A Painted Piano
My Grandmother (Baboo’s) 1960’s Currier Piano was really MAKING A STATEMENT “in it’s time” but let’s all admit… that “time” has LONG since passed!
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| before |
Baboo (that’s what I named my grandmother as a baby) gave this piano to my family when I was in 5th grade. I was taking piano lessons and loving them, so she gave us her piano (which my dad also learned to play on – when he was a little boy) After that, I took lessons for years on this piano! I loved to play so much that my mother never had to remind me to practice but only after hours of playing, would sometimes sweetly ask me if we could have some quiet time without piano for a little while! Then I went to college, got married, etc and the piano stayed at my parent’s home. A few years later, I started missing having a piano around and was thinking about buying one but my sweet parents gave me this one. They even delivered it (an 8 hour drive) in a small pick-up truck. This piano has made it’s rounds and over the years I’ve really enjoyed it… EVEN IN ALL IT’S UGLINESS! My own daughter started piano lessons on it 5 years ago but she has since discovered that piano isn’t her thing and my love for this piano (as ugly as it is) seems to keep me from getting rid of it. I recently asked my dad if he thought anyone would be offended if I painted it and he laughed and explained to me that no one cared about that old piano but me and I could do anything I wanted with it.
So, I got out my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (Old White… a very safe color choice) and decided to tackle the project last week. BUT then I got this crazy idea to paint it an outlandish color INSTEAD! I painted it with ASCP Provence Blue. After applying one coat, it wasn’t looking too hot! My kids said it looked like a piano that Lady Gaga would own! I was getting somewhat nervous but I pressed on!
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| first coat of paint |
After I got the second coat finished and my girls were actually starting to like the color. (This could be a good sign or a bad one) I had to do all the work on this in my living room because the thing is too heavy to move and my husband was out of town (yes big surprise for hubby when he got home)
Because I had to paint it in the living room, my dog got in on the action and tried to help me out by wagging her tail up against the wet bench leg. Then, somehow she also got the paint in her ear!??!!?
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| sanding the entire thing was quite a job but the distressing was FUN |
The other bad part about doing this in the living room was the fact that sanding ASCP is VERY messy! My furniture, floor, dog and children were all covered in a robin’s egg blue colored dust that afternoon.
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| hardware from hobby lobby |
I put clear wax on the piano after I’d finished distressing it and then gave it a day to cure. Then I applied a second coat of wax. After 2 days, I buffed the wax with a soft cloth and now it’s all finished.
I’m so happy with the finished product!
I’m really glad I decided to go with the Provence (blue)…such a FRESH COLOR.
Instead of being an eye sore in my living room, it’s actually a pretty cool focal point. It’s a conversation starter and it makes me love this piano even more. Perhaps my daughter will take an interest in piano lessons again now that she has a COOL PIANO!
The simplicity of painting a piano:
If you use ASCP… no sanding, no stripping & fast drying time!
I bought my paint at Me & Mrs. Jones
I’m also taking a Metallics class there this Friday. I’ll tell you all about it next week.
DON’T FORGET TO POST SOMETHING ON MY LINK PARTY (FROM FRIDAY)… THE PARTY ENDS TOMORROW!!!
Come Par-tay with me at these awesome Link Parties!
No Comments
Fanchy
May 15, 2012 at 5:47 pmI have been stalking Craigslist for a piano to do this to for months now! Yours is abso-stinkin-lutely Gor.Geous!! Found you from Mop It Up Mondays.
Jen @ Noting Grace
Vanessa
May 15, 2012 at 7:50 pmI love your piano. The color is just lovely.
Vanessa
Linda Young
May 15, 2012 at 8:06 pmYour piano looks pretty! It's a nice pop of a fresh color and it really updates it from drab! I'm going to paint mine too! it's 60's and dark brown.
Linda @ Grandmalay's Daydreams
Kristi
May 15, 2012 at 8:47 pmI'm giddy over this!! It's GORGEOUS!! We must be on the same wave-length because I've been desperately wanting to paint a piano blue, too!! We were just given a piano for my son to start lessons and it's not in the best shape. But your tutorial gives me hope!! SO happy you linked up at Mop It Up Mondays again!! Have a wonderful week!
{HUGS},
kristi
Beth@Makemeprettyagain
May 15, 2012 at 11:01 pmI love the color and how this piano just brightens up the room! Such a difference. Love it!
PS…turn off your word verification!! You will get more comments!
Michele @ The Nest at Finch Rest
May 16, 2012 at 5:51 amWOW. That took some serious nerve.
I am SO GLAD it turned out so neat and that you love it.
Yes, would be nice if your daughter learned to play like Lady GaGa, haha.
I howled with laughter at your dog's tail – though that had to panic you big time what else he was going to paint blue wagging it around!
twelve-O-eight
May 16, 2012 at 1:06 pmYour Piano turned out really beautiful. I love the risk you took, and it paid off! Your new reader, Tanya 🙂
Shannon @ Cozy Home Scenes
May 16, 2012 at 11:28 pmCan my Mom adopt you? Please? Her big dream was for one of her kids to play the piano. Instead she got a son who was a bookworm, and me…her hearing impaired child who could have cared less about the piano even though I did take lessons. She would love a child like you who liked to play all day long! Hee hee!
I love the bold color and how it added life into your room. You picked well! Your dog's tail reminds me of my dogs. My little chihuahua has to be nosey and checks everything around the house. If anyone paints, it's all over her for days. Thanks for linking up to Your Cozy Home Party this week!
Amber and Brad
May 17, 2012 at 2:53 amNicole
Thanks for linking up and I love the final look. May I suggest the next time you distress, wax first then sand. This is the way Annie distresses her pieces, and it will provide you with a more authentic worn look and no Mess!
Thanks again
Crystelle Boutique
May 18, 2012 at 2:46 amsuper cute livingroom!
so cheerful!
Nita {ModVintageLife}
May 22, 2012 at 1:06 amI featured this today on my Mod Mix Monday! Just love how this turned out.
Shannon@vintagerestyled
May 22, 2012 at 1:52 pmI could have written this post! I snuck the piano in while Hubby was gone. Now we are selling and the piano looks out of place. I have Provence painted furniture, so I am preparing to paint the eye-sore next week! Thanks for your inspiration and for letting me know its ok to paint my piano!!
lauren @ West Furniture Revival
May 30, 2012 at 5:29 amLOVE THE COLOR YOU DID A FABULOUS JOB, I WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE YOUR PIANO IF IT WOULD BE OK WITH YOU, PLEASE LET ME KNOW
LAUREN
Randi~Dukes and Duchesses
June 1, 2012 at 12:56 pmI could not love this more. I'm absolutely dying to get my hands on a piano to paint. Preferably free and delivered. 🙂
Kristin
June 6, 2012 at 3:18 pmI am in love with this! I have an old piano I've been trying to decide what color to paint. I'm so excited to see how pretty yours turned out. Might have to add ASCP in teal to my list of ideas =)
Visiting from Nifty Thrifty Things
Anonymous
June 9, 2012 at 6:04 amNicole, Your piano looks amazing! Love the fresh new color! We have an old piano, that could used some updating. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
Angie Ramirez
June 15, 2012 at 7:20 amso jealous.. 😉 love your piano! Awesome transformation.
Thanks for the inspiration and for linking up at Create & Inspire. You will be featured at today's party! 🙂
Meeha Meeha
June 15, 2012 at 10:17 amI cannot express how much I LOVE it! I'm afraid to do the same job on my piano, but I wanna do it so badly!
Karah @ thespacebetweenblog
July 12, 2012 at 1:40 amHahaha, your pups tail is my favorite picture. 🙂
Carolyn
August 18, 2012 at 3:31 amJust to let you know I featured your wonderful project today on homework. Stop by and grab a featured button. Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Holly @ Bella Nest
August 20, 2012 at 6:20 pmHoly Ka-moly (not sure if that's spelled correctly?!) I'm in love with your piano!!! It's awesome! So happy to be following you now. Please stop by bellanest.blogspot.com any time! =)
Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co.
August 21, 2012 at 1:22 amI'm so glad you went with the blue! It looks beautiful in your living room! Taking on a piano is a big job, the the result is so worth it, blue tail and all! … Thanks so much for joining the party. Be sure to check out the features tomorrow morning!
Stacey
August 21, 2012 at 1:52 amFeatured you this week! Pop over and have a look!
Stacey of Embracing Change
Tuula @ The Thrifty Rebel
August 21, 2012 at 2:43 amAbsolutely love this. The colour is fabulous! What a great idea! Found you through Make it Pretty Monday on the Dedicated House. I'm now a follower!
Our Pinteresting Family
August 21, 2012 at 1:06 pmThe color is gorgeous! I love how it turned out. Found you through Elizabeth & Co. 🙂
thepecanlady
August 22, 2012 at 10:53 amSo beautiful! What a brave person you are!
Kathryn Ferguson Griffin
August 26, 2012 at 3:33 amI love it! Thank you for sharing this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Hope to see your prettiness again on Monday. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Good Time Charlie
August 26, 2012 at 9:44 pmI just saw this in the editorial section of Cottage and Bungalows, and was going to come check it out, then I saw it over at Elizabeth and Company!! Huge congrats!! Your piano looks gorgeous, and I love the dog's tail!
Christine
August 27, 2012 at 7:17 pmPoor puppy but not a poor piano…. LOVE IT!!!!
Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!
shannon
August 1, 2014 at 12:26 amI love this piano. I am going to copy you! What is the brand of paint you used, and also, what is the wax??? I am getting a piano off craigslist for my children to learn to play on. I always wished I could play, and now they'll be forced to 😉 TIA