17 Upcycled chairs transform in the garden

It may seem a simple thing, but setting a chair in the garden can be the start of pleasing little garden scene to charm your visitors…or you!  This is the easiest ever garden decorating project you can do!

Jane Krauter’s enthralling vignette ”  My favorite things! Watering cans & old chairs!”

With so many vintage and quaint chairs to be found, some at no cost,..you can make one an easy plant stand or it can be the center of attention in a bigger display.  You can add details like twig wreaths, little plaques, garden signs against the back of the chair and Flea market finds behind and on the ground underneath.

Jane Krauter says, of her chair, above, “Notice the seat is missing? I replaced it with a tray from JoAnn’s & spray painted the chair white. Also, painted the watering can red.”

Debbie McMurry’s Red, White & Blooms

Jamie Peterson’s red and wine bistro

“Unwinding after work..glass of wine, cool temperatures…aahhh fall,” Jamie Peterson says.  “I am a Flea Market gardener…nearly everything In my yard is rustic and country…from the old rusty balls of barbed wire next to my authentic wind mill to rusty old farm implements that I’ve used throughout my garden as planters to my wine bottles surrounding my gazebo.”

Linda McGuire’s chippy white and flowery chair

Dean McCall’s cabin greeter

 A large twig wreath drapes over the chair and it holds two welcoming garden signs to greet guests.

Nell Stelzer’s chair also displays her house numbers

Where to find cute chairs

• Thrift stores and yard sales- least expensive places chairs can be found.
• Friends- don’t forget to ask your friends and relatives for unneeded chairs
• Antique stores- expensive but you may find a bargain on an ‘orphan’ chair.

Colleen Weaver’s three levels of fabulous

 Tall, medium and short,…the ladder, chair and galvanized tub create layers that all fit together well.  There’s not many things better than a ladder filled with trinkets to act as a background for a chair ‘plant stand.’

Christy Morrow’s wintertime chair

A garland of hearts is just one of the decorations to hang from the back of a chair like Christy Morrow did,…a flag, a sign, small birds or an initial…the list is endless.

Debbie Fogal’s mist of pink hides a chair

Chair as trellis?  Yes! Debbie Fogal wired a wooden trellis to the back of her chair so the petunias could continue to climb. Pretty in Pink!

Protecting your chairs outdoors

• Bring them inside in Winter
• Protect with Marine varnish
• Paint with exterior paint
• Reinforce with screws and small angle irons

TIP: You’d be surprised how often hairs are brought back to life with small repairs, but we’re always looking for replacements when chairs give out completely!

Flea Market Style Design Ideas

Browse these ideas for terrific chairs in the garden…

Jamie Peterson’s red and wine bistro

Sometimes, a chair, just by itself adds so much to a scene, you need not add one thing on it. This red metal Motel chair adds the color, while everything around it, designed by Jamie Peterson

Jessica Eiss-Healthcoach’s little blue chair

Thinking of painting a chair?  Brilliant blue was the color Jessica Eiss-Healthcoachchose…who would know the color of the flowers would go so well?  She says, “This recycled chair left for trash pickup becomes another aqua colored addition to my yard, with flowers planted in a metal strainer type container. It has round holes in the bottom for drainage already!”

Susan Bauer’s shady spot

A collection of chairs are arranged around a tree in Susan Bauer’sgarden, all pleasant plant stands. She says, “This vignette is called “Sit a spell.” I have a “thing” about old chairs and have them planted throughout my yard and garden.”

Rita Michalak Vintage chair as garden art

Kim Randall’s two chairs echo each other

Myra Glandon’s meadowy blues

Ali Kavadlo’s leafy greens

Ali Kavadlo says, I found this old metal chair by the roadside in Florida and brought it back to North Carolina to use as a planter Not quite a flea market find…even cheaper!

The sign is an old slate roofing shingle, also a found object, that says, “Everything changed the day she discovered there was exactly enough time for the important things in life.” A quote by Brian Andreas.”

Tanya LaPorte’s pastel and lavender

“My garage sale find,” Tanya LaPorte says, “… the chair was $3.00 just a little mousey looking maple chair suffering from neglect~took it home and gave it some colors after a base coat of primer.. like those small sample jars of paint (Behr) you find at Home Depot.. neato! The sample ones at the other big box store have such a strong paint smell.. ugh! Anyway, I was happy to see how this turned out.”

More about Flea Market Garden Chairs:

Sitting Pretty – Chairs in the Garden

French café and Wire chairs in the garden

Sherry’s perfect pallet chairs

Check-in to Motel Chairs