Spray Painting Chairs to Make a Matched Set

We are counting down to the final weeks before the grand opening, and it’s all about getting together the last minute details. We went back and forth about whether or not to buy all new matching chairs, or to mix and match for the Makery space. In the end, we decided spray painting the chairs to make a matched set was the best option.

Some of the chairs were vintage, and some were from my house, and others just parts of old dining sets we found on FB marketplace.

People often wonder if you can mix and match different chairs at a dining table? The answer is YES! You can, and spray painting the chairs the same paint color is one way to unify the different chair styles.

In fact, painting chairs the same color is a great way to unify them as well as upholstering them in the same fabrics. The chairs that have upholstered seats are going to get recovered in painter’s tarp. It’s a nice, inexpensive and neutral fabric that holds up well. Since they are going to be for the makery, they are probably going to be covered in paint and art supplies anyway, so it’s a great option.

We set up a sprayer tent and lined up the chairs. It took about 5 hours to get 12 chairs done. Even though the spraying part goes fast, it’s the drying time between coats that takes forever. I liked using the sprayer tent, but I will say it was about 90 degrees, and after a half and hour of painting, I was dying from the heat. I haven’t sweated that much in a while,it was pretty sexy ( I sweat like a cow.). I think I drank about a gallon of water that day. Spray painting the chairs to make a matched set was a lot of work but well worth it!

We opted to use exterior paint with primer so that they would really hold up to daily wear and tear (we hope). We are probably also going to seal them with a clear sealer so that they have an extra layer of durability.

They all turned out really nice, and the color is a perfect addition to the neutral space. Once I get the chairs upholstered, I’ll give you another peek at the Makery space. I want to tell you more about the wood wall as well!