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Fresh White Paint

One of the best things about doing home improvement projects in the summer (in Washington, maybe not in the really hot parts of the country!)) is we can go outside to freshen up furniture with paint! All winter long I wish I could paint things outside, but around these parts that just is not possible until usually July.

When you are on a meager furniture budget like I am, nothing saves the day and pulls together mismatched and neglected or abused furniture like PAINT. Any color will do!

Fresh White Paint

We’ve had these awesome rattan chairs FOREVER. They were my moms before they came to us. The chairs were stained dark for part of their life and when the finish was worn and grungy, we painted them white. It felt like we had brand new chairs! But that was a couple of years ago.

In the past year while Jack was a wee pup he decided he liked to chew on the edges of the chairs. Sigh. Now that he is a big one year old, he is much less likely to chew our furniture. Not entirely UNlikely, but less likely {Ha!}. He is still a bit of a trouble maker. Eh hem.

Fresh White Paint

Finally the weather has cooperated with us and summer has arrived so we were able to spruce up our chairs. Of course, if you have chewed up chairs you could leave the chewed up arms as they are, if you are into a more shabby chic look or want to remember those puppy days.

Fresh White Paint

But for my personal preferences and style, these chairs were just looking run down and not as chic as I wanted. Out came the paint and in came our clean and fresh chairs! We used a combination of brushing on white paint and spray paint. Not sure that is the best technique, but it was helpful for getting the most coverage of paint on all angles.

Fresh White Paint

Ahhhh, so much better.

I’ll be recovering the cushions and show you how they turn out when they are done!

Do you paint furniture in the summer or is it too hot where you live?

PS: My floors are close to done and they look AH-MAZING. Lowe’s is doing a fantastic job on the install and I couldn’t be happier. Cannot wait to show you the reveal of the floors next week!

If you aren’t sure where to begin with painting furniture and need some solid advice, this is a great affiliate e-book with plenty of helpful tips!

Fresh White Paint

28 Comments

  1. Mel

    Great inspiration! I have a whole litany of things I want to spray paint right now!

    Reply
  2. Deanna

    I love to paint furniture! In fact I have some shelves that need sprucing up!

    Other than winter, I paint outside as necessary. If it is summer, I do it early before the heat of the day is at its strongest.

    The rattan furniture looks great!

    Hopefully Jack is done chewing….

    Reply
  3. Paula J

    I live near Memphis, TN… it is WAY too hot to do anything in July, much less paint! I know there are many places that might have higher temps ~ but, I’m not sure if they can beat our heat index.

    I actually am actually in the middle of painting my kitchen table & chairs with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint – inside, of course…

    Reply
  4. michelle

    Here is Tennessee, it’s too hot right now. I have several things on a list to paint very shortly. I really like your chairs.

    Reply
    • Kim Moore

      There is something honest and accepting about you, Melissa, that has really helped me discover what I like and don’t like. I used to be so afraid to commit to a color scheme! I left everything neutral and changed kitchen towels and sofa pillows as I skipped through an endless discontentment. But I keep returning to your blog, and all it’s many connections, and find myself ready to settle into a few schemes that work for me, without fear! No small task. Thank you my sister…

      Reply
  5. kathy roloff

    When my great pyrnees was a puppy she chewed a hole in the only quilt that I had actually completely hand pieced and hand quilted, I was very annoyed but have not gotten to repairing it yet. Now she is nearing 11, showing her age. I won’t be repairing that quilt. It is a part of that quilts life and will remind me of my goofy Lexie forever. This sentiment can’t work for all things, these great chairs have benefitted from the repairs. They have their own life. Jack is a great dog, he will leave his mark in lots of other ways. kathy

    Reply
    • Melissa

      I can imagine that chewed quilt would mean a lot right now! I wouldn’t fix it either :-) sweet memory!

      Reply
  6. Cheryl Thornton

    I am always spray painting…here in Ontario Canada this summer has been very hot and we have had many days of triple digit temperatures…but hot or not – I spray paint all year round…if its cold I have the hubby turn the heat on in the garage…I must have 25 cans of spray paint on the go…

    Happy painting!!! – can’t wait to see the floors!

    Reply
  7. Jaye

    I’m with you – nothing like fresh white paint! My biggest issue with painting furniture are those nasty dribbles you get when you’re not paying attention! I’ve discovered that Glidden has a new paint specifically for Doors and Trim. It’s like pudding!!!! Really thick and smooth and no dribbles!!!! Too hot to paint outside here in Denver so I’m eyeing all this baseboard trim in the house!!!

    Chairs look awesome. Can’t wait to see your floors next week!

    Reply
    • Melissa

      I have a can of that I can’t wait to try!!! It looks awesome!

      Reply
  8. Amber.

    I grew up in Washington but now live in the sweltering south. I miss July and August in WA! Beautiful.

    Yesterday my kids wanted to paint their unfinished shelves so we could finally hang them above their beds. I’ve been avoiding it cause I usually paint in the garage. I finally gave in and set everything out, including two fans and we all started painting. They lasted a whopping 5 minutes before I heard “I’m done. It’s too hot.” So yes, I got stuck out there to finish them by myself with beads of sweat rolling down my inch of my body. I’m hoping I lost a few pounds at least ;)

    Reply
  9. Kelly Reber

    Paint is my best friend!! I am in love with rescuing older furniture and making it new again…. it’s way better than buying new!! I need to go buy some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and give that a shot! I love your Rattan Furniture – totally worth saving.
    I also love painting outside but I live in Dallas, Texas – it is humid and sweltering here now :(

    Reply
    • Melissa

      I really want to try chalk paint and can’t wait for Miss Mustard Seed’s new line of milk paint!

      Reply
  10. Diane

    I’m with you. Some Shabby Chic touches just aren’t for me. I must say as lovely as they are…I’m more apt to go for crisp and clean.

    Reply
  11. Kelly - Talk of the House

    LOVE to spray paint! You are so right about it being a good way to keep to a budget and yet still make improvements to your rooms. I normally start around March and continue until October…but wouldn’t be able to do a thing here this week. I think it would be baked on instantly in this 101 degree..well maybe the 80% humidity would slow it down some. It sure slows me down some! Your vintage rattan chairs are gorgeous. They would look great in any color!

    Reply
  12. Julie

    Just the encouragement I needed this morning as our puppy is quite a handful. We’re almost to a year….there is hope? :) I do love that bitter apple spray that is a sure fire puppy repellant to chewing— I’d soak the whole house in it if I could.

    Great looking chairs. Wicker is so warm and inviting.

    Reply
  13. Lisa Conforto

    Your chairs came out fresh and beautiful. Paint is my best friend,really. Just found 3 adirondak chairs curbside that were never painted and beautifully constructed ,so I cleaned them up and mixed up some of my own navy blue concoction in a heavy duty spray bottle, took them to my outdoor spray area and doused them with the blue stained color . It was messy but they came out great, I added a few red stained stripes to the back which made it look even better. The sun was a great help at baking the paint into the wood. Now for aspray of polyurathane. Happy painting!

    Reply
  14. Lauren

    Unfortunately right now it is just too hot outside… Virginia summers are very humid :( Blah! I have a bedside table that I got at Salvation Army for 20 bucks, and have been dying to take it outside and give it a nice coat of fresh paint. Hopefully it’ll cool down soon! Love your chairs, it’s amazing how much better a piece looks after white paint!

    Reply
  15. Bernice

    Hey Melissa..over here in Yakima we have had crazy weathr, you just can’t depend on painting weather from one day to the next. Your chairs look fab! I am in agreement with Diane, shabby is for some, clean crisp is for others, like moi! But each has its place. Posters mention ASCP..and some have said they make their own. I love spray paint but dont always find the colors I want, so have to settle, as I did on my out door garden pieces. Am I missing something? Anxious to see your floors!

    Reply
  16. Jen

    We’re full swing into the heat of summer here in Florida so painting happens inside only! The temp isn’t that bad but it literally feels like the sun is 2 inches from your skin … big change from being in the Midwest.

    Love how the chairs turned out Melissa. Do you remember, did you prime them before painting them the 1st time? I have a wicker/rattan chair I’d like to dress in white and wondering if priming 1st is best.

    Can’t wait to see the cushions!

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Yes, we primed them when they were still wood to make sure the new paint would stick! :-)

      Reply
  17. C.A.

    Isn’t it amazing what a fresh coat of white paint can do??? Absolutely lovely! It inspires me to give a few of our pieces of furniture a fresh coat when we get back from the beach!

    Reply
  18. Beverly

    Way too hot in Texas to paint outside. Have to save all of those projects for late fall! :)

    Reply
  19. Glenda Childers

    I have recently painted two pieces with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. It is fun … no sanding, no priming and it dries super quick.

    Reply
  20. John

    I love painting furniture, too! I mostly use solid colors like gray, blue and white . Keep up the good work.

    Reply
  21. Rene

    I know diamonds are supposed to be a girls best friend but I think spray paint is:)

    Reply
  22. Franki Parde

    Just don’t stand in on place too long (per my hubby) or Franki will spray paint you! I just finished spray painting planter pots, rolling cart, base to a table…see what I mean… The chairs look SO FRESH! franki

    Reply

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