Teacher Appreciation Week: Teachers Chair

One of the first posts I wrote was about Teacher Appreciation Week. In 1st Grade I had redone a chair for my daughter's Teacher. In 2nd Grade I thought it would be another great gift and something I thought she could really use. This was the chair I gave our Teacher:


I know...it is ugly. Wow...I just got that ridiculous song in my head..."U G L Y you ain't got no alibi." And I am officially a giant dork! No matter how ugly this chair was, I knew it would be perfect.

First I took off the seat pad and gave the chair a light sanding. I taped off the mechanics and sprayed it with a coat of Rust-Oleum Painters Touch Ultra Cover Primer.


Look how great it looks with just primer!


I then added a coat of Rust-Oleum Painters Touch Ultra Cover Heirloom White Satin Finish. I adore this color. I love to change the color in my house with the seasons, but I like my foundation pieces to remain neutral. Heirloom White is an excellent choice. It is a lot warmer than your standard white, which can often feel cold.

Next I needed to fix the scratched up, shiny silver wheel covers. Paired with the plastic black wheels...it just looked cheap. I taped off the wheels and sprayed the metal with a coat of Rust-Oleum Universal Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze.


I wrapped a piece of damask fabric around the existing chair pad and secured it with staples. It is a practically effortless way to update any chair. I also took out some foam stencils and stenciled the Teachers name on with acrylic paint. Look...


I finished her off with two coats of Rust-Oleum Painters Touch Matte Crystal Clear.

Pottery Barn offers a Swivel Desk Chair that looks very similar to mine: "A schoolhouse antique inspired our swiveling hardwood chair." Sounds great. I love the write up...until I saw the price tag...$399! Wow! Plus another $19 if you want a cushion to sit on. I love the story Pottery Barn tells for each of their products, but let's be honest. Thousands of people walk into Pottery Barn or order this chair online. That is not inspiring. I want something unique, something personalized, something special...just like our Teacher. I think this suits her perfectly!

Check out this Teacher Appreciation Party: