Years ago while visiting Seaside, the quaint and picturesque resort town in Florida, I noticed dozens of painted Adirondack chairs situated outside a restaurant near the shore. The chairs were painted in a variety of hues and invited people to sit, relax and enjoy the ocean. I always remembered this scene and thought it would be fun to add a splash of color to my own garden someday by painting old garden chairs.

A few years back, my vintage, wooden chairs needed some serious repair, if I wanted to actually use them for seating. One of my cousins had already crashed through the seat of one of my rotting chairs! My husband repaired the chairs, and I decided now was the time to add color with paint. I selected three paint colors – yellow, salmon, and lavender.

Dan also built and painted a swing and some of the birdhouses in the same colors. I was a little nervous about my unusual paint combination. I was afraid the total effect would look more garish than charming. But, I reasoned, it is only paint, and you can always paint over mistakes!

The first thing I noticed was how the chairs really popped in the winter garden, against the bare trees and evergreen plants. The colorful chairs provided a nice focal point during the dreary winter months.

Then as spring arrived and plant foliage filled in, the chairs were no longer “center stage” but continued to provide a splash of color amid the backdrop of azaleas and other spring-blooming plants. Now, you may not like the results, but I am happy with my “new look” in the garden.

Recently my cousin gave me four vintage lyre-back chairs, that use to belong to our grandmother, and were popular “back in the day.” I didn’t really need the chairs but wanted to honor and remember my grandmother, so Dan and I slapped some of the yellow, lavender or salmon paint on each one and set them around a patio set outside.  They won’t last many years, but I am enjoying them now!

Painting old furniture can really add some interest and whimsy to the garden. Why not try it!