New life for an old chair

Hands-on time: About 2 hours.
Total time: 12 hours, including drying time.
Skill: Moderate.
Cost estimate: Less than $22 for the materials (excluding chair).

Materials & Tools

• Small chair, available at flea markets, antique shops, second-hand stores, etc.
• Tack cloth
• Sandpaper, medium and fine grades
• Wood stain (Pecan)
• 1-inch foam brush
• Latex paint in a light, neutral colour (I used Bavarian Cream by Benjamin Moore)
• Paint tray
• 1-inch paintbrush
• Cardboard or newspapers
• Antiquing medium
• Clean rags
• Clear satin varnish

Small chairs make great decorative accents. This harmony chair, with a slight distressed country finish, will add charm and character to any corner of a room. Its simple look is achieved by using a soft neutral paint colour with a dry-brushing technique to reveal a hint of natural pecan stain.

To prepare the chair for painting, sand the entire surface using medium-grade followed by fine-grade sandpaper, then wipe with a tack cloth.

Apply stain with the foam brush. Let stand for about 15 minutes. To avoid streaks, remove any excess stain with a cloth and let dry completely (about two hours).

Then paint the chair, using a dry-brushing technique. Dip the tip of the paintbrush in the paint and brush it on a piece of cardboard or newspaper to remove excess paint. Apply the paint at an angle, creating brush strokes of 10 to 12 centimeters long in one direction, then come back in the opposite direction using a similar brush stoke. Vary your strokes, sometimes just skimming the chair's surface. Let the chair dry for about two hours, ensuring you don't let it dry completely - this will make the distressing step easier.

To add the distressed effect (in other words, allowing the pecan to show through), lightly sand the chair, especially the sides, edges and seat. Wipe with a tack cloth.

Apply the antiquing medium with a clean cloth and rub off with a lightly damp cloth. This will add a touch of warmth to the neutral paint colour and complement the stain. Let the chair dry for at least four hours before applying a finishing coat of clear satin varnish, and let dry.

Tips

• If the chair is really old and dirty, or even greasy, I recommend a good cleaning prior to sanding. Soak medium-grade sandpaper in a bucket of warm water with some all-purpose household cleaner and lightly rub the surface. Rinse well and let dry for at least 48 hours. This will allow the paint to go on evenly and smoothly.

Variations

• To make a bold, modern statement, paint the chair in black, silver or brown. Then, with acrylic paints and a fine brush, add minimal painted designs like Oriental motifs, bamboo branches, leaves, numbers or geometric symbols. Minimalist to nouveau chic, it's up to you.
• To learn more about the latest paint palettes, trends, and décor themes visit www.benjaminmoore.ca.