9.9.08

Project: Dining Room Chairs

After some thought, I have decided not to paint the wood chairs I bought for our dining room table. Instead, I have decided to strip them of their old stains and re-stain them to match the table that Mr.'s Parents made for us. I just couldn't figure out what color paint would work with our table and I didn't want to totally compromise the antique chair.

Special Walnut 224

While stripping the chairs sounds easy it has quickly shown me that the process is an unholy pain in the ass. I know I have the time to do it and to do it right, but it's tough and the stripper works differently on each chair since they've all got a different varnish/stain on them. I just keep telling myself that the process will pay off in the end, but it's hard to believe when I'm covered in goo and I have to reapply the stripper to certain areas multiple times. One thing is certain, I will be really good at it by the end and may never want to use my new skills again.

Enough of my complaining. Let's discuss something far more fun. Like fabric! I want something graphic, like a geometric pattern or non-traditional floral. The colors I prefer are: red, aqua, orange, yellow, chocolate, and navy. It's hard to know what I will like in the future but the beauty of seat cushions is that they are really easy to change out. These are my favorites so far ...


Alexander Henry "Sofia" in orange


Alexander Henry "Tatoo Too" in natural
(probably not quite our style, but I still like it)