painting furniture: an overview

Today I thought I would share some photos of furniture that I have redone. Unfortunately, I don't have any "before" pictures, only afters. But I thought it might inspire you to never be afraid of bold colors. If you ever choose a color and realize after painting that it is too bright, that is what glaze is for. Glaze comes in premixed colors like black, mocha, etc. or in a clear form which allows you to add whatever color you want. If you have trouble mixing paint or just want to try glazing for fun, I recommend starting with premixed. However, if you are doing several projects which require different glazes and intensity levels, then clear would be the best choice.

A lot of people have asked me lately how to paint a piece of furniture. I plan on doing a post soon on a step-by-step project. It really is easier than most people think. All it takes is a little patience and elbow grease. :)

On to the pictures...

This was a commissioned piece. Originally intended as a buffet, a new mother is now using it as a changing table. You can tell it is a very pale pink. I loved the idea of using it in a baby's room and plan to do the same some day.

This coffee table had seen MUCH better days. It had some cup rings on the top, and since it was probably mahogany, which is a very soft wood, the damage was too much to repair. Because of this, I used a mocha glaze over an ivory paint. 

*Tip: If your unpainted table has a cup ring, try rubbing vegetable oil into it with a dry cloth. A lot of times it works!

This was one of my favorite pieces. It was a plain Jane oak dresser with ugly brass knobs before. Now, it has a silver wash over the top of it and new antique looking knobs. I plan on trying the silver finish again, it just glammed it up a little. :)

Uh, sorry for the sock on the floor, the knobs that I forgot to turn down, and the bobby pins. This is my personal dresser. It used to be completely black. This was one project where I painted it and realized the paint was WAY too bright... you have to be careful with turquoise. My college roommates can attest to the fact that I'm slightly obsessed. So I glazed it with a black glaze and loved the result.

This was a piece for my best friend. It was originally yellow with pink trim, very outdated, and sad looking. Some red paint with a black/brown glaze was all it needed.

*Tip: it's totally okay to use a nightstand in a living room. And it's totally okay to mix and match different pieces. For example, the wicker furniture on my front porch is not a set, but painting them all one color and using coordinating colors makes it look like one without being stuffy. Plus, who wants a boring living/dining/bedroom out-of-the-box set anyway?

My beloved TV stand. Originally a liquor cabinet with a fold-out top, we use it for DVD and game storage. I absolutely love the color, and now realize how dark our old apartment is from the quality of all these photos, oops. Anyway, the color is Washed Denim by Martha Stewart. I want to cover everything with it.

Hope these pictures inspired you to get out the paintbrush!

Kiley