My
original vision for this makeover
didn't pan out.
I had envisioned doing a bench with the chairs facing each other, but we tried several templates for the seat and neither of us (hubby or I) were happy with how we thought it would look. In retrospect, I wish we would have tried a little harder to make it work because it would have been more unique.
I bought the chairs at Pottery Barn about 8 years ago (I had already started sanding the red one by the time I remembered to take a photo, so it looks trashed but it wasn't:-)). Unfortunately, when we moved into this house, I really didn't have a place to use them, so they've been more in the way than anything. Initially, it seemed almost a shame to use them because they were perfectly good chairs, but I decided I wouldn't get anything for them if I sold them and why buy a bench when I already had these?
(edited to add tutorial portion):We used the original seats (set apart a tish so the seat would comfortably accomodate two people) as a template
to trace a bench seat on a piece of MDF.
Cut it out using a jigsaw.
Sanded the mdf seat to prepare it for paint and round the corners a bit. Then screwed it on using the original holes that were there for the chair screws. (I had already primed the chairs at this point)
Primed the seat and then painted the entire bench. We used a little paint sprayer that my husband already had and I think the finish turned out a lot better because of it.
We saved the original seats, and didn't modify the chairs in any way, so if at some point I want to use them as chairs again we just remove the bench seat, replace the chair seats, repaint and Ta-Da - chairs again! I still need to make a bench cushion or something for it, but thought I should get it posted before everyone quit believing I actually had a bench in the works! :-) To be honest, once I realized I couldn't do it the way I had wanted, I lost my motivation and just let it sit for a while. Then it got cold here sooner than I anticipated so I had to keep my fingers crossed for some warm days to spray the paint on. Thankfully, they finally came!
I'll be adding links to this post for the various blog parties as they happen and the links become available.
Tutorial Link-up - The Lettered Cottage
Metamorphasis Monday - Between Naps on the Porch
