1.18.2012

What I Did: {Piano Refurb}

So I know I have a talked just a tad about my piano. Yep, its turquoise. When we moved here, and I wasn't working and had nothing to do all day, I dreamed about playing the piano. I always grew up with a piano in my home. Trust me, my playing is nothing special {Mike can definitely attest to that} but still, I liked the idea that getting a piano would give me another something to do during the day while Mike was at school. And we talked about buying one. Since we plan to do so one day. But then the thought of having to move it around with us as we figure out where we are going to settle down was just scary. So that's when Craigslist comes in. In one day I found TWO free pianos just a couple of minutes from me. {Seriously people, Craigslist is the way to go for cheap pianos.} Within hours, I was renting a Uhaul and bringing that puppy home. It was in pretty good condition minus two of the keys didn't work, but they aren't commonly used keys anyway, plus, it was FREE!

At that point, I hadn't figured out what color I wanted to paint it. I considered a cream color, but it was sitting against a white wall, so that wouldn't really work. I considered red. But that was just a little too Elton John {even though I love love love Elton John}. I pretty much had decided to just do black, when it dawned on me, when am I going to have another opportunity to paint a piano any color I want? I'm still young, I could do any color! And turquoise just came to me. I have always loved turquoise. And my living room was red and tan so what a great accent color! And then, I just went for it.


And it was hard. Very, very time consuming and stressful. I did minimal sanding because let me tell you, this piano is extremely heavy and it wasn't going anywhere, and I didn't really wanna go crazy on the sanding while it was sitting in my house. I did one coat of primer and then it took about three coats of paint. Between the taping and the painting, this thing took me like a week to finish. So many nooks and cranny's to get and you have to get each of them three times. Hind sight is 20/20 and I can tell you that I will never paint another piano again!


And here is the finished product! I am obsessed with it. I thought about doing some glazing, but with all the work that it was to paint it, it wouldn't be worth it to glaze it and run the risk of hating it. And I'm glad that I didn't. I love it just the way it is.


And then we moved. And my walls went from white, to like a burnt orangey/brown color {which makes natural light pictures nearly impossible in my house}. But I love how great the piano looks up against it. And then I got a little brave and added a pretty little decorative piece in the center. Which really, was the final piece to the puzzle. Isn't it just gorgeous? It has definitely become the focus of the room, which I don't mind at all. Unfortunately, this puppy won't be moving with us when we figure out where we are going next. So, in time, it will be up for sale. But until then, I will continue to play my awesome turquoise piano to my hearts content.

6 comments :

  1. love love love! how unique this is! i wanted to paint our coffee table blue, but the hubs wont let me!

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  2. love. love. love. LOVE!

    oh my gosh, this is amazing!

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  3. This is seriously amazing! I want to paint something turquoise now!

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  4. It's even more stunning in person! I love the way that piano looks in your place!

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  5. Shut the front door. First off, I just barely found your blog for the first time. Second, I am OBSESSED with your piano Abbs!! I would totally buy that from you! But...I live in good old Provo still. But seriously girl you are inspiring me!! Especially because we have been thinking about buying an old piano off of KSL too. (my heart needs my own music back in my home.) Basically I love and miss you and think that your piano idea was GENIUS. What a fun project. Let's play when you get back to Utah this summer! Our men can talk law and be friends...or sports.

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