Painting Furniture Basics

One of my favorite room decorating ideas is painting furniture.  This is partially because my husband and I have a lot of furniture that’s been given to us before we were married and isn’t exactly our taste.  We recently discovered the “magic” of painting- it literally can breath new life into any piece!  Even if you’ve never painted or sanded before (like I hadn’t…) you can still take on a painting project without worrying that you’ll turn what you have into a disaster.  Painting furniture is a relatively easy and fun DIY project.  Remember- it should always be done in a well-ventilated area and the work area should be covered with newspapers to prevent stains.

The first step is sand down the piece you want to paint.  Sanding the furniture gets rid of the wax or finish that the piece already has.  I recommend using an electric sander, as it is much easier than sanding by hand! Just make sure that you sand each part evenly and clean up all the dust afterwards.

The next step is priming.  Primer is a kind of paint which sticks to any surface and hides strong pigments (so that you can paint white over black etc). Priming help achieve an even finish and is good to use on pieces that were stained. Make sure the surface is completely clean before priming.

You are now ready to paint.  Don’t be afraid to choose bold colors for your “”new” piece.  You can use regular latex house paint and you’ll need at least two coats.  To apply the paint, you can use rollers or brushes.  Rollers are good for larger surfaces and brushes are better for corners and small areas, so depending on your project, you may even want both.  If you are using spray paint, stand 8-12 inches from the wood when spraying. The first coat of paint can take time hours to dry completely so be patient!  You may have to wait 4-12. Once the first coat is completely dry, sand it lightly by hand so that the next coat of paint sticks better.  Once you are finished you can apply your second coat.  If you are going for a distressed or vintage look, you may want to sand again at this point.

Once you have achieved the look you want, it is time to protect your piece with finish.  There are different kinds of sealant such as clear water-based polyurethane finish, paste finishing wax and more.  The water-based finish dries more quickly while the wax gives your piece a softer look.  You can ask your local hardware store employees for details about the particular kinds of finish if you are trying to go for a certain look.

So these were the basics of painting furniture.  We would love to hear how your project went!

Flea Market Decorating Ideas

Summer is approaching and a a great time to check out your local flea markets for great room decorating ideas! But amidst the maze of chachkas and chinkets, where do you begin?  And how do you turn junk into something that can beautify your home?

First of all, you should arrive at a flea market early (i.e. before everything good is taken!).  Dress down, be friendly and prepare to bargain! It is good to come prepared with a tape measure and some basic measurements of your home (especially if you are planning on purchasing furniture).

An easy way to make your way through a flea market, is by color.  Try picking out a color or a few colors that you are looking for to decorate your home.  Do you have a picture on your wall that you are looking to compliment? A couch you would like to match? With a color in mind, searching for flea market decorating ideas becomes much simpler.

In general, check to see if an object is in good condition.  If you are planning on buying furniture, make sure that it is stable.  A new paint job is easy to do, but furniture that is falling apart might not be worth it.  Also check that the object will go with what you already have in your home and that there’s room for it.  Ask yourself what purpose it will serve.  Some objects, such as old trunks, can be great finds because they are versatile.  They can be used as a coffee table, a bed end, for storage and more!

Here are some more great flea market decorating ideas:

1.  Mirrors and frames. Mirrors and frames are classic flea market finds.  You can never have too many mirrors; they open up small spaces and refelct light.  Flea markets are a great place to find unique and antique frames that can be used to add decor to any room of your home.  Frames can be used not only for regular paintings but to turn less expensive items into wall art such as: tea towels, posters and even plates.

2.  Lighting. All sorts of lighting can be found at flea markets. From candles to chandeliers a flea market is full of remarkable finds.  Lighting never goes our of style and old fixtures can often be rewired without too much hassle.  New paint, shades and trims can be added to older fixtures so don’t be afraid to buy things with alittle character.

3.  Storage Items. Flea markets are loaded with storage items.  Baskets made from wicker or wire can be used to store towels in your bathroom, living room clutter such as magazines and odds and ends, and more!  Hat boxes are also great finds.  They can be stacked to create a nice display.

4.  Brass objects. Brass items are trendy now.  It may be tarnished but brass can be easily polished.  Candelsticks made from brass are a personal favorite of mine!

5.  Furniture. Last but not least- furniture.  Furniture can be repainted and often used for many different purposes.  Dressers can be sideboards and a a sofa can seat people by a table.  Look for armoirs and outdoor furniture too! Who says you can’t use an ourdoor sofa for your living room?

Do you have any unique flea market finds?

Budget Dining Room Decorating Ideas

Do you think it takes thousands of dollars to change your dining room from drab to fab?

Think again! Try out some our budget dining room decorating ideas and be amazed by the change they’ll make!

Just because your dining room furniture is outdated and shabby, doesn’t mean you have to go out and purchase new items.  You can try adding a new centerpiece to your dining room table.  Centerpieces such as colored glass bowls, fresh flowers, candlesticks or plants breath new life to your table.  Coupled with a matching runner, your dining room already starts to look more chic.

Instead of purchasing a buffet or sideboard, you can try either paining an old one to in a bright shade.  If you don’t have a buffet, a dresser or shelf from another room in your house can be used instead.  Cabinets can be painted and used to display china or other decorative items.  By painting the cabinets the same color as your dining room walls, you create an elegant illusion that the furniture is built in to the space.

Buying inexpensive pads for your chairs from a flee market or garage sale will make them more chic and comfortable.  An alternative room decorating idea for your chairs is to redo them by yourself.  It may take a bit of time and effort but there are great DIY ways to repaint and re-upholster chairs with a beautiful fabric of your choice.

Painting can do wonders for your dining room and is relatively inexpensive.  You can also painting your walls halfway and adding a wall paper border.  Wall paper border can be purchased for only a few dollars!  Your walls can also be decorated with vintage frames that you can purchase for about $5.  Paint them and use them to frame plates, old transferware or pretty tea towels.

Don’t forget about accessorizing your dining room.  An adorable decorating idea is “fake monogramming”.  Iron-onembroidered letters can be purchased at craft stores for almost nothing and they can make cloth napkins look extremely elegant.  You can also try solid color candle displays (see picture) and displaying a mixture of new and antique objects for an eclectic, interesting look.

Budget Paintings for your Home

We all know how searching for paintings that match your walls, furniture, carpets, and most of all your personal style is a very time consuming task. For those of us who can afford it, looking for wall paintings can be wonderful and fun, but what do you do when:

a) you don’t have a lot of time or money
b) all the cheap paintings in the stores just don’t match your home/style
c) everyone seems to already have them
d) that blank spot over your fireplace is really starting to depress you!

After a long conversation with my interior designer sister-in-law, she let me in on a very important decorating tip. Whatever you can’t find ready-made within your budget, just do it yourself. There are tons of ideas out there on creative wall art ideas, but if you’re interested in hanging up more traditional canvas paintings around your home, then here’s what you do:

1) Go to your neighborhood art store or do a search online and purchase a couple of blank canvases (not a roll of canvas – you should get it already stretched and primed). You don’t need to purchase the highest quality canvas, so they should run very cheap.

2) Buy acrylic paint and brushes. Now here’s the important part; make sure that the acrylic paint colors you purchase match the color scheme of your home, but include one or two extra colors as unique accents. You’re already half way to creating your modern art masterpiece.

3) Make sure you set up the canvas on some sort of drop cloth. Once your floor is protected, you can drip paint onto the canvas, spray it, use cups or any other tools to make interesting designs. You can also paint the canvas a solid color first depending on what look you’re going for. Be creative; there are no set rules when it comes to creating your own canvas art!

4) Let it dry. You can hang your paintings up on the wall as they are, or if you like, add a small frame.

Stay tuned for more budget decorating ideas. Next we’ll be discussing creative wall art by covering canvas with fabric for a unique effect.

Wall Art Decorating

Everyone has greeting cards with beautiful designs that they just can’t bear to through away (I know I do!). One way to turn this “garbage” into décor is by using them for wall art! Make sure the cards are the same size and that they look good together. Then simply fasten them onto pieces of foam board that are the same size as each card to add depth. Attach each piece to a painted square piece of cardboard and mount to your wall!

You can also try framing beautiful pictures from magazines. Buy a wide frame with a smaller center and hang a few coordinating magazine cutouts side by side or arranged on your wall. It’s a great way to decorate your walls at almost no cost!

For minimal artistic effort and maximum effect, try framing a fabric. You can find beautiful pieces of extra fabric either lying around your house or at the clearance section of material stores (sometimes for only a dollar). As long as the colors and design are beautiful and tasteful, framing it will instantly turn it into art.

Calligraphy is a beautiful as wall art and Japanese calligraphy especially enhances a Zen decorating style. You can do basic calligraphy on your own with just a brush and black paint. Just look at some examples and try copying the images. You might need a little artistic talent for this one, but if you keep it simple it won’t take too long to pick up. You may even be able to create some calligraphy in Japanese!

A great place to look for wall art is your kitchen. Plates, coasters and even dish towels that just take up needless space can be hung on your wall and displayed. Framed dish towels make beautiful wall art. Dishes and coasters can be hung with a frame or on their own.

These room decorating ideas may be simple, but they can make your walls look beautiful and barely cost anything. So before spending a fortune of wall art try these fun and creative techniques.