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How to Refresh a Rattan Peacock Chair
Add a pop of color to a woven rattan chair with a fun ombre paint treatment and a vibrant ribbon trim.
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Materials Needed
- exterior paint
- paint brush/chip brush
- outdoor sealant (if using uncovered outdoors)
- ribbon
Before
Before all the fancy patio furniture materials of today, there was little old rattan. Rattan is a natural material that is great for use outdoors, if taken care of. Intricately hand woven out of rattan, peacock chairs made their way from England in the 19th century and took their place in gardens across the US. Now, they’re coming back in a big way as part of the new boho style trend. This miniature peacock chair just needed a little love and a punch of color to get back on the style bandwagon.
Prep It
Dirt and grime are bound to build up the longer an item sits outside. Just take a clean, damp cloth and wipe it away, making sure to get into the crevasses of the weave. If needed, use a vacuum to get the excess dirt off.
Paint It
There are so many great paint-primer-in-one options out there. Pick one that is for exterior applications in the color of your choice. Using a chip brush (so you can really get into those nooks and crannies), apply the paint all over the chair. Or, in this case, we chose to create an ombre effect by fanning out the gray paint into the natural rattan, making the color look ‘woven’ into the chair.
Seal It
At this point, if you have decided to keep your chair outside fully uncovered, you should add a clear outdoor sealant to the rattan to help protect it longer. Again, make sure to get into all those crevasses. Apply two coats.
Embellish It
To add a pop of color, we wrapped the outer frame with bright teal ribbon. This allowed us to cover the existing black wrapping that was cracked and fading. This can be a bit time consuming, but it adds so much to the final look of the chair.
Have a Seat
Adding a small chair on your front porch creates an inviting feel when guests come over. Bring the whole look together with a fun toss pillow that pulls in the colors of the paint, ribbon and (in this case) the front door.
Rattan, while great for outdoor use, needs to be taken care of. Keeping it under a covered porch or entry (as seen here) is a great way to protect it from hard rain and sun.
Before
After
