Painted Furniture: Befores and Afters

I often get attached to furniture in its original state. Many of the treasures I have collected from antique stores and estate sales were bought with the intention of a make over but years later they sit on display wearing a dull, worn and chipped finish. Part of it is sentiment, I feel as if I am robbing the piece of its integrity by painting it a super shiny hot pink or something equally as funky. And the other part of me doesn’t feel comfortable mixing in too many painted finishes (resulting in too many different colors) in one room. And I don’t just want to paint everything white either. But when I see photos of DIY projects transforming old pieces into upgraded versions, I start to change my mind.

Before and after of a wood buffet from Mint Love Social Club via Little Green Notebook:

 Before and after of a cane chair submitted by a reader to Little Green Notebook:

  

And finally, a before and after of a dated desk by Natty by Design via Little Green Notebook:

Truth be told, I probably would have kept the chair and desk in their original state. See, I’m such a sucker. But while I like the befores, I truly love the after looks. Seeing these photos makes me want to whip out my paint brushes and get cracking on some of the beat-up things in my house.

Images from Little Green Notebook. This blog is full of creative ideas for projects which the author, Jenny, makes look way too easy in her demo photos. Don’t you hate that?? Be sure to check it out!