January 18, 2013

Overcoming Decorating Paralysis …

We’ve had our kitchen table for twelve years now. We got it at DownEast Outfitters in Utah – a “scratch and dent” Pottery Barn store. It had some scratches and dents, but it was only $250 and the Hubby really liked it. I have never liked it. Espresso just isn’t my color. But I have lived with it for all these years, secretly wanting to get rid of it or change it.

I don’t know why I’ve never done anything about it until now. It’s probably because I knew how much work it would be. Sanding and priming a table with turned legs is no fun. Plus, we use the table all day long so it would be darn inconvenient. With these thoughts in my head I’ve sat in decorating paralysis for years.

Do you do that? Convince yourself it won’t look better? Tell yourself you don’t know what you’re doing and so you shouldn’t do it? Settle for it as it is even thought it doesn’t make you happy? I do it all the time.

The tipping point for the table was discovering Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. No sanding, no priming – just paint it right on. I tried a few small projects first – a clock and side table both hand crafted by my grandfather. It was quite easy and the results were fantastic. I’ll share those projects in the next few weeks.

Now I’m fully involved in the table painting. Three days, three coats right in the kitchen! Today I am going to distress the table very lightly {so it matches our very banged up chairs} and then give it two coats of wax for protection.

As soon as I got to the point in the picture above, I was already exclaiming, “I should have done this years ago!” Now that the whole table is painted, I am in love. It lightens the whole space right up.

Here’s encouragement from a formally paralyzed decorator: GO FOR IT! Start small to gain confidence and then sally forth big guns blazing! You can do it! And it will be fun!

7 comments:

JulieB said...

Good to know about the Annie Sloan Paint. I'll have to try it out on something!

christy said...

I CANNOT wait to see the table. How dare you tease us and not give us a sneak peek!! Did you do white or color? I will try waiting patiently all weekend until Monday to see pics. So fun!

Apis Melliflora said...

I understand how certain projects can overwhelm. I'm knee deep in one such project myself.

When I saw the picture of the table, I thought you were doing touch ups...because the white table totally fits with your existing decor. It was meant to be.

You should never doubt your amazing decorator instincts.

squeezeme said...

Love what you've done! I know what you mean about being paralyzed. Yet, when I finally push myself to do it I am usually in love and so happy I finally did it! I've been revamping the living room decor- it needed it. I think January is the time for something to lift the spirits!

TracyS. said...

Way to overcome your paralysis and encourage others to do the same! Can't wait to see the whole project.

The Queen Vee said...

I think there's no overcoming my decor paralysis but I'm happy you overcame yours. I know the table is going to look wonderful, can't wait to see it.

Aiketa said...

I think my problem is that I don't have much time to invest on decorating and neither money nor a flat of my own. I'm looking forward to it though!
Whenever I have my own place I will try to find the time needed to decorate.

Looking forward to see the ended project.