Q: I found this chair in my husband's garage when I married him. It has no brand markings of any sort, but I like its shape. What would you do with it? Leave it as is, as a sculpture of sorts? Or re-finish it? If the latter, how would you re-finish it?
Sent by Pamela
Editor: Leave your suggestions for Pamela in the comments - thanks!
• Got a question? Email yours with pic attachments here (those with pics get answered first)
The Ultimate Used Furniture Cleaning Kit
Ana Creates a Community at Home
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Z2 iPod Dock and Wi...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
Recipe: Spring Fruit and Nut Tabouli
i would definitely try and make it usable indoors ~ i'm an easy touch for abandoned chairs like this one. what exactly is it made of, and is it sturdy ?
Looks like an Ironrite art deco health chair.
Good call, radjam--that's exactly what it looks like.
you can have a body shop remove the old paint and have them paint it.
I am thinking seafoam green and the other one pale yellow :-)
Body shop is a great suggestion. However, the VOC and energy used by the restoration process and the production of the restoration materials may outweigh the environmental benefits of recycling.
The Health chair is actually a chair that is in the collection at the MoMA http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A11180%7CA%3AAR%3AE%3A1&page_number=1&template_id=1&sort_order=1
Thanks for the link, formfilosofy; it's fascinating.
The health chair facilitated "a scientifically correct ironing posture." Huh. Who knew?
My Mom had a white one but sent it to the thrift store, she's regretted it ever since. Hold on to it!
I was wondering if somebody's leg was being pulled, and certainly would let those chairs go. How great that AT has commenters who are pro designers willing to educate the rest of us. Send after photos if you refinish it?
I would, um, gift it to HP Stephanie on AT. :)
Strip, sand, paint the metal, stain and seal the wood?
Call me crazy...but really I like how the wood looks and is distressed. What I would do, personally, is clean up the legs, maybe repaint those, and leave the distressed wood look/peeling paint and seal that...I think it is an art piece in itself and quite a great conversation topic :) best of luck with your choice! **j
I'd put these in the garden and maybe try to find a way to grow moss all over them!
I would actually vote for doing the opposite of jennafura's suggestion. I would remove the wood seat and back, sand it to remove all of the paint and refinish it with some natural wood oil. The metal frame I would take to a car wash and spray down with the high-powered water to remove all of the paint that is falling off (this is a great technique for painted metal as it leaves some of the paint but only takes off what is loose), then I would spray the metal with a clear protective coat and then put the wood seat back on. You now have a clean finished chair that retains some of it's history and your child/pet won't eat lead based paint chips.