Oh, Make Me Over: How to Makeover a Thrift Store Find in Under an Hour

A while back, I picked up a couple of basic dining table chairs that were in need of a little extra love. I liked the spindles and the overall shape, but they were in danger of looking a little bit granny-ish, for lack of a better term.

So, with the help of Valspar and their new line of Furniture Paint, I was able to transform my thrift store find into an ombre statement chair in under an hour (not including drying time).

Valspar just launched both a Furniture Paint and Cabinet Enamel, two new products ideal for furniture and cabinet DIY projects. With all the projects I have coming up with the studio, I have a feeling I’ll be hitting this paint up over and over again.

Materials-wise, all you’ll need is a can of Valspar Furniture Paint and a good paint brush. That’s it! This particular paint doesn’t require much prep (depending on the piece you start with), for mine, I just had to wipe them down! Which I was pretty excited about given the amount of projects we’ve been adding to the growing list lately. The faster I can cross another DIY off the list the better.

Click through to the video below for the full tutorial for the DIY ombre statement chair…

Quick Tip: At first I thought I wasn’t using the ideal brush when I could see the brushstrokes while painting, but when the paint dried, the surface was completely smooth- so don’t fret when you see brush marks on yours. They’ll smooth out and look really professional, like it was always ombre. Yay! I love this paint.

I used Warm Pink 1006-2B for the paint color and was pretty happy with how it turned out. Pastels are my fave. And actually, I’m thinking about trying to find more chairs like these and doing each chair in a different color. Picturing something like a pastel rainbow of chairs.

For more DIY ideas like this one, be sure to check out Valspar’s new series of “Rehab Project” videos, spotlighting mini-makeovers using the new paints and project overviews that detail each tutorial from start to finish. The mid-century bar cart makeover is my fave from the recipe card section.

Photography and video by Amelia Tatnall
Assisted by Rachel Brewer
Production and styling by Brittni Mehlhoff

Think you might try this technique on a piece of furniture that needs a little love? I feel like this look would be perfect for an old dresser or buffet. But I’d love to hear your thoughts on furniture pieces that would be good for a little ombre makeover.

P.S. My apologies if I got a Hole song stuck in your head after reading the title. I couldn’t help it.

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This post is in partnership with Valspar. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Paper & Stitch running.