Painted my juice-stained ottoman…it worked! My first mistake was buying a cream-colored cloth storage ottoman, with two young boys. My two-year-old had the wells filled with juice within an hour of getting it home.

I was able to get it cleaned a few times with upholstery cleaner. After a while the stains just wouldn’t lift as well. I was researching ways to clean or repair the ottoman. I was just about to buy fabric to reupholster the ottoman, then found this trend of painting fabric! I still may have to replace the fabric down the road. But for now, this is a great fix for less than twenty dollars.

I began my research and Googled “can I paint a fabric chair” into the search engine. A lot of information and sites came up, most with conflicting information. I found one good tutorial and stuck with it. I read and re-read all the information. I followed most of the instructions, as I so desperately wanted this paint treatment to work, because I was tired of my ottoman looking like a blotchy mess.

Supplies:

• One quart of latex wall paint – I chose a sage green.
• fabric medium – equal to the amount of paint used.
• Water- equal parts to paint and fabric medium
• Spray bottle
• Plastic tarp/ cling wrap
• Paint brush
• 220 grit sandpaper
• Bowl for mixing

Tips

• Make sure your chair is completely clean, free of dust and pet hair.
• I used exact measurements when mixing the paint concoction. Using my Measuring cup I mixed in approximately 1 cup of paint, paint medium and a 1 cup water. I stirred it very well. This mixture will be very thin and foamy – kind of like a latte. But don’t worry.
• I removed the cushion top and set it to the side.
• I covered my work area with a painter’s tarp and used Saran Wrap to cover the wood on my ottoman. Then replaced the top.
• I filled the spray bottle with water and began spraying the ottoman with the water, working it into the fabric. A little scary when I started but I kept going with it.
• I grabbed my paint brush and began brushing the paint on slowly and blended the paint into the fabric as I worked. The last stroke should be painted with the grain.
• When the paint mixture is wet, the paint appears thicker/darker, but this mixture is more like a stain.
• The first coat dried very light. I let this first coat dry overnight.
• Before starting the second coat, I used the 220-grit sandpaper and sanded the painted upholstery. This seemed like a crazy idea to me and I was afraid that the paint/stain would come off – but it didn’t. By sanding the fabric, it smoothed and softened any stiff areas. Don’t forget this important step.
• Do a second coat the exact same way as the first coat. Again, I let it dry overnight.
• For the third coat I mixed up the entire Solo cup – half paint, half paint medium and only a drop of water.
• No need to sand or spray with water for the next coats.
• Being that my ottoman was going from off white color fabric to a darker green, I didn’t need another coat. If you are going from dark to light. You may need to repeat the paint and medium process for a fourth coat.
• I left the base of my storage ottoman the original color and wood grain. You can use this mixture on legs and other parts as well.

Look at how beautiful this ottoman is now – I LOVE IT!

The ottoman truly is a beauty now. The fabric is stiffer – like a painter’s canvas. I think over time it will soften up. The most difficult part about this project was using the spray bottle – my hand got a little stiff from all of the spraying. It was also difficult for me to let the chair dry between applications – I wanted the end result ASAP – but I toughed it out and was rewarded with a beautifully finished piece.

The most expensive part of the project is the paint medium. I used 40% off coupons, bottles retailed for $8.99 each.

This project was well worth the time and work involved to achieve the look that I wanted. Now my ottoman is proudly displayed proudly in our family room – punished no more. I guess I understand why the say “this is why we can’t have nice things!” My kids are worth more than anything! Furniture can be replaced or fixed.