Refreshing furniture can be a quick, DIY-friendly process that gives new life to an old piece. With just a few hours of work, you can easily transform secondhand scores or hand-me-down furniture to fit your style and needs. The process typically involves adding a fresh coat of paint or stain for new color, texture, or shine.
Although painting furniture might seem straightforward, there are a few critical things to know beforehand to ensure the color goes on smoothly and adheres properly. Use these tips for painting furniture to create a long-lasting, beautiful finish.
1. Select a Furniture Piece to Paint
When choosing a piece of furniture to update, first consider whether the piece is an antique. Some antiques can be valuable, and painting could potentially devalue the piece. Midcentury modern furniture, for example, usually sells well as-is, so consider that before painting if you’re planning to sell it later. That said, if you’ve had your great-grandmother’s china hutch in the garage for the past 20 years and you know you’ll never use it without an update, go for it!
If you aren’t planning to resell the item, it’s only as valuable as how much you treasure it. And if you’ll appreciate it more with a bright blue paint job, then renovate the furniture item instead of letting it age in storage.
