DIY Painted Piano Makeover
Come see how we transformed our piano with a little paint!
This wooden piano has quite a history.
We bought it from our good friend’s parents and have held onto through a few homes and moves.
It’s one of those pieces that I couldn’t quite let go of, yet that we didn’t really have a need for.
But now that the boys are getting older they are showing a definite interest in music.
They are constantly performing songs for me. My youngest was given a guitar for Christmas. And my sister bequeathed her drum kit to them.
{I’m pretty sure it was a gift to them and not-so-much a gift to me, if you know what I mean.}
But since they seem to be pretty interested in learning music and because they demonstrated a definite aversion to us giving the piano away, we decided to freshen it up and make a real place for it in our basement makeover project.
And this colourful painted piano makeover, featuring some homemade chalky paint, was the perfect way to bring a tired old piano into this century.
The old piano started out like this…
A typical dark wood finish with lots of bumps and scratches and damage…
Like I said it has been around the block a few times.
I decided to whip up some of my homemade chalky paint to get this project rolling. I haven’t used this recipe in a long while, but the thing I love about it is that you really don’t have to prime with it. It creates a super hard finish after it cures and I have loved how it has held up on all of the furniture I have painted it with before.
To make this I used 1/2 cup of plaster of paris and mixed that with a 1/2 cup of water. I then added in 1 cup of latex paint (I just bought a small sample size can from Benjamin Moore – the colour is called Pear Green).
The whole DIY project was really easy… though it did take three coats to get adequate coverage.
To make sure I didn’t get paint on the keys, I just used a long straight edge and painted along it…
I opted not to distress the piano after painting it, but you certainly could take some sand paper to it and give it a little bit of an aged look. After you’ve painted it’s a great idea to finish off your piece with either some clear, natural wax or a coat of clear sealer.
Done!
This is the music corner in our basement – I can’t wait to show you what else I have been working on down there!! I’m SO. EXCITED. ABOUT. IT!
Quite a difference, right?!
This week is the DIY Challenge Party – the theme is Colourful DIY Projects.
My cohosts have shared some awesome stuff…
My cohosts shared some amazing projects this week for our colourful decor theme!
Outdoor Glider Makeover at Confessions of a Serial DIYer
Vintage Blue at House by Hoff
DIY Drapery at Artsy Chicks Rule
Spring Mantel at The Hankful House
This Sunday evening is our monthly Get Your DIY On Challenge Party.
If you are a fellow blogger, then come on back to share your Colourful DIY Projects. And if you aren’t a blogger, then it’s a great place to find all kinds of colourful DIY inspiration! We hope to see you then!
Hi! I am about to embark on painting a piano! Do you need to sand it prior?
Krista, I bet that wasn’t an easy job but the color is fun and so inviting! I’m thinking the piano will be catching lots of attention.
Thanks so much for sharing at Thoughts of Home on Thursday. 🙂
Hi Stacey! It was actually a lot easier then I expected – I put it off for years thinking it would be tough, and it turned out really easy to paint with the chalk paint! So glad I did… it’s perfect as part of our fun basement family room:)
I am itching to do a good furniture makeover and one of the first pieces I had decided to tackle once we move back home is our piano!! It’s style is very much like yours, Krista! Can’t wait to redo it…. yours looks great!
Thank you Kendra!! It was a fun and easy project- and the results were exactly what I wanted!
I love your makeover! Such a bright and sunny piece now. How could you not want to play it? Thanks for sharing with us at Merry Monday this week!
Thank you Marie! My boys love their little music corner (painted piano, drums, and a guitar!). Thanks for hosting and for popping by!
I to have an old brown piano. I look at it and think about painting it. You have given me the encouragement.
I am so happy that I went ahead with it!!
We just got a piano and are considering painting it! Thanks for sharing, this gives us a good reference to what a color on a piano looks like 🙂
Am loving color on your piano and bench. That color always looks so clean and fresh to me. Like it’s not yellow green, looks like has some blue in it. Want to combine that color and coral in our bedroom. Teds to be dark room with only windows on east side.
How did you decide to paint your piano such gorgeous color? does it light up the room it’s in? Smart to use homemade chalk paint. Did you only use one of sample jars of paint even tho you gave them 3 coats of paint?
That’s really good spread for both pieces. Enjoy your pretty new piano and bench.
Happy week
Very cool, Krista! We picked up a free piano last year, and I have hopes of painting it some day. I’m pinning this post for later use! Amazing job, friend! xo
Now that’s a fun piano with loads of energy! That’s awesome that your kids have taken a liking to music and that they have parents who totally support it. Like Really support it enough to paint a piano for inspiration! Love it. Thanks for your chalk paint recipe too Krista, I have yet to make my own but have wanted to for a long time.
Love the color! Did you sand the piano first? Also, curious about how much you can see the brush strokes when painting it by hand. Was considering spraying my piano to avoid them. What was your experience?
OH that green is just perfect!! Looks amazing and so much better. 🙂
Wow, Krista! It looks amazing! I bet it makes you happy just looking at it. And totally jealous you have a basement…we are too close to sea level boo hoo.
SO, SO fun Krista! LOVE the green!!!
that color is SO fun! looks fab!