This turquoise lacquer stool makeover is a really simple spray paint project but I wanted to share because the finish (Rust-Oleum Specialty Lacquer Turquoise) turned out so wonderfully glossy! I took these photos on such a grey, gloomy day but you can still see the paint finish gleam…
Our kitchen counter comfortably fits two stools (my beloved Modernica stools) but when we have company over, people really gravitate towards hanging out in the kitchen so I decided to buy two more stools to have on hand. I wanted something cheap we could stash and pull out when company comes.
I thought I found the perfect ones in the classifieds last summer. From the blurry kijiji photo (and misleading description), I thought these were mid-century modern teak and I loved the idea of them doubling as plant stands elsewhere when they weren’t being used in the kitchen. Plus I loved the idea of adding more warm wood tones to my cool turquoise kitchen. Once I saw them in person though, I realized they were not vintage. They were still pretty solid, and not a bad price, so I bought them anyway.
But when I tried to refinish the wood a little, I realized they were stained an orange teak hue. I’m not actually even sure what kind of wood they really are – definitely not the oiled teak I expected.
Once I realized they were not precious wood at all, the obvious answer was a turquoise lacquer stool makeover – bring on the spray paint! Or more specifically, Rust-Oleum Specialty Lacquer Turquoise. But first I gave the stools a quick, light sand with a fine grit sandpaper – just to help the lacquer grip a little better. I wiped them down really well and let them dry.
I was excited to try Rust-Oleum Specialty Lacquer Spray Turquoise – it was my first time using this product and it is amazing! You can use it on a variety of surfaces (like wood, metal, plaster, masontry or unglazed ceramic). It creates an ultra-hard, factory-like finish on furniture which hardens to a really high luster. You can sand and recoat for an even glossier piece of furniture but I didn’t need to do that to get a gorgeous sheen. The spray lacquer dried quickly and was easy to work with. I started by flipping the stools upside down to spray the undersides. I let that dry and then flipped them over to do the top.
So easy! And look how gorgeous this turquoise lacquer stool makeover turned out.
The end result is so pretty and the Rust-Oleum Specialty Lacquer Turquoise happens to match my Modernica fiberglass stools so when they’re used together, they complement each other well. In the end, I love the pop of aqua especially now that the backsides of the cabinets are a deep teal (which I painted even deeper and inkier teal, after I snapped these photos).
I’ve actually been using these since the fall (I like to test some projects before sharing) and the finish still looks brand new. It really is a hard finish and hasn’t chipped or scratched. Spring has been slow around here (as in, we got a massive dumping of snow and the snowmobiles came back out) and I am just itching for spray paint season to start again! I have a garage full of these quick and easy makeovers that I can’t wait to tackle! If you love the look – but don’t feel like spray painting – I stumbled across these aqua metal stools that are really similar and such a good price (which tons of great reviews).
