I have always been a fan of transforming a room by adding some color, but it’s also amazing what a little paint can do to a piece of furniture!

This week while visiting my folks in Kentucky, I did a project – I painted their outdoor bench. Two colors of paint, a little time, and a LOT of sweat (it was Hot!), and this bench was truly given new life. It went from this…

to this…

Often it’s easy to think we need to buy new furniture because we change the colors in our home, but we fail to realize that a coat of paint might do the trick instead.

At one time I used a lot of red accents in my home, but have gone to mostly blue and white. As you can see in this old picture, the black and red bar stools just weren’t adding the right appeal to the kitchen space. So, this spring I decided to paint them an off white, the color of my cabinets.

Here are the results….

I LOVE painted furniture because it keeps you from having to buy another new piece and it helps you make the most of what you already have.

I encourage you to take a look around your house and see if there’s a piece of furniture you own that is either needing a face lift, or needs paint to add either a pop of color for accent, or a neutral shade to help blend in with your decor.

A few tips I would give before you start…

• Clean the piece well before you start
• Remove any hardware
• Invest in a good brush – it doesn’t have to be expensive
• Tape off areas where the paint should not go
• Take your time
• Rough up wooden furniture with sandpaper before painting
• Take a before and after picture!
• Don’t be afraid…it’s just paint!

A can of paint is a low cost investment in updating your home! Why not refresh your home by adding new life to an old piece of furniture you already own?!

Have you painted furniture? If not, what’s keeping you from taking the plunge?