how to paint an upholstered chair

 

Have you ever walked past an old piece of furniture and thought, “There has to be something I can do with this…”?

I have.

In fact, some of my favorite furniture transformations have started with pieces that other people were completely ready to give up on.

That’s exactly what happened with these two chairs.

They started out looking dated, tired, and completely out of place in my home. But instead of seeing two chairs that needed to be replaced, I saw a blank canvas.

And sometimes, that’s all a furniture artist needs.

I decided to turn these ordinary chairs into something that felt completely different—something bright, colorful, coastal, and a little bit unexpected.

The finished chairs became a beautiful coastal chair makeover, complete with a dreamy, jellyfish-inspired texture that makes the backs look almost like you’re looking down into clear blue ocean water.

And here’s the part that still makes me smile:

The texture wasn’t created with expensive specialty tools.

I used simple, everyday household items—including a balloon, bubble wrap, plastic wrap, and even toilet paper—to create the movement and organic texture you see in the finished design.

Crazy, right?

But that’s one of the things I’ve learned after more than 25 years of painting and creating.

Sometimes the most interesting tools aren’t sitting in an art store.

They’re sitting in your kitchen, your craft closet, or—yes—even your bathroom. You’re not going to believe the transformation.

From Dated to Designer

When I first looked at these chairs, they were covered in a pale, dated fabric that had definitely seen better days.

They weren’t necessarily terrible chairs. They were actually a beautiful shape.

I think we sometimes look at old furniture and assume the entire piece is the problem. But often, the bones are good. The shape is good. The structure is worth saving.

It just needs a new personality.

That’s what I saw here.

And I wanted the finished chairs to feel like they belonged in a bright, relaxed coastal home.

That transformation is one of my favorite reminders that you don’t always need new furniture to create a new room.

Sometimes you simply need to look at what you already have differently.

Why I Chose a Coastal Look

I’ve always loved the feeling of the coast—the colors, the movement, the softness, and that wonderful sense that nothing is too perfect.

When I started thinking about these chairs, I didn’t want to create something that simply looked “blue.”

I wanted them to feel like water.

I wanted layers.

Movement.

Depth.

A little shimmer.

And something that would make you want to reach out and touch the surface.

That’s where the idea for the jellyfish-inspired texture came from.

Have you ever watched jellyfish moving through the water?

They’re graceful and almost magical. There’s movement everywhere, but nothing feels harsh or rigid.

That became the inspiration behind the texture on the backs of these chairs.

I wasn’t trying to literally paint a picture of a jellyfish.

Instead, I wanted to capture the feeling of being underwater.

That distinction is important when you’re creating art for furniture.

You don’t always have to paint an actual object to communicate its personality.

Sometimes color, texture, layering, and movement can tell the story for you.

 

The Magic Was in the Texture

The blue color alone would have made a pretty chair.

But pretty wasn’t enough for me.

I wanted people to look at the back of the chair and wonder, “How did she do that?”

That’s where the everyday household items came into play.

I experimented with things like:

• A balloon
• Bubble wrap
• Plastic wrap
• Toilet paper
• Simple painting supplies
• Layers of beautiful coastal colors

And this is one of the biggest lessons I want to share with you:

Don’t be afraid to experiment with unconventional tools.

A paintbrush is only one way to move paint.

Bubble wrap can create a pattern.

Plastic wrap can create movement.

A balloon can create an entirely different impression.

And something as ordinary as toilet paper can become part of an artistic texture technique.

The fun is in discovering what happens.

Of course, there’s a little bit of trial and error involved.

That’s normal.

Actually, I think it’s one of the best parts of creating.

The Back of the Chair Became the Star

Interestingly, the chair backs became one of my favorite parts of this project.

From the front, the chairs have that beautiful, soft coastal blue.

But turn them around and suddenly there’s another story happening.

The textured backs have an almost underwater quality.

The little circular impressions and layered shapes remind me of bubbles, coral, sea life, and those soft, floating forms you see beneath the surface of the ocean.

It’s one of those designs that looks different depending on how close you are.

From across the room, you see the overall color and movement.

Up close, you start noticing all those little details.

That’s the kind of furniture I love creating.

Furniture that makes you stop.

Furniture that starts a conversation.

Furniture that doesn’t look like everything else in the room.

You Don’t Need Fancy Equipment

Here’s another thing I hope you take away from this project.

You don’t need a giant studio full of expensive equipment to create beautiful furniture art.

You need curiosity.

You need willingness to experiment.

And you need to give yourself permission to make a few mistakes along the way.

The materials I used for this particular project were surprisingly ordinary.

In fact, when I laid everything out, it almost looked like I was getting ready for a strange household project instead of painting furniture!

But that’s the beauty of creative work.

You can take something ordinary and use it in an extraordinary way.

The real skill isn’t simply knowing what materials to use.

It’s understanding why a particular material creates a certain effect, how paint behaves with it, when to add another layer, and how to keep the whole design from becoming muddy or overwhelming.

That’s where experience really makes a difference.

What Makes This Furniture Makeover So Special?

For me, it’s not just the color.

It’s the transformation.

These chairs went from something I could have easily overlooked to pieces that became a major feature in the room.

They now coordinate beautifully with the coastal colors throughout the space.

You Can Do This With More Than Chairs

Once you start looking at furniture as a blank canvas, the possibilities get pretty exciting.

Imagine using similar ideas on:

• An old side table
• A nightstand
• A dresser
• A cabinet door
• A console table
• A wooden bench
• An outdated headboard
• A pair of mismatched chairs

You don’t have to start with expensive furniture, either.

Honestly, some of the most satisfying transformations begin with pieces that cost very little—or even something someone else was ready to throw away.

That’s why I love furniture painting so much.

It gives forgotten pieces another chance.

And Here’s What I Don’t Want You to Do

Don’t look at a project like this and immediately think:

“I could never do that.”

I’ve heard that sentence so many times from people who are far more creative than they realize.

They see the finished piece and assume the person who created it must have some magical artistic ability they don’t have.

I don’t believe that.

Creativity isn’t something you either have or don’t have.

It’s something you develop by experimenting.

By trying.

By making mistakes.

By looking at an ordinary object and asking, “What if?”

That’s how I approach furniture painting.

Not every experiment works.

Not every idea becomes a masterpiece.

But you learn something from every piece.

And every time you try something new, your confidence grows.

Want to Learn How I Created the Look?

Now, I know what you’re probably wondering.

“Okay, Cheryl… but HOW did you actually get that texture?”

And that’s the part I haven’t gone into here intentionally.

Because there’s a difference between knowing that something is possible and knowing how to make it happen successfully.

In my step-by-step video tutorial, I take you behind the scenes and show you the process I used to create this coastal chair makeover.

You’ll see how the everyday materials come into play, how the colors work together, and how I build the layered effect without losing the beauty of the design.

I also explain the little things that aren’t always obvious when you’re simply looking at a finished photograph.

Those details matter.

Because knowing what I used is one thing.

Understanding how to use it, when to use it, and why it works is what helps you recreate the look with confidence.

That’s exactly what I want you to walk away with.

Not just a pretty chair.

A new way of looking at furniture.

Ready to Turn Your Own Furniture Into Art?

Curious about creating this particular coastal, jellyfish-inspired look? I’ve created a step-by-step video tutorial so you can watch the process and see exactly how I brought these chairs to life.

And if you love furniture makeovers, creative painting ideas, and seeing ordinary pieces transformed into something beautiful, sign up for my weekly blog. I share new projects, techniques, inspiration, and plenty of creative encouragement to help you feel more confident picking up that paintbrush.

Until next time, keep looking at old things with fresh eyes.

— Cheryl