Have I told you I'm about to become a Grandma for the first time? Any week now our little man is due to arrive and on my daughter's must-have list is a rocking chair.

During a lunch hour thrift store jaunt, Mr. Frugalista found a vintage wooden rocking chair at Goodwill for a great price. She approved and I got busy with this whimsical wooden nursery rocking chair makeover.

Wooden Nursery Rocking Chair Upcycle

My daughter is decorating the nursery in earth tones with a woodsy theme in green, white, and dark brown so it was only fitting that I paint the wooden rocking chair green and white.

To add some whimsy I painted chevron stripes on the seat and I'll show you how easy it is further down in the post.

I also handpainted cute rock a bye baby typography on the crest rail and it too is easy to do and I'll share my trick as well.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the rocking chair makeover, almost all of the DIY projects shared here at Interior Frugalista have step-by-step tutorials so why not get your budget DIY on and subscribe. You can also follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

This is where I would normally add a before picture but I was so pressed for time I dug right into the makeover before taking a photo. Imagine the rocking chair with worn golden oak stain.

Here's how I did it

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Step 1 - Prep The Rocking Chair For Paint

First I vacuumed the cobwebs underneath the chair and then gave it a good scrub with my go-to cleaning solution for second-hand furniture. I use 1 part white vinegar to two parts warm water with a drop of dawn dish soap.

After drying it thoroughly with a clean rag, I lightly sanded the wood with 150-grit sandpaper to give the paint some bite.

Step 2 - Painting The Rocking Chair

I painted the crest rail, arms, rockers, and seat with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the color Antibes Green.

Next, I painted the chair slats and stretchers with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the color Old White, which is a warm white color. For some great tips on painting wooden chairs, especially multiple chairs, visit my Painting Chair Spindles The Easy Way tutorial for when using a paint sprayer isn't an option.

Step 3 - Painting Chevron Stripes

Now here's the fun part, painting the chevron stripes on the chair seat. It's important that the green seat paint is completely dry.

1. Place a strip of Chevron Frog Tape to the center of the seat.
2. Take another strip of chevron tape and butt it up against the first piece.
3. Set the third piece of chevron tape against the second piece.
4. Now remove the middle strip of chevron tape and you have perfectly spaced stripes.
5. Use the piece of chevron tape you just removed as a spacer for the remaining stripes.
6. Rub your finger along the edges of the tape to make sure there is a good contact to avoid paint bleed.
7. Load a small foam roller with Pure White Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
8. Offload some of the paint by rolling it on a paper towel or craft paper.
9. With light pressure on the roller, paint over the frog tape.
10. You'll need at least two coats of white paint to cover the green paint underneath, waiting for it to dry to the touch between coats.
11. Once you're happy with the coverage, while the paint is still wet carefully remove the frog tape, pulling slowly at a 45° angle.
12. If you are more of a visual learner you can see how I did it on this Mid-Century Funky Bar Makeover.

Step 4 - Adding Typography

Next up, adding the rock a bye baby typography on the crest rail. Rather than repeating myself, here is a link to my detailed image transfer technique tutorial.

Once I transferred the typography I used a script liner art brush to hand paint the typography with the same Old White chalk paint. However, using a white paint pen may be easier.

Alternatively, if you have a Cricut or Silhouette machine, you could make a vinyl stencil OR cut permanent vinyl to attach to the chair.

Step 5 - Protecting The Paint

Whatever method you use for the typography, be sure to seal the baby rocking chair with two coats of a non-yellowing water-based clear coat.

My daughter also needed a dresser and change table for the nursery. So we combined both with this IKEA Tarva Dresser Hack and gave it a makeover to match the rocking chair. While I was at it, she needed wall art for the nursery so I made this Budget-Friendly Wood Plank Nursery Art trio.

For more nursery inspiration, see how I transformed a second-hand dresser found on Facebook Marketplace into a gorgeous mid-century modern chic nursery dresser. I also turned an old bookcase into mid-century modern nursery shelving to match.

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today! I hope you were inspired by this nursery rocking chair makeover. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

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