Hello awesome friends, and welcome to Trash-to-Treasure Tuesday! Ya’ll know this day is one of my favorites since four of my talented friends are sharing makeovers today too. Be sure to look for links to their projects at the bottom!
Now that we have sold our old house, we can start working on our lengthy list of projects that have been put on hold for our new house. One of those projects is adding some curb appeal to the outdoor space. While the weather hasn’t really been cooperating in order for us to start on our landscaping (our main project for Spring/Summer), I have been able to start working on decorating our front porch!
I had these two chairs at our old house on the back deck to stage it a bit:
They look so bad here! I swear they still looked great at the end of last Summer when we put our house on the market.
The sun faded them like crazy:
We have a nice large space on our new side porch and since I already have these and since they are FREE…I decided to make them work as a sitting area for that space.
A little of this…
And some of this…
And I do believe I turned this trash into treasure!
Right??
They look brand spankin new!
I bought this set 11 years ago. These chairs originally came with a loveseat, a coffee table, a bench, and a table and four chairs. I bought the set at Target and it was white with light green cushions. I had a pool at that house and it was perfect!
When I married my hubby, I sold my house and brought this set with me, but the white stood out like a sore thumb in his back yard, so I spray painted it brown and recovered the cushions.
Every year they get a fresh coat of spray paint and every two to three years, I have recovered the cushions to make them look like new again.
Find my Sew Easy Outdoor Cushion Cover Tutorial HERE.
It really is SO super easy to recover your cushions even if you have the most basic sewing skills, and so much cheaper than replacing all the cushions. Seriously, if you can sew a straight line, you can do this!
These box corners are really easy to do and give the cushions such a professional looking finish:
I found this fabric at JoAnn Fabrics.
To paint the chair frames, I used Rustoleum Satin Black spray paint. I used just under two cans for both chairs…
Rustoleum is my favorite spray paint to use and it is perfect for all types of outdoor furniture!
That’s one more project checked off the to-do list!
I still have the loveseat to this set, and I am debating whether or not to redo that as well and add it to this seating area. The dining table finally kicked the bucket when a nor’easter flew it over our deck last month, so I broke down and bought a new set for our back deck. I had to order it so I’ll share it when I get that space all set up.
A weird peek through the railing:
Grass: check. Landscaping: not so much.
That crazy wind also sent our trampoline through our fence, into the neighbor’s window, and barreling down the street! Thank goodness I was home, and two of my neighbors were sweet enough to help me wrangle it back into the back yard! It is totaled, and since Santa brought it for Christmas, we told Brennan he might need to write Santa and see if he’ll send a replacement.
Don’t forget my Trash-to-Treasure girls are sharing awesome makeovers today too!
I’ll see ya back here on Thursday with this little cutie:
UPDATE: See how this $5 find looks now HERE!
XO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
ColleenB.~ Tx. says
Beautiful. Chairs look great on your deck (very classy)and I like the black and white stripe fabric
Christy says
Thanks, Colleen! I wasn’t sure if the stripes would be too bold, but now I’m glad I went with them! XOXO
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces says
Wow! Those sure did get faded, but the look fantastic now, Christy. Thanks for sharing your tips and tutorials!
Christy says
I couldn’t believe how much they had faded! Good thing recovering them is a simple project! Thanks, Larissa! XOXO
Christina in SW FL says
Another wonderful makeover Christy. Love the bold stripes. They really make a statement on your porch.
Christy says
Thank you, Christina! I wasn’t sure if the stripes would be too bold, but what the hay… I love them! 🙂
Paula says
They look great, Christy! I am so glad that you sold your house. What a relief! I look forward to seeing more of your outdoor projects this spring.
Christy says
Thanks, Paula! I can’t tell you how relieved we are that our house finally sold…looking forward to getting started on our outdoor space as soon as the temps start cooperating! XOXO
Michele Branham says
They look great!
Christy says
Thank you, Michele! XOXO
Nancy @ Artsy Chicks Rule says
They do look brand spanking new!! And oh my about the trampoline! Crazy!! xo
Christy says
Right?? I thought this was the year I was finally going to replace them! But you know…money and all ha ha. And isn’t that crazy about our trampoline? I am so glad I was home to stop it before it did a anymore damage! XOXO
Patty says
Christy – you are the best chair lady ever!! 🙂 So pretty! So sorry about the trampoline – glad no one was hurt – wind is a scary thing!
Christy says
Ha ha thank you, Patty! Yes it was super scary! I and two other ladies summoned our Mom strength to get that thing back in our yard! XOXO
Kathy E. says
How timely is this post!! We have a set of porch chairs that are in great need of a paint makeover. They are at least 10 years old and have a dark green finish. You’ve given me the courage to give them a new life with paint. Thanks!
Christy says
Yay!! Yes go paint them! You can add another quick coat of paint every year to make them fresh and new! 🙂 XOXO
Jen @ Girl in the Garage says
Christy, this is fabulous! You are truly a magician. Those patio sets are so expensive- what a brilliant way to make them last for many years.
Christy says
Aww thanks, Jen! They really are expensive! We just finally broke down and bought a new set for our back patio and it was a small fortune. I would still be using my old set if the table hadn’t have gotten damaged! XOXO
MaryJean says
Oh, those look fantastic Christy! It’s surprising what a little paint and fabric can do. My sofa and side chairs from my mom got a coat of paint last year to match an outdoor table and swing I bought. It’s so nice to have everything matching! Too bad about your son’s trampoline. I’m sure Santa will agree. Right now we have a light dusting of snow, but they say it’s supposed to warm up this week. Keeping my fingers crossed. I’m a little tired of snow.
Christy says
Thanks, MaryJean! It’s nice when you can DIY it and make everything coordinate! Yep bummer about the trampoline. Thank goodness Santa got it on a deep discount on Black Friday! I’ll say a little prayer for your weather…I know you must be so ready for warmth! XOXO
Kimberly says
WOW!! Better than new! And I just love you with your fairy-godmother-wand-level sewing skills and then you are all “if you can sew a straight line”. Admit it, Christy, you are magic! 🙂
Christy says
Thank you, Kimberly! And ha ha…it really is easy to do lol! You are so funny! XOXO
Donna says
Perfect! Outdoor furniture can be ghastly expensive and if it can be salvaged, so much the better. You did a fantastic job!
Christy says
Yes I was surprised how much new outdoor furniture was when we started looking to replace our dining set for out back! That made the decision to hang onto these a few more years pretty easy! Thanks, Donna! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
They look better than new! I say go for the loveseat, too. I have a similar set from Target almost 20 years ago. Thankfully, the table is still with us, despite landing glass-side-down on the grass after the recent winds.
The cushions are so ratty and every year I say I want to recover them, but it seems like buying new ones would cost less. But the foam is still good! Looking back over your tutorial, it seems like a yard would be enough, so it really is cost effective. Especially when JoAnn has outdoor fabric on sale. It’s a deal! I’ll let you know how it goes. (Ugh, now I have to decide between the 14 fabrics I like!)
Christy says
Thanks, Marcie! I think I might just go for the loveseat too! Target rocks…my set is still in great shape, and I wouldn’t be looking for a new dining set had our table not gotten damaged. The cheapest replacement cushions I could find that were thick like these were $30 at Walmart. That was for one cushion. I was able to get fabric 40% off at JoAnns this weekend plus they had an extra 25% off. Check out their online coupons…I think this week they are offering $10, $20, $30 off extra depending on how much you spend. I averaged a yard per cushion. 🙂 XOXO
Cheryl Lawson says
Hi Christy, I LOVE what you did with those chairs! The choice of the bold black and white striped fabric was perfect. What a change! I love to sew and especially like how sewing makes it possible to really change out older pieces. I enjoy following your blog – such good ideas. (Now if only there was only more time in a day!). Have a good week,
Cheryl
Christy says
Thank you, Cheryl!! I really wasn’t too sure about the bold stripes at first, but I am so glad I went with it anyway! I love sewing projects because you can see your progress really quickly. Thank you so much for following along with me! XOXO
Robin says
Hello, very classy! Did you sand or rough up the frame before painting? Assume it is heavy gauge aluminum or a heavier metal? And I think JoAnns sells Sunbrella fabric that is fade resistant.
Christy says
Thank you, Robin! Since I spray paint this set just about every year, I just spray-painted over the existing finish no sanding. I did give it a good wipe down first though to remove any dirt. Abd that was the first fabric I’ve purchased there that faded so quickly. Luckily these will be in a shady spot! XO
Brianna Byman says
You say the recover is so easy, do u have a link to how you did it? Are they envelope closed or have zipper? Or are these not removable?
I am looking at a set of chairs from a friend but no cushions are included, so wanted to see how “cheap ” it is if u have to buy the cushions as well as fabric.
Thank you!
Christy says
Hi Brianna! I linked to the tutorial in that post, but you can find it here: https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/sew-easy-outdoor-cushion-covers-part-1/
I hand stitched them closed at the back to make them super easy to make. Since they are outdoor cushions, they can easily be hosed off if needed, and shouldn’t need to be removed until you’re ready to replace them. Hope this helps! XO
Debbie in TX says
What a wonderful way to improve your outdoor furniture. Love the satin black paint which adds just the right sheen, and the fabric really pops. Really love the table and the beautiful fern you put with the chairs, too. Great job!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Debbie! The satin spray paint always comes up so nicely, and I’m surprised every year when they turn out so well! XOXO
ROSE LEFEBVRE says
A wonderful refresh for the look of the chairs!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Rose! XOXO
Linda Petersen says
Those chairs are stunning!! I love the color of the pillows! Do the loveseat????!!
Christy says
Thank you, Linda! I figured I could add any color for a pop of color with the black and white…and yes now I think I definitely need to do the loveseat!! XOXO
Julie Briones says
LOVE the fabric you chose, Christy! And the green pillows are the perfect accent!
Christy says
Thank you, Julie!! I love that they can be seen frim the street with the bold stripe! 🙂 XOXO
Cecilia says
They turned out great! Sorry about the storm that trashed the trampoline, etc. Those spring storms can be intense! And you’ve reminded me, I need to repainted my chairs and table. Oh boy. Not something I’m looking forward to but I need to do it! Here’s to checking off the list!
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! As for the trampoline, I’m just grateful that it didn’t cause even more damage or hurt anyone! We must be crazy because we just ordered another one LOL. We will definitely be anchoring this one down this time! Yes go paint that outdoor furniture! XOXO
Marie says
I really like them in black & white, they just pop! I remember your tutorial on how to recover them and this reminded me to share that with my sister who has the very same set and wants them refreshed. Wow, sounds like quite the gale force winds! Did your neighbor’s window break?
Christy says
Thank you, Marie! I thought it might be kind of bold, but I love that you can see them from the street! Yes, the trampoline did break the window, but only the outer pane. Thank goodness it didn’t go all the way through. XOXO
Teresa says
Those are stunning!!! And they look professionally done! Makes me wanna go try and redo ours!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Teresa! Girl, if you can sew a straight line I swear you can make these! I say go for it! XOXO
Becky says
Wow! WHAT a makeover! Your chairs look fanTAStic! i need the motivation they provide. My cushions need recovering this year, and now I’m thinking a little spray paint might not come amiss… Beautiful!
Christy says
Thank you, Becky!! I can’t believe I almost replaced this this year! SO glad I gave it another chance…yes good weekend project! XOXO
Jennifer Mainella says
great job! Love this blog lots of inspiration
Christy says
Thank you so much, Jennifer! XO
pam calzada says
finish the love seat the same and place it on the porch on the left side (according to the picture) and add 2 small tables one on each side…this will take the eye around the porch and make it look cohesive , dont forget the pillows !!!
Christy says
Thanks for the input, Pam! I did end up redoing the love seat for our back deck area. You can see it here if you like :https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/patio-set-refresh/ 🙂