How do you best paint a fabric chair?

You can do it and keep them soft, here's a great tutorial tog et you started - http://www.hometalk.com/diy/living-room/furniture/how-to-paint-upholstery-and-keep-the-fabric-soft-even-velvet-11691379

Don't use fabric medium. Cut your paint in half with water ( regular latex paint ) and wet the fabric before you paint. ( with a spray bottle ) . Sand lightly between each coat- it will take about 3 coats.

i swear by chalk paint. I painted a love seat that was originally Harvest Gold with a Pewter Grey chalk paint. There is nothing leathery about it! When using chalk paint you mist the fabric well with water as you prepare to paint each part with a 20% paint/80% water mix. Let the piece dry. Repeat using a 50/50 mix. Final coat is painted on full strength. Feels and holds up wonderfully.

Ahh. Maybe the water is the key! Thanks so much!

thanks so much!

Thanks so much !

I had good luck painting an old chair cushion and back. I used Fabric Medium, Acrylic Paint and lots of water. I wet the fabric down first and then used the medium and paint mixed together. After the first coat dried, I actually sanded the fabric down with sandpaper. Clean well and apply more paint. I used about 3 coats to get good coverage but I was using light coats.

Did it get stiff?

My daughter used chalk paint with great results. It doesn't even look like the same chair and she had to cover a paisley print from the 70's.

Thanks!