Six Chairs + Six Years = The Project We Really Had to Sit On

Hey hey hey! 

It's been a WHILE, my friends! The last time we chatted I was decking the halls for Christmas, and now it's 90 degrees outside with Summer just a few short weeks away. Earth season 2020 has been quite the doozie. Quarantine lock-down, the world running out of toilet paper, working from home, murder hornets (which, btw what happened to them? I mean why introduce a character if they're not important to the plot) and face masks becoming the next fashion statement. Bonus! You can now get booze and ice cream delivered to your door, so there IS a silver lining. 

Like most people who were going to be stuck inside their house for months on end, we made a to-do list. Quarantine? More like quarantime to be productive! Most were simple organization type tasks (clean up the office), while others were a bit more intense (fresh coat of paint on all the doors and trim). But one project was king of them all; finish the dining room chairs. 

Yup. 

Those dining room chairs. The chairs we bought waaaaaaaay back in 2014 when I was convinced all we needed was a bit of warm weather to give them a complete makeover. Well. Flash forward 6 years, and we've FINALLY finished this DIY. Poor babies have officially set the record for longest project in Wellman history.   

Let's take a look back memory lane, shall we? 

I still think the woven backs and detailing at the top are darling. And good things too. Because after literally sitting on this project for years on end, there was no room for changing our minds...we were committed. 

So how did we do it!? Overall it wasn't that complicated. We still had to wait for warmer weather and a dry spell too, because step one was sanding them down and giving each a quick coat of primer. 

After primer came the paint. Menards had a great sale on Rust-oleum...sometime last year, I don't know when...so we stocked up. Figured about 2 cans per chair, and also figured no one is too young to learn the proper spraypainting technique. 

In the end, I'd guess they each received about 3 coats of paint, with plenty of drying time and some additional light sanding in-between each. Being in Ohio, the weather did set us back here and there. But eventually, we had another string of days with low humidity and plenty of sunshine to top each chair off with 2 coats of clear matte finishing spray. 

As for the cushions, you can see a quick highlight of the reupholstering process HERE on my Instagram page. I ended up using Nate Berkus Multi-Purpose Decor Fabric - Onyx San Cristo Paramount from Joann Fabrics, and love how the black and white jives seamlessly with all of the color and texture I already have in the space. The trickiest part of said task was removing all of the staples with the old fabric and not losing them in our shag rug. Looking back, I probably should have done that bit in the kitchen where sweeping any messes up would've been a breeze. Instead of in the living room while watching Zoey's Ultimate Playlist, where I undoubtedly would lose a staple here and there, then later find it in the bottom of my foot. Ouch.

But all injuries aside, the final result DEFINITLY made any bloodshed worth it!

Nothing beats a little side-by-side before and after. 

Some things really are just worth the wait. 

It cracks me up thinking about how long we've had these chairs and the countless other DIY's that have been completed in the meantime. I say this over and over, decorating takes TIME. Nothing is accomplished overnight, especially when you want a space that's warm, inviting, and completely unique to you. If you can't find a piece that fits right away don't force it. Sleep on the idea (or in our case sit) and who knows, maybe six years later you too will find that perfect something that makes your house a home. 

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