Taking risks in life are often defining moments whether they are big or small. Two of my rules in life are to take risks in fashion and at least with one aspect of a room when designing it. Many people like to have artwork be their object to showcase in a room and I have done that as well, but when planning to decorate a hallway sometimes you need to be a little more creative to actively “own” this space.
I have a rulebook that I proverbially break out when shopping at secondhand furniture stores in terms of the two types of furniture that I look for. Rule #1: If the furniture is in good condition and has a unique history that it wears proudly never tamper with its integrity by renovating it. Rule #2: If the furniture is the right price, has seen better days, and is salvageable in terms of renovation purchase it and have fun with it. DIY furniture renovation is a hobby that is often learned through a trial and error basis so my best advice is that you do your research about how you want your piece to look and start with a small piece or a simple piece to test your abilities. My favorite medium to use to give my thrifty finds a makeover is chalk paint. When I first did my research on chalk paint it seemed almost too good to be true. I, however, was still hesitant, but after using chalk paint it is certifiably fool proof. I love how many different colors it comes in and how nicely it covers the furniture. If you want the piece to have a more vintage look you can always experiment with stains to give the chalk paint an aged effect and/or lightly rough up the furnitures edges with sandpaper. The piece is a blank canvas so have no fear and have fun with it.
I purchased the table pictured for $20.00 at a local thrift shop. I wanted an attention grabbing color since I planned on putting the table in my upstairs hallway. After going to my local craft store and looking at their selection of chalk paints, I decided to go with a bright green color labeled “Irish” and used the brand Folk Art Chalk Paint .On the front drawers I used a decoupage map and changed the dated hardware on the drawer with handles from Home Depot. See the link in text to check out the chalk paint brand that I used and to explore the selection of colors.
Before
After
Beckomingahome 