My children crouch in the back seat as I jump out, to lift my latest piece "from the trash" to simply liven up with a fresh coat of paint. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about that old dark and drab hunk of wood. I'm not saying that you should paint the 18th century mahogany antique, but an item that has seen better days will certainly benefit from a little paint.
Yes, a bucket of paint, a brush and a space prepared to paint your item is all you need. Transform something old, into something blue. This cupboard is from Cath Kidston. I love the way she uses it to store linens, but it would be a great spot for china, books, or even art supplies.
Flowers for mother's day, and a chair for her too. Paint a chair a gorgeous green, add some romance with flowers or your favorite fabric to add new life.
Black and white is always right, this chest was updated with a graphic white line and take note of the knobs. This photo was posted over at Elements of Style. My kinda style. Fresh, clean, easy and sharp.
A fresh coat of white paint to me is like icing on the cake. Paint adds a layer of freshness and the headboard in this sunny yellow shantung. Waking up to this would add a ray of sunshine even on the gloomiest of days! Be sure to take before and afters of your trash to treasures. See if anyone even notices, it is after all only paint and quite rewarding to say that you did it yourself. I will be posting some tips for you on painting made easy and painless.
17 comments:
that is one of the best ideas! Growing up my dad LOVED to go 'treasure hunting' as he called it - i used to hate it but now I do it myself! LOL One peron's trash is another person's treasure!
Great ideas Patricia. Of course you are a wiz with a brush and trash turns to treasure in your hands. But us muggles can give it a go to.
Ohhhh - these are the kind of projects I just love! Sometimes I have a hard time seeing the potential until later and when I go back to buy the item at a thrift shop it has already been snatched up by someone with a quicker imagination. I also adore the white paint, definitely the "frosting" on the cake.
I love "trash to treasure" pieces. My whole home is made up of them! In fact, I got a lovely old table base this past weekend from the flea market that I will be rehabing with a bucket of paint myself:)
melissa,
please show us your trash to treasures -
inspire us!
patricia
I agree...little paint can do wonders...love the black dresser!
Many thanks for the mention! I simply adore the paint job on that chest! So clever, no?
So true about paint! Just did the very same thing to an antique secretary by painting it a Ben Moore white. Popped it in oldest daughter's bright green bedroom. Lovely!
I want to cover all the wood surfaces in my home with a fresh coat...this stresses Mr. French out quite a bit...this post is not helping his nerves. :)
oh mrs. french-
how true, the men folk do like the wood au natural, right! but slowly, they see how great paint makes something from dark and dingy to light and sparkly!
patricia
I've seen first hand what you can do. You are amazing!!!
Ahh--I remember when I "discovered" Cath Kidston's shop in the Chelsea section of London some eight years ago. I first thought it was Scandinavian, all bleached paints and beautifully faded colors. I'd love to paint some old cabinets and fill them with my grandmother's mismatched Wedgewood tea sets
I love painted furniture and had no end of inspiration in my last house (a 1855 colonial). Now that I am in a contemporary I've had to let all my old things go and although I love the space and the light, it just isn't the same. I miss taking any piece of old junk and making it something cool.
I love the look of painted wood, but can never bring myself to wield the brush. A) I'm afraid I will botch it up and B) there's a wee part of me that feels its a little sinful to paint nice old wood. Maybe I've watched too many episodes of Antiques Roadshow where the appraiser says "It would be worth X if only it hadn't been painted..."
They're all pretty. I wish I had more DIY in me.
This is a perfect blog you have, and I have just added you to our blog list and newsletter so I can visit again..
Oh the inspiration for that painted armoire is right on time as I sit and look at some old furniture wondering how to remake it!
Thank you!
Lise
Lovely post, PVE! Just noticed that I posted the same scrumptious yellow headbord today--definitely we're on the same wavelength :)
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