Sunshine-y Happiness {or the time I painted my coffee table yellow}

You remember my new to me Craigslist coffee table I bought a few weeks ago?

It was just what I was looking for…big, heavy, sturdy, and the fact that it opens up to hold blankets is a huge bonus.

While the color was nice, it was an almost exact match to my flooring, which made it weird.

Besides, I’m trying to add color if you can’t tell by my throw pillows and such.

Off to trusty Pinterest for inspiration I went…

Julie sent me the link to this piece:

Sold.

I particularly liked the idea that I could leave the top of the table unpainted and I liked the distressed look of the turquoise.

Off I went to Home Depot for some bright blue paint.

But, as I perused the rainbow lovely that is the paint chip aisle, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the yellows.

I’ve never painted anything yellow…and I was afraid that with the blue of the table by my front door, the blue wall I just painted in my playroom (tomorrow’s post!) and that there is a lot of aqua detailing in my kitchen, it might start to be a little too matchy-matchy.

Besides, have you seen Lindsey’s yellow dresser?  Love it.

I came home with a pint of Golden Chalice by Behr.

Andy looked at me like I had three eyeballs.

“What’s wrong with yellow?!”

“Nothing I guess.  I just think it might look random…that coffee table isn’t little.  It’s gonna be a lot of yellow in that room.”

True.

But I was the one painting…and stuck repainting if it looked awful…so I took a deep breath and just went for it…

It is a lot of yellow in the room…and it makes me happy.

It really helps tie in all the random pops of color I had sprinkled throughout the room.

I distressed it a little…after all, three kids and two dogs, I might as well just embrace the imperfection and beat them to it.

And truth be told, when it was perfectly yellow it looked more like it belonged in a preschool…sanding away in some spots helped make it feel less toddler and more eclectic home-y.  (I just made that up.  Jealous?)

Adding a basket I had upstairs, some random jars, and flowers from the front yard gave it that finishing touch and helped break up some of the yellow.

So what do you think?

Is the yellow too much for your taste?  Do you have anything yellow in your house?  Whatcha painting next?

 

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jeannett
I'm a mom to four. A wife to one. I believe in story. I love telling you about mine and would love to hear yours. There's really no sense in wasting our suffering and not sharing in each other's joy. We're all in this together...even if it doesn't always feel like it.
jeannett
jeannett

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Comments

  1. 1

    *squeal* love it! I’d be nervous too, but it really does look great!

  2. 2

    LOVE IT!!!
    Perfection. Glad you went with a yellow :)

  3. 3

    LOVE THIS!! I have a coffee table that I want to paint as well (though my colors are reds, dark browns, golds, etc.) and I’m wondering if you can share any tips–did you sand it first, how many coats, do the brush strokes show, etc. :) I know I should just go for it but–eeek!!

    • 4

      I used liquid sandpaper first (highly recommended!)…I think it took 3 coats…the first coat always looks awful and no matter how many times I’ve painted furniture, I always want to cry. It looks THAT bad. But you just keep applying coats and eventually it looks even. I can see some brush strokes (and even a couple of drips!) but I’m a lazy painter. I figure no one is looking that closely to begin with…and my kids will help wear it in anyway. :) I’ve heard that Altar’d has a couple of amazing ebooks that walk you through step by step with lots of pictures…in fact, I’d be smart to buy it myself because I know I’m doing it all wrong!!! http://altard.com/how-to-guides/

  4. 5

    I like it ! Great color choice :)

  5. 6
    Carrie R. says:

    You know I wouldn’t think I would like yellow, but I love it! It’s really great. And I love the distressed look. Great job!

  6. 7

    Oh, I looove the yellow! I think it’s a really great pop – so fun & cheerful! :)

  7. 8

    a dresser for the girls room is my latest project. the drawers are complete (still need poly) and i am working on the outside now. http://thewiedmaierfamily.blogspot.com/2011/08/before-and-after-sneak-peek.html

  8. 9

    LOVE it!! I think I voted for teal…but I’m so glad you didn’t listen to me ;) The yellow is awesome! So cheerful!!! I need to find something to paint….

  9. 10

    Coming from the girl with the kelly green coffee table and yellow bedside table AND the husband who looks at her sideways every time a new color comes into the house…I LOVE your new coffee table. It looks amazing- and the light distressing is just perfect! Bravo. ;)

  10. 11

    I am so happy to see this post. I have been wanting to paint my end tables yellow for some time and my husband thinks it will look terrible.

  11. 12

    It looks awesome! I’ve never thought about painting and doing the distressed look. I love it! :)

  12. 13

    i love the yellow. i would never be brave enough to do that to anything, but it turned out so great!

  13. 14

    I love the yellow! It brings out the colors in the rest of your living room.

  14. 15

    I love it! It is perfect and the basket with flowers makes it look like it’s been there forever!!

  15. 16

    I love yellow, and I STILL loved this even more than I dreamed I would. Win!

    So pretty. Can I come over for some inspiration?

  16. 17

    LOVE the yellow!!!!

  17. 18

    What a great idea!

  18. 19

    I think it looks great! Do those flowers stay on there all the time? If so, I am way impressed. They wouldn’t last 5 minutes with my 5 and 7 year old girls, never mind my 1 year old.

  19. 20

    I am sooo jealous. I love the coffee table find and the yellow just makes me smile.

  20. 21

    Nope, not too much yellow. Love it!

  21. 22

    You did a great job on the distressing! Looks like a professional did it.

  22. 23

    LOVE it!!!

  23. 24

    SO pretty.
    i LOVE it so much.
    great choice.
    i always go with white….i am chicken like that.

  24. 25

    I love the yellow! and good for you for taking the big plunge. I have a garage sale sofa table that I need to take the plunge with. Thanks for the inspiration.

  25. 26

    i think its perfect!!!!!! love !!!

    if you decide that you want to tone the yellow down someday, you can always just glaze some of it. voila! new look, easy peasy.

  26. 27

    I seriously love this! Beautiful!

  27. 28
    Rayne Saltair says:

    Only thing I’d add to the room is a throw rug, one of those throw it in the washing machine sized ones. The table is beautiful as is the rest of the room, congrats.

  28. 29

    I googled “yellow coffee table” as I am kind of bored with all the browns, neutrals with green accents. I love both the color and distressed look. Could you tell me the name of the paint color please? Thanks so much!! :)

  29. 30

    I love your yellow table and the turquoise kitchen table. What color of yellow did you use and what type of paint? I am looking to paint to two pieces in our home and I love the yellow and turquoise together. What distressing technique did you use for it?

  30. 31

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