Spray paint again — surprise, not surprised. When something in the house feels out of sync, my instinct is to reach for a can and make it disappear. For a while I’d been meaning to change the legs of an old living room chair to oil-rubbed bronze (ORB) because the current red-orange tone clashed with the rest of the room.
Those red legs didn’t coordinate with the darker ORB legs we added to Karl the Sectional, which give a nice, grounded look:
They also felt off against the gray-washed beams overhead and the deeper, brown-based tones of the console table behind the sofa. We plan to refinish the floors eventually in shades closer to that console, so try to ignore the orangey undertones in the current flooring for now.
I picked up a can of Rust-Oleum Universal Metallic spray paint in Oil Rubbed Bronze — the same finish we used on other furniture legs in the house. The color has a quiet metallic sheen that blends well with mixed metals and darker wood tones without calling attention to itself.
To protect the upholstery I spent about fifteen minutes taping two large garbage bags around the seat, cutting small holes for each leg, and sealing the edges with painter’s tape so no overspray could reach the fabric. I made sure to spray high enough up the legs so the old orange didn’t show as a ring near the seat — it’s a small detail but it makes a big difference in the finished look.
After the careful masking, the actual painting only took about five minutes. The legs weren’t sealed or glossy — just dry and chalky — so no sanding was necessary. Prep often takes longer than the work itself, but good prep prevents touch-ups later. The chair was balanced upside down on a recycling bin during spraying; it’s not elegant, but it works.
A few practical spray-painting tips I always follow:
- Buy quality spray paint rather than the cheapest option. A better nozzle gives a thinner, more even mist and is less likely to gum up or get paint on your fingers.
- Keep the can moving in smooth, steady passes — don’t linger in one spot. A sweeping motion prevents drips and uneven buildup.
- Hold the can about 8–10 inches from the surface for the best coverage and control.
- A fine mist is what you want; avoid heavy, wet coats.
- Apply three thin coats rather than one thick coat to avoid runs and achieve an even finish.
- Spray paint still contains VOCs, so work outside when possible, wear a mask, and follow curing times on the can (24 hours is common; doubling that time is even safer if you can).
- To reduce lingering odors and off-gassing, you can seal the spray paint with two thin coats of a low-VOC clear acrylic sealer designed for indoor use.
The result is much more cohesive. The dark ORB legs now blend smoothly with the room’s palette and add a subtle metallic sheen that reads as more intentional. They no longer grab attention the way the bright orange did.
For reference, here’s the before again so you can see the change:
Now the chair’s legs coordinate with the lamps, curtains, sectional, and other elements of the room instead of competing with them. Someday we’d like to replace this chair with a thrifted upholstered armchair or a slipper chair with turned legs or casters, but for now a small, inexpensive tweak made a big visual improvement. I used about half a can, so there’s still paint left for another project — something else in this house will be ORB’d before long.
P.S. I shared a summer activities list over on BabyCenter today — so many ideas for the season. Also, did anyone catch last night’s Design Star and have thoughts about the new cast?