As newlyweds, McKay and I opted on a $5 kitchen table and three mismatched $1.50 chairs we fell upon at a used furniture store (we're still in need of a fourth). Then, looking around our apartment, I realized something. . .
Brown. It is everywhere you look. The couches, the carpet, the doors, the entertainment center, the side tables, the table, the chairs. SO. MUCH. BROWN. So, I decided to purchase some paint and try to re-vamp some of our odds and ends and see if I could at least make our apartment a little less BROWN. And now that I've emphasized "BROWN" a bunch of times, I'm having one of those moments where I doubt that it's really a word, let alone a color.
Anyhoo, here is my first ever attempt with painting furniture.
Before, after sanding down (note the brown carpet, door, and arm chair in the background):
Ahhh, that feels better! I may sand it down a little for that whole "vintage" look that everyone's doing these days. I think my next chair will be yellow. Yay for not brown!
My other project is a leaf and bird lamp, though sadly I forgot to take a "before" picture. But I'll describe it for you, and you can close your eyes and picture it (well, okay, it may be hard to read that way, never mind): It was a dank, dark green foliage base with a smug yellow bird, and the whole thing was so filthy with grime I was seriously considered a cootie shot before touching it. We bought it at an estate sale for five smackers from what I believe was a true-blue hoarder, and I knew it had potential. Plus, we sorely needed more lighting for our living room.
Several soapy scrubs and a 97 cent can of spray paint later, viola!
ha ha, your post made me laugh! When I lived in Poland I had a rented flat. Every single item in it was brown, from carpets, curtains, furniture and bedding to the glasses, plates and mugs. It really was dreary. It was also very 70s - the living room sported a full length built in (brown of course) display unit including one of those pull down cupboard drawers with a fully lit cocktail bar inside!
ReplyDeleteOne thing that can help make renting life bearable is those scotch pull tab velcro hanging thingys (ha ha, real articulate). You can hang almost anything and never worry about damaging the walls. Instant color!
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