Whimsical hand painted chairs for the garden

Our Flea Market garden chairs have created a sensation! With simple bowls filled with flowers on the seat, they’re always so charming as garden ‘plant stands’, but when you use several colors or create a theme they can star in your garden vignettes.  See these dozen examples from our files….plus materials and instructions to find and decorate your own!

Colleen Weaver

Myra Glandon

Here are the supplies you’ll need:

• Drop cloth
• Wire brush with scraper
• Random orbital sander, optional
• sand paper
• Bucket, water, and sponge
• Paint and primer
• Face mask and protective eye wear

Mary Blevins

Rhonda Duchesneau

Tami Williams

Ready to paint!

First scrape all the loose paint, but leave some if you want, especially if it’s not peeling.
You may need a fine wire brush, but don’t if it gouges too much.

Sand the chair smooth and I’ll tell you, a power sander makes it really easy.

Now, get out the bucket and water or just a damp cloth and clean off all the dirt and dust. Let it dry in the sun for long enough to be completely dry.

Paint with a brush or with spray paint OR if most of the original paint stayed on or if you wanted it to stay, just give your chair a couple (two, at least) of semi or matte polyurethane.

Wenda Vorce: My first attempt… now to find the perfect plant for it.

Kitty Winrow‎

Kitty Winrow‎ says, “Here’s a little project from the weekend. Someone threw away this rocker and I added a bit of Sunshine to it. First I painted it reddish orange, then bright yellow, then sanded parts of it down to the original color black and bare wood. Added the sunflower and vintage bowl and Voilá, a happy seat in the garden!”

Tanya Goldsmith’s Floridalicious colors!

Tanya Goldsmith says, “A garden herb chair I made recently for our Native plant Society gift exchange. The old chair was from a yard sale $3 and seat was full of what looked to be cat tail reeds! Dollar store basket, liner and herbs.”

Tanya Goldsmith‎

Tanya Goldsmith’s chair detail

“This was for my little mermaid loving granddaughter.” Tanya tells us,  “I found this little child’s Windsor chair at a yard sale for fifty cents. I stripped it down to the bare wood knowing it was for a child then painted it with exterior house paint. Notice the mermaid is holding a DINGLEHOPPER! The grand girls and even their babysitter shrieked when they saw that! Oh and yes, I discovered my octopus has 9 legs but that makes for a great kids story.”

Billie Hayman

Billie Hayman made her chairs from pallet wood. She says, “Don’t know who invented the chair planter but it was a good idea!”  See Penny-wise pallet garden projects

Where to find old chairs

I’m always searching for oldwooden and mismatched chairs for a good rice. Under $20 is my personal limit for a fun chair to play with,but we all agree,…free is best!

• Yard sales and Thrift shops
• Ask your relative, neighbors and friends
• Trash day!

Michele Orwig

Jeanie Merritt

Bairbre Ryder

Bairbre Ryder confides, “My husband said I had to get rid of the old chairs in the basement so I painted them and put them in the garden.”

Becky Norris

See  Becky’s signature pink garden

No, wooden chairs in the garden don’t last forever, we know, but when you happen upon ine, they are too fun to pass up.  They look quaint and timeless, whether you paint or leave them shabby chic and when they go, we replace them with the ones we’re always looking for!