Do You Paint Your Furniture?

Painted furniture. Every interior designer, pro or am, uses it. Every do-yourself-er tries it.


It's a quick, inexpensive, and relatively easy decor change to paint furniture. Which one of us hasn't wielded a can of spray paint on some wicker?


Or if you remember Shabby Chic, how we slapped on white paint (and ruffles and slip covers) on anything that didn't run away from us.


Over painted furniture has been around for over 300 years.


With the Swedish (Gustavian) interior design craze, and the shabby French style having become mainstream, vendors are over painting everything in sight. Stores in the mall, and a dizzying myriad of catalogs feature hundreds of cookie cutter reproductions made in China.


Mid century modern style employs high gloss painted furniture.



And there are some pretty crazy contemporary interpretations too.






Folk art painted furniture from every country in the world has been around forever.




Most every man I know cringes when we girls paint over wood! Oh the horror of ruining good wood!

A little white washing goes a long way in the glam department.


Sometimes an unexpected color can revive a piece of furniture we've had forever.

And what about those scratched up Ghost chairs?

Ready to take those on with some paint?


Bless me Wood Loving Man, for I have sinned! I have painted my nightstands vintage aqua.

Vintage aqua nightstand I painted, and I also painted the lamp faux alabaster

And some bombe chests I bought in the 1980's, Swedish snow white.

I painted a pair of pine (with hand painted flowers on them) bombe chests

And I confess I painted a hideous French reproduction console table that was stained dark brown - it's been painted in china white.

Read how I painted this table HERE

I also painted a funky 1930's vanity shabby white.

Vintage vanity in my closet/dressing room painted shabby white

And the biggest sin of all ha ha, I painted a nine foot long vintage Baker credenza.

Section of the nine foot long vintage Baker credenza

What about you? Have you "ruined" any good wood lately?

Posted in: DIY, Ghost Chairs, Painted Furniture, Valorie Hart Designs