Our $35 secondhand chairs — originally found here — aren’t completely finished yet (imagine me tapping my foot while I impatiently wait for the paint to cure). We wanted to share the makeover progress and the decisions that led us to the final color choice. First, a quick rundown of all the hues John and I considered for the office chairs:
- emerald green
- turquoise, aqua, or dark teal
- dark gray or light gray
- plum
- navy
- white or light celery
- lime green or grellow
Before painting and reupholstering, the chairs looked like this in the office (different perspectives for context). The surrounding room and the views into it played a big role in our color choices.
Here’s how we narrowed down the options over a few weeks:
- From the dining room, two bright teal bookcases flank the doorway, so we felt turquoise or aqua would make everything read as “too teal” from that angle.
- After painting the walls gray, neither light nor dark gray felt exciting enough for the chairs — it worried us that the space would become too muted.
- Navy was close to the chairs’ original finish and felt too heavy and dark for the look we wanted.
- White or light celery felt safe, possibly veering into a Palm Beach vibe that didn’t match the rest of the house.
- Plum risked being as dark as the original finish, so we ruled it out.
That left two contenders: emerald and lime-based grellow. I liked emerald for a while — it would contrast nicely with the lighter grellow tones in the stencil and kitchen walls — but the swatches we tried leaned either too cool or not quite right against the adjacent finishes. The undertones didn’t play well with the kitchen’s warmth and the stencil’s color.
The winner was grellow. It felt cheerful, saturated, and it tied into the lighter grellow on the kitchen walls and in the stencil without feeling monochromatic. It also worked alongside other nearby elements such as the indigo light fixture, the teal globe on the file cabinet, the dark teal bookcases in the dining room, and the green runner and curtains. The key was choosing a bolder, distinct grellow that referenced the lighter tones without blending into them.
We borrowed inspiration from “Sue the Napkin,” which often guides our color choices. By holding up swatches to the napkin, we landed on a deep greeny-yellow close to Benjamin Moore’s Olive Tree. That swatch taped to the chair felt perfect — it brought everything together visually.
Because the chair’s woven finish wouldn’t take well to brush paint, we planned to use spray paint. Our local Benjamin Moore store can custom-mix spray cans, but when I called late in the day they were closing and couldn’t mix any. While browsing at Michael’s that evening we discovered Krylon spray paint in “Ivy Leaf,” which matched our Olive Tree swatch almost exactly. We bought two cans at about $6 each. (Note: Benjamin Moore quoted a minimum order of six custom cans at $7–$10 each, so the Michael’s find was a lucky save.)
Back home, I removed the seat cushions (each was secured with four screws) and cleaned the chairs with a liquid deglosser. We like Next Liquid Deglosser by Crown because it’s non-flammable, biodegradable, and low-VOC. The original finish was worn smoothly, so I didn’t need to sand; instead I set up cardboard outside and applied a spray primer.
I used several thin, even coats, spraying from about 8–10 inches away while keeping my arm moving to avoid drips. After letting the primer dry for roughly 40 minutes, I applied the topcoat. The paint built up gradually: the initial sprays barely covered, and multiple ultra-thin coats developed full, even coverage.
Here are a few practical spray-painting tips we follow:
- Invest in mid-range spray paint rather than the cheapest options; quality cans go on smoother and are easier to control.
- Keep the can moving to prevent drips — a steady, sweeping motion works best.
- Maintain a distance of 8–10 inches from the surface for an even mist.
- Apply multiple light coats instead of a single heavy one.
- Spray paint contains VOCs, so work outside with a mask and allow adequate curing time (follow the manufacturer’s recommendations; we often let pieces sit longer).
- To reduce off-gassing indoors, you can seal spray paint with two light coats of a low-VOC product such as Safecoat Acrylacq.
After painting, I discovered it took three cans in total, so I picked up one more. For the seat fabric, I used leftover yardage from a previous dining room curtain project. Holding the fabric up to the freshly grellowed frames convinced us it was the right choice — the combination felt lively and cohesive without being overly matchy.
I had originally planned to use that fabric for roman blinds in the office, but it would have been too repetitive with the dining room. Instead, upholstering the chairs created a bright, playful compromise that connects the rooms without overwhelming either one.
Next up is reupholstering the seats, which I’ll tackle this afternoon. I’ll share the upholstery details and finished photos in a day or two once everything is dry and reassembled. We’ll also be posting a mid-morning update today — a slightly earlier post than usual — so check back soon for more on the final reveal.
Psst — we’re also sharing a resource on BabyCenter about DIY projects you can do with kids, which has lots of fun ideas to add to our “someday” list with Clara.