Simple Antiqued Chair Tutorial

This method was so simple, it only took me a couple of hours and a few supplies I had on hand.

We’ve had this old wooden chair FOREVER…I think it used to be Mike’s desk chair when he was younger. I have since used it as a desk chair myself in my office, but it’s not tall enough for my new set up. So it sat in the corner collecting dust and clutter until I randomly decided to paint it the other day. I just felt like painting, ya know?

Here’s the deal: I wanted to get a really aged and chippy look without much effort – no primer and minimal coats of paint. I also wanted it two colors, like it had been painted twice. I used Sherwin Williams “Creamy” and “Homberg Gray” to get the look. I love these colors and always have them on hand. Just to make sure I was getting a really less than perfect finish, I used a cheap-o chip brush (which I normally only use for stain).

After a good cleaning and a light sanding, I haphazardly brushed on a coat of white, just really….badly.

This is not a precision job! I made sure to cover the whole chair at least, but it’s far from a perfect coat. Just slap it on there! When that dried, I followed it with a coat of Homberg Gray.

I’m pretty sure you could have your kids help you with this type of project, and it would turn out great!

Well…I was mostly sure it would turn out great. I have a strong belief that all projects look like a pile of dookie before things turn around for the best. Or maybe that’s just the Rachael patented method.

After that dried, I started with a very fine sanding block and gave the whole chair a sanding. Some of the paint was already starting to come off – perfect! Then I used some 120 grit paper to work on more exposure of the edges.

And now, my favorite part. Get some stain, glaze, or even some lightly watered down brown paint and wipe over the entire piece. I like American Walnut Gel Stain. I used the same chip brush I had been painting with to brush some on, then rubbed it in with a rag.