Emerald + Gold Chairs

How many times have we seen office chairs like these?  Forgettable vinyl steelcase seats with laminate wood arm rests.  I myself saw these on craigslist a few weeks ago and kept on scrolling.  

 
 

But somehow, on the back-most burner of my brain, an idea began to percolate.  I lazily kept my eye on the post while the idea brewed and just when a solid vision started forming... the craigslist post was gone.  

Whomp Whomp

Had someone else seen what I had seen in these chairs??  Would I ever be able to bring my now piping-hot vision to life??  My FOMO kicked in and I started hangrily looking for a suitable substitute only to turn up a whole lotta nada.  Then a miracle occurred.  A few weeks later, the post reappeared on Craigslist!  The chairs had not sold - the post had only expired!  My project had not been poached.  I could I finally try out my hopefully genius (albeit simple) refinishing strategy:

Go for the Gold

Green and gold that is.  It's no secret Chelsea and I love how emerald and brass play off each other (see here and here to name a few ;).  

When I first saw these chairs, my brain must have subconsciously flagged them as having all the right lines for a modern, glam pair of chairs.  Once it occurred to me that our favorite faux gold treatment would instantly elevate the look of these chairs, I had to get a piece of that action.  

I was too impatient to wait for a sunny spring day to paint the frame so I tried spray painting on a misty morning.  The result ended up being a "beautiful blooper" as my mother would call it.  The moisture in the air didn't let the paint settle evenly which added a unique dimension to the patina.  If you want to recreate this effect (no matter the weather), I suggest intermittently using a spray bottle filled with water while the paint is still wet.

The laminate arm rests were a dead giveaway that these chairs were waiting area seats in a past life so needless to say - they had to go.  I affixed some brass nail heads to hide the old holes left from the screws.  

I love how the shiny new finish on the chairs instantly have that emerald vinyl running in the same social circles as trendy high-end occasional chairs.  Such a simple trick to transform them from lackluster to luxe!

 
 

Emerald + Gold Chairs
Now Available for Sale
22"W x 23"D x 31.5"H
$350 for the pair

If you're interested in these chairs or a custom order like it, please email cate@stylemutthome.com.