Y’all know I love a curbside furniture find and this is the third time I’ve found chairs in someone else trash. Not sure if I should be embarrassed or proud of my trash-collecting tendencies but I’m so happy with how these chairs turned out…so I’m going to go with proud! I can’t figure out the make or era of these chairs but I loved the lines immediately and knew that a fresh coat of paint and some cushions would totally transform them.
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This is what they looked like when I found them on the side of the road:
First I scrubbed them like crazy with a coarse brush, water and some Krud Kutter then let them dry. Then I sanded a few of the rusted spots to smooth the surface out a bit.
Next I wiped them clean with tack cloth and then spray painted them (Rustoleum is my favorite), using a clean metal primer, white paint in semi-gloss (2 coats), and then a clear top coat.
While I was at it I decided to paint the wicker and metal table we’ve been using outdoors for the past 4 years. It’s from IKEA and was originally an indoor table but it has stood up to the elements in Hawaii and Virginia surprisingly well. I followed the same technique of cleaning and sanding rough spots on the metal top and just made sure the wicker was relatively clean.
When I paint wicker or anything that needs to be painted upside down as well as right side up I always paint upside down first and then flip over so that I don’t mess up the top while painting.
After a few quick coats of primer, paint and primer the chairs and table looked so much better! I found the cushions at Homegoods and they’re the perfect fit (these look to be almost exactly the same). The saying is most definitely true: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!
The Greek key outdoor rug is from Hobby Lobby, I found the wicker bookshelf in the background at a thrift store a few years ago, the concrete basket planters is from Target, the white lantern is from IKEA, the seagrass wrapped drinking glass can be found here, the striped patio umbrella is from Amazon (as is the stand you fill with water), and so are the bistro lights. The side table is old from Target but I’d absolutely love this one if I ever need to replace the one we have.
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