Color is great, I completely agree, so is upcycling and refurbishing antiques. But if you have vintage furniture with natural woodgrain, painting over it completely downgrades its beauty in a way you can never get back.
There’s a very common trend going around of painting stunning wooden furniture matte white, and while we love to support creativity in DIY, there are some things you should think twice before doing.
White furniture will get old while woodgrain never will.
Woodgrain is rich, warm, multi-dimensional, and outlasts any trend. Painted furniture, especially white painted furniture, is a trend that quickly gets old and runs the risk of looking chintzy.
Though there are ways to paint furniture that doesn’t completely cover up its character and history, covering the whole thing in white is not one of them.
Why experiment on vintage furniture when you could instead not?
Though little bits of the old wood peek through in a “shabby-chic” effect, it certainly isn’t enough to rectify the unfortunate DIY situation.
We can fully understand experimenting with your own tastes on cheap modern furniture, but doing so on something vintage is another story entirely.
It was beautiful… before the paint was added.
This stunning piece of craftsmanship used to be absolutely drool-worthy… before someone made the unfortunate decision to paint over the whole thing.
Instantly taking the piece from “belongs in a palace” to “belongs in a flea market”, the coat of paint makes the dresser look so much cheaper than it did originally.
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How to make a dresser’s history completely disappear.
Looking like someone completely dunked a vintage dresser into a tub of paint, this final “refurbished” design completely erases any and all character the old piece of furniture may have had.
Blending into the white of the wall behind it, the coat of white paint makes the dresser all but disappear. Not even leaving the handles their original color, any trace of natural wood is gone, along with any trace of the dresser’s history.
If you must paint, meet the dresser half way.
If you’re still fixed on painting over vintage furniture, consider trying something like North Peace Upcycle did with this cupboard.
Instead of covering all of the natural wood, use the paint as an accent to complement the piece, showcasing the beautiful grain while still adding a “modern” flare. You may find that pairing back actually amplifies the beauty of the design!
Thoughts, anyone?
What do you think, should vintage furniture be held on to and appreciated? Have you had it with the “paint it all white” trend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
