Is this $7 Kmart furniture trick genius or bizarre? The internet is divided!
- Replies 2
When it comes to home improvement projects, Australians are an incredibly resourceful bunch.
Many DIY enthusiasts always come up with innovative new ways to spruce up our interiors without going over budget.
One such product that's become particularly popular over the years is Kmart's $7 chalk paint.
It's become a go-to tool for Australians looking to give their furniture, decorative signs, and other home items a fresh new look.
Recently, we here at the SDC learnt of an unusual Kmart trick that a shopper employed to give an old rocking chair a new appearance.
The savvy homeowner, who had ‘inherited’ the chair some time ago, recently posted a photo of their finished product on a popular Facebook group.
The original chair fabric was of a patterned floral style that they felt was outdated and has aged poorly.
Instead of simply buying a new cover, the homeowner tried using Kmart's $7 chalk paint to update the piece.
'I updated an old rocking armchair that I was given ages ago using Kmart chalk paint,' she wrote in the caption.
'I'm really happy with how it turned out.'
She added that it only took her about a week to finish the project without exerting much effort.
The homeowner explained her technique for achieving the desired look.
She began by spraying the chair with water and then applied a watered-down white chalk paint to cover the bold floral pattern fabric.
'I didn't water down the blue, but did a light coat [on top].' she detailed.
'I sanded with a fine sandpaper between each paint, and then dry [brushed] the white over the blue to help the pattern come through.'
So far, so good. But this is where things get interesting: the customer's slightly puzzling choice had left many shoppers and members of the Facebook group scratching their heads.
One person wrote: ‘I wouldn't have thought you'd be able to sit on it without it showing on your clothes.’
'Love to be proven wrong, though.'
'Looks nice but could have achieved the same thing with a grey slip-on cover, softer too,' added another.
A third chimed in: ‘I just can’t get my head around painting lounges??? Wouldn’t it be stiff? Wear onto clothes? All just so confusing lol.’
Some even chimed in to relate stories of their own experiences with Kmart chalk paint, one of which turned out to be a fairly unpleasant result.
One user shared: ‘I have done this, and the paint is so hard, it’s disgusting to sit on. I ended up chucking the chair out…each to their own.’
‘I bought a padded footstool that had been “restored”. I didn’t realise it had been fabric painted until she delivered it,’ another said.
‘It looks cheap and nasty and crunchy. Awful.’
However, something of a turning point happened when the homeowner herself responded in the comments section.
'I actually spilled my drink on it the night I finished,' she claimed.
‘It wiped straight off, and no paint came off at all.'
Despite the negative comments, Kmart enthusiasts rallied behind the original poster to show their support.
One person praised: ‘I think you’ve done a great job and what a cool idea! Thanks for sharing, you have inspired me to save my leather ottoman instead of tossing it out.’
‘My mum has been doing this for years to furniture. I was sceptical at first too but all her pieces have held up so well and no paint transfer,’ another shared.
A third chimed in: ‘Wonderful hack and I think there will be a few people doing the same now!’
The backlash is surprising considering that we previously covered a story regarding the use of chalk paint on fabric and how many social media users raved about this technique.
There you have it, folks! Have you ever attempted to paint fabric before? Better yet, what furniture makeovers have you done recently? If you have any stitching tips or ‘upcycle’ stories to share - then let us know in the comments.
Many DIY enthusiasts always come up with innovative new ways to spruce up our interiors without going over budget.
One such product that's become particularly popular over the years is Kmart's $7 chalk paint.
It's become a go-to tool for Australians looking to give their furniture, decorative signs, and other home items a fresh new look.
Recently, we here at the SDC learnt of an unusual Kmart trick that a shopper employed to give an old rocking chair a new appearance.
The savvy homeowner, who had ‘inherited’ the chair some time ago, recently posted a photo of their finished product on a popular Facebook group.
Before and after photos of the rocking chair that one homeowner ‘up cycled’ using chalk paint. Credit: Facebook.
The original chair fabric was of a patterned floral style that they felt was outdated and has aged poorly.
Instead of simply buying a new cover, the homeowner tried using Kmart's $7 chalk paint to update the piece.
'I updated an old rocking armchair that I was given ages ago using Kmart chalk paint,' she wrote in the caption.
'I'm really happy with how it turned out.'
She added that it only took her about a week to finish the project without exerting much effort.
The homeowner explained her technique for achieving the desired look.
She began by spraying the chair with water and then applied a watered-down white chalk paint to cover the bold floral pattern fabric.
Kmart’s chalk paint gained a following due to its versatility and ease of use, with some claiming that it can be used to paint fabric. Credit: Kmart/Facebook.
'I didn't water down the blue, but did a light coat [on top].' she detailed.
'I sanded with a fine sandpaper between each paint, and then dry [brushed] the white over the blue to help the pattern come through.'
So far, so good. But this is where things get interesting: the customer's slightly puzzling choice had left many shoppers and members of the Facebook group scratching their heads.
One person wrote: ‘I wouldn't have thought you'd be able to sit on it without it showing on your clothes.’
'Love to be proven wrong, though.'
'Looks nice but could have achieved the same thing with a grey slip-on cover, softer too,' added another.
A third chimed in: ‘I just can’t get my head around painting lounges??? Wouldn’t it be stiff? Wear onto clothes? All just so confusing lol.’
Some even chimed in to relate stories of their own experiences with Kmart chalk paint, one of which turned out to be a fairly unpleasant result.
One user shared: ‘I have done this, and the paint is so hard, it’s disgusting to sit on. I ended up chucking the chair out…each to their own.’
‘I bought a padded footstool that had been “restored”. I didn’t realise it had been fabric painted until she delivered it,’ another said.
‘It looks cheap and nasty and crunchy. Awful.’
However, something of a turning point happened when the homeowner herself responded in the comments section.
'I actually spilled my drink on it the night I finished,' she claimed.
‘It wiped straight off, and no paint came off at all.'
Despite the negative comments, Kmart enthusiasts rallied behind the original poster to show their support.
One person praised: ‘I think you’ve done a great job and what a cool idea! Thanks for sharing, you have inspired me to save my leather ottoman instead of tossing it out.’
‘My mum has been doing this for years to furniture. I was sceptical at first too but all her pieces have held up so well and no paint transfer,’ another shared.
A third chimed in: ‘Wonderful hack and I think there will be a few people doing the same now!’
The backlash is surprising considering that we previously covered a story regarding the use of chalk paint on fabric and how many social media users raved about this technique.
There you have it, folks! Have you ever attempted to paint fabric before? Better yet, what furniture makeovers have you done recently? If you have any stitching tips or ‘upcycle’ stories to share - then let us know in the comments.
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