Fun With Spray Paint

I could probably write a thousand posts about spray paint.  And I probably will, as I run out of ideas.  I've touched on this a bit already.  When you're out shopping around for decorative items, scouring those clearance bins and garage sales, be on the lookout for item whose "bones" appeal to you.  That is, don't overlook something because of the color, or even damage to the item, necessarily.  If it's cheap enough, it's worth spray painting.  Once you've decided on some accent colors for your space, pick up a few cans of spray paint in those colors--they will definitely come in handy. Your local craft store will have a much better color selection, so if you're looking to accent with bright colors, you'll need to check there, but if you're looking to accent with brown, black, white, etc.  Home Depot has a bunch of colors, and they also carry spray paint in metallic finishes, hammered finishes, and spray paints designed to adhere to any surface, even plastic.

My old refrain about courage and cheapness making decorating easy definitely applies here.  Whether this item is something you have and hate, or something you bought on the cheap, you're losing nothing by spray painting it.  Look at it this way:  If you own it and it's not your style, aren't you more likely to enjoy it once you've made it your own?  I recently inherited a complete bedroom set in an antique-y style cherry finish.  While my bedroom is more traditional than the rest of the house, cherry wood is most definitely not my style.  Should I have turned it down?  Well, being that I've had my own place for over 23 years now and never owned a bedroom set, that seemed silly.  Should I have accepted it and, knowing what quality, expensive furniture it was, left it alone and silently despised it?  Not bloody likely!  While my mother was horrified, I spray painted the entire set black, which gives it a, while still traditional, more Pottery Barn-esque look.  It's my furniture now.  It might be a crime to spray paint expensive furniture, but it's mine, and I should enjoy it.  I will likely use this furniture for the rest of my life, so who cares if I've devalued it with paint?  Truly quality furniture (solid wood) can always be stripped of paint, anyway.  Or, if I change my color scheme later, I can paint right over it again.  I also have massive paranoia about adding too much to landfills, so the idea of repurposing something, rather than throwing it away and getting something new really sits well with me.

Spray painting furniture, while faster and easier than painting with a brush, is probably not the best method for furniture that sees a lot of action, such as a chest of drawers, since it will show nicks and marks more easily, so if you do it, be sure to give it a couple of good coats of spray poly on top.  Spray painting decorative items is a piece of cake.  I've even seen quite a bit on Pinterest lately about spray painting glass items.  I'll have to give that a shot and get back to you on it.

Here's a list (not comprehensive by far) of things I've dared to spray paint:

-Bedroom set

-Picture frames (when I've changed the accent colors in a room

- Baskets
-A wooden clock

-Decorative finials

-Faux flowers (sprayed them silver and white for Christmas decorations and dipped a few in glitter while the pain was still wet, too)
-Bookshelves
-Piano bench (I brush painted the piano, much to my mother's horror, once again)
-Light fixtures

-Wooden and metal candlesticks
-Wicker (that plastic-wicker) patio furniture
-My patio (using a homemade brick template)

-My metal outdoor fireplace (You can kind of see it on the far right of the above photo)
-Dried palm leaves & pinecones
-Entire Christmas decorations that no longer went with my decor
-Record albums (silver, used as decoration in my son's rock and roll themed room)

And the list goes on...
Grab a can and go for it!