I've discovered since getting married that I love to paint furniture. I've done a few different projects, and have been more happy with some than others, but mostly I feel inspired to do more. It's such a fun and thrifty and unique way to turn something old into something fresh and contemporary. I also look for ideas on colors and techniques from other bloggers and shop owners who are gracious enough to share tips.
Here are some photos that I've been inspired by recently. I just love this "No. 12" coffee table. This trunk makes a fabulous centerpiece to a room and I love the distressing. In fact, I'm about to begin a similar project that I hope to show you next week--I'm so excited about it!
And these photos below make use of something I've never heard of before--milk paint. It actually uses milk as the binding ingredient! It is safe and non-toxic and many milk paints don't contain any chemicals. What I think is so neat about milk paint is that it lends a very natural, antique look to a piece. Milk paint was used in Colonial America and the patina of this furniture really does remind me of an earlier era. The woman who does these fabulous pieces said that milk paint acts like a "stain," though it looks like paint, and that it has a much less uniform color than latex or oil paints. It also tends to flake off arbitrarily, all qualities which give it a naturally aged look.
Have you heard of milk paint before? What do you think of these pieces? Are you working on any hand-painted furniture projects?
I'm so intrigued by milk paint and think I'll begin looking for the perfect thrift shop piece to try it on!
