Source: My Home Ideas
I have been seeing a lot of painted pianos lately. Some I like and some not so much! But I found some fun and unique ideas around the web.
I was brought up in a house where we never painted furniture. My mom was a firm believer in keeping things original. However, things have evolved and now decorating is about having things in your home that you love, whether it be painted or original.
Even if it means having a brightly painted piano!
Would you paint a piano? If so, what color would it be?
Source: Addicted 2 Decorating
Source: Design Mom
Source: Design Sponge
Source: Cute PInk Stuff (BEFORE)
Source: Cute Pink Stuff (AFTER!)
This last one is quite a transformation. Green To Shabby Chic.
The possibilities are endless. So what do you think? Let me know!
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Yes, I would-some accent color (based on my room decor) that pops!
Just in case you didn’t see my tweet – white distressed – red second place – just say no to yellow or green
in my professional opinion
Funny. Good friends of mine had an Extreme Home makeover, their show was in Feb. 2010. Tut and Tamera Tripp, and the show painted HER piano. trying to remember if they went from turquoise to black.
Would I paint a piano? depends on the room, decor and the space it is in.
I have two pianos… but they are both digital and not paintable. one dark brown the other black.
sorry I am not much help.
Heck yeah!!! Everything but the keys!!!!
Never thought about it. After seeing these most certain I would!Thank you for the inspiration!!!!
Even though they look fun I probably wouldn’t…I tend to paint things that I know won’t be to hard to strip if I don’t like it…Years ago we refinished our piano …in our apartment livingroom….wasn’t easy
We did paint a piano! It was a LOT of work.
It was distressed, mustard-gold- very ugly! We painted it boring old brown. I wish I had seen this post before we did it!
Good luck!
It depends on the piano. A new one no, an older one for sure.
I did and it’s aqua and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! You can see it here:
http://www.crapivemade.com/2009/07/phew.html (way down at the bottom of that post)
Never thought about it before – thanks for the inspiration! Now that I see it, I think I would, I like the shabby white distressed.
I love them all! I am a firm believer in doing things the way you want to do them not the way that you feel you ‘should’ unless it is a museum piece…then please keep history the way it is! But if it’s a piece you bought yourself or has only been in the family a generation or two-paint! Do what you want! Have FUN!
Seriously want a piano now so I can paint it a fun color…but now I can’t decide-I seriously love all those colors!!
I had a piano back in the mid 1980′s that I bought used. No one played it really but it sure looked nice in my victorian house. I do not remember the color but I am sure I have pictures of it somewhere.
If I had one today it would be painted red
I like the red and the distressed white, but I too grew up in a home where not only was everything natural, but all paint on the used furniture we acquired was usually stripped off. So…I couldn’t do it!
I was always told that painting it will change the tone of the instrument. If its there for decoration only, then sure. but if its there for piano lessons, etc., then probably not. something really cool about an old piano in its original finish and the old tones it plays. We had a huge old upright grand in a home we rented when I was a kid. Old enough and sat long enough in the corner of the living room as to have dented in the floor boards there! lol I loved that old piano!
I had never thought about it until I saw your tweets.With the right decor-definitely!
Have bought two very used piano in the past 10 years. I might have tried to paint the first one when it was declared as to old to tune up and fix. Ended up giving it to one of the guys who brought in the replacement piano!
I admire the brave person for thinking outside the box, although I don’t know if I could repeat it. Being in a shop, I would be afraid of sitting on such a unique piece for too long. I do adore the pink! -Bethanie
Yes! In a heartbeat. We’ve been rearranging our space just trying to find room to make a piano fit so I can paint one.
Yes! And I have! We lacquered ous. Black Lacquer. It’s beautiful! Old pianos have gorgeous sound..
I would if it was an old piano that was not too valuable. I have an 1800′s Chickering with beautiful wood that shows some wear, and is not in my decor preference anymore, but I would not paint it. I have however used my handy paint can to paint a lot of things around the house that people look at me with a ?, like some old oak chairs I recently had done shabby chic white. I no longer liked them in oak and never wood. Made a world of difference in my dining area with my new white kitchen cabinets, even though the table is still it’s oak brown. I also had some 1960′s occasional chairs done the same way. The were my mom’s for years and I inherited them. Did not fit my color scheme so I shabbied them too, in white.
Since so many of you say you grew up in homes where no painting was the rule, I had to add that my mom was free with the paint as a basic way to decorate my entire life. My favorite memories are of our painted upright piano (with matching round stool with claw feet and crystal balls held in the claws)…I’m pretty sure the piano and seat were painted prior a very ugly color, but she had it close to the distressed one pictured. Since the piano wasn’t a fancy brand-name, she painted in gold lettering in a half circle centered over middle “C” a new name for the instrument: “Hallelujah”. Eventually we moved from our Cape Cod house to the mansion at the end of the street, also downhill…instead of loading it and unloading it on the truck, it was played all the way down the street, with six of us pushing the piano and seat with the pianist right on it! Ah the memories! Now you’ve inspired me to want to get a piano to paint as well.
Um, well I think you know how *I* feel!
We’re leaning towards yellow….it’s sanded and ready for paint! *squee*!!!
YES! I would paint a piano. The color? That would depend on where it was going. Who ever said a piano had to be brown or black;) Love your blog! Very fun!!!
~Debra xxx
Capers of the vintage vixens
We had a piano a few years ago that we got for free… ’twas green, like the one above. The paint was peeling and there was no telling how old the paint was. Can you say lead poisoning? My middle child was crawling at the time, so we gave it away. We now have an antique upright Steinway that I wouldn’t paint in a million years! It’s from the late 1800′s, mahogony and gorgeous! I do like that red one though.
I have an old upright that is in Indiana (I moved to Louisiana), and I intend to paint it a high gloss red as soon as I can manage to get it down here. I may also have the keys replaced, because they have unfortunately yellowed with age. It is also in desperate need of a tuning, but once it looks AND sounds beautiful I know it will be a beautiful, signature piece in my house. Some may call me crazy, but I am super excited at the thought of it.
http://articles.ocregister.com/2011-01-18/news/27037483_1_piano-mexican-muralist-paint
Just found this link. Watch the video. They painted the notes on some of the keys too. I LOVE that idea, and I may just do that instead of replacing the keys.
do u sell the whit piano?
I recently painted our piano and I love it!!
http://www.restorationhousewife.com/piano-reveal/
Did you strip the piano before you painted it?
C.F.
No I did not strip it first, if you are staining the piano you *may* consider it (I wouldn’t), but for painting it should not be needed.
I love love love your ” Would You Paint a Piano? ” page. I’d love some directions. I have an upright piano that I would like to paint but don’t want to have to disassemble the piano to strip. What do you suggest?
Thanks!
Christine
I have played piano for 27 years, and although I would LOVE to paint mine a cool funky colour, I never would compromise the integrity of the tone/sound of my piano.
If you are using a piano strictly as a design element, and are not concerned about how it sounds, then I say sure, go for it. But regardless, don’t paint the soundboard (the back of an upright piano).
I am all for DIY, but if I ever do decide to paint my piano (or for any of you thinking about doing it, but use the piano, and want to maintain the sound quality) I will be having a professional refinish it.
Do you mind me asking….I love your piano that you painted from green to creamy white. How did you get the antiqued look? I am looking to paint my piano this spring and want a shabby chic look to it, but don’t know exactly how to do it. Do you have any tips? I do have an antique pie shelf (with the legs cut off) above it (it is serving as our tv cabinet). We painted that a base color and then a darker shade on top by finger painting it. We mixed the paint with water and made strokes with our fingers. It turned out great, but am not sure how to get the darkened areas you got on the piano to stand out. If you can help, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you so much!
I have an 1889 Thiery Grand Professional upright piano. Produced by the Kimball co. I don’t know which way to go. I would love to paint it as I use it only for decorational purposes. The keys desperately need replaced and the sound it makes is like a horror movie. However, the piano stucture itself is solid. I would give it away in a heartbeat if someone could repair and use it. There just doesn’t seem to be anyone willing to take on that challenge though.
Any suggestions anyone?
I love these pianos! I really like the white one that is lightly distressed…
We paint pianos Shabby Chic Style, Distressed – Click on the “shop” link or “recently sold” link of our website to see pics
Fun, Fun!
Our website address is: http://thepaintedpast.com
-Cristina
The Painted Past
Folsom, Ca.