A vintage iron garden bench
Honouring a 30-year family legacy by restoring a classic garden bench in the timeless, regal depth of Gainsborough Blue.
Read MoreGUILD LANE
Making
A Regency Revival – Painting Metal Garden Chairs in Verdigris
Some projects don’t need dramatic effort, just a little care, the right colour, and the right formula. These Regency-inspired metal garden chairs were neither vintage treasures nor decorative showpieces. They were functional, weathered, and, before painting, not particularly pretty. 
But with two coats of Verdigris from the Heritage Inspired Jubilee Collection, applied with a Guild Lane flat brush, they’ve become a quiet highlight of a formal English garden.
This post is part of our Spring Painting Series, where we show how enduring colour and thoughtful detail can bring new life to even the most overlooked outdoor pieces. You can explore the full series, including painted Adirondack chairs, a vintage bicycle revival, garden urns, and more.
Why We Painted These Regency-Style Metal Chairs
The chairs had potential, delicate in shape, Regency-inspired in form, but dulled by age and exposure. There was some surface rust beginning to bloom across the frames, a familiar sight on metal furniture in British gardens.
Rather than discard them, we saw an opportunity to elevate. Not to restore to former glory, but to reimagine them in a new, garden-ready hue.
Verdigris is a muted green with hints of soft blue and historic patina, bringing instant sophistication. It complements stone, foliage, and early spring light with ease. Verdigris was the most readily available green pigment until the 19th century. Popular in heraldry, fine art or anyone who could afford it. A vibrant and chic shade of green with a copper-green base.
The Painting Process (Simple, but Intentional)
We didn’t need a full step-by-step guide for this. It was a refresh, not a restoration. But here’s what made the difference:
- We cleaned the metal with soapy water and a soft cloth
- Applied a rust-inhibiting primer only to affected areas
- Painted using a small Guild Lane flat brush for control
- Two coats of Jubilee in Verdigris, with one hour dry time between
The formula is UV-stable and built for outdoor use, so no topcoat was needed.
All-Season Performance, One Afternoon of Work
Months later, the finish is still impeccable. No chipping. No fade. Just a soft lustre that holds beautifully in sun, mist and shadow.
This is where Jubilee shines, on metal, in real gardens, over time. It’s a high-pigment, weather-tough formula that protects as much as it transforms.
A simple act of repainting turned these chairs from neglected to quietly elegant, and it took less than a day.
Colour That Shines Outdoors
Verdigris was chosen for its ability to sit gently within the landscape. It doesn’t shout. It settles.
In this particular garden, formal, English, softly structured, the chairs now echo old stone and new shoots alike. Their design remains Regency. Their presence now feels more timeless.
Outdoor Metal Deserves More Than Just Protection
Too often, metal garden furniture is treated as temporary. Spray-painted, stored away, forgotten.
But with the right paint, colour-rich, weather-ready, brush-applied, even the most ordinary piece can gain character and permanence.
Jubilee offers that kind of finish. No fuss, no flaking. Just beautiful, elevated and enduring results in colours inspired by British heritage, made for today, all in a low-VOC, eco-friendly formula that you can feel good about using in your garden and your home.
What’s Next in Our Spring Painting Series
Each project will showcase a different surface, paint, and application technique, ideal for makers, gardeners, DIY'ers and outdoor stylists alike.
Discover more heritage outdoor colours in the Jubilee Collection
Wooden Adirondack chairs
Transforming outdoor furniture doesn't need to be complicated using Jubilee, with sanding & fuss.
Read More
Vintage bicycle makeover
Turn a well-loved vintage frame into a flash of sunshine with a quick Bunting Yellow revival.
Read More
