It was way overdue to update this old wicker furniture. These wicker chairs have been in my family for a very long time.
If I remember correctly they used to be my aunts, and from the paint that was peeling off, they may have been painted green at some point as well as the current white.
What to do with old wicker furniture
I remember these white wicker chairs sitting on the front porch of my parent's house. A few years ago my mom asked if I wanted to take the chairs for our front porch.
As you probably know, if you are reading this, outdoor furniture is very expensive, so I was happy to accept the chairs.
My first attempt at improving the old wicker chairs was to drape fabric over the stained cushions. I did not have the ability or the money to invest in new cushions.
I literally just cut a piece of fabric and wrapped the cushion like a present. It was my poor attempt for a new cushion.
How to make wicker furniture look modern
When it comes to updating wicker furniture there are a few colour options to choose from. White wicker has been very popular for quite some time. It reminds me of the beautiful garden furniture in the Anne of Green Gabels movie.
For me, it was a toss-up between the light, traditional wicker and then a more modern option of the darker wicker that is often popular with outdoor furniture.
I was hoping not to spend a lot of money updating the wicker furniture. I knew I was buying the cushions, so I wanted to see if I could use some paint I already had on hand.
How to paint wicker furniture with Fusion Mineral paint
I used to paint a lot of furniture so I knew Fusion Mineral Paint would be a great option to use to update the wicker furniture. I updated our laundry room cupboards as well as the girls' dresser with this paint.
After rummaging through my furniture paint I decided to start with a base of Fusion Mineral Chocolate.
Using a regular paint bush I bushed both wicker chairs with a light coat of Chocolate brown paint, making sure not to put too much that the paint would drip.
After the base coat in brown, I had a little fun!
I wanted to give some depth and interest, modern wicker furniture is not a solid colour, so I began to mix up different shades of paint.
Starting with the chocolate paint I mixed some pink, orange and yellow to get a little more of a lighter brown colour.
You can't go wrong with this step, as long as you start with your base colour you can mix in different colours to create several new shades of brown.
With my different shades of brown, I brushed over the chair in different areas creating some variation and depth.
*Tip: Make sure you are only dapping the tiniest bit of paint onto your brush, you want just the slightest bit of paint to transfer to your chair.
What are the best cushions for outdoor furniture?
After all my searching I discovered the Ikea Djupvik which is actually an indoor cushion. The cushion cover is removable and therefore, washable.
I am putting these chairs onto a covered porch so I don't need to worry about weatherproofing them. At $30 apiece these make a great option and fit perfectly onto the seat of my wicker chairs.
Can I waterproof my outdoor cushion?
If you are looking to weatherproof the cushion you could use a waterproof spray for outdoor cushions. This will allow your outdoor cushion to last that much longer.
I hope you found this post helpful and more importantly inspirational. It can be frustrating not being able to drop a few thousand dollars on a beautiful outdoor patio set.
If a brand new cushion and some paint can update old wicker furniture you might want to start looking second hand give new life to some outdated pieces.
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