I‘ve had this adorable little table for a long time. Lately it has just been hanging out in a garage waiting to be loved again. {Don’t worry, table, I’ve never stopped loving you. You just haven’t worked anywhere I needed you. You deserved to be someplace special.}
I actually bought this table about 15 years ago, right off the truck of an antique dealer during our neighborhood’s annual garage sale. I paid the guy too much money, but I loved this little table. It was perfect in my tiny little English living room. It was well used and loved for many years.
But, when I moved to “the big house” it was too tiny for my rooms. So, it sat. Sad and lonely. And when we moved to this house, it didn’t fit in to the look I was going for. So it sat again. Lonely and blue.
Until this weekend.
When I decided on a whim a couple of weeks ago to move my leather ottoman to my family room (you know how those whims go) my living room was left in need of a coffee table. I thought about this sad little table which had now become a surface for garage junk. Yet, the sad little coffee table was no longer as pretty as it once was. Its worn wood top and dark orange wood finish just didn’t suit me any longer.
What to do with a lonely and blue coffee table?
I could have painted it white. Or gray. Or black. Or even teal. But being the decorating rebel that I am, I risked it all and painted it bright BLUE.
Boat blue by Valspar (interior satin), to be exact!
It is BLUE and I LOVE IT!
I know, all wood furniture lovers are going to hate me for painting it. I think my husband almost had a heart attack. But remember, I love wood furniture and have several gorgeous wood pieces in my home. I just don’t like too much wood or too many kinds of wood in one space. And if it is in poor shape and ready for a makeover, I am willing to take a paint brush to wood in order to fall in love with it all over again.
Better a painted table you adore than a wood one you keep because you feel obligated, but you don’t really love at all.
The little table is no longer lonely and blue. Now it is well-loved and a beautiful shade of blue.
Are you brave enough to do what you love?
What holds you back?
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Twitter: forloveorfunny
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So cute! I’m seriously considering painting one of my tables yellow, of all things. After seeing you “new” blue table, I’m feeling a bit more courageous!
Lynn from For Love or Funny recently posted..Does Prince Charming carry rope in his leotard
I LOVE IT!! I love the blue! I love that you painted it! It was looking (no offense!) kinda ‘old lady’ wood tone before…you know, the furniture that all of our grandmothers used to have in their houses before being your own decorator was ok!
Kristi recently posted..Last Summer Project!
I love it so much! The two pieces in my house I really want to paint I am not allowed to paint. They are both heirlooms and I would be disowned. BUT I do want to and have wanted paint my armoire forever. What’s holding me back? All the cords that I have to untangle to empty it.
No excuses! Nester doesn’t take her appliances out to paint, and you don’t have to either! Check out this link:
http://www.thenester.com/2010/08/painting-pine-furniture.html
Love the blue! The contrast against your floor shows off her pretty lines. Great job.
Madigan at madiganmade recently posted..Sweet thanks
You are brave but it is very cute!
Gayle recently posted..The Little Rascals
I love the blue but then I LOVE painted furniture. Come see my blog and see for yourself!
Carol in GA
Carol recently posted..Behind drawer number 1
love that you painted it what you wanted to!!!
it looks great…..and I love the details in the room…the little burlap beauty hanging over the small ottoman and the trunk underneath the coffee table…
gorgeous room!
OKAY! “It’s” RED for me! Because…we can. franki
LOVE the blue … i’m always up for change – in fact, i LOVE change and embrace it wholeheartedly. the problem, it’s called a husband. =) but he’s not a problem – i’ve learned it’s all about the timing and the approach i use to change furniture. =) i’m on a journey of making my home, well, my home – with my stamp and personality on it … took awhile to begin the process but now that i’m in it, wa-hoo. loving figuring out who i am, in the decorating sense, that is! your blog is lovely! just re-stumbled upon it recently. i’ve moved it up my list of faves.
Alysa recently posted..Today At The Lake
Looks perfect. I love the shape & that you were bold enough to make this move!
Julie recently posted..Abbys Room Reveal
BRAVO
it looks amazing. and i wish i was that brave.
sheri recently posted..Eye Candy
It looks great! Works so well against the rug. Which I love. And the small suitcase underneath is very cute too. It sort of connects it all together, if that makes sense! I have painting to do myself. Hoping for better weather.
Anita recently posted..Pottery Barn Finial Knock Offs
Oh, I love the blue! It really brings out all the little details and is a wonderful compliment to the browns and naturals around it. Just perfect! And so much better that being ignored in the garage. I agree, be brave and surround yourself with what you love!!!
This is such a timely post! I have been looking at a little coffee table that I purchased years ago for only $6. It was adorable and imperfect and a medium wood stain color… not too dark, not too light, but it is just sitting here. One never notices it, it doesn’t stand out, and it looks like an old, sad table. I have been wanting to paint it white and after seeing this post, I think I will paint it in just a few weeks! It will look lovely on the new dark wood flooring we will be installing. Thank you!
Lana recently posted..Soldier Unknown continues
Oh, and I forgot to mention ~ your “new” blue table is gorgeous!
Lana recently posted..Soldier Unknown continues
Fantastic work! I always have that issue with the old furniture but it obviously has to come to an end! The color you chose is amazing! It makes the table look very artistic and stylish!
Eleni recently posted..Crispy grays
This is nice to see. I’ve been debating the past couple of days about a little desk of mine. It’s a lovely little desk, but the wood has been gone from the top since high school. My mom first put it in my room and covered it with photos and a sheet of glass. Then it got marbleized pink when I got married. More recently, it receive a dark red paint job on top and has been to college with my oldest, but it doesn’t meet her needs anymore. I have it back and no place to put it. I’m seriously thinking white—all over this time—and in my room. Or maybe a blue since I want my room full of blues!
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I guess I am in the minority here…not that having a blue table is bad, but I am one who would not have painted that table.
For me the thing I would do is sell the piece to someone who appreciated its original look. Having acquaintances in the antique biz I have learned that so many true antiques have value with their original finish, so I personally won’t randomly paint stuff.
Now a factory made newer piece that needed new life…whole other story
Good for you! It’s very unique and I love it!
marsha recently posted..wish you were here!
I had a brave streak this week too and ended up with some great new blue.
Love your table.
Joanna recently posted..Hot Glazed Furniture and Donuts Both good
I love it, Melissa. The detailing really stands out.
The color you chose is great.
Becky K.
Becky K. recently posted..It is Just Too Beautiful
I love it, a great shape and the blue is awesome.
laurie recently posted..The news around here
totally agree word for word! Better to love it like this and it looks awesome!!! Last week my son spilled coffee all over the first table my hubby ever bought (large round side table), and when I was done cleaning it all up I decided to paint it! He came home and loved it! But, at first he was like, oh, that was the first piece I ever bought. You gotta break the rules and get over the sentiments sometimes! Melissa, you have taught me that and inspire me over and over!!!
Thanks for the morning high of a beautiful piece to drool over!
Mary Jean recently posted..Follow up to the Board and Batten ProjectTutorial
I love your new blue table! Blue is my favorite color!
great job
gail
gail recently posted..How to make a small porch post red
I had a brave streak myself this week and ended up with a little miss blue. Love your table.
Joanna recently posted..Hot Glazed Furniture and Donuts Both good
A very bold move, but a lesser decision couldn’t have done it the justice. Completely the ticket the little blue table was looking for!!! Now sitting so proudly & well deserved. We completely love it
thanks so much for sharing x
A bold move indeed but a less brave decision would not have sufficed! That was completely the ticket your little blue table was lookig for. It now sits so proudly and deservedly so
We absolutely love it!! Thanks so much for sharing x
I grew up in a house full of antiques (which as a kid who wanted to hang TigerBeat pics on my walls kind of irked) but, now, I have rather fond memories of all of those pieces. It wasn’t because my mother was an enthusiast but, rather, because we grew up in New England in a couple hundred year old home and we got things from garage sales and flea markets. Hey, when your dad is a postal history dealer and you have your towns original post office set up in his office, you’re NOT going to find a lot of brand, spanking new furniture hanging around.
Some pieces had the original finish, some were stripped and refinished/recaned, and some were painted. While people might find the idea of painting antiques offensive, I don’t. These were pieces that had continued life and vitality because they had been repurposed and, yes, even repainted. My great-great grandmother’s old chair had numerous layers of paint to it but it added to the charm and to the personal memories because it reflected how each generation of women in my family had used and loved that chair. Did we make it lose monetary value? Probably. Yet, the idea of selling that to someone else who could appreciate it’s original finish doesn’t even compare to the love that the women in my family have had for that piece in all of its various colors.
So, Melissa, bravo for making this piece something that you love again because, quite frankly, unless it was a fancy-pants piece or a one-of-a-kind representation, the true value in it is how you enjoy it.
LOVE THIS! Exactly. I love that I still have this piece my kids remember from their childhood but now it is something they ADORE. It has a fun new youthful appearance but it is still a treasure to us!!
I love blue!! And I love that you decided to go for it!
So I am asking myself…what do I want to do, and what is holding me back??? I want to reclaim my sunporch. What is holding me back is time. But my girls will both be gone soon and Bubba will start school too, and I will be bored!! Perfect time to take back the porch!!
Fiona Sanders recently posted..Easy Deep Dish Blackberry Pie
I am on of the guilty of painting wood. I love to paint it white and pink and gray and all kinds of colours! My husband was originally dead set against this, but more recently he seems to have changed his ways. I’ll catch him looking at a dresser or table and he’ll say: “maybe we should paint this white….?” It does seem I’ve converted him! Our most recent paint job: a dresser/change table that I pulled from someone’s garbage in a rush of adrenaline! I put it in the car all be myself, but when I got home it was way too heavy to pull it out! Must have been the thrill of the find!
Kate
katevp recently posted..Getting ready for baby
I love it, really, really love it… Great job!
Rachael recently posted..Bungalow
Love that shade of blue, I have a kitchen islandi painted a similar color then glazed over it. I agree with you 100% about painting wood, finished wood is beautiful, but if you don’t love it then paint it.
Very Bohemian Melissa
I would have painted it a bright orange lacquer after visiting this hotel and seeing all of their chippendale pieces painted orange 
http://www.mansiononforsythpark.com/photo_gallery/photo_gallery.asp
check out the 700 Drayton Restaurant views
Roberta recently posted..The 21 Challenge 2010- Days 9- 10- 11- 12- 13 & 14- Happy Dance
Love the orange chests, AMAZING statement they make!!
Two words-LOVE IT !!!!
I love that you felt the freedom to paint this little table. And I just love the boldness of choosing blue. It is now a table that captures attention and creates an emotion – I think a happy one!
I’ve always believed that the true beauty of any piece of furniture is that the owner loves the way it looks. I think your table is beautiful!
I love it Melissa! Bravo for doing what you love!!
I just recently painted my white dining room chairs mismatched colors. Two of my chairs I left white, two of the chairs I painted red, I painted two chairs light blue, and the last two chairs dark blue. I don’t usually do anything so bold. Most of my furniture is wood toned or white painted, but I wanted to add some cheer to my dining room and to the house. The look may not be for everyone, but I love it! And that is all that matters.
Hope you have a great week!
Beth.
beth recently posted..August happenings
Wow! You absolutely made the right choice for that table. Now I have my grandfather’s toolbox all original finish, but looking like the dickens. I’m wondering…just wondering…
Vee recently posted..My Father Says
What a fabulous color and yes, when it comes to paint–I pretty much just go for it. I am not sure why wood is so prized, by men especially!
Becky recently posted..Bow-Wow!
I painted a very old, antique chest of my grandmother’s into an aqua blue. I use it as an art table for my daughter. It’s been a bit shocking, but I love it!
Missy June recently posted..What to do When its Hot
I love to paint wood too….the blue is perfect. I have a buffet that I’m getting ready to paint “teal” my hd thinks I’m crazy.
Thanks for sharing….you always make us feel like we can do it too.
Happy Day
teresa recently posted..Childrens study-
Yummy! LOVE it! You give me courage to paint things that I’ve been afraid to
Twitter: gardenhomeparty
says:
Melissa,
You are brave but I love it. The blue brings out the details and makes it more like a piece of art rather than just a table. Great idea!
Karen
Love love love this! I agree–if the wooden piece of furniture is in bad shape, give it new life with paint! I painted my teeny entry way table and a wooden chair (which is used as a plant stand) an antique aqua blue. Both were cheap buys and the wood was terrible. And now they add life to my living room!
Well, I love it! ROCK on!
Sheila
I totally agree – if you want a bold color, go bold!! Too much wood is boring, a color adds personality. I did the same thing with a lovely wood jewelry armoire I own. As-is it was fine but I wanted it to make a statement, so sunshine yellow it became. And I LOVE it!!
Check it out here:
http://mylife-bydesign.blogspot.com/2010/07/buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz_15.html
I love it! I don’t know what holds me back. Fear of more work and money maybe? I love painted furniture, but it takes me far too long to pick a color. I try to make everything fit together, and then I give up.
Nikki recently posted..Isabellas First Birthday
Love it! So pretty! Glad you painted it and can love it again!
Jessica recently posted..Nicey Jane and a Nicey Giveaway
Twitter: penningtonpoint
says:
Blue paint makes everything better. Like chocolate.
Lisa~
Lisa~ recently posted..We Love Grandpa!
Good for you, Melissa! I’m dying to paint a piece of furniture something other than black or white {although, I did do brown on chairs at last years Procrastinator Party}. I’d love to do a grey or a green, but it has to be the right piece. I’m going backwards I think ~ I’ve got the colors but not the pieces I want to paint!
Kathy recently posted..Blog Design Giveaway
I love how unexpected the blue is with the classic lines of the table. It looks great! Good for you for doing what you love not “following the rules.” Who made those rules anyway?!
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