Plastic Surgery

from Garden Shed
Use your imagination to turn plain resin patio furniture into outdoor show-stoppers.

A little makeover goes a long way, especially on a humble, store-bought chair. All the chairs shown here feature Fusion, a no-prep paint for plastics, made by Krylon. When using paint or adhesives, work outdoors in a well-ventilated area with low humidity adn a temperature of 50 to 80 degrees F. Use a drop cloth and wear a face mask to be safe, and use your imagination when choosing patterns or colors! Create a chair that's formal, funky, or just plain fun.

Hula-Hula
Wearing a flower-edge grass skirt and offering a cushy, foliage-covered seat, this chair is ready for tropical fantasies. The sand-color chair was a perfect fit for our design theme and needed no paint.

Chair Tip: We used two adult-size grass skirts from a party-supply store, attaching them with an all-purpose permanent adhesive.

Cosmopolitan Shine
Shimmering paint pairs with a handsome, tufted cushion for a suitably chic and urban effect. Our chair is painted with Fusion Nickel Silver. We treated an old TV tray with a coat of the same silver paint for a matching side table.

Chair Tip: Metallic finishes look best when spray paint is applied very carefully and evenly.

Sheer Delight
Achieve instant elegance by draping a chair with wisps of sheer fabric. Layer textures and colors and finish with an exotic cushion. Textile artists in Bali made the cover of this cushion using native plant materials and coconut-shell buttons.

Chair Tip: Two layers of sheer fabric hide the frame of the chair underneath, while giving the chair a soft, breezy look without bulk. The cushion helps keep the fabric in place.

Quick Trick
Spots of color give this chair a “How’d you do that?” effect. Use painter’s masking tape to give this pattern neat edges when spray-painting Fusion Fairytale Pink, Honeydew, and Buttercream.

Chair Tip: Painter’s masking tape lets you make any pattern you like, in big squares or small. This technique works best if the tape is removed no later than two or three days after it is applied.

Far Out
Go bold with paint! Have fun with fabric! Get funky with beads! For this chair we used Fusion Sunbeam spray paint and sections of a beaded curtain. Complement your wild, new seating with equally bodacious accents such as this beaded chandelier.

Chair Tip: To get even, complete coverage in bright colors, spray on two or three light coats. Work in bright, but not direct, sun to avoid missing any areas.