The Great Debate - To Paint Or Not To Paint...

...that is the question.  We've all heard it and/or participated in that debate.  I know I have.  Today's featured flippers have an opinion on it that's one of the best summations I've seen in awhile.  Meet the husband/wife team of Frank and Laura of Milk-Can Maddy.

Laura submitted me this flip and in her email she wrote, "We all have heard the rants and raves from our parents and grandparents about “not painting on good wood!!!”  I realize that some people still have those old beloved pieces that were passed down from family members, but they just don’t fit most modern day décor.  So, they let it sit in a room or garage somewhere collecting dust because they just can’t let it go and it won’t fit their space either.  They’re afraid that painting it would somehow be disrespectful to the old piece.  We decided that it is ALL about perspective folks.  I mean how much respect is being shown for these poor old pieces just sitting in storage somewhere?  Why NOT give those pieces a fresh new look so they can be loved for many more years to come?  After all, for most, these aren’t just pieces of furniture...they’re MEMORIES...a piece of someone’s past and childhood.  They are heirlooms and a blessed glimpse into our history.  Why not breath new life into these pieces so that they can stick around to be loved and appreciated for many years to come?  To be a part of all the memories in the making for our generation and generations ahead.  That’s how we see it and we love helping people keep these oldies but goodies and beloved memories close to them in their homes and in their hearts.  We love transforming these archaic pieces and giving them the well deserved make-over they need to fit today’s spaces and design schemes.  They no longer have to be just an antique...they become ART!"

Well, said Laura!   I (Stephanie) do have to say that the beloved older pieces of furniture I own came from my Grandma Lucy.  One piece is a gorgeous Tiger Oak dining room table that is over 100 years old.  I wouldn't DARE paint it.  But, GRANDMA DID!!!  She did a fake wood grain effect on it it as a matter of fact.  (WHY Grandma? WHY!?  It HAD a nice wood grain ON IT!)  If she answers me back I will jump ten feet in the air.  God rest that wonderful woman's soul.  I miss her daily.  She and I would get into a lot of trouble together but never got caught.  But, that was the furniture fad back in the I Love Lucy Days or some time period before I was on this planet and I Love Lucy became reruns at 4am on the Hallmark Channel.  (Yes, that's the correct time & channel, I'm a fact checker and up then.)  Hard right, back on track...so, I had it stripped back to it's natural wood.  There you go, paint vs. wood people, everything can be painted and everything can be stripped.  Now quit your bickering.

On to the flip.  Frank & Laura found this banged up beauty from the 1800's...

They chose to paint her a Bold Marigold Yellow with Racy Red accents.  They took their inspiration for this color combo from the yellow Tiger Lily flower.  I'm not going to go too much into the steps here.  I'm going to show you the after picture and then you can go visit Milk-Can Maddy's Facebook page and ask them for more details yourself.  Why should I have to do everything?  Plus, this is kind of wordy today with my Grandma Lucy story thrown in there and I know half of you just skim, check out the pictures and click the links anyway.  Well, actually I only know for a fact that ONE of you does that.  (Triple H aka Handsome Handy Husband!)

 

Tada!!!

 

And a close-up...

 

Lovely job.  This table, no longer neglected, is now being loved by it's new owner in it's new home!  Well done Milk-Can Maddy!

Now go meet Frank & Laura on their Milk-Can Maddy Facebook page.  Let them know you saw them on Furniture Flippin'.  

Thanks Laura for submitting your "saved another one from the burn pile" furniture flip!  

Final note:  To my future as yet unborn or even in the works Granddaughter.  I imagine in 40 years that my dining room table will be yours one day.  If you paint it, just know, that forty plus years later, YOUR granddaughter will be stripping it.   Forty plus years after that, HER granddaughter will be painting it.  It's a never ending cycle and that table will outlast ALL of us!  Just don't mess it up!