OK folks - here's the deal. i need dining room chairs. and, because of the $$ i have to spend on legal fees to get THAT WOMAN out of my house so i can sell it, the bucks are a bit snug.

so, here's what i'm thinking - and if any of you have any ideas or advice - even if the idea is 'jif, you'll be in over your head and you shouldn't do it!' - please HELP!!!

the salvation army has furniture! what if i get wooden chairs - up to 8 of them, but i'm more than willing to do this a couple at a time - and then paint them. i'm thinking a chocolate brown, but could be convinced otherwise. i always have RED on my mind - Red, brown, gold in a combination would be fine with me!

and then STENCIL THEM. not a HUGE stenciling event - just enough to add a bit of color, and to give them a unified theme.

is this an idea i should just ignore? or what??????

and - here's the BIG Q!!!! - what kind of paint should i use?????

Why do you need chairs?
I've had a great dining room set for a couple years and have eaten dinner at it maybe twice... waste of $$

interesting, Rebecca. i know a lot of people use their kitchen tables, or eat in front of the TV. but i LOVE having people over, and try to have an official SUNDAY DINNER once a month with a bunch of friends. it's FUN!!! and gives us all a chance to catch up and relax.

My daughter did this a few years ago. The got used chairs that a grocery store was getting rid of from their cafe area. They were free. She spray painted them and recovered the fabric on the seat. Very cheap and they look fantastic. We also went to garage sales and estate sales and got some solid oak ones (they don't match, of course) for like $5 each. We refinished them and they're beautiful.

OK Jiff I'll ask my Mom about the type of paint however this is my idea! Get the wooden chairs paint them red and then antique them (basically brush stain on and rag it off) You could do a cushion but you wouldn't have too
What's your table like? (I'm a house junkie!!)
Also Habitat for Humanity has a bunch of ReStores with house stuff I've been dying to go.
or maybe try freecycle?
Our dining room chairs we found on the side of the road
Kierie

ooooh!!!! i like that idea! the table is actually an antique conference room table from my dad's old office - it's a little narrower than most DR tables, but it's GORGEOUS. it needs to be professionally refinished, and i'd rather sink the $$ into that than into the chairs.

I love refinishing furniture. I just finished my mom's old washstand from when she was a kid and it has all the nicks she and her sisters made when they would drop the wash bowl. I'm not into painted furniture unless it is metal, but my daughter does these really really nice covers over her dining room chairs and she changes them with the seasons. She got the pattern from Jo-Ann Fabric or Walmart. I love to see how many layers of paint has been put things, and how beautiful the real wood is. But.....it takes a lot of time and effort, but oh so worth it. I do love the antiqued look that someone was talking about. Do you have a freecycle in your area. I see lots of chairs and stuff on them.

Try Craig's list too...the free section sometimes has nice-ish furniture in your area.

I'm with Nan...I wouldn't spray paint the furniture. To make them all look congruent try using the treatment that crackles the piece's original stain and rub in some oil, colored shoe polish (I like black) or even acrylic paint then take the excess off.

Angela

Jiffy... call Jim, he'll tell you what you need to know (he's a furniture refinisher for gosh sakes)...

And why didn't I see this post earlier??????

ROFL

oh DUH!!!! of COURSE!!! Jim is definitely the answer!!!!!

angela - how messy is the process you described? how much time does it take????

Ikea!

Try a second hand furniture store I got my dining room table and three chairs that are in perfect condition for only $400. Some places also have mix and match chairs just try to stick to the same style and/or paint or stain color

Speaking of dining room tables. I went on a house call today and wrote my report at this gainormous, humogous, dining room table. It had to be about 10 ft. long and the chairs were so ornate and it was a dark brown wood. The table only had two extensions in it, so the table by itself was huge. I finally said something to the woman about the table and this is what she said. "I got it because I have a huge family, and guess what we never hardly use it and it takes up the whole room." She told me that they usually end up in the sun room eating their dinner off their plates on their laps. I was beautiful, but oh so useless. But, I would have turned it down if she gave it to me! LOL!