Vintage Bentwood Chair Makeover

February 09, 2022

Photo of a vintage bentwood chair purchased for $5 at Restore.

I found this cool vintage bentwood chair for $5 at a ReStore shop in the Twin Cities.

The makeover of this chair is my project for the Thrift Store Decor Team's February Blog Party today. Be sure and scroll all the way to the end to see nine more makeovers!

(When you click on the bold Amazon, Old Sign Stencils or Dixie Belle Paint Company affiliate links you will be taken to the products I used for this project. If you order it does not change the price or service at all. As an Amazon Affiliate, Old Sign Stencils Affiliate or Dixie Belle Paint Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Photo of the chair seat bottom label of a Great Northern Chair Co bentwood chair from 1938.

The bottom of the seat had this Made in USA, Great Northern Chair Co, 1938, stamp on it.

I washed the dusty old chair down with hot soapy Dawn Dish Soap and a rag.

Photo of a bentwood chair being painted with Caviar black paint from Dixie Belle Paint Company.

I scuffed up the finish a bit with 220 grit sandpaper to help with paint adhesion. (This was just a 5 minute job. Not heavy duty sanding.)

Photo of a bentwood chair being painted with black chalk paint.

Then I brushed on two coats of Dixie Belle Chalk Paint in Caviar (black). Caviar is my favorite, rich black chalk paint.

I dampened my brush with a couple spritzes of water occasionally, to prevent brush strokes.

Photo of the back of a vintage bentwood chair.

The back of this bentwood chair is different than other bentwood chairs that I have had in the past. It actually has an area to stencil on.

I thought my new Cozy Sweater Stencil from Dixie Belle Paint Company would be perfect for the chair back.

Dixie Belle Paint Company provided me with complimentary product samples. All opinions about this fabulous stencil or paint are my own.

Photo of the Cozy Sweater stencil from Dixie Belle Paint Company being taped to the back of a chair.

The stencil is bigger than the back of the chair.

First, I taped the round side pieces with blue painter's tape to prevent stray stenciling from getting past the back's flat area. Then I taped the stencil in place in two spots on top of the stencil. No where to tape it on the edges. I pounced on the half of the stencil (without tape) first using Dixie Belle Chalk Paint in Cotton. After the stenciling on one side had dried, I taped the stencil down on the other side and finished the Cozy Sweater pattern.

Cotton is Dixie Belle's whitest white.

Photo of the back of a wooden chair painted black and stenciled with the Cozy Sweater stencil from Dixie Belle Paint Company.

I love the way my chair back turned out!

Photo of a vintage bentwood chair painted with Dixie Belle Chalk Paint in Caviar & stenciled with the Cozy Sweater stencil.

I let the paint cure overnight, and then waxed the chair with Dixie Belle's Best Dang Wax in Clear the next day. I used a both a brush and a cloth to apply the wax. When the wax was dry, I wiped down the piece with an other rag to remove any excess wax.

Above is a closeup of the chair!