Makeover to Flea Market Chairs

Have you ever thought about giving a makeover to flea market chairs? Check out my tutorial.

Makeover to flea market chairs.

I’ve had these chairs for what seems like for-EVER!

I found them shopping with the girls last year and posted about them here as well.

Now I have finally had time to give them a makeover!

I call them flea market chairs not because I bought them at a flea market (because I didn’t) but because it reminds me of ones used at an actual flea market or rec centre.

You know the type…stackable, made of cheap wood and metal and probably a dime a dozen.

But such a great DIY makeover!

Makeover to flea market chairs / before picture graphic.

Did you know I used to work at a flea market? One of my very first jobs!

I worked in the cafeteria and made hot dogs and cooked onions.

The chairs after being made over at the table.

I don’t even like onions.

A bunch of my high school friends were working there so I thought sure, what the hell.

And these boring chairs were everywhere at the flea market.

I bought them for $1.

There is a French motif stencil on the top of the chair.

I used leftover paint for the seat and back, Fusion Mineral paint in Champlain and Rustoleum Smoke Grey gloss for the legs.

But huge problem. I spray painted the legs first, no problem there.

Then I painted the wood with the white. No problem there.

Then my kids wanted to help me.

Big problem.

Black and white chairs at the breakfast table in the kitchen.

So needless to say, white paint got on glossy metal grey legs. *sigh*

I thought I could do some touch-ups with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite (last ditch effort)

But that really didn’t work. You can see the chalky paint marks although I will say it was nearly a perfect match.

Up close picture of the French crown on the chair.

So now I have to tape up the white with plastic bags and spray paint the legs again.

Or find some glossy paint and brush on the legs.

There is a large crock beside the chair.

I love the stencil too. You can find it HERE (no. 17).

The chair is in front of open shelves with decor items on it.

So these chairs turned out to be a great makeover.

But I still need to do more work on them.

Flea market chairs = work (like me working at the flea market!)

Similar Posts

16 Comments

  1. What an awesome makeover! I love the smoked gray color, will have to look out for that one. So cute that your kids wanted to help, even though that kind of “help” usually causes a little more work! 🙂

    1. Really? Thanks so much, Angela. You know how you get something in your head and you think it just looks wrong? I should look at it in a different light and I might just love it. Thanks for your sweet comment.
      Hugs, Jamie

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.