This desk chair was transformed from boring brown to pretty pink for less than £50
Who said desk chairs can't be comfy and pretty?
Working from home has been the story of our lives for the past who-knows-how-long - with many of us opting for makeshift office chairs (hello dining room table!).
Rather than going overboard with home office ideas, one Instagrammer spruced up her office environment with a desk chair upcycle. She transformed her mucky brown pleather chair into a statement pink number for just £50.
'I wanted to give the chair a new lease of life - it was super comfy (important for an office chair!) and I didn't want to throw it out just because it was brown,' Jay Jennings, 42, from the Orkney Islands told Ideal Home. 'So, enter leather paint (the chair is actually pleather but same principle).'
Pastel pink desk chair upcycle
Jay documented the incredible makeover on her Instagram account @paintthetownpastel, where the upcycled desk chair fit in perfectly with her homes pastel aesthetic. Here's how she did it...
Before
First, Jay sprayed the base and the wheels of the chair gold using Rustoleum Metallic All-Surface paint in Gold which can be picked up for £14.65 on Amazon. Rustoleum is one of the best paint for furniture out there, but there are plenty others to choose from.
Next, Jay cleaned the chair using antibacterial gel - a handbag staple right now - to get rid of surface grease and to provide a clean base for her paint job.
Then comes the good bit: Jay used White Angelus Leather Paint to act as a base coat, before applying a mix of two shades of Angelus Leather Paint - Pink and Petal Pink - to create a gorgeous, on-trend custom colour. You can pick up Angelus Leather Paint for around £6.86 on Amazon, and create your own custom shade.
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'I also added Angelus thinner to stretch it further,' Jay explained. 'I finished with a coat of their Matt Finish for protection against spills.'
In total, Jay paid around £50 for the paint - which is much less than a new office chair would have cost her - and is so pleased with the results. The final pretty'n'pink result is unrecognisable and the perfect statement if you are looking into small home office ideas.
After
'I paid around £50 for all the paint but still had plenty of paint, thinner and finishing coat leftover for use on other projects,' she said.
'I've since also painted four leather dining chairs and a leather footstool the same way!'
Petition to get Jay to start selling these gorgeous office chairs?
Emmie Harrison-West is a freelance journalist that lives in London with her husband and any cat that walks through the door. A fierce advocate for women's rights and good beer, Emmie specialises in women's lifestyle, travel, and culture. She has had words in Cosmo, Stylist, and Time Out, as well as most national newspapers, and many more. You can follow her on Twitter @emmieehw.
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