One of the nicest parts of tackling home projects in summer—at least here in Washington—is being able to paint furniture outdoors. During colder months that simply isn’t an option where I live, so I look forward to July when the weather finally cooperates.
When you’re working with a tight furniture budget, paint is the quickest way to refresh mismatched or worn pieces. A fresh coat can transform almost anything and make a space feel more cohesive. Any color can work, but white is an especially reliable choice for brightening and modernizing pieces.
These rattan chairs have been in our family for years—they belonged to my mom before they came to us. Years ago they had a dark stained finish, and when that wore off we painted them white. The new paint made them feel practically brand new. That refresh was a few years back, though, and they deserved another touch-up.
Over the past year our pup Jack got into the habit of chewing the chair arms when he was small. He’s a year old now and much less inclined to gnaw on furniture, though he still gets into mischief from time to time. Because of those little teeth marks, the chairs had started to look a bit ragged.
With better weather at last, we set up outside and gave the chairs a good refresh. If you like a shabby-chic or sentimental look, you could leave the chewed edges as-is to remember the puppy days. For my taste, however, I wanted the chairs to look cleaner and more polished.
We used a mix of brush-on paint and spray paint to cover all the nooks and curves. That hybrid approach might not be the single best method for everyone, but it worked well for getting good coverage on the rattan’s many angles. Brushing helped with control and touch-ups, while spraying sped up coverage on exposed areas.
The result is so much better—clean, bright, and revived. I’m planning to recover the cushions next and will share how they look once that project is finished.
Do you paint furniture in the summer or is it too hot where you live?
On a related note, our floors are nearly finished and they look fantastic. The installers have done a great job, and I’m excited to share the full reveal next week.
If you need guidance on where to start with painting furniture, there are helpful e-books and guides available that offer useful tips and techniques.