After reading every one of the 750+ suggestions you left on that post and weighing dozens of options, we went with our very first instinct: a bright turquoise-teal. There were countless creative ideas from all of you—multiple colors, dipped legs, ombré, upholstered seats—but the turquoise-teal felt right from the start.
Here’s how we transformed those basic $32 stools from an online supply store into cheerful kitchen accents.
Blue choices were very popular among your votes (yellow was a close second), and many of you suggested variations like orange, coral, purple, pink, or mixed-color legs and seats. Even before posting our stool musings, we were leaning toward turquoise or teal—partly because we already have green chairs that were repainted and reupholstered for the office, and a yellow highchair for Clara that works in the dining area.
We waited for our rug to arrive before making the final call and then followed our gut. With white cabinets and counters, gray tile, and brown floors, the kitchen provides a fairly neutral backdrop, so any accent color would have worked. In the end, the turquoise-teal ties into the dark teal built-ins in the dining room without being too matchy-matchy, and it echoes small pops of color on the open shelves.
I’m tempted to simplify the accessories on the shelves and counters—whitening some items and reducing bold pops—so the stools can be the clear focal point. Many of the kitchen photos that inspired us show colored stools against a restrained backdrop, which helps the color read as intentional rather than busy. I’ll report back as the accessories evolve.
The color also livens up the view from the stove. Previously, the other side of the room felt bland without tile to the ceiling or colorful shelf accents. The new stool color enlivens the space while still feeling cohesive with the rest of the house, which has bold accents—teal guest room with a yellow rug, gray living room with a green rug, a pink nursery with floral curtains, and a stenciled office with green chairs and multicolored art.
The veneer-like brown seat accepted the paint well, so the stools look even and feel durable. We painted the entire seat the same turquoise-teal to keep the look graphic and simple; a brown seat with a blue frame felt like it might be too busy.
One of our favorite views is the breakfast bar area, which used to feel flat with gray stools and brown seats but now feels cheerful and less monochrome thanks to those bright turquoise legs.
The view into the dining room feels more intentional now that the stools pick up subtle turquoise tones from the ikat curtains. Previously, that perspective was dominated by eight brown dining chairs and four gray stools in the foreground; the new color helps break up the visual monotony.
Here’s the process we followed to update them.
1) Sanded with 300-grit sandpaper. Light sanding gives the metal a bit of tooth so paint adheres better and lasts longer.
2) Applied a liquid deglosser to remove sanding dust and further prepare the surface for primer and paint. We used a no-VOC deglosser called Crown’s Next.
3) Set the stools outside on a tarp and cardboard so the legs wouldn’t sink into the grass and could be sprayed evenly.
4) Applied very thin coats of spray primer until coverage was even. Metal takes spray paint very well when sanded, deglossed, primed, and painted in thin, even coats.
5) Sprayed thin coats of paint until the finish was smooth and even. We chose Tropical Oasis by Valspar in gloss, which has a slightly muted, gray-leaning undertone that ties in with the gray tile and scalloped rug. We applied about five thin coats, waiting only as long as needed between light misty applications to avoid drips.
6) Let them cure. After painting, the stools sat in the sun for 24 hours to off-gas and begin curing, then spent two more days in a sealed sunroom to finish curing and reduce any lingering odors. When they finally came into the kitchen, the finish felt durable and even. Properly painted metal can last for years when prepped and applied correctly.
Budget breakdown:
- 3 cans of primer + 3 cans of spray paint = $29
- 300-grit sandpaper and liquid deglosser = $0 (already owned; if purchased they might run about $6)
- TOTAL: $29 (about $7 per stool upgrade on top of the $32 purchase price)
Time breakdown:
- Sanding and deglossing = 1 hour
- Priming = 1.5 hours
- Painting = 1.5 hours
- TOTAL: ~4 hours (spread across nap times and drying periods)
Clara stopped to pet one and exclaimed, “blue stool! so pretty! like a princess!” which was pretty much the best endorsement. The kitchen finally feels more complete, and I’ve found myself enjoying simple tasks—like proofreading book layouts—more while sitting on the upgraded stools. Maybe they really do have a little happy power.
Have you upgraded anything with paint or primer lately? Ever used a liquid deglosser? We were wary at first because they sounded harsh, but the product we used worked well without damaging anything—and it made the paint adhere like a charm.