To Paint Or Not To Paint...

That is the question...and you have the answer! Now that I've buttered you up with beautiful illustrations, your expertise is required! So the back story...I've been searching for the perfect bookshelf/room divider since I moved into this little white box of open planned non-privacy, but I have yet to find anything I like under the $800 dollar mark. Seriously, how can it be so hard to find a simple, rectilinear timber bookcase that is slightly longer than it is tall. Even IKEA failed me - not even a faux-timber bookshelf to my liking!

But BEHOLD! My latest eBay haul! It's so far from what I had in mind, but for some reason this little guy appealed to me (perhaps the $50 price tag had something to do with that!) I had grand plans for him - namely to paint him white and stock him up with my colossal magazine collection and tidy boxes full of miscellaneous computer paraphernalia (but take photos of him with 3 vases, 2 candles and a variety of beautiful first editions that I don't currently own, all artfully placed so it looks like I actually have the luxury of space - ha!)


Sounds reasonable, right? But no! Mr. Unreliable seems to have taken personal offense at the prospect of a white bookshelf. What?! How is that possible? Men are a strange, strange species.

So I need your advice. What oh what should I do with my disturbingly Brady-Bunch-Bannister-esque bookshelf?! (Sadly, the Brady Bunch stairs are significantly cooler than this bookshelf. Mike Brady was a mid-century Modernist architect after all!)




Be honest. Brutally, painfully honest. I can take it! (I think!)

P.S. Our box (aka apartment) features gloriously bland beige carpet (as pictured), Boring McBoring white walls, and mostly dark brown furniture with white, cream and red accents (with the odd splash of navy too, I can't stick to one colour scheme!)



15 comments:

Kimberley said...

Definitely paint it! Its still in good condition; I'd never say throw it out! But I'm sure your house is super colourful and pretty; this will just dreary it up; paint it a fun colour! :)

Zoƫ Yule said...

Paint it, paint it, paint it! Whether white or some other colour. White shows off books/mags best - even an eclectic/utilitarian collection can look chic arranged by colour against a white background. ESPECIALLY if it's a divider (open both sides) as opposed to against a wall!

ccreatif said...

I like when I can vote. I hope that what ever you choose, you'll be satisfied with the result. Good luck!

White Rabbit said...

Paint it a bright colour

nicole mountz said...

i say black! i think it would look great with anything you put on there! my second choice would be a bright blue or green..something fun!

Sushi said...

I agree with white! Would look very pretty x Sushi

Char said...

I say sand it, paint it a darker gray or blue underneath. Then a white paint over the top. then scuff and beat it up some to make it funky.

My second choice is black.

Anonymous said...

Oh god please don't paint it ....it's a nice piece of furniture and a classic wood look and it pains me that you'd destroy it!!!!

Buy a cheaper piece of furniture already in white!

Anonymous said...

my husband would say the same thing. He doesn't understand my obsession with white. So guess you know my vote (paint it white!!!).

Sandi K said...

If it's solid wood - paint away! I'm with Char, though - a nice dark shade under with white over would be good to antique it with. My husband the furniture repair pro (yes, really - a professional furniture guy) loves solid wood because you can always strip & refinish if you change your mind. As long as there's no monetary value in the old finish (i.e., a genuine antique Eastlake)do what makes you happy! The Mr. will eventually learn to love it - or deal with it, anyway :)

Jenn O said...

I say a distressed, colored wood stain (blue, green, red, purple) or find some pictures/prints, stick them on random places and cover with a clear finish. I've seen this done with a big coffee table. They stained it blue and put little 5"x5" prints from a Van Gogh calendar all over it. It looked awesome!!

Unknown said...

I say white, but place colourful pieces like a red vase or something in there to match the other colours of the house! Must post end result!

K. said...

Paint! Paint! Paint! And not white or black!

Icy said...

Shelves in white gloss, legs and supports in a stain to match the rest of your house, or one of your feature colours like red.

renee anne said...

hehe what a hilariously worded post!! isn't it just a pain having to get the approvals of the Mr's, when in actual fact they don't even really care, they just like having an opinion, no matter what it is.

even though this is from ages ago, I say WHITE!~