Last year I bought an oak banker's chair at a yard sale $5.00. If I find a piece of furniture for the price of a Happy Meal, I normally pick it up just in case.
I brought it home, stared at it for a few weeks trying to figure out what to do with it and then I lost interest (bad banking joke intended).
Seriously though, it just sat here for weeks until I finally hauled it off to the basement. The Land Of Misfit Yard Sale Finds.
Except Santa never stops by to load them up in his sleigh and deliver them to good boys and girls.
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Last week, about the time I was thinking of loading it up in my sleigh and hauling it off to Goodwill, WallMasque Stencil Company contacted me and generously offered to let me try one of their stencils. All of a sudden the long forgotten and neglected banker's chair came to mind. A stencil is just what I needed.
Now, normally I'm a let's-try-and-refurbish-it-before-painting-it kind of girl. I've done my fair share of stripping and re-staining furniture in my lifetime.
But this one had paint splatters on it, the wood was cracking in places and either someone had tried to strip it at some point or it sat out in a cornfield for ten years, because part of the wood was very very dry and worn out. Painting was the way to go.
I started with two coats of black chalk paint. The brand isn't important, because in my world chalk paint is chalk paint is chalk paint. I don't squabble about who's brand is better.
Not my circus, not my monkey.
It took me a while to pick out which stencil I wanted to use, because there were so many vintage looking stencils to choose from. Laurel wreaths, bees, birds, dragonflies, etc.
I ended up picking the New York Stamp stencil in the 12" version.
I centered it on the chair right where your butt would go and used painter's tape to stick it down.
I used a stencil brush and dipped it into a light gray chalk paint, removed the excess on a paper towel
and then pounced my brush onto the stencil.
It went super fast and couldn't be easier. And it was sort of cathartic to pounce away my frustrations of the day.
I was paranoid when I took the stencil off that I would see bleed through or I would have smudged letters or something, but it looks perfect, in a vintage looking way!
If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere . . .
OK, I do have to say that this inexpensive chalk paint from the craft store wasn't as easy to distress as others I've used. Normally you can dip a rag in water and rub it over the chalk paint and it distressed fairly easily. To me, that is the huge benefit of chalk paint.
With this paint, not so much.
I didn't plan on distressing it heavily, just a touch here and there. But it was sort of a pain to get out my palm sander for just a few places.
I tried to do the distressing on the areas that would normally get wear.
A tad on the arms, where your legs would rest on the chair seat and a couple areas on the legs where you might kick it with your loafers. In my mind a banker wears loafers.
Once the paint and stenciling was done, I followed it up with a bit of wax.
And of course, you can't have a photo shoot at my house these days without a vintage camera making an appearance.
So what do you think, would your banker be proud?
Do you even have a banker?
Or is the ATM your banker?
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life
I love it. What a fabulous find and the makeover is perfect.
Dorothy
The chair is beautiful. You have inspired me. I have some old chairs that could use some fixing up.
Pam
What a bargain! I like it!
chris aka monkey
congrats judy, pam i am your monkey ha ha ... i have always loved the look of old bankers chairs and you made this one awesome the stencil was perfect for the seat xx
Pam
Maybe it's your circus then?
Beth
Well, I've got almost the same chair sitting in my garage waiting for me to come rescue it. Mine doesn't have arms but it has a pretty high gloss finish, which is why I haven't tackled it yet. Love the chalk paint and the stencil really adds to the charm.
Shara
I have a chair just like this that is in need of a fix up! It is from an old historical bank here in town. I'm not a painter, but i may have to tackle it.
Eme
You did a great job! That is the perfect stencil for it, good thinking. I think any other stencil like birds or flowers would not have fared so well. This looks like a chair in an old bank or post office. Very authentic.
Pam
Chalk paint is very forgiving, Shara. You just sort of slop it on, that's what I like about it 🙂 And of course there's always spray paint!
Sandy
Love to see all your ideas ! The stencil is perfect on the chair!
Vickie
What a deal on the chair! I love the imperfect edges of the stencil you chose and the black painted finish. Good thing Santa didn't haul it a away!
Dianne
Pam, normally with old oak I don't like to paint it but this baby needed it! I think it turned out awesome! Great great job! I would proudly use it in my home. xo Dianne
Erica
I have a chair almost exactly like that. It's a bankers chair but has a leather cushioned seat. It's Brian's office chair. Wonder if he would mind sitting on the floor for a few days while I give it a makeover?
Can't wait to see you list tomorrow!
~Erica
Judy
Judy from San Diego is so very excited to win the thermos! I never win nything!! I love the old time design on the thermos, just like my Dad had for years and carried to work. I am going to use it proudly!
MerriJo
Another AMAZING bargain in Ohio & what a perfect makeover! Love it!
Jennifer Forest
Forget the fact that this is a fantastic make-over and you are extremely brilliant and funny...
I cannot believe you bought this chair for only $5.00!!! Are you kidding me? One is incredibly lucky to find one less than $75-$100.00 around my area of the country! Yikes!
Getting back to the real reason for your post: You did a fabulous job with this banker's chair! I will definitely keep it in mind for the next banker's chair I see at a garage sale - if it's being sold for less that $75.00! LOL
Thanks again for your instructions and humorous post!
Pam
I was shocked to see it for that price too! My husband REALLY wanted me to refinish it with a wood stain and bring it back that way, but it just had too many problem areas. Glad you liked it!