There is a funny story behind this specific DIY. Well, I find it personally amusing, but Arlen doesn't find it as charming.
Last year, Arlen and I had been on the lookout for new chairs for our breakfast nook. We had owned a pair of second hand chairs from Goodwill, but one of them took a tumble and we were unable to repair it. We weren't in any rush to get new chairs considering we don't use our breakfast nook as a formal dining room or anything. Generally, I enjoy working in the cozy little area in the winter time, wrapped up in a blanket while the morning light pours in through the windows.
Since we weren't in a rush, I thought it would be fun to try to find a pair of chairs at an antique store. I am definitely of the mindset that what I may need has already been created and it's up to me to find it rather than purchasing something brand new. Well, Arlen and I happened to stop at a local antique shop on our way home one day and I saw a bunch of beautiful chairs sitting outside. We only needed two, so I thought this was a perfect find!
I decided to try one out, just to make sure the backing felt comfortable and the seat not too low since both Arlen and I are tall. As soon as I sat down - Whoosh - my butt falls right through the seat as I break it! I startled not only myself and Arlen, but also a random guy who happened to pass us by.
Can you tell where I fell through?
Not knowing what to do, I took the chair inside and told the store clerk what had happened and I pay for the chair.
You break it, you buy it is how the saying goes, right? I wasn't upset by this at all. Instead, I found my little blunder rather amusing! Arlen thinks it wasn't right that I had to pay for something that was more than likely damaged by the sun, but ah well. I already knew I could turn it into something new that we would eventually enjoy and look back on with joy :)
That's why I am here today! After many months of having this project on the back burner, I wanted to share how I transformed my little broken chair into an adorable planter for our home!
The first thing I did was cut out the part where my bum fell through the seat of the chair. All it took was a straight razor to pop through the wicker (?) bits of the chair.
Then, I sanded the chair as best as I could with a medium grit sandpaper (60 or 80 Grit is what I had on hand). This was to ensure that any paint I put on to the surface of the chair would actually adhere to the metal portion. I have definitely painted things in a hurry in the past without sanding and they almost always chip really easily.
I then moved on to spray painting. Now, I am not a huge fan of spray paint, but we happened to have a few cans on hand from previous projects, and I hate seeing things go to waste. Plus, it was specifically designed to adhere to metal, and I figured it would give me the best chance of actually sticking without eventually flaking away. So, I used what I had to achieve a really lovely and sleek finish to my chair.
Lastly, I picked a spot in our yard and set a planter that was roughly the correct size of the seat and sat it in snugly. There is a bar that prevents this pot from fitting in straight, but that's ok! I like a bit of tilt!
I think I got this planter from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. It was only $5 or $10 if I recall! I love popping in every now and again to see what kinds of treasures they might have waiting for me :)
And there you have it! A pretty simple project that took me just a tiny bit of time and effort to transform my broken little chair into something truly beautiful that I can see staying in various parts of our home throughout our lifetime.
Currently, we have cat grass growing in this planter. I had to move it outside, away from the pergola because I caught Nodame in it one too many times!
Do you have a fun story where you turned an Oops! into something marvelous? I would love to hear all about it! Sometimes the coolest things come about because of a little accident or mistake!