Project No. 1 for the Living Room & Spray Painting Tips.

My first project in my living room makeover is just a simple spray paint of a piece of furniture that I “shopped the house” for. Whether she’s going to hang around for the final reveal, remains to be seen. Here’s the before.

I know that you may be gasping right now that I would paint a piece when it’s already a lovely white. But I warned you, times they are a changin’. Truth be told, I’ve lived with white painted furniture for so long that it’s a real leap for me to change it up. But here it is…

 

Yes, she went to the dark side. Granite gray Rustoleum spray paint to be exact. I love this table but it never felt substantial enough. Like it needed to be in a little girl’s room or a conservatory for ladies that take tea. I don’t have either of these spaces at this point, so I decided to change it up and hopefully give it a touch of industrial. Now it reminds me of those wrought iron fences that you see around ancient Victorian homes. I think I like it.

You’ll have to use your imagination concerning accessorizing at this point.

 

I also wanted to give just a quick primer on spray painting furniture. I’m no expert but I’ve learned a few things over the years.

First choose the correct paint for your project. If it’s metal you’re covering make sure that it says you can use it for metal on the back of the can. If you’re painting wood or plastic…you get the idea.

Next find a good place to paint that’s out of the wind but has good ventilation, such as a garage with the big door open. If you must paint outside, make sure it’s not too windy or humid. Also don’t paint in the direct sun unless you want a crackled look because the top layer will dry faster than the bottom.

Give the piece a  light sanding and wipe it down with a soft rag. You’ll need primer if it’s a particularly shiny surface or if it’s raw wood or metal.

Spray your first coat on lightly after you’ve shaken the can very well. It’s NOT going to cover in one coat and if you try you’ll end up with a drippy mess. Not that this has ever happened to me or anything. Always keep the can moving when you’re spraying. Parking it in one spot too long causes drips.

Above you can see my table with it’s first coat. I waited about twenty minutes before putting on the next one. It took about three light coats. If you do get drips, wipe them off right away and lightly sand before your next coat.

Finish with a spray on polyurethane to protect the finish. If you want to do some sanding (distressing) on the piece, do that first. On wood I also love to use a paste wax finish or a wipe on polyurethane for a hand rubbed look.

That’s it! You’re done.

I’ve also started to play with some mantel ideas.

After taking the picture, I realized that I didn’t like the books at all and it mostly looks boring. I’m also mulling over changing the finish on the mantel. Any suggestions?

In the meantime, I love this for my dining room and I have a piece of furniture right now that I might repurpose for this look.

So stay tuned for the next project or two and eventually, the big reveal!