3.30.2010

Painting, repainting and staining....how's your day?

I am in patio furniture Hades!  Good thing it's such a beautiful day and I'm enjoying the sunshine, all while cursing!

So I got the 2nd coat of turquoise spray paint (Valspar Mediterranean) on the bamboo dining chairs and encountered a problem...
Can you see the white spots?  It doesn't matter how many times I spray over it they come back.  Okay, so what does a girl do?  Ya just "go with it", right?

So, I went in to my painting tub of tricks and found some dark walnut stain, which I proceeded to wipe haphazardly all over the chair (you would be laughing at me -- I used an oven mit to apply most of the stain and a toothbrush to get into the nooks & crannies!)

And here's the result...
The chair I experimented on has a rung missing in the back....imperfectly beautiful, just like me, ha!

So what do you think?  Hot mess?  I think I may go back with some umber paint and really darken it up in spots.  

These chairs are going to look like they came out of an old, crusty barn when I'm done with them!

Oh and I ran out of turquoise paint (imagine that!) so I'm thinkin' I may just stain the table, to provide some contrast.  Good?  Bad?

And finally, I ordered the glass top for the table today and I'm still looking for cushions, but I'm thinking about a white background with a coral print or maybe even something very natural looking like burlap.  Leave it to me to do things backwards!  Should have found the cushions first!  

Oh and here's a funny sidenote (I think I'm rambling which is probably due to the spray paint fumes!) -- I went to Garden Ridge a couple of days ago to see about replacement cushions for my patio furniture and they had crap for selection.  So disappointed in them in the last couple of years!  I did, however, find a really cute bronze lantern for $12 and I got suckered in to buying 4 patio lounge chairs for $30 a piece!  Great deal, but the chairs look...well...like patio chairs and totally don't fit into the Indian/beachy/bohemian oasis I'm envisioning, like these... 

 So, the "I'm going to be lazy & not think" chairs are going back to the store tomorrow.  I'm such a sucker for a sale!  You?

Hope everyone is having a great day!

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15 comments:

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Hi Kendall,
Sorry to say that I feel your pain!
I've been there a few times, especially when it comes to painting bamboo or wicker. Makes you want to pull your hair out when the unexpected happens.

Keep working on it, you'll eventually get the look you are going for.

hugs
Sissie

Carrie said...

I love the idea of contrasting the table and chairs! Go with it!

The Brick Cottage said...

That's so weird the white spots keep coming back. How frustrating! I like your solution though. Especially since they'll be living outside. And yes! on the contrasting table/chair combo. I love that look!

The Single Nester said...

Every Tuesday, I host a Turquoise Tuesday Party and you may want to link this project.

Love the Decor! said...

Kendall you crack me up!! Love how the chairs are coming along!!

Alison Agnew said...

I hate when it takes 5x as long to do what should be a simple, straightforward task. Grrr. I do like to stain washed over the turquoise and love the idea of just staining the table base, so it's not too matchy looking.

Can't wait to see the finished product!

Anonymous said...

Man, I'm so torn on this one.... My first thought is that I so loved the brighter turquoise that I would probably run up to HD and get some primer, and some more turq, and see if the primer would cover the white spots, so that I could do a complete turquoise coverage... I just don't know if I would like the lighter color, making me think "pastel"... but then you showed the picture of the girl sitting in front of the lighter turquoise grid style screen.. and wow, that one is lighter and more antiqued, and I love it! So, I'm gonna shut up now and wait to see what you do - I bet I love it!!!

Tales from the Trails said...

I love the chairs. So neat. This will turn out to be a great oasis for you and your family

I left you something on my blog, check it out.

Sara @ Russet Street Reno said...

Hmm, so weird about the white spots! I think you've handled the problem really skillfully, though! I also think a stained table would be fabulous contrast to the turquoise. I gave you some blog love on my post today!

Unknown said...

I say keep sniffin' those fumes, you're on a roll! ;-) Seriously, you're doing fine. That's a good idea to stain the table dark. And in the pictures, the chair looks good. You're doing great...can't wait to see the end result!!

Nancy

Kirsty said...

I love them all brown in spots and blue all over. I think they look perfectly weathered and I still want them. I'm green with envy! Keep going girl! It's going to look great!

Melanie said...

I think they look fine with the stain and paint. It is hard to tell really good from the picture but what I can see looks good.

Danielle and Clint said...

I think the touch of dark you added to the chairs would tie into a dark table well! Do it!

Tracy Wills said...

I think they are looking great, can't wait to see it all finished.

Meg said...

I think your solution to the white spots is genius! Don't you hate when you try over and over and get the same frustrating result? It's enough to make you start looking around for a baseball bat. But you handled it like a pro! And I think the chairs look adorable.

Yes to the table! Brilliant!!

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