Do you know what’s a good trick to make your win Do you know what’s a good trick to make your windows appear bigger? 
Its hanging your curtains high and wide! Here are two tips. 
1️⃣Hang your curtain rod at least 6 inches above your window frame 
2️⃣Purchase a curtain rod that’s 8”-12inches wider than your window so that you can extend the rod at least 4”-6inches on either side. 
For more tips and info on hanging curtains the right way visit paintingbythepenny.com 
#homedecor #makehomeyours #howihaven #finditstyleit #howyouhome #home_and_living #interiordesignhacks #interiorsesignconcept #homeupgrade #curtains #howtodesign
Hi! ☺️ It’s been awhile since I’ve introdu Hi! ☺️ It’s been awhile since I’ve introduced myself so I wanted to share a few things about me! 
1. My name is Joanna but my family and friends call me Nana or Jos
2. I’m a NICU Nurse, furniture artist, interior designer, DIYer, blogger, and content creator (whew! What a long list 🥵) 
3. I’m 36 years old and a mother to a wonderful 13year old boy (if you’ve been here you’ve seen him on my stories with his wonderful reactions 🤣 saved in my highlights) and a dog mom to Penny our border collie/Spaniel mix 
3. I’ve been with my partner Luis for almost 18 years!
4. We’re homeowners of a single family home and own a rental property with three units.
5. One of my dreams is to own property as a vacation home for family and Airbnb (water front would be lovely 😍) 
6. I’m passionate about helping people create spaces they feel good in 
7. I’ve been refinishing furniture for 6 years and love to turn an ugly piece of furniture into something beautiful and incorporate that into my design. 
8. I love thrift shopping! I see potential in so many items! 
9. I was born in New York but raised in Rhode Island. I am of Dominican descent 🇩🇴
10. I love going out to eat,music, and dancing. 
But let’s be real here 
I’m not athletic at all. I can’t and don’t like to run (running feels awkward to me 😂) 
Yoga makes me super sore. My body can’t stretch much. I can’t even touch my toes!
I just started eating and liking cooked veggies like 2 years ago 
I have a dark sense of humor (It’s the way I cope 🙃) 
That’s enough about me! Now tell me something about you! 
#blogger #contentcreator #interiordesigner #furnitureartist #diyer #rhodeisland
A little throw back Thursday on this St. Patrick’s Day 🍀 and some good news for those of you who have been inquiring about custom furniture pieces!! 
We’re renovating our garage soon so that I can work in it year round! No more waiting for warmer weather to work on furniture! 
The garage will become a better workshop, storage, and studio that’ll be nice and cool in the summer and warm in the winter! No more sweating my butt off on my IG stories 😅 
I’ll be sure to share updates and let you know when and where to submit your custom furniture requests! 
#diypaintedfurniture #stpatricksday2022 #furnituremakeover #greenfurniture #refinishedfurniture #greenhutch #decor4home #home_and_living #zibrapainting #bbfrosch #zibraweeklypick #diyprojects #hutch
✨GIVEAWAY CLOSED✨ Who wants this adorable lam ✨GIVEAWAY CLOSED✨
Who wants this adorable lamp base and shade?!! 
This DIY textured sprayed lamp could be yours! 
All you gotta do is:
1️⃣. Be sure to follow me @paintingbythepenny 
2️⃣. Like this post 
3️⃣. Tag a friend in the comments. Each friend you tag counts as (1) entry. 
Giveaway ends Monday 3/7, at 12PM EST. Winner will be announced on stories and sent a DM (from this account only) on Tuesday 3/8 
Open to US residents only. 
Must be 18 years or older to enter. 
This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram. 
#paintingbythepenny #giveaway #diylamp
Look at what’s Sherwin Williams’ March Color o Look at what’s Sherwin Williams’ March Color of the Month!…Iron Ore SW 7069 🖤
I’m still in love with these cabinets we painted Iron Ore last year. 
Do you love bold and dark kitchen cabinets or white and classic? 🖤🤍
#kitchencabinets #paintedcabinets #ironore #interiordesign #kitchenremodel #colorofthemonth #diy #painted
Stepping into March admiring this Green wall 💚 Stepping into March admiring this Green wall 💚 in our now cozy space. 
Would you be willing to paint a wall Green in your home? 
Drop a 💚 below if you are! 
Wall color: Sherwin Williams Rock Garden
#familyroom #greenwall #homedecor #cljsquad #mydomaine #accentwall #rockgarden
Happy Valentine’s Day 💕 to my partner in crim Happy Valentine’s Day 💕 to my partner in crime, my true love and best friend @lmjoia. 
#valentinesday #love #valentinesday2022
A year ago we started renovations on our first ren A year ago we started renovations on our first rental property. This was my first ever design, an apartment with the main focus being the kitchen and bathroom. This was my chance to create a space that was bright and modern. Even though it was just an apartment, like many would say. I put the same amount of effort and energy into this as I would any other space. 
I grew up living in apartments, my family never owned a home so creating this for someone to rent meant more to me than just a nice space. It was meant to be a beautiful apartment that they could call home.
#paintingbythepenny #kitchenrenovation #kitchendesign #kitcheninspo
One of the best parts of this design is the unique One of the best parts of this design is the unique and one of a kind furniture. That sideboard and dining table isn’t something you can find right away at a store or could easily buy online. Having unique items like this is what makes your home YOURS. Being able to change something to fit your style and save you money is a win in my book! 
#paintingbythepenny #diningroom #sideboard #diningtable #vintagemodern #livingroomdesign #cljsquad
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Painting by the Penny

Refinished Furniture, DIY, & Interior Design

DIY Projects, Furniture · July 11, 2021

4 Things To Consider Before Painting Furniture

painted furniture

Before you get right to work and place that nice soft brush with paint on your piece of furniture, here a few things you need to know before you get started. As much as I love to paint furniture and cannot wait until I am finally able to just brush my paint on there are a few things to consider. Let’s go over these steps that I find are super important to get the look and finish you desire. Of course it depends on the piece you have as I find they are all different and require different order in steps. Here are 4 things to consider before painting furniture and what I typically do when working with old pieces.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

1. Clean, Clean, Clean!

I can’t emphasize how important it is to make sure your piece is cleaned before you paint. You’d be surprised by the amount of dirt and grime that is found on the surfaces. My go to cleaner for cleaning furniture before painting is Krud Kutter.

Look at all that dirt and grime!!

It comes in a spray and a foam and I find both work great but something about the foam sitting there and seeing the dirt and grime drip down makes it so satisfying to me! So I usually like to stick to the foam (I know, silly preference right? but who doesn’t love playing with foam?!).

A little mild soap will work too but I find an extra-strength cleaner is necessary, especially for older pieces. Just spray on and leave for a few minutes then scrub and wipe off with a damp cloth (you may have to do this several times to be sure to get all the dirt off).

2. Examine and Repair

Does your piece have any drawers that need repair? Maybe a leg needs to be secured better? Well, now is the time to fix these. Also a great time to be sure any nails and screws are all intact. Maybe an area needs an extra nail or screw? Do it now.

I find that while I am doing repairs I lay my piece down on its back or side and sometimes things happen where you may cause damage in some areas while repairing and moving your piece around. So you want to be sure that its all taken care of before you have your piece upright and ready to paint. I have learned this the hard way. I’m impatient and hold off on what I think will be a minor repair and wait until the end only to find myself re-painting certain areas because it was slightly damage in the process of repairing after painting.

~Once your piece is nice and clean its time to fill any holes you wish to fill. I use Minwax wood filler for minor dents and small holes I wish to repair. The reason why I wait to fill in any holes is because my next step is to sand so I wait for my wood filler to be completely dried and sand any filled holes and areas I want completely sanded. For bigger damages, I like to use Bondo~

3. Sand

Once you’re piece is repaired, cleaned and any holes are filled, its time to sand. Why sand if you just cleaned your piece you ask? Well, for older pieces sometimes there is so much dirt and grime that sanding over it will cause you to go through a lot of sandpaper and those can go quick which means cost can add up. It also allows for a clear surface for you to be able to see what repairs need to be made.

If you are not leaving any exposed wood and plan on painting your entire piece I recommend scuff sanding lightly before painting. This will allow the paint to adhere to the surface. I love a good mix of wood and painted piece so I use my sander quite frequently.

To remove all the sanding dust I like to vacuum the piece and then wipe it using a tack cloth. One last wipe down and its finally ready for primer or paint.

4. Prime.

Depending on the type of paint and wood you are using, you may have to prime. Wood contains a naturally occurring compound called tannins. The tannins in the wood bleed through the surface and leave a yellowish/brown discoloration after painting. If I am painting a piece a light color, espcially white, I almost always prime first. This prevents discoloration seeping through the surface after painting. My favorite primer to use is Zinsser B-I-N Primer. It comes in a spray too and you can easily spray it on.

Finally, Paint.

Guess what? It’s now time for the fun stuff, Paint! I love to use BBFrosch Paint transformer. I talk more about it on BBFrosch Paint Transformer For Painting Furniutre. There are different ways you can paint, you can brush, roll, or spray your paint. It’s completely up to you what you choose to do. When I started painting furniture several years ago I would always brush it on. Now, I have tried spraying and rolling. Depending on the piece and paint I use, I choose one over the other but I haven’t stuck to just one way. After painting you must protect your piece with a wax or polycrylic which I will share more about soon.

And there you have it! Refinishing furniture takes time and patience because these steps are necessary in order to have your work last. So if you are going to take time to paint furniture why not do it right the first time? There are ton of techniques and information and it can become overwhelming but stick with what works for you! I share this because this is what has worked for me. I have learned a lot through trial and error. Most of the time when I run into trouble its because I did one of these necessary steps incorrectly.

Have you tried painting furniture yet? If you haven’t, remember these steps before you grab that nice soft brush and get to work! If you have, comment below and let me know what steps you take and what order you do them.

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In: DIY Projects, Furniture

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Comments

  1. Jess @ Oak | Grain says

    July 20, 2021 at 4:34 pm

    Loving your blog so far! Congrats!🎊

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      July 20, 2021 at 7:54 pm

      Thank you so much Jess!!!

      Reply
  2. Taylor says

    July 24, 2021 at 1:49 pm

    This is great information! So helpful and insightful. Wonderful job!

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      July 24, 2021 at 5:15 pm

      Thank you! I’m so happy to hear its helpful!

      Reply
  3. Tim says

    July 24, 2021 at 2:03 pm

    Your work is beautiful! Thanks for the information!

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      July 24, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply

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BB Frosch Paint Transformer for Painting Furniture

About me

Hi! I’m Joanna, a Latina who is passionate about making homes beautiful through furniture, design and DIY! Follow along as I share all my tips and tricks and the behind the scenes. I hope to inspire you as much as you all inspire me!

Instagram

Follow @Paintingbythepenny

Do you know what’s a good trick to make your win Do you know what’s a good trick to make your windows appear bigger? 
Its hanging your curtains high and wide! Here are two tips. 
1️⃣Hang your curtain rod at least 6 inches above your window frame 
2️⃣Purchase a curtain rod that’s 8”-12inches wider than your window so that you can extend the rod at least 4”-6inches on either side. 
For more tips and info on hanging curtains the right way visit paintingbythepenny.com 
#homedecor #makehomeyours #howihaven #finditstyleit #howyouhome #home_and_living #interiordesignhacks #interiorsesignconcept #homeupgrade #curtains #howtodesign
Hi! ☺️ It’s been awhile since I’ve introdu Hi! ☺️ It’s been awhile since I’ve introduced myself so I wanted to share a few things about me! 
1. My name is Joanna but my family and friends call me Nana or Jos
2. I’m a NICU Nurse, furniture artist, interior designer, DIYer, blogger, and content creator (whew! What a long list 🥵) 
3. I’m 36 years old and a mother to a wonderful 13year old boy (if you’ve been here you’ve seen him on my stories with his wonderful reactions 🤣 saved in my highlights) and a dog mom to Penny our border collie/Spaniel mix 
3. I’ve been with my partner Luis for almost 18 years!
4. We’re homeowners of a single family home and own a rental property with three units.
5. One of my dreams is to own property as a vacation home for family and Airbnb (water front would be lovely 😍) 
6. I’m passionate about helping people create spaces they feel good in 
7. I’ve been refinishing furniture for 6 years and love to turn an ugly piece of furniture into something beautiful and incorporate that into my design. 
8. I love thrift shopping! I see potential in so many items! 
9. I was born in New York but raised in Rhode Island. I am of Dominican descent 🇩🇴
10. I love going out to eat,music, and dancing. 
But let’s be real here 
I’m not athletic at all. I can’t and don’t like to run (running feels awkward to me 😂) 
Yoga makes me super sore. My body can’t stretch much. I can’t even touch my toes!
I just started eating and liking cooked veggies like 2 years ago 
I have a dark sense of humor (It’s the way I cope 🙃) 
That’s enough about me! Now tell me something about you! 
#blogger #contentcreator #interiordesigner #furnitureartist #diyer #rhodeisland
A little throw back Thursday on this St. Patrick’s Day 🍀 and some good news for those of you who have been inquiring about custom furniture pieces!! 
We’re renovating our garage soon so that I can work in it year round! No more waiting for warmer weather to work on furniture! 
The garage will become a better workshop, storage, and studio that’ll be nice and cool in the summer and warm in the winter! No more sweating my butt off on my IG stories 😅 
I’ll be sure to share updates and let you know when and where to submit your custom furniture requests! 
#diypaintedfurniture #stpatricksday2022 #furnituremakeover #greenfurniture #refinishedfurniture #greenhutch #decor4home #home_and_living #zibrapainting #bbfrosch #zibraweeklypick #diyprojects #hutch
✨GIVEAWAY CLOSED✨ Who wants this adorable lam ✨GIVEAWAY CLOSED✨
Who wants this adorable lamp base and shade?!! 
This DIY textured sprayed lamp could be yours! 
All you gotta do is:
1️⃣. Be sure to follow me @paintingbythepenny 
2️⃣. Like this post 
3️⃣. Tag a friend in the comments. Each friend you tag counts as (1) entry. 
Giveaway ends Monday 3/7, at 12PM EST. Winner will be announced on stories and sent a DM (from this account only) on Tuesday 3/8 
Open to US residents only. 
Must be 18 years or older to enter. 
This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram. 
#paintingbythepenny #giveaway #diylamp
Look at what’s Sherwin Williams’ March Color o Look at what’s Sherwin Williams’ March Color of the Month!…Iron Ore SW 7069 🖤
I’m still in love with these cabinets we painted Iron Ore last year. 
Do you love bold and dark kitchen cabinets or white and classic? 🖤🤍
#kitchencabinets #paintedcabinets #ironore #interiordesign #kitchenremodel #colorofthemonth #diy #painted
Stepping into March admiring this Green wall 💚 Stepping into March admiring this Green wall 💚 in our now cozy space. 
Would you be willing to paint a wall Green in your home? 
Drop a 💚 below if you are! 
Wall color: Sherwin Williams Rock Garden
#familyroom #greenwall #homedecor #cljsquad #mydomaine #accentwall #rockgarden
Happy Valentine’s Day 💕 to my partner in crim Happy Valentine’s Day 💕 to my partner in crime, my true love and best friend @lmjoia. 
#valentinesday #love #valentinesday2022
A year ago we started renovations on our first ren A year ago we started renovations on our first rental property. This was my first ever design, an apartment with the main focus being the kitchen and bathroom. This was my chance to create a space that was bright and modern. Even though it was just an apartment, like many would say. I put the same amount of effort and energy into this as I would any other space. 
I grew up living in apartments, my family never owned a home so creating this for someone to rent meant more to me than just a nice space. It was meant to be a beautiful apartment that they could call home.
#paintingbythepenny #kitchenrenovation #kitchendesign #kitcheninspo
One of the best parts of this design is the unique One of the best parts of this design is the unique and one of a kind furniture. That sideboard and dining table isn’t something you can find right away at a store or could easily buy online. Having unique items like this is what makes your home YOURS. Being able to change something to fit your style and save you money is a win in my book! 
#paintingbythepenny #diningroom #sideboard #diningtable #vintagemodern #livingroomdesign #cljsquad
Top 10 posts of 2021 and my last post of the year! Top 10 posts of 2021 and my last post of the year! I hope you all have a wonderful New Years Eve! We’ll be home eating Chinese, baking cookies, playing games, and just relaxing. What are your NYE plans? 
#paintingbythepenny #diy #cljsquad #refinishedfurniture #apartmentremodel #top10 #2021recap
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