Of all the furniture makeover projects I do, painted chairs are some of the toughest.
All those spindles and slats and legs — so many spots to miss!
But wooden chairs are still one of my favorite things to paint. They seem to awaken a particular creative streak in me…
I love turning old wooden chairs I find at yard sales into something special and unexpected by stenciling cool graphic designs on them.
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And most of the time, I make my own stencils, using my Silhouette Cameo.
If you think a Silhouette machine is just for scrapbooking and papercrafting, you’re only scratching the surface of what you can do with one.
You can cut vinyl, fabric, chipboard, washi and lots of other specialty materials. You can make your own stickers, embellish textiles with rhinestones, make your own iron-on transfers, sketch custom art, use it for glass etching and gilding, create custom birthday party decorations, design Valentine’s Day cards and treat boxes, make custom signs and artwork, make your own temporary tattoos, use it for silkscreening, make your own stamps and create custom stencils for your furniture makeover projects.
These are a few of my painted chairs, customized using stencils I cut from adhesive vinyl.
And the matching Sinclair Dinosaur Stool
I feel the need to paint another cool chair. And wouldn’t you know it, I have a few in my garage that would be perfect candidates.
What kind of stencil should I cut to make over these painted chairs? Should I go for a bold graphic, like the tricycle or the state outline? Or a vintage advertising motif, like I used for the Cola-Cola chair and the Sinclair dinosaur pieces?
I’d love your input, and I promise to share the makeovers when I finish them.
If you’ve been on the fence about a Silhouette Cameo, I hope this post will help make that decision easier.
Looking for more ideas for how to use a Silhouette in your crafting? You’ll love this post!
And don’t forget to pin all these fun ideas for stenciled, painted chairs.
Jennifer
I do love the red, white and blue chair. Americana is always my favorite! Your wooden chair makeovers are so inspiring!!
Kathy Gledsdale
Wow I am loving those chairs, you are very clever. Very impressive. Would love your coke stencil!
Atta Girl Amy
If you have a Silhouette machine, I’m happy to send you the Coke Stencil template/file so you can cut your own out of vinyl. I have also cut vinyl stencils for folks before; the price ranges $10-$20, depending on size, plus shipping. These stencils are one-time use as they’re out of vinyl. But if you’re interested, just send me an email and I’ll be happy to make one for you.
Kathy Gledsdale
That is very generous of you thank you.