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<\/a>It’s always Tea Time with this sweet hand painted table.<\/p><\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 There’s just something special about hand painted children’s furniture. \u00a0Whenever I have an opportunity to paint a unique piece that will be used in a baby nursery or child’s playroom, I feel like I’m using the gifts God gave me to the fullest potential. \u00a0Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE painting children’s wall murals, but they eventually get painted over as the child grows. \u00a0Hand painted children’s furniture, on the other hand, is passed on to the next child or the next generation. \u00a0Just the thought of that makes my heart happy!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 I’ve never actually worked on a brand new piece of furniture, although you can easily buy unfinished furniture and paint it to your liking. \u00a0Most of the stuff I’ve painted is a hand-me-down or thrift store find that is in need of some TLC. \u00a0That makes it even more rewarding for me, because I know most young parents are just starting out and can’t afford fine furniture. But with a good sanding, some wood putty, and a few strokes of a paint brush, you can take something inexpensive and turn it into something that will be treasured.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Just look at these sweet little rocking chairs and see the transformation.<\/span><\/p>\n Before: This rocking chair was just very basic, not to mention, very scratched.<\/p><\/div>\n AFTER: Now this rocking chair is ALL GIRL!<\/p><\/div>\n BEFORE: It was just a bit worn and a little too purple & checkerboard-y.<\/p><\/div>\n AFTER: Now it’s sweet, toned down and has a personalized touch.<\/p><\/div>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 When it comes to hand painted children’s furniture, one of my all-time favorite projects is the Tea Time play table posted at the top of this blog. \u00a0I liked it so much, in fact, that I painted another one just like it. \u00a0(The flowers are slightly different.) \u00a0This one came with two chairs. \u00a0I found the set at a garage sale. \u00a0They were asking $20, but I talked them down to $15. \u00a0Clearly, I HAVE NO SHAME! \u00a0But I get an adrenaline rush with every bargain I find. \u00a0Plus, it makes for a much better story when you tell people what you paid.<\/span><\/p>\n BEFORE: This table set had been painted twice before & was pretty beat up. But at $15 it was a steal!<\/p><\/div>\n AFTER: It’s Tea Time once again. Even the chairs get painted seat cushions.<\/p><\/div>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 If you have a baby coming, and you want to paint some furniture, just do it well before the baby arrives. (At least 2 months before the due date.) You don’t want the smell of paint filling the baby nursery, and paint takes 30 days to cure. \u00a0So again, the sooner, the better, and that goes especially for cribs, like the one below. \u00a0Originally, it was a dark wood finish when it belonged to a baby boy, but once the ultrasound confirmed he was getting a baby sister, mom wanted a more shabby chic crib. \u00a0With no money to buy a new one, I sanded it down, added a wooden applique, and then painted over the entire thing.<\/span><\/p>\n BEFORE: Nothing wrong with it, but mom didn’t want the dark wood anymore.<\/p><\/div>\n After sanding the crib, I glued on a wooden applique to give it a sweeter touch.<\/p><\/div>\n AFTER: I was going to distress it to give it a shabby chic look, but it looked so nice, I left it like this.<\/p><\/div>\n Here’s the applique up close. After it was painted, you couldn’t tell it wasn’t original to the crib.<\/p><\/div>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 As I peruse through my photos, these are amongst the ones that bring me great joy. \u00a0By hand painting children’s furniture, in a small way, I’ve helped set the stage for a precious and all-too-brief period in a child’s life.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>