Paint is one of the easiest, quickest, and definitely the most frugal way to update and change any decorating aspect in your home.
I’ve been doing some serious painting lately, and it’s always a blast to involved the kids. It’s a great way to train, Free help and encourage them in responsibility. 🙂 The daughters and nephews wanted to help so much with my paiting, but there’s only so much of a help hindrance they can assist with on larger projects.
While painting, a light bulb went on. I remembered all the wooden yard sale chairs that I have picked up for $2-3, which were in great need of some TLC. I wish I had a picture of the “before and/or during”. I don’t know which would have been more dramatic – how poor the chairs looked before hand or the bedlam which occurred with five young children (literally) all trying to paint them at the same time.
(Decorating with Hydrangeas are my absolute favorite choice for vases. God’s masterful paint job is nothing short of miraculous. My chairs have nothing on Him. 🙂 )
Painting our laminate island was the first redo with turquoise (below), so we used some of the left over paint for the chairs. So the only cost of the project were the two chairs which totaled a whopping $5.
First the kids painted the tiny, $2 brown wooden chair above, and next they conquered this larger child’s chair.
You just wouldn’t believe the difference. (Here’s where I sulk because I CAN NOT believe I didn’t take a “before” pic. I’m a blogger. That’s what I do.)
I’m going to mull over painting our wooden table and chairs. I’m so tired of the brown wood, and seeing how these chairs pop really makes me want to take on this overwhelming job. As much as I love this color, I definitely wouldn’t paint the table in turquoise because if I change my mind next year, I know I will not want to tackle it again. Leaning towards white, I’d accent the table with great colored accessories.
And this is what I have been painting…
I lied in my title. The quickest decorating redo is not just paint. It’s decluttering first, and then painting….
I’m getting ready for my new ” best friends” from Frigidaire (as a Test Drive Mom) and they are going to be BLUE.
The oven preheating in less than six minutes has truly been a proven time saver with Frigidaire’s “Make More Time for Me” guarantee, but for me, it’s the laundry that is my menace. I’ve never had a matching washer/dryer set, so the fact that their dryers dry the clothes in the same amount of time that is takes to wash them will be huge.
I can’t wait to show you the finished project…I need to hurry because they come on Wednesday.
And yes, the blue manicure was a hit in church today…. 😉
Good job on the chairs! Gotta love that Island AND turquoise knobs!
I’m so inspired. I’ve been looking for ways to decorate my front porch and I think painting one of my small wooden chairs and adding a flower arrangement would be a perfect touch.
My laundry room is the same boring beige as when we moved in. My husband just installed shelves in there, so I’m not sure how he’d feel about me taking them down to paint LOL, but if it would look as pretty as yours, it would be worth it. : )
Thanks again for the inspiration.
It’s going to be FABULOUS! So excited for you!
Thanks friend….it is amazing what a coat of paint (and some cleaning) does for a room. 🙂
My mother always has talked about making “something out of nothing”. Seems like she was always painting some cast-off item or junkyard find. (Come to think of it, given the fumes from the type of paint we had in the ’70s when I was growing up, that could explain a lot about me… ). We’re both still always painting something, and it’s nice to have a paint buddy to pass quarts of paint back and forth with.
I either have or had that same little floral tea towel. My dad bought three of them over 15 years ago in Romania…then I am thinking, did I donate those to Goodwill or Carolina thrift? Because she may have bought it there…wouldn’t that be funny!
How cute! I’m working on two blue yard sale/trash to treasure chair projects right now. A distressed one for our entryway and a glazed one for somewhere inside 🙂
Mary Ellen
I agree about decluttering first.
My kids are switching rooms, and decluttering as they go. What a difference!
I like the idea of painting your table and chairs. White is a good idea but depending on the shade, it could end up being TOO white, if you know what I mean. Maybe a warmer shade of white (does that even exist?)
Anyway…just thought I should tell you that I love to see what you’ve painted 🙂
@Elizabeth L., elizabeth – you are so right about the white being too white. It could almost look fakey…if that’s possible. I’m like the Little Engine that Could…I think I can, I think I can (but I don’t know if I want to yet.) 🙂 I have two other pieces of furniture to paint first and my bathroom. lol
We have kind of a country dining room table with shutters and storage underneath. The top of the table is terrible but the bottom is a light bluish green and very pretty. I am thinking of all sorts of ideas for the top. I’d love for you to post some ideas when you get to the table!
p.s. I got 10 pieces of clothing for $9 at a garage sale last weekend! Too cute matching tops and capris, tops and skirts, etc. Woo hoo!
It looks like you’ve done an absolutely fantastic job there – well done! I think the turquoise paint you picked was just perfect for the island.
Thanks for sharing the great work!
Amazing information for most people to view!
Wow you did an amazing job on an unbelievable budget! love your blog
Keep up the good work 🙂
and I’d really love it if you visit my log at https://diyinadorm.wordpress.com/ and let me know what you think
Happy blogging!