5 Things You Didn't Know You Could Paint

The warm weather means lots of outdoor projects around the house. One easy and inexpensive home improvement project you can accomplish during the summer months is to paint something. But that doesn't only have to mean your walls. Here are five items you probably didn't know you could paint. All guaranteed to add some fun and color to your home either indoors or out.

Laminate Furniture

Often you see laminate furniture in thrift stores and although it's not real wood, that doesn't mean it can't get a makeover. Be sure to use a bonding primer after you lightly sand the piece and you can use any furniture paint like normal on laminate furniture. I painted this cabinet in a light gray color and turn it into a bar for our dining room. See my painted laminate cabinet here.

Upholstered Furniture

Some furniture comes with a wood "trim". I picked up this mint colored chair and matching ottoman at a thrift store and gave it a facelift. I had it professionally cleaned and taped off the trim to give it a coat of white to lighten it up. Here is another example where you'll use an oil based or bonding primer to make sure it will adhere to the glossy surface of the wood, but it can be painted over. See my painted chair and ottoman here.

Builder-grade Bathroom Vanities

You know the ones, those generic cabinets made into a vanity. They come in common wood types and although they look inexpensive, they are expensive to replace. You can paint these too. And in fewer steps than you think. I used lightly watered down chalk paint for the vanity in our upstairs bathroom and sealed it with two coats of polycrylic. Since chalk paint doesn't need primer, you'll save time making over a vanity. It held up very well and completely transformed the room. See my painted bathroom vanity here.

Fabric

Did you know you could paint fabric? All you have to do is add textile medium, which is found at most craft stores, and off you go. Always put a plastic drop cloth under your project to prevent it from getting on the surface below. In the fall I decorate a lot of tables, so I make a table runner with some Shape Tape and gold metallic paint. See my Painted Table Runner.

Posters

This is one you probably didn't think of either. Recently I made over a piece of "art" that I picked up off the curb. I seem to be collecting these thin metal frames, I like them a lot, and this one's insides needed a boost. So I tried cutting vinyl on my Silhouette and it worked. The art got a personalized update and I love it. If you don't have a cutting machine, try out some masking tape or painter's tape and don't be afraid to paint paper. See how to paint a poster here.

And don't forget any item you pick up off the shelves at a thrift store or at a garage sale can be spray painted. They make so many colors and types of paint these day so let your imagination be the limit. And if you have any painting questions, I'd love to answer them in the comments.

Find more trend alerts and home decor inspiration at Decor Adventures.