Black is the current trend in painted furniture—and the most forgiving color as it covers all marks and stains—but use any color that makes you smile. Keep in mind that you can make a pulled-together dining room set from all different chairs, just by painting them all the same shade and using coordinating fabric on the seats.

Get to painting:
1. If the chair you're refurbishing has a padded seat, flip the chair over and unscrew the seat with your screw driver. Set the seat aside for later.

2. Wash that chair with wood soap, rags and water because you don’t know where it’s been. Actually, you do know where it’s been: The garbage/attic/rummage sale. Better wash it twice.

3. Sand the chair lightly with the fine sandpaper; you just want to rough up the paint a little, not take it off completely. Then, wipe all dust off the chair with a clean, damp rag or paper towel (squeeze out any excess water).

4. Paint the chair from the top down with a thin coat of paint. After your first brushstroke down, start the next stroke in an unpainted area and brush up and into the previously painted area. (This painting method will ensure a consistent finish on your chair, with no obvious DIY-newbie brush strokes.) Paint entire chair, then set aside to let dry. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as needed until you’re happy with the finish.