Kayleen West Fine Art

Should you paint furniture or keep wood?

Should you paint furniture or keep wood?

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by

Kayleen
in ,

Watch out for the wood gods.

This is a backstory or possibly a horror story, depending on how you look at it.
 
When I purchased the unique drinks table pictured above, the kind seller offered to drop it off at my home.  I’d purchased an antique Tudor style drinks trolley from her also.  As she arrived, we smiled and began our friendly banter.  But as I began wheeling my treasures into the studio and had barely made it past the front door, she let out a lo-o-o-o-ng sigh!
 
Seller: “You know, I spent hours stripping these trolleys of paint.  Would you believe, someone had painted them white!?  I couldn’t get all the paint out of this one so you’ll need to keep sanding to get all of it off. “
 
Me: AWQUARD x 1000,000,000,000,000!
 
My brain: What!?  Um, that’s why I bought them – to paint them! What will I say?  I can’t lie and didn’t want to break her heart!
 
I squirmed inside as a sympathetic gesture came across my face.  I can’t quite remember what I said, but the squirm was quite memorable.  I think I remember redirecting the conversation to how a ‘BAD’ paint job can wreck furniture.  I wasn’t going to do a BAD paint job – right?  Or maybe, I quickly ushered her out the door before she discovered my terrible sin!
 
I was delighted with how this turned out and hoping the original owner would be as happy if she saw it.  BUT, I am still too scared to tell her – just in case.
  
Should you paint furniture or keep wood?
Should you paint furniture or keep wood? Pictured above is the drink trolley – before and after.

Should you paint furniture or keep wood?

In a video, I warned my Facebook followers that I have certain STRONG opinions on some things. This is one of them and how I view this topic.

While I appreciate highly valuable antiques, in my world, damaged items like these are honored by giving them a makeover.  Often they are hiding in a hoard, a vacant room, a project someday pile or a dusty shed – UNUSED!  Once painted, they ALWAYS go onto being used and enjoyed by new owners.

Negative Nelly & The Wood Police.

My seller was a lovely lady.  However, I’ve come across passionate furniture wood police who HATE anyone painting furniture.  The attacks on social media can be quite aggressive at times.  I guess, to some, it is not unlike sacrificing ones first born to the paint gods. They must stab them with a paintbrush I imagine! 

Wooden furniture is created to serve us – not the other way around.  If you’re hanging onto Grans ugly dining set, wishing you could send it to the tip (but the family would be horrified) but if resurfaced creatively, you’d love it – that is madness!

I have but ONE life that very nearly ended over 10 years ago.  I’m still here and I am going to enjoy my furniture.  You have one life too!

If paint makes furniture look beautiful, suit OUR homes and gives US pleasure, then PAINT!  The value in life is rarely about money.  We need to give ourselves permission to enjoy OUR furniture because it belongs to US.  It doesn’t belong to Negative Nelly who wants to spank us with her keyboard for painting OUR possessions or of those of who we serve!  In the past, I’ve offered Negative Nelly the untouched furniture she was so concerned for.  She NEVER buys or saves it though.  Nor does she feed furniture artist’s families or decorate client’s home for them to enjoy THIER environment.

So apologies to my seller but her efforts were not in vain.  Stripping the furniture made it easier to finish repairs and create a nice surface to paint on–at a price the customer could enjoy.  In the end, it cleared the seller’s space and blessed our family financially.  It also blessed the new owner with a unique, one-of-a-kind piece of furniture to delight in.

I think that is a happy ending – don’t you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts below and please share to reassure your painting friends of the great service they do – turning trash into treasure.

Comments

2 responses to “Should you paint furniture or keep wood?”

  1. Jeanette Avatar
    Jeanette

    I have always had a love of antique style furniture but never had a large budget, so I went to learn how to French polish and repair things. That was about 30 years ago. 10 years ago we moved into a 100+ year old small cottage and I thought my furniture would look at home in it. However, some of rooms had only small windows and lacked light, and I felt drawn into the darkness of the furniture. Then, I came across Kayleen on FB and although I had met her before in another situation, and knew she was an artist, I was drawn to her chalk painting of furniture. It wasn’t long before I started to dabble on a small piece, and then I just couldn’t stop! Not only did it brighten my furniture, it brightened my whole love of the pieces and I haven’t finished yet! Yes, it was hard at first to paint those surfaces that I had French polished but it has given them new life, and those that have carvings, well you can really see and appreciate now! So, here is one lady who is enjoying seeing her furniture brought back to life as I live it now, and thank you to Kayleen for inspiring me along the way!

    Reply
    1. Kayleen Avatar
      Kayleen

      Thank you for such a beautiful comment Jeanette! I am thrilled to have inspired your creativity. It is wonderful to create beautiful things outside our budget and up-cycle useful items to better than their formal glory. Thanks again 🙂

      Reply

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