The Perfect Reading Chair

Once I found out that I was going to be teaching Kindergarten, I began my mad hunt for the PERFECT chair that I could use for circle time and reading books to the children.

I searched and searched at many different thrift stores around, but was very unsuccessful. I really feel like someone came in and cleaned out our local Volunteers of America... all they had were like 163 old entertainment centers... so if you're in the market...

Anyways...

On a trip back to Cincinnati, my mom and I found THE chair. Now, it looked like something straight out of That 70's Show (Which I am currently re-obsessed with for some reason thanks to Netflix on my phone).

The color is a little bit more light greenish in person. It reads a little more gold in these pictures.

It was definately interesting trying to fit this huge chair and my huge dog crate to travel back to the Round Town. I had some doubters *cough, DAD, cough* But they totally fit. Sure I couldnt really see out the back window... but they both fit! :)

I really didnt like that old dirty looking wood color. So right away I got some primer and white paint to sort of polish up the look of the chair. I felt like the white paint would make the chair seem breezy like it could belong in a beach house.

I sanded the wood down to give the paint a better surface to grab on to.

The upholstered part was impossible to remove without destroying it, so I just taped it off.

Then I primed the entire chair. This took FOREVER because the wood color was so dark I knew I needed to really lay on the paint.

The wicker/lattice work on the arm rests were exceptionally diffucult to paint. And I'm pretty sure there was a heat advisory outside while I painted these. But I was impatient and really wanted to see the finished product.

Once the primer was dry (overnight) I finished the chair with a white semi-gloss paint.

Best part about the chair? It only cost me $7.50!!! All of the paints I already had on hand! Sort of awesome if you ask me!

I finished the look with this very awesome close-out $5 pillow. I feel like this pillow and chair are soul mates.

I am absolutely IN LOVE with the finished product! This chair is so comfortable and I can totally see myself sitting in class reading stories to all of my little inquiring minds. :)