The Romance of French folding chairs…12 ideas!
Vintage French-style folding chairs can be found in antique stores, flea markets, estate sales and perhaps even a thrift store. They last a long time outdoors, remind you of a real or imaginary trip to Paris and simply add charm to your garden.
With an old set of wire chairs, spray paint can easily transform them every few years for a different look. What color do you think this year?
Jane Krauter’s flowery French cafe chair
Jane Krauter tells says, “Notice how every neighborhood has one of those ‘lower-the-value-of-the-neighborhood’ embarrassing junky houses? I’ve been peeking over that neighbor’s fence for twenty years!
Finally, he said, ‘Come get whatever you want.’ I grabbed two arms full, including two of these chairs! Now, someone needs to accidentally drop a cell phone over that fence again!”
This chair has a secret, Jane says
“Guess what’s hiding in the bushes?” Jane asks with a smile, “a flowered porta-potty with the plant on it!”
Connie Farris’s icy ice cream chairs
Pam Klocek’s very unique Bistro set
Pam Klocek has another way to treat her ice crem set of chairs. She says, this is the moss covered Bistro set in my garden! Eye candy for the passers-by!”
Beth Anderson of The Silk Purse gardens “…a lovely place to sit for coffee in the morning and listen to the birds!”
Dean’s chairs could be from any era
Dean McCall “My old rusty table & chairs sits peacefully amongst my posies….”
Billie’s charming ‘coffee’ table She says, “Changing things around again. Table for two??”
Billie Hayman says, ” Couldn’t decide what color to paint, sooooo…”
Tips for renovating metal chairs
- The most enduring way is to have the chairs sandblasted and sprayed with a professional powder coat.
- Sanding and spray paint is how many of us would restore these chairs. This will take elbow grease!
- Some of us like the rust, so there are sprays that will arrest the rust and preserve it it just the way it is for the longest time.
- With chairs used only for decoration, you can always leave well enough alone.
Summer planting! Jane Krauter’s photos always tell a story…
Sydney Minor found chairs for her small children’s garden
Sydney Minor “I couldn’t find a table for my granddaughter’s garden, so I painted a little iron end table that worked perfectly. The umbrella faded, so I bought an extra on sale. I intend to let her print some designs on this one with paint dipped cut celery ends, potato prints, or a duck cut from a sponge.”
Long lasting charm
Lisa Rice found her table and chair set at a consignment shop when it was all fresh white paint. Now it’s rusty here and there and just getting into shape as far as we’re concerned. What she likes about them is they last well out in the elements. Custom chair cushions in a succulent pattern are on her shopping list and will protect clothing from any rust when sitting.
- Martha Palmieri’s chair has a rusty ‘patina’
Stephanie Riggs charming lounge waits until summer
From Tallulah’s Antique Closet “Here is Tallulah looking at the sunset just as it goes behind the hills of our home.”
