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Dining Chairs, Done!

I think my family might get a chuckle out of this post because a few years back when we were moving to a smaller house, I went through a phase of serious purging, including selling any furnishings I deemed too traditional for my taste. I’m pretty sure they all thought I was nuts.
Especially when I walked into a Salvation Army thrift store two months ago and came home with these ladies:
They weren’t what I had in mind, and yet the weird and wacky thing is that I love them.
They are tall and curvaceous and strong.
I will no longer fear for the comfort and safety of giant family and friends who sit at our table (and by giant I mean men who are 6’4″ and lumberjack-esque in physique.)
They are comfy enough to sit for a while after dinner and chat, but straight enough that the little darlings that live here have to sit up at the table.
This is where we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, where we will host special occasions and ordinary life. These girls are going to be hardworking!
Try as I might to avoid matchy-matchiness (I mean come on, could these fabrics get along any better?), trends (chevron is SO 2012) and lack of color, after looking at approximately 23,091 fabrics I just could not deny that this one would allow me to do whatever the heck I wanted on the table and in the adjoining living room throughout the course of the year. It plays nicely with pretty much everything (and hopefully this fabric will stand up to the abuse my children are sure to give it, since I sprayed it with a non-toxic fabric protector.)
I blame Jennifer for having this fabric on pillows in her fabulously colorful house (which by the way, was featured for the second time in this month’s Good Housekeeping!!!!)
The cost breakdown – 
$150 for the table and chairs 
(I know for you thrifters, that’s high, but that’s what the going rate is all over this area.)  
The table had a veneer top in baaaaaad shape so I donated it back to the Salvation Army. It was not worth my time and effort to put in the labor and materials it would have required to make it beautiful.
$35 for the fabric, of which I have almost a yard of excess to make pillows with.
$30 in purchased paint supplies; I had the black paint in stock.
Total – $215
Per chair – less than $36
If you find fabulous chairs on Craigslist or at a thrift store and they are a bit dated but in otherwise great condition, consider giving them a makeover. If you’re not up for the labor involved with painting them, just changing out the seat cushion with something fresh and current can make all the difference! Case in point, these chairs by Caitlin Wilson, are they not fabulous with the awning stripe?
{Caitlin Wilson Interior Design via Houzz}
Don’t forget – tomorrow is the March Best of the Nest party! Share your favorite home design, DIY, craft or recipe from the past month by linking up a blog post, a Pinterest post or posting on Instagram with hashtag #bestofthenestparty !! Hope to see you there!
-Lisa

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Comments

  4. Cathy Wall says

    Love how the chairs turned out! A very versatile fabric and a small investment in it so if you change your mind down the road, no biggie. The chairs have attitude and I like that! And the idea that they will make your kids sit up straight gives ma a chuckle….maybe I need to change out the chairs in my house!

    Reply

  8. Andrea says

    Oh I love how they turned out Lisa! Great job. If only I could find some of those beauties in my town. You've inspired me for sure. The fabric is perfect too. Sharing this on my FB page for sure 🙂

    Reply

  9. Jane Bernard says

    Lisa, I LOVE your new (to you) chairs!! The black paired with the neutral chevron fabric looks so gorgeous. Beautiful job 🙂

    Reply

  10. Julie Workman says

    Love them! Found my own lovely cane-back dining chairs on craigslist a while back. I have fabric, and padding, I just haven't decided what to do about the color! My husband (a wood-purist, pffft) wants me to leave them alone. I NEED to paint the frames. I'm thinking a nice charcoal-y color, and stain the cane dark. Would totally make my cobalt & aqua fabric POP!

    Reply

  11. Kris @ Driven by Décor says

    Oooohhh – love, love, love! No way would I have left those chairs behind at the thrift store either – they have such beautiful lines and are now totally stunning with their new paint and fabric! And you made a great call on the fabric – it's perfect with your drapes and you can always throw some colorful pillows on your head chairs. Well done my friend!

    Reply

  12. Jennifer @ Dimples and Tangles says

    Those just turned out SO good! They look totally different than how they started, and your makeover makes their beautiful shape shine! I think you made really smart choices so they will work with any decor or color scheme. I'm so happy for you that your set is finally complete, and it's all unbelievably beautiful together! Wish I was in that pretty seat for dinner tonight! 🙂 Thanks for the kind words, too.

    Reply

  14. Dana Frieling says

    Oh wow, that looks like a ton of work…but totally worth it! I can totally see you being enjoying these for the long haul. Wise choice!

    Reply

  20. Vel Criste says

    Oh Lisa, it looks absolutely perfect!!!!! Love the paint job you did and the fabric choice too! They almost look store-bought?! Fantastic job dear! Love it!

    Reply

  23. pam {simple details} says

    Wow!!! These have been a long time coming and were totally worth the wait!! I don't know what you originally had in mind but I can't think of anything more perfect than those gorgeous high cane backs!! They turned out beautifully, the black and neutral print will be so versatile with everything! I can already picture them at Christmas! 🙂

    Reply

  29. Anita Geissinger says

    I just ran across this. Not sure if you’re still checking for comments. I love your chairs. I have 6-40 yr old cane back chairs in perfect condition (and an oak table) I’m wanting to freshen up. What type of paint did you use? I’m wanting to do either chalk or metallic. Thanks for your comments.

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      Hi Anita, I actually used black wall paint that I had leftover and applied with a paint sprayer, then distressed the chairs slightly where the paint might have worn from use, then sealed the them with satin minwax wipe on poly. They held up great through the years!!

      Reply