
grain sack chair
Since we opened the shop almost four years ago, we’ve been using the term “restyled.” What do we mean by that? Well, “Bing” dictionary defines it as “redesigning something” or “renaming something.”
And that is just what we do! Sometimes it’s very subtle with just a little twist. Maybe a fresh coat of paint and it’s transformed into a whole new look….take this chair, for instance. Nothing really special about it except good bones(which is very important when it comes to chairs) BUT let’s give it the feel of an old grain sack:) How about it? First, I have to sand…..NO, WAIT!!!! We don’t have to sand because we are using the one and only
Chalk Paint(R) by Annie Sloan!!!!! Wouldn’t use anything else…no sanding, no priming, no kidding!! So…..I just start painting. In less than no time I have the first coat of old white on and in half an hour it’s dry and I am ready for the second coat. Second coat is on. Now, I did a mixture of French linen and old ochre to paint the seat and give it that grain sack color….well, close to it. Two coats of that and now the fun part! Find the center of the chair seat, mark it and then use painter’s tape to run two pieces down the middle about 2″ apart. This is your center stripe. Next measure 1/2″ from either side, mark it and run two pieces of tape on either side.
Make sure the tape edges are secure so there is no chance of paint “bleeding” under the tape. I run my finger along each side and press down as I go. I am ready to apply one of my all time favorite colors! Emperor’s Silk……ooooo, love it! I am a red fan and this color is so fabulous…..a true red! I pour a little in a paint tray and use a small foam roller. It doesn’t take much to fill in the spaces between the tape and soon I am anxiously waiting for it to dry so I can see how this looks!
I am giddy with excitement!! Looking great! Once I have applied a coat of clear wax, I do a bit of distressing with 220 grit sandpaper. I especially want that red stripe to look a bit worn…..oh so nice:)
We did this with a small table and four chairs….two that matched and two others that matched to give it an eclectic but uniform look…..so fun we thought we’d try it again!:) A whole new look for these tired pieces…..“restyled!”

Grain sack table/chairs