Do in a day – four ways with chairs

26 Sep 2024

Four fast, simple add effective design ideas to upgrade your seating.

Resene testpots are one of the most versatile tools in your home makeover kit. To demonstrate the big impact you can have with just a small Resene testpot or two, we took four different seating options and gave them a creative facelift.

Summer stripes

V groove wall painted in Resene Silver Chalice, decking in Resene Woodsman Natural stain, deck chair Resene Quarter Silver Chalice with stripe designs on back and arm in Resene Element, side table in Resene Element, tumbler, book and rounded planter Resene Iko Iko and small lipped dish and large planter pot Resene Armadillo. Plants from Kings Plant Barn

The addition of a few smart stripes to this Cape Cod-style chair lends the classic shape extra sophistication and flair. Experiment with different width stripes that play against the slats of the chair design and try a colour palette for your chair that complements the rest of your home's exterior colours.   

How to:

Step 1: Give the chair a light sand and wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust.

Step 2: Apply two coats of your chosen Resene paint colour allowing time to dry between coats. We used Resene Quarter Silver Chalice.

Step 3: Once your second coat is fully dry, use Washi Tape to mask up a stripe or pattern you'd like to create. Make sure you have some smaller brushes available for those narrow stripes!

Step 4: Apply two coats of your second Resene colour allowing dry time between coats then remove the Washi Tape once touch dry. 

Bold bar stools         

         
Floorboards finished in Resene Breathe Easy, wall in Resene Half Rice Cake, stool tops in Resene Quarter New Denim Blue, Resene Half Innocence, Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Spanish Green, Resene Haven and Resene Secrets with one section stained in Resene Colorwood wood stain in Resene Natural. 

Barstools with wooden seats make the perfect canvas for some personalised creativity. Opt for simple geometric designs that can be easily masked up, or experiment with some freehand designs or stencils to create the look that’s right for you and your space. For a multi-colour design like ours use two coats of each shade, allowing to dry before applying the next coat or colour.

How to:

Step 1: Give the stools a light sand and wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust.

Step 2: Mark out a centre point or axis in a different off-centre position on each stool top. Use a pencil and ruler to sketch out 7 wedges all in varied widths.

Step 3: Using Washi Tape mask the edges of one wedge on each stool top and paint your first Resene paint or stain colour. Allow to fully dry before applying a second coat.

Step 4: Once the section is dry, repeat the process for the next section creating a unique colour placement for each stool top.

Step 5: When finished, leave the stools to dry overnight and apply two coats of Resene Aquaclear to seal.

Sweet sorbet seating

Floorboards finished in Resene Breathe Easy and wall in Resene Half Rice Cake. Chairs left to right in Resene Half Beryl Green, Resene Sakura, Resene Weathered Yellow and Resene Glorious and lower legs of chairs in Resene Quarter Spanish White.

There’s no rule that says all your dining or outdoor chairs need to be the same colour! Try a colour theme, rather than a single shade, as we’ve done with these four sorbet-toned chairs. Other themes to try could be botanical greens, sea blues or jewel tones.

How to:

Step 1: Give the chairs a light sand and wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust.

Step 2: Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry undercoat.

Step 3: Apply two coats of your chosen Resene paint colour to each chair, allowing time to dry between coats.

Step 4: Using a ruler and a pencil, mark how far up the legs you want the 'dipped' look to go. Tape around with Washi Tape.

Step 5: Apply two coats of your next Resene colour to the bottom of the chair legs, allowing dry time between coats. We used Resene Quarter Spanish White.

Step 6: Remove the Washi Tape once touch dry. 

A chair for everyone

Floorboards finished in Resene Breathe Easy and wall in Resene Half Rice Cake. Chair seats and backs painted in Resene Diesel, stencilled words on chairs in Resene Teak and chair legs and back posts stained in Resene Colorwood Natural and finished in Resene Aquaclear semi-gloss.

Personalised designs for everyone is a fun idea for decorating your chairs, particularly for kids or even regular guests. Stencilled letters or designs are the simplest way to create a fun personalised look – and the kids could even help create their own.

How to:

Step 1: Give the chairs a light sand and wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust.

Step 2: Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry undercoat to the areas you want to paint.

Step 3: Apply two coats of your chosen Resene paint colour to each chair, allowing time to dry between coats.

Step 4: Using stencils, tape your letters to the chair and carefully sponge your chosen Resene colour over the letters.

Step 5: Apply two coats of Resene Colorwood Natural to the chair legs and back posts.

Step 6: Once dry seal with two coats of Resene Aquaclear semi-gloss, allowing time to dry between coats. 

projects Moneuan Ryan
images Bryce Carleton

Published: 26 Sep 2024