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Do you have a piece of furniture that was given to you or passed down in your family? I do too! Are you afraid or hesitant to alter that piece of furniture because of what it might mean to someone in your family? Me too!
Let me start by saying get that out of your head!! It is just furniture. But if you still can’t find the strength to paint or change it somehow, there are things to consider that might help ease you into making a better informed decision about painting your heirloom furniture! Check out my Tips for painting heirloom furniture.
1. Ask for permission: If you really, I mean reeeeeally want to paint the piece, but think it will hurt someone in the process, just ask them! I have two beautiful vintage ice chests that are in really good shape. There is no good reason to change them in any way other than to make them look better (in my opinion). They have been in our family for years, so I thought that I would hurt someone’s feelings if I painted them. After seeing what paint can do to a piece of furniture, I got the courage to ask my mom what she thought. You know what she said? Sure! Problem solved, and now they are two shining stars in our living room.
2. Start with insignificant furniture: Maybe you are new to painting furniture. Perhaps you don’t have much skill when it comes to DIY. Start with something small that doesn’t mean much to you, should you “mess up”. Find a small or inexpensive item at a thrift store and work your magic. Not only will you boost your confidence, you might win a family member’s heart over in the process. Before I painted anything given to us, I painted inexpensive pieces that I found at a thrift store. The experiences helped me build my confidence in painting furniture as well as have examples of how wonderful painting furniture can be!
3. Talk about it first: I have learned over the years that the more communication that happens on the front end, the easier some conversations are later. For example, when you are gifted a piece of furniture, if you foresee any desire to change it somehow, ask right away. How do they feel about the piece? Would they be ok if you painted it “one day”? If their answer is that they are really tied to the piece, and they don’t want you “ruining” it with paint, then perhaps you shouldn’t receive it only to store it in your basement. After all, your home is not a storage unit! If you are in desperate need of that piece of furniture, then maybe you use it until you can afford the piece you really want or find a thrifted piece that you can alter without someone’s permission.
4. Look for examples: Instagram, Pinterest, and even the good old internet has a PLETHORA of examples of your piece or something similar that has been painted or altered somehow. Do some research at all the ways refinishing your furniture could look. I remember seeing a vintage ice chest EXACTLY like the ones we had that had been painted white. I remember the hardware was spray painted silver. I didn’t like the hardware, but I LOVED the paint. Being able to see it saved me from not being able to envision it myself. Some things are just more difficult to see in our heads, and there is zero shame in using someone else’s example to help you make a decision, even if that decision is to NOT paint it after all!
5. Just go for it: When all is said and done, it is just furniture! Sorry for repeating myself, but it is. Unless you are an antique vendor and it’s natural beauty means a higher payout (in which you probably don’t need or want to paint any furniture anyway), you have no reason not to! With just a quart of paint, a brush and small roller, and a little bit of time, you can easily transform a piece of furniture into your own shining star!
I hope these tips will help you jump into the deep end of making your furniture YOURS! As with many things, the more practice refinishing furniture you get, the more confident you will become. Happy painting!
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Mama here! I am full of joy to see this, it’s lovely, and probably feeling pretty proud to be called an heirloom! A happy piece of furniture is used and worn and scarred, repaired and painted and repurposed, or adopted by another family who needs and loves it. (And, this piece is a replica, not valuable monitarily but sturdy as can be.) You are so right, Jen, just ask. Or ask forgiveness after!