Denver Home Living from Your Colorado Home Group Fall 2018 | Page 16

ANNIE SLOAN
WITH CHALK PAINT TM
MID-CENTURY MODERN CHAIRS
T
hese dining of dining
chairs were owned by an
elderly couple who had
owned them since the
1960s and they were now
languishing in the attic because they
thought they were old fashioned.
Little did they know that these
are now highly sought after!!
This design originates with the
Danish designer Hans Wegner,
and since then the basic design
has been imitated many times over
with various interpretations.
Generally the shaped backrest is
a more decorative grained wood
than the legs, which are often
made of beech, a very sturdy wood
with little marking. We have
enhanced the basic modern feel
by painting the legs and staining
the fabric with Chalk Paint™.
Each chair (figure 1) has been
given individuality using Aubusson,
Olive, Primer Red and English
Yellow Chalk Paint™ on Gentlemen
fabric with Graphite painted legs.
But any natural fiber fabric such
as cotton or linen will work well.
STEP 1
The upholstery had sunk with age
and was looking dull and shabby in
an old sage velvet, so we stripped
it back to the plywood base. The
wood on the back of the chair was
polished with a Danish oil to give
it back its lustre. We then painted
the legs with Graphite Chalk Paint™
- in order to achieve a smooth
finish we used a small f lat brush
and painted in one direction. We
kept a small pot of water nearby
so we could ensure the paint
was of the right consistency.
STEP 2
The existing seat pad was
in relatively good condition
therefore we reused it, adding a
new piece of polyester wadding
and fire retardant calico.
STEP 3
We chose Gentlemen fabric,
part of the Annie Sloan range in
Europe and the UK, it’s a 100
percent cotton fabric and 280cm
wide, but any natural fabric will
do. This fabric has a very fine
check in a charcoal grey and suits a
variety of styles. It was particularly
in keeping with the style of this
chair. Once the top cover had
been secured, we covered with a
black bottom lining. This gave
the piece a professional finish.
STEP 4
Using a masking tape, we marked
the area we wanted to paint.
STEP 5
To add some colour and make the
chairs unique, we made a dye using
Chalk Paint™. We mixed one part
paint to 10 parts water in a small
container. We then applied the
mixture using a small f lat brush,
working it into the fabric.
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FIGURE 1