faded so badly.
A Pinterest Addict says
You could try the Thompson’s WaterSeal Fabric Seal Spray. It protects from water and UV rays. You can find it at Lowe’s.
Sandra Munroe says
I have a wingback chair and super vintage loveseat that match and are a burgandy color/velvety fabric. I wanted to change out the fabric until I realized how hard it would be for me to do and how expensive it would be to pay for it to be done. I found a pin where someone had painted (a fabric medium and paint mix very diluted with water) that they brushed on and it worked great but was kind of “crunchy” afterward. I think that your “spray” would be great. How did the spot on that “velvety” couch turn out? Do you think it would work for me? Please give me your opinion. Also, if I used the spray, would I need to put a spray of some type of fabric medium or sealer on it?
A Pinterest Addict says
Hi Sandra – I don’t know how it would work on your velvety fabric, but the fabric on the orange couch wasn’t very absorbent, so it didn’t seem to cover very well. But if it were more cottony, it probably would have been fine. You don’t need to seal it, or use fabric medium with the Tulip Fabric spray – once it dries, it won’t rub off or anything.
Olivia says
Hi I have a yellow vintage velvet-ish couch that I want to be an orangish color or a light green do you think one will work better then the other?
A Pinterest Addict says
I’m so sorry, but I have no idea! It’s all about the shade of the couch, what fabric it is and what color you would like it to be when you are done. I would personally go for the darkest color over whatever color you are trying to cover, just because it might cover it better. Good luck!
Jennifer says
Love love love the chairs !!!! Can’t wait to see the finished couch.
A Pinterest Addict says
Hi Jennifer! Thanks! You can check out the finished couch here: http://apinterestaddict.com/2013/01/01/my-big-expensive-mistake/
Highlands6000 says
Yikes! We just used the Tulip Fabric Spray Paint to make a flag for my son’s boy scout patrol and it’s been 4 hours and the paint has barely begun to dry. How long does it normally take to dry? Granted, my son may have used too much, but since it was black paint and he wanted the image completely covered, he had to use quite a bit just to make the image look solid. We just tried blow drying the flag and that seemed to help dissipate some the chemicals, but if you touch the design, the color rubs off on your hands. Do you think this will ever dry?
A Pinterest Addict says
Sorry for the delay in answering – I hope it has dried by now! I would think it would take a while to dry if you put a lot at once. I left my pieces out in the sun to help them dry.
Dee Witt says
I bought some Tulip fabric paint in the squeeze bottles; not the spray type (the only spray types JoAnn’s had were the neon colors). I have tested a spot on a chair cushion applying with a paint brush but the color is more intense that I really wanted. Have you ever tried to dilute the bottled paint with water for applying with a paint brush? Didn’t know if it would just streak and/or make a mess if I diluted it.