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Never Paint a Piano Yellow

by | May 4, 2011 | Color, Decorating Inspiration

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Never Paint a Piano Yellow

Yellow piano from Bake @ 350, yes, she must be a wild woman.

Yellow Piano

Never paint a piano yellow, “they” would probably say.

Unless you are a wild woman.

Painting a piano yellow means living life on the edge.

It is dangerous. Rebellious.


Probably something we shouldn’t talk about in public.


Certainly not something we should admit to doing lest “they” don’t like it.

*Your home is a place to express who you really are or who you want to be.

*It is a place to feel rejuvenated,  to brighten up what can be a very dark world.

*It is a place to celebrate blessings with joy,

*a safe haven to find a song in the storms,

*and definitely a place to play a happy tune on a yellow piano.

So go ahead and run wild with those inner yearnings to paint your piano yellow.
Throw caution to the wind and buy quirky metal cafe chairs if they make you smile.
Paint an antique table blue so you can fall in love with it all over again.

These are NOT the most deadly sins. I promise.
It is your home. Live life in it to the full and rebel all you want.

*disclaimer: as always, use common sense when painting anything of value that you may want to sell, and if you are a musician, research painting instruments prior to deciding to paint them. For the rest of us who own thrift store instruments or furniture we don’t like, paint away without worry.


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57 Comments

  1. Emily

    I love this post and the message behind it.

    Thanks Melissa!

    xo

    Reply
  2. Deanna

    Why do we worry what others will think? It plagues us all, but we should just live to please the Lord and our families in our lives and by extension our homes!

    Great post!

    Reply
  3. Wendi

    I had a neighbor in Minnesota that had a bright red piano in her living room! I always loved that thing!

    Reply
  4. maggie

    Good message! I love that piano. If I had a piano that color I would learn to play it!!

    Reply
  5. Kerri

    I just LOVE this post! Next time I’m reluctant to take a decorating risk, I’ll think of that gorgeous yellow piano!

    Reply
  6. Neal Morgan

    I’m with you kid, painting pianos yellow! whatever next? teens will be wearing PJ’s to school, Businessmen going without a tie on a Friday. where will it end. Structured and disciplined lives are what keeps us one step ahead of the animals. Magnolia rules and piano’s should all be black unless you are Elton John or the queen mother. :)
    Great post, thanks for sharing

    Reply
  7. Lisa

    Melissa, thank you for encouraging others to do what makes them happy and stop worrying so much about what’s right or wrong or what others will think! I think so many people are stuck for that exact reason!

    Reply
  8. Vee

    Okay, one must exercise caution with antique furniture because painting it will destroy its value. It will. Ask me how I know. If one doesn’t care about that aspect, I think that a yellow piano looks fine and a bit dandy, too.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Of course we want to always use common sense. If you own a valuable instrument or piece of history, proceed at your own risk ;-)

      Reply
  9. Franki Parde

    YESSSSSSSS! franki

    Reply
  10. IAMSNWFLAKE

    Advice and recipes should be taken as general knowledge and then adapted to your personality, your style and your health. Each and everyone of us is unique in its own way.

    Reply
  11. Mary Beth

    I love the yellow piano…just beautiful! I bought some wooden chairs at a yard sale last year….I recently bought a can of hot pink spray paint and a can of baby blue…I plan on painting those puppies as soon as I get some dry, warm weather here…one for me and one for my husband. ; )

    Reply
  12. Lynn from For Love or Funny

    I never would have thought of painting a piano yellow…until I saw yours! It’s cheerful and pretty!

    Reply
  13. bridget {bake at 350}

    You.Made.My.Day. :) (And I can’t wait to tell my husband that I’m a Wild Woman!!!)

    Reply
  14. ~B.

    I absolutely love this! What wise words and a great reminder to stay true to what we love and not worry what others will think! LOVE that!

    Reply
  15. Sandy

    Love the yellow and love Bridget … fun post today, Melissa!

    Reply
  16. FairfieldHouse

    I love the look of the yellow piano and your message. However, if you actually play the piano you may want to consider that painting it can change its sound. The wood that is used to build a piano determines what it will sound like because different woods carry sound vibrations differently. Painting it can change the vibrations or dull the sound.

    Your Friend,
    Deborah

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Good advice, yes, musicians of course will want to research before painting their instruments.

      For the rest of us who buy $99 pianos at thrift stores or have furniture sitting around that we don’t use and aren’t worried about selling for monetary value, this message is for them: paint without worry.

      Reply
  17. Lacey

    I have a nekked bookshelf that is screaming yellow! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  18. Marilyn Holeman

    Laughing out loud with this post! Thanks for sharing. Love your blog!

    Blessings,
    Marilyn

    Reply
  19. Becky

    LOVE that piano….do you think it would work my electric piano?? (kidding.) :)

    Reply
  20. amy cornwell

    I love this! And, now I want to paint my piano yellow, or apple green, ;) Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  21. Kim

    I LOVE your piano! It makes me happy just looking at it!

    Reply
  22. Lanell

    YEA for the yellow piano. It looks awesome. I have an 1890 piano or something like that, and it is cherry wood. I hate the color. This is fantastic! Would pink be ok? Just kidding. Yours looks wonderful.

    Reply
  23. Peg

    THANKS for speaking that!!! LOVE IT!!
    That yellow piano just makes me smile, smile, smile! :)
    All the best!

    Reply
  24. Genevieve

    What a great statement! And a great welcome at the front door! How could anyone keep from smiling at that bold beautiful piano!

    Genevieve

    Reply
  25. Charisma

    Thank you for these quotes!! They make me feel good :). Sometimes I struggle with being into interiors as I know they are material objects, but I think God put these things here as an outlet for us. Some people need to feel creative and it relieves stress for them when they are “creating” something, even if it is a ‘look’ or ‘feel’ in their home.

    Reply
  26. lylah ledner

    Melissa…I love this post! You go woman! Sorry I haven’t stopped by to say hello in a while….busy farming the desert and creating sanctuary in new places…and getting ready for baby goats to be born…soon!

    xoxo lylah

    Reply
  27. Connie

    My husband is a Registered Piano Technician. We have painted several pianos to make them more marketable after he does the instrument rebuilding, etc.

    BUT…there IS a right way to paint them so that all the interior parts are not damaged. Believe me…we’ve seen that and if you actually DO play the piano, you do NOT want to mess up the actual instrument with paint improperly applied.

    Not every one knows how to disassemble a piano….in fact after watching my husband do it countless times in the past 22 years of his business, I don’t know how to do it myself.

    The fun part about painting one is that it can be any color that floats your boat! A family came to see/play a piano my husband was going to rebuild. We knew we were going to paint it. The little girl was SO excited and asked, “Can I have a purple piano?” “Yes, of course!”..we replied. “If the color comes in spray paint, you can have any color you want!” (Yes, we use spray paint. It’s much easier than rolling it on. But you have to know what to cover up in plastic…{hint!})

    Make the piano “yours”! Enjoy it for a beautiful piece in your home, but don’t forget to enjoy it first as an instrument! (I’m a retired music teacher who turned the corner to interior decorator. There is NO such thing as “I’m too old to learn piano” ..or any other thing for that matter. It all has to do with motivation! You CAN do it!)

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Excellent tips and advice!! THANK YOU!!!

      Reply
  28. Monique

    Oh I love this! At first I just read the title. Then I saw the pic and thought, “That doesn’t look bad! I actually like the yellow piano.” Then I read on and saw that you were urging us all to dare to be different and I LOVE it! I’m working on making our home a reflection of our love, faith, personality and REST. :) Thanks for the inspiration. xoxo

    Reply
  29. Shawn

    I love the yellow piano. What a statement in that room! And yes your home should be a reflection of you. This home says happy! :)

    Reply
  30. Kacey

    Fabulous thoughts and worth remembering. Sometimes it’s good to take risks!

    Kacey

    Reply
  31. Traci

    <3 it! Traci

    Reply
  32. Bonnie Mattson

    I love this, Melissa. Every word is true and don’t you love being on the edge when you do something like this wondering will I adore or abhor this when it is done? This lady had a great and fun and whimsical idea and it works! Three cheers for courage and creativity!

    Hope you are dong well! B

    Reply
  33. catherine

    i just painted my piano this past weekend!!!…i was nervous, but it was boring and brown….unfortunately, it now looks like a giant white elephant! have to figure out how to tone it down…my husband is dying to say ‘i told you so’.

    Reply
  34. Kami

    I love her wild and crazy yellow piano! I wan to do the same! What a fun feature, Melissa! Love you both!

    Reply
  35. deb

    You go girl…love it! You are inspiring me to break a few decorating RULES…if there are rules…they were made to be broken!

    Reply
  36. susan

    I absolutely love her yellow “pinnanno” (one of my fave kids’ versions) and saw another gorgeous one in cherry red cpl yrs ago! I am a chicken when it comes to instruments (have some beeyootifully worn old horns of dad&unc, polishing only) but I love the message&you bet if I could find an upright to tune&tinker? I wud paint it! Wud love one in bright turquoise. And *absolutely* wud call musical buds for help. Am tinkering w drawings of dressers&chests to make “armoires” for momma’s treasures I promised to keep,&those will be painted cheerfully&*bright* for sure! Like her smile :)

    Reply
  37. Crystal

    From Pride & Prejudice:
    “They are your trunks… you can pack them anyway you wish… Lady Catherine will never know.”

    Paint it yellow! Lady Catherine will never know your piano is painted yellow ;)

    Reply
  38. polly

    what a dreamy and fabulous hue! i have been struggling lately with “fear of man” and being bold so this post was quite refreshing!
    blessings,

    Reply
  39. Amanda Eck-TheEckLife

    Love this!!! she is a wild woman!! (and I can say that b/c she’s my neighbor!!) p.s. the rest of her house is just as adorable!! :-)

    Reply
  40. Daune

    I love this post! This is our home philosophy. Our piano is painted in many colors! We feather our nest with what ministers to us and brings us joy—funny how it brings others joy, too; even if it is not what they choose to do. :) It blesses everyone who enters when our homes reflect who we are! I’ll have to check out this kindred spirit’s blog. Blessings!

    Reply
  41. domestosgoddess

    Yummy piano and I love the vase on top which reminds me of a cartoon Christmas pudding (in England anyway). I think you’re right, have your home the way you want it, run free with decoration. So long as you are decent and kind in your dealings with others (and I bet you are!) what the heck?

    Reply
  42. jean

    I rather like the yellow piano…looks nice against the color of the walls. People should make their homes the way they feel comfortable in.

    Reply
  43. Sure Fit

    Love The message behind this post… Don’t be afraid of color and express yourself! If you love the color, that’s all that matters. The yellow on the piano is wild but what great character that color brought to the room!

    Reply
  44. Amy {The Idea Room}

    Love this! Everyone should feel free to decorate their home in a way that is pleasing unto them. I love how you put that. And the love the piano and the blue table!!

    Reply
  45. Jenn

    This is such a great sentiment. Of course some of us have a husband who would have an absolute heart attack if we did something like that. . .

    Reply
  46. Elizabeth

    I LOVE this yellow piano!

    Reply
  47. kathy

    This is what I’ve been missing COLOR!!! I have white too but enough already.

    Very nice post. Let’s face it whatever choice you make there will be that one person that will say that isn’t how I would have done it. Getting older is great-I just don’t care anymore :)

    Reply
  48. Carol Adams

    Love your yellow piano… adorable!~ You wild woman, you!~

    Reply
  49. Rob

    I really like this idea. And, of course, the message. I think I may just end up painting our piano yellow. It would match the furniture quite nicely! ;)

    Reply
  50. Lisa~

    I pained our piano last year and I love it! I spoke with several piano tuners and one piano manufacturer and they all assured me it shouldn’t interfere with the quality of the music (we have an average piano, nothing exceptional). I got so much flack from family and friends when I started talking about doing it, but I forged ahead and I am so glad I did.

    Thanks, Melissa, for the encouragement you give us every day to follow our own vision. Lisa~ (I would normally not put a link in a comment, but here’s one to my blue piano if you’d like to see it: http://thepenningtonpoint.com/2010/06/the-painted-piano/)

    Reply
  51. Tim

    “Unless you are a wild woman.”

    Nah… IMHO, that yellow piano looks great in the room.

    And, no, I’m NOT a wild woman. :)

    Cheers

    Reply
  52. Wendy

    I just love the yellow piano! About 18 years ago, I painted my 1881 upright Grand a beautiful dark mustard colour. On the front panel, I did a collage of my children at different stages in their live right down to my last child first meeting with her 5 brothers just 6 hours after she was born. To this day I get so many positive comments about the piano, but mostly about the family history it portrays. I still look at the Pictures and always have such a warm feeling. Especially now that the Baby is off to college this September! And yes, each child knows how to “tinkle” the keys!

    Reply
    • jo

      Well i must be wild too coz im waiting for my paint to arrive and its the same colour.im wanting my piano to be jolly and shine as i do…its a wonferful life ☺☺

      Reply

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