Last summer, I acquired a small rocking chair for free; the landlords were moving shop and I admired it. “Take it,” she said. “Then we don’t have to move it.” Mark and I carried it home and I put it in the shade by the greenhouse. All summer, the cat and I traded places on the old cushions. When the rains began, I moved it into the greenhouse until I realized that the fabric was rotting away, so I brought it in for a refresh. Winter Break is the perfect time for such a project.
1. Choose the paint. I went for the deep golden yellow of my bookshelves in the Cozy Room. That way, it will blend into the room if I wanted it there.
2. Find a new cushion—for three dollars, I nabbed a lovely cushion from the thrift shop across from the paint store.
3. Strip off the old fabric, after taking photos.
4. Remove the small tacks holding the skirt on. Chisel some out….watch your hands.
5. Put the chair in the tub for a bath.
6. Lightly sand the whole thing.
7. Move into the dining room and prime it. Wait 36 hours for the primer to dry in the chilly room. Be sure to leave some areas, hidden from view, uncovered so that you can still know what the original color was.
8. First coat of yellow paint, also in the dining room. Another 36 hours to dry…move the chair into the house for the second coat.
9. While waiting for the paint to dry, cover the two cushions with some old blue fabric that was the living room curtains several years ago. Also, use the last bits of fabric from the couch refurb to make the skirt.
10. Replace the burlap that covered the springs and protected the cushions.
11. Tack the skirt on and tie the cushions down. This time, they can come off, so, if the chair is in the greenhouse, the cushions can travel in and out, depending upon weather and dampness.
12.
Bask in the new seat in front of the fire. Argue with the cat on whose spot it is.
