How to Paint Bright Mismatched Chairs

The DIY experts at HGTV Magazine recreated this flea market find. Here’s how you can, too.
By: Jodi Kahn
colorful chair makeovers

Colorful Chair Makeovers

These flea market flips were made over by HGTV Magazine.

Photo by: Marko Metzinger, crafting by Thomas Eberharter and Madeline Jacobs, styling by Karin Olsen

Marko Metzinger, crafting by Thomas Eberharter and Madeline Jacobs, styling by Karin Olsen

What You Need:

  • paint (three colors used here)
  • burlap
  • grosgrain ribbon
  • paint brush
  • screw driver
  • scissors
  • masking tape
  • chalk pencil
  • iron-on adhesive
  • pins
  • iron
  • staple gun

Step 1

Unscrew the seats, paint the chair frames, and let dry.

Step 2

Cut a 28-inch-square piece of linen burlap for each seat. Use six pieces of 1-inch-wide masking tape to lay out a diamond design on each piece of burlap (you’ll replace the tape with ribbon in the next step). Mark where you’ve put the tape with a chalk pencil (such as General’s pastel chalk pencil, $7 for a set of 4, joann.com). Remove the tape.

Step 3

Cut 7/8-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon into six 32-inch-long pieces. Cut 7/8-inch-wide Heat-n-Bond iron-on adhesive ($3, michaels.com) into six 32-inch-long pieces. Pin or staple the Heat-n-Bond to the back of each piece of ribbon at the ends.

Step 4

Following the guidelines you made with the chalk pencil, iron the ribbons onto the burlap one at a time so they crisscross. Brush off any visible chalk pencil lines.

Step 5

Place one piece of burlap over each seat so the diamonds are centered. Flip each seat upside down, and use a staple gun to staple the burlap to the underside of the seat. Reattach the seat to the chair.

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