Fresh IKEA hack, (without using paint)!

By Chelsea




Hi friends! There are few things that motivate me like a good challenge. When PopSugar Select Home asked for submissions of brand new IKEA hacks, I knew I wanted to try something a little different. I'm so excited to share this idea which they've selected to feature here along with a handful of other creative hacks! (And since this post, I also hacked two of IKEA'S ever popular Jennylund chairs - they went totally mid-century modern - check them out here!)

Decoupaged IKEA Bror chairs!

Want a fresh transformation that doesn't require popping open a can of paint? Today I'm excited share a brand new IKEA hack using the most gorgeous paper and a couple of plain IKEA Bror chairs. The technique? Decoupage with Mod Podge, (yup, that's just as fun to say as you might guess)! The art of decoupage, (gluing cut-out bits of colored paper onto objects), has been around for many centuries, and there's a reason it's still popular today! It's inexpensive, easy to do, and the sky is the limit with what you can do!

Now, painting furniture is another fantastic way to achieve dramatic transformation. However, sometimes painting furniture can be intimidating, (and the supplies can be expensive). And other times, paint simply doesn't do the trick. Such was the case with this pair of IKEA Bror chairs. The legs on these chairs were initially painted in a soft, chippy grey. Pretty, but it was a rather dull disappointment. Certainly not the fresh update that these chairs were begging for!

So, after a quick trip to Paper Source to pick up some pretty paper, (I chose the Yuzen Cherry Branch pattern), and then to Michaels for a small bottle of Mod Podge, (I chose the Hard Coat in the purple bottle), I set out to really transform these Bror chairs.

Here is the small list of the supplies I used:
Paper of choice
Scissors
Hard Coat Mod Podge
Small paint brush
Paper towel, (to lay my cut-outs on while applying the glue)

The steps for this project were very simple:

1. Cut the paper into rectangular strips, ranging in size from 2" - 4"
2. Lay each strip face down on the paper towel, dipped the brush in the Mod Podge, and applied a liberal amount onto the back of the strip, (do this one strip at a time).

3. Line the strip up to where you want it to be applied, and run your fingers across it so that it adheres to the surface.
4. Smooth out any 'bubbles' in the paper with your fingers for a nice, smooth finish.

Now this pair is echoing the blooming outdoors with their blossoming legs!

Using a paper with a smaller pattern helps create a more cohesive look across the finished product.

So there you have it! A fresh and sweet update for the IKEA Bror chair! 

Thank you for stopping by!

~Chelsea

(Photos source: Chelsea Bieber)