My office chair

     So. I'm redoing my office. I am so sick of wanting things to change that I am just going to learn how to do it- no matter what. 

     I know I wanted to change a lot and that I wanted to start with something simple.  I have a lot of old furniture and even though we love our house, it is small.  My office is really my art room, work area and closet, it's just too much in such a small room.  I'm dying for something attractive and organized. I want to get rid of things I don't use or need and really just make it my own.  I decided to start with my old desk chair, which is my parents old dining room chair.  I figured the thing was old, ugly and falling apart- if I ruined it, I could throw it away.  I also would like to get a desk and paint that as well so it will match.  I'm planning on consignment store or goodwill visits so I can get a desk at a good price then sand and paint it.  

(Chance even hates the old chair.  It use to have a black seat cover on it....)

(The color I used was Teal Lagoon from JoAnn's ) 

     I decided to pick up some chalk paint.  We used it once before on the sides of some old end tables and didn't seal it because we do not set things on it or move the tables around.  The chalk paint was really easy to use and we liked how it turned out.  It then occurred to me that I would need to seal the chair since I use it...everyday! NO ONE ever talks about sealing furniture.  I read up on blogs and being completely new at this bought the varnish that was on the shelf next to the chalk paint. Stupid. STUPID STUPID STUPID.  I painted two coats of my beautiful chalk paint on the chair and it looked LOVELY.  I only used a tiny bit of the paint and had a TON left over.



  Then, I used the VARNISH (screams internally). That shit sucks.  If you never used it. DON'T.  I think Brian said it best when he told me it looked like spit.  It DID! It looked like someone "hawked a loogie" on the side of my chair.  I thought I brushed it on the chair so well and then it would just pool up in spots and pick up every dust particle there was.  

                                                                    (see the white junk!?!?!?!)

I seriously was so frustrated.  

     I almost gave up.  I then read a blog about Minwax Polycrylic Satin Base 8 fl oz Polyurethane. LIFE SAVER. I went to Home Depot and picked up a can of it.  This project that was only suppose to take a few days turned into a week and now going onto two weeks.  I tried to sand off the parts of the varnish and smooth as much as I could but I just decided to have a tantrum and paint over everything with the chalk paint. Now I have used most of the chalk paint and I'm more frustrated.  I did two coats and let eachdry in between (I get home from work late so I can only do one coat a day and it takes a good hour or more since there are details on the chair to paint). I finally busted open the Polycrylic this past weekend and it was so MUCH better!  All my frustrations went out the window.  I do have to point out that you still have to paint it on VERY thin and follow the instructions on the can.  Try to purchase a pretty good paint brush too.  It's worth a bit more money.  I also have to say make sure to do it in an area with a lot of fresh air.  It was such a beautiful weekend in November that I took advantage of it and sealed in the in driveway!  I did two layers and then started on the seat cover.   

The seat cover was the first thing I started on when I took on the project but the way my brain is wired, I screw a lot of things up by other thinking.  I bought a fabric with white in it where I really needed off white. Okay, you may roll your eyes at that last sentence but honestly, it would never work with me.  I wanted the fabric to match the vanity I am doing next and the vanity is going to be off white paint.  The fabric would need to match and it would be cheaper to buy new fabric than new paint.  I can always use the fabric for other projects of mine.  I also brought the wrong size foam and it was too lumpy for my liking so when I got new fabric, I also bought the correct size foam.  Now this project that started out at $20.00 with extra paint and fabric turned into $40.00.... but hey - I'm learning.  I hope I get better at this though- I can't afford to TRY to be frugal haha. 

                                                      (First try with the black and white fabric)

                                     (New and IMPROVED fabric) 


      The new fabric was not something I was really looking for but I loved it and it was going to match the chair perfect AND the vanity (I'm made sure to check it with the paint this time).  I went back home and removed all the stables and salvaged the fabric I couldn't use.  I stretched out the new fabric over the new foam and had Brian help me with the staple gun.  I have to get a bit better at covering the chairs since I'm a perfectionist and I can see every lump and wrinkle in the chair.  It may have been the way I cut the foam or maybe it shifted or- MAYBE I'm being too hard on myself. lol.  I'm going to try it out and I can always fix it later if it needs it.   I LOVE how it turned out now.  SO MUCH BETTER! I can't wait to do the vanity and the only thing I may have to pick up at the store is some more stables for my Dad's staple gun he let me borrow.  I swear the staples are from the 80's.  He's always letting me borrow his tools though. I love that he is a handy guy!  He also loved the finished chair! 

 

(Thanks Dad!)

     I screwed the chair seat back into place and I am in love with it! The paint matches my record player and my new lamp!  I can't wait to get rid of my pink carpet and paint this room to so it will all tie together.  It looks so funny in there right now!  

(Bear is so over the chair, he's passed out on the couch)

     I have a huge list of things to do and I'm thinking it will take a year to finish.  I want to get rid of the carpet, paint the walls, the furniture and get some new things.  I will blog the progress and I even took a before video of my room (though I forgot to do shoot the video before I started working on my chair).  I am not going to post the it until I'm further along since it's weird just showing you a video of my messy office with no "afters" to show you.  I hope you enjoyed and if you decide on doing this - don't get the varnish.