Sunny Yellow Pinspiration

Doesn’t this picture make you long to paint something yellow?

Source: sunnysblog.typepad.com via Autumn on Pinterest

The second I saw it I knew I needed to add a pop of sunshine into my home. It took me about 8 months, and a few rounds of “honey, look what else I pinned,” but I convinced my husband that our little sideboard would be stunning in yellow.

You may remember it from my furniture switcheroo or perhaps from my quest to hide hideous cords.

I realize the suspense would be heightened if I waited to show you the after pic at the end of the post, but I just can’t wait! I am too impatient. So, here it is! After many, many cans of spray paint…

Isn’t it so happy! Oh yes, it is that bright in person too.

Now if you are interested in the nitty gritty details, this part is for you. The cabinet was a garage sale steal for just $10. I love its lines, though if you look close you’ll see I might have overpaid for it.

It not real wood, just veneer and plywood. This poses a problem when painting. But never fear, spray paint will do the trick! It sticks to everything right?

I have a little obsession with spray paint. I have shared quite a few spray paint projects, some more successful than others (remember my girls numbered clothes bins?).

But ever since I pinned those lovely yellow drawers, it’s the makeover that tops my to do list. And this furniture was definitely a spray paint candidate since the spray action helps you tackle those hard to reach crevices.

I set up a “spray painting station” in my parents’ garage (they have far more space for tackling diy projects). My first step was to get to work with a primer spray paint.

Two cans of primer barely covered the sideboard. I should have run to the store to get more primer but I was too anxious to bother. I wanted to get that sunny yellow started!

I quickly realized that it was going to take a lot more spray paint than I thought!

4 cans of sunny yellow in, my weekend was over and only a half done piece of furniture to show for it. Time to leave the spray paint studio at my parents for the cramped quarters of my home balcony.

It was here that I realized my choice to skimp on the primer was really costing me. I should have lathered it on. The yellow paint was being sucked right into the veneer. I kept adding more and more paint but I could never get a smooth surface.

After letting the paint dry for 2 days, I brought it inside. Even after that time to cure, it was still sticky. Too many coats of spray paint. Sigh, just when I thought I was a spray painting pro.

I’ll be the first to admit, the top of the cabinet looks terrible. A picture can’t even do it justice. But since I was determined to make lemonade out of my lemon colored cabinet makeover, I made a little table runner out of leftover paint and canvas drop cloth. It is the perfect thing to cover up all the blemishes. And the pop of color definitely still makes me smile.

Spray painting lessons

• don’t skimp on the primer. Next time I would even roll it on.
• spray painting a large piece of furniture is not worth it for the cost of multiple cans of paint.
• apply lighter coats with more time in-between each coat

I know you pros out there could have told me all of that right from the start, like if I had seen this post from All Things Thrifty with her desk completed covered with her Klitz spray primer. I suppose sometimes you have to live it to learn it.

What are your spray painting insights?