Transform Forgotten Furniture With Paint (NAPSA)—Asthe “trash to treasure” design craze sweeps the nation, homeowners are saying “please pass me the pass-me-down furniture.” Once banished to the home’s dark corners, these cast- aways are becoming artful showpieces, as do-it-yourselfers discover that furniture’s true beauty is layers deep—in layers and layers of newpaint colors and designs. “People want to fall, and stay, in love with home furnishings— not toss them away,” explains Bar- bara Richardson, director of color marketing for Glidden. “The key is to put your own special beauty mark on each piece, and reveal your personality in the design. A fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest and most dramatic ways to accomplish this.” Richardson suggests following these quick and easy design steps to transform “something old” into “something new” again: Step 1: Hunt for hidden treasure—Instead of hitting the local flea markets, open your eyes to the forgotten treasures in your own home. A stained or scratched dresser, or a table that doesn’t match the rest of your decor, can be revived with a painless facelift. Also look for paintable objects that can be brought back to life with a different, creative application—a statue can evolve into the base of a new lamp and a lamp can evolve into a bookend. Step 2: Prepare your canvas— After you’ve chosen your piece, lightly wash it in a mild solution of soap and water. Apply two undercoats of paint in a neutral color such as Glidden’s “Antique White,” and allow to dry. This You can transform castaway furniture into stylish showpieces with only a fresh coat of paint and little creativity. neutral background preps the canvas for bolder colors and decorative elements. Step 3: Organize your color palette—Before painting, plan your color scheme. To find just the right color, determine how you want a room to feel—bold and dramatic, bright and airy, or perhaps tranquil and subtle. Experts at Glidden make the selection process easier by grouping “gotogether” paint colors by mood. For a professionallook, just select your color combinations from a specific mood group like Calm, Warm,Vibrant or Fresh. Step 4: Get artistic—If you’ve chosen to paint a solid color, your canvasis ready. Just remember to finish with a topcoat. If you feel like getting even more creative, there are endless options for expressing your personal style. For instance, boldly colored stripes make an especially strong statement. To achieve this look, apply a primer to the furniture and let dry. Then divide the piece into stripes of various widths, using a ruler and a pencil. Stick low-tack masking tape along your pencil lines to mask areas, and then paint in a variety ofcolors. Step 5: Add the finishing touches—For extra design flair, decoupage favorite photos or even colorful leftover paint chips to the surface and finish with a topcoat or sealer to protect the glued paper. Experiment with decorative stamps in similar patterns to a room’s existing decor. Or, to let your new furniture really shine, dangle distinctive silver or gold charms around the edges to create a unique frame for your new piece of “art.”
