I apologize in advance for the annoyingly un-helpful comment, but PLEASE don't paint those chairs! They are so beautiful as they are! I totally understand your need for a little color, but if it must be the chairs that will bring the color, then sell these and buy some new ones. If these are Heywood Wakefield, you will certainly bring in enough money to find something nice and colorful for your room, and you won't be devaluing these ones.

Sorry, I know that's not the advice you were looking for. I could just feel the H-W designers trying to speak through me from the grave...

There is a new spray paint called "Krylon Fusion." I've never used it but I know that they market it as a product that can cover basically anything, including plastic. Range of colors is not huge, but there are some nice ones in there.

Unlike the last poster, I would have zero problem painting these. There are a GAJILLION of chairs like this out there (I used to buy furniture for an elementary school) and I don't think you are committing any serious crime. Plus, a brighter color would make them look great.

Good luck!

That color is a versatile neutral. If you paint over it, the value of the chairs will be destroyed. Those chairs and the wood table will look BEAUTIFUL in a blue room. Paint the walls blue, or choose other items in the room to be blue, and the earthiness of the chairs will be tasteful. Paint them, and you will regret.

Paint the metal parts.

I have been on a jag of covering dirty old things with plastic tape. It isn't permanent but is really fun to do and adds some visual excitement. I covered an oldfashioned black phone and some lamps. Yikes strikes, fruit stripes anyone?
You could sew little covers for the seat and back to add color and change it whenever you feel the need.

Instead of painting (and risking ruining the chairs if it comes out awful) you could create little slip-covers for the bottom of the chair that attach like an ironing board cover, and then create one for the back that ties over it.

why do people think they have to paint everything? don't paint them! go buy a cheap ikea chair and paint it if you must.

If solop is right about the GAJILLION chairs like that, then trade the nice neutrals in for a blue set. Krylon Fusion may be a cheaper solution, but it will LOOK like a cheaper solution: "Oh LOOK! You painted your CHAIRS ... only one little drip on that one ... Huh. I bet that was a smelly job."

I used Krylon Fusion to paint an Eames fiberglass shell arm chair with excellent results. It's seen several months of near-constant use (and abuse) by our family of seven and doesn't show a single chip or scrape. Fiberglass is of course a little more porous, but I'd bet that if you lightly sanded your chairs first it'd stick just fine.

Paint them if you love the shape but hate the color, as was the case with my Eames. If you're indifferent to the chair itself (though it doesn't sound like you are) you might consider selling them and buying something entirely different. Generally I have no qualms about tweaking a classic to suit my tastes, no matter how unpopular a view that might here:) Of course, you might also take into consideration how long you think you'll hang on to them. If the set is a placeholder for something else or if you suspect your tastes will change in the not-to-distant future, you might do the next owners the favor of leaving it be (and benefit from a higher return on your investment when you do sell).

Oh, and PLEASE don't be in a hurry if you do decide to paint. Take your time with several THIN coats so that you don't prove coarsetalk right. It isn't difficult to achieve professional-looking results, just takes a little more time and prep.

Paint the damn chairs if you want to. They may be nice in that vintagy way, and I generally like old schoolhouse style furniture, but frankly, they remind me of 8th grade and I think theyd look pretty in blue.

~From Emma~
Ha! I knew many people would say don't paint. But the fact is that these chairs are worth maximum $40 each (I have tried to sell them on craigslist with no luck), they are no Eames I can tell you that. These are school chairs that are somewhat ubiquitous, though the shape of mine is unique, which I love. I love the shape of the chairs, its just the color that I don't like.

I have heard of the Krylon but wasn't sure if it was for softer plastic like the classic white stacking chairs. This plastic is very hard- it does almost seem like fiberglass.

Send in an "after" photo!

I tried Krylon Fusion on cheap plastic stacking chairs, and it did chip and scrape off the edges. Maybe you could just paint one chair, live with it a while and see what it does. I also like the idea of slipcovers.

What about gluing on fabric and then a layer of Mod-Podge? Or comics, that might look cool. Would that even work?

I'm with Patrick the Other One on this one. You could acid-etch the metal frame (after removing the plastic seat and back, I'm assuming there are screws attaching them) and paint the metal light blue, or a jade green. I think that would be more eye-catching.

could you do something else other than painting? although there are some paints that are made to fuse to plastics they really don't hold up that well. could you find someone that etches? laser? ponoko.com may have someone that could do this for you. or you could sand blast it. find someone that could make you a vinyl stencil from a vinyl cutter. and if you know of someone with a sand blaster you could sand blast the stencil and it would leave an etched surface.
i have access to all these things, so it may be easier for me to say "do this." but, there are people out there (ponoko.com) that could do this for you and for not that much money...considering you're getting a custom job!

yikes... paint on an eames fiberglass shell chair... i'm sure you had your reasons!

I would use some cute, colorful, small pillows on them. Painted plastic rarely looks good for long.

Maybe a colorful lumbar style pillow?

Go ahead and use the Krylon for plastics. I've used it for a bistro (resin) set I had that sat outside all summer long for about three years and it's only now starting to chip.

By the time it chips up on you, you'll be ready to change the color anyway.

contact paper? It comes in some fun, modern colors and designs now. Other than that, I agree with the "blue room" suggestion.

i would vote contact paper as well. it's hard to smooth on but i looks great when done and you can change it whenever.

Contact paper or mod podge would be simpler and reversable. That's my vote!

I'm surprised at the votes for contact paper. How would you neatly bend it around the curves and onto the back of the chair? Seems like you'd get wrinkles and seams and end up with a mess.

Wow, this thread just got worse and WORSE! If these chairs are available for $40 each, why don't you find a set in another color?!?!

~Update~
I actually like the contact paper idea. I saw some cool mod podge stuff here that was inspiring. http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/bombus/product/289_bombus_london_vintage_a_z_chair

But I contacted a person who sells a lot of these chairs and am trying to work it out to buy just the seat and back in blue, which will be perfect. I'm excited!

So, for now I've decided against painting.

to coarsetalk: The shape of the chair frame that I have does seem to be unique and I love it. This general style of chair is not hard to find or super expensive, but that doesn't mean I can afford to spend another $160 on new ones, especially when I can't sell these (i've tried).