Comments on a perfect gray: what's a gal to do?

Once you played the "antique" card I'...

2011-12-08T11:44:06.702-05:00

Once you played the "antique" card I'd have to say no. Paint some other element and love your chairs as they are. Penelope Biachi (above) says it all. Jo @ Let's Face the Music

BALDERDASH!!! pve has the right idea! I AM THE OL...

2011-12-08T02:31:20.290-05:00

BALDERDASH!!!

pve has the right idea!
I AM THE OLDEST OF YOU!
I think.

This is the truth. I have a friend who inherited signed "Jacob" (18th century French chairs) from her mother-in-law. Very high-ranking San Francisco "Grande-dame" The mother-in-law bought them at auction (can you imagine..in the teens or twenties......and treasured them and their amazing finish!...?? )I traced them before the internet!

I arrived at her house one day; and the handy-man was sanding off the paint. (with sandpaper....also sanding off the details of the carving!!) It is a wonder I am still alive!

(google "signed by Jacob" before you read another word, Hope you come back).

Now this is important!!!
( He was an eighteenth century furniture craftsman who made furniture for the royalty. These chairs (at the time......were worth 250,000 apiece in their original condition...(which I was watching being destroyed!!!) I damn near died right there.....and I tried to stop it!
So that is the question!

Do NOT PAINT PERIOD ANTIQUE CHAIRS! NOT!!!

The short answer to this question; (a very good one; and I hope a lot of people are reading this who have inherited antiques.....and do not know the value of them)

Very common nowadays!

Take one chair to an antique dealer who is trustworthy and knowledgeable......and ask him! (or her. Do nothing until you do this

They could be 1930's repros.......paint immediately! (Men have an aversion to painting "wood" Thirties repros will thank you so very much! sister Parish started it.....and it is a wonderful movement. None of those "Grand Rapids " stuff is made out of even "half -decent wood.." Junk! The lines are good because they did copy good antiques......paint them as fast as you can! If your husband opposes.......paint them when he is at the office! If he has a brain......he will say.....wow.....that looks so much better.....or best yet...not notice!

If they are the real thing....(period antiques from the 18th century.......do not paint! Don't like brown?

send them to auction...(Have them appraised first!)
You may be sitting on a gold mine. I had a client who didn't like her "uncomfortable" dining room chairs.....I suspected they might be "period".......250,000 at auction 15 years ago.....set of 12! We spent every dime on decorating her house! And there was not one complaint from her husband! Imagine?? "A gold mine, I called it!"

....and go to Restoration Hardware!

You will be able to furnish your entire house with what you sell them for if they are "period antiques!" And maybe send your children to college also!

I find many young people are inheriting furniture they have no knowledge of......

Educate yourselves if you think they may be "period" (means made at the time of the "style"

not "Grand Rapids reproductions.....) so funny. In Grand Rapids...Michigan they thought they "knew better" than the real antiques they were "copying" Yes, you guessed it! They didn't know better......they knew worse! And virtually every copy that came out of "Grand Rapids" was way, way, way worse in every way! It is fascinating!

I don't know if I would paint them either. I ...

2011-12-07T08:26:11.492-05:00

I don't know if I would paint them either. I don't usually have a problem with painting things depending the value of the wood though. I'm really loving the photo you posted on Nov 23, very warm and timeless. Is it just me but the more I keep seeing grey and white I'm getting bored with it?
kathy

We have a set of antique chairs and I want to pain...

2011-12-07T07:58:00.335-05:00

We have a set of antique chairs and I want to paint them a fun high gloss white or a beautiful black and my husband says "not over my dead body!"

I guess an appraisal is in order and then sell them if they are worth something and buy the white chairs.
WE ladies love to get direction and then go our own way, right. Love to hear what you do.....

I love them dark and I like those white....but I love the dark. They look so handsome.

pve

I'd be wary about painting them...but I can se...

2011-12-06T21:21:45.279-05:00

I'd be wary about painting them...but I can see why you're tempted!
www.saysskippy.blogspot.com

o god, please don't...

2011-12-06T11:06:38.724-05:00

o god, please don't...

so torn, so torn. now you are going to have to fo...

2011-12-06T10:40:42.070-05:00

so torn, so torn. now you are going to have to follow your heart on this one. honestly, whatever route you take..you cannot go wrong.
it will completely change the feeling of your space and sometimes, change is good.

I like the color of the chairs in the first pict a...

2011-12-06T07:29:51.115-05:00

I like the color of the chairs in the first pict a lot!

This is so timely for me too. I have had the same...

2011-12-05T22:40:26.303-05:00

This is so timely for me too. I have had the same scenario going back and forth in my mind for months. I like Razmataz's idea of stripping them to the bare wood and oiling them...then when the trend passes, they could be stained again. Mine are antique too but Mona is right...they don't go for much these days. Was at Scott's Antiques here in ATL in Aug and was surprised at how many some of the vendors had and nothing was moving. I painted a sideboard, but that will be it I am fairly certain.
I will look forward to seeing what you decide!

Donna, your own post is your inspiration!!! Reme...

2011-12-05T20:39:17.848-05:00

Donna, your own post is your inspiration!!!

Remember this one! (:

http://www.aperfectgray.com/2011/11/stunning.html

-- Mon

No!!! They are not Swedish! They are not supposed...

2011-12-05T20:37:19.573-05:00

No!!!

They are not Swedish! They are not supposed to be painted! (:

Pair them with a light table! Yes, really! And work with light slipcovers!

(Besided it is going to cost you a skyscraper to have them professionally stripped and painted).

Hugs to you. I have not forgotten you but this is the busiest time of the year for my little store. Shipping reindeer to the left and the right... Funny actually. (:

Mon

Donna I might see what they are worth, is that imp...

2011-12-05T20:01:03.834-05:00

Donna I might see what they are worth, is that important to you? If not paint them. If so then you can keep them as they are or sell them. They are a great design!

Please Come and enter in My 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways. There are so many exciting & special Gifts! You will love them!

Tis the Season!

xoxo

Karena
Art by Karena

I agree with Emma Kate. Have them valued and then ...

2011-12-05T09:53:51.837-05:00

I agree with Emma Kate. Have them valued and then you'll know if your'e ok w/painting them. I think the shape would look gorgeous painted. They remind of the ones I featured in the From the Stack series that you commented on. I'l leave your table dark though - I think the contrast would be pretty. Michele

I know that dilemma. I am tossing up the same thin...

2011-12-05T03:06:50.489-05:00

I know that dilemma. I am tossing up the same thing, but with an old antique table..

On one hand the chairs will loose their monetary value if you paint them. An antique is always more valuable in its original state.
BUT!
These chairs are probably going to stay with you for life and I think that a Gustavian grey is just as timeless as the dark stain.
You won't grow tired of the gray, and the colour can be teamed with all kinds of woods.

I'd go with a slightly more 'grey' tint than the ones from Circa Antiques, and perhaps also add a slightly darker shade in the carved detail to give depth.

Best of luck!

Hugs
xx Charlotta

I have the same dilemna- as well as the same style...

2011-12-05T00:15:55.208-05:00

I have the same dilemna- as well as the same style chairs-as well as loving the Swedish look! Oh, what to do, what to do??

I'm agreeing with go with what you love...yes,...

2011-12-04T22:23:15.498-05:00

I'm agreeing with go with what you love...yes, the paint can absolutely be a passing thing...on the other hand dark painted antique chairs are not worth a lot right now because no one is buying them. Since they are really nice I would probably opt for slip covering them...backs included and possibly let some of the wood show..with tabs similar to some that Joni has done. Then you can always go back when the trend fades.

ABSOLUTELY paint them! I am sure there is a moneta...

2011-12-04T16:52:00.828-05:00

ABSOLUTELY paint them! I am sure there is a monetary value to them as is... but... they aren't YOU.
If you will love them painted - PAINT THEM!
If you will walk in that room and smile because you will love them painted - paint them!
It is YOUR home.
Have a pretty day!
Kristin

Your chairs are beautiful. If you do paint them, ...

2011-12-04T14:33:12.288-05:00

Your chairs are beautiful. If you do paint them, put a heavy coat of varnish on before you paint so that you can easily strip them later.Hope that all is well with you.
Teresa
xoxo

I so like the white look with dark wood so I don&#...

2011-12-04T13:37:21.563-05:00

I so like the white look with dark wood so I don't think I would paint them myself.Best of Luck! ~Cheers & Blessings Kim

I would not paint them. They are lovely as they ar...

2011-12-04T09:29:11.467-05:00

I would not paint them. They are lovely as they are. They are unusual AND classic--not a bad combination.

I can see how the chairs would be beautiful painte...

2011-12-03T13:55:49.376-05:00

I can see how the chairs would be beautiful painted, but I think they are so beautiful now and have such an elegant grace about them as is that I wouldn't touch them with a paintbrush. The rich, warm wood is so pretty...and would stand our beautifully amongst other pale, chalky grays in the background. Maybe you could find another set so that you could swap the chairs out every now and then when the mood strikes..just a thought.
xo J~

I wouldn't. But you have to follow your own h...

2011-12-02T14:04:14.596-05:00

I wouldn't. But you have to follow your own heart. Just don't do it to follow a trend.

yes, yes, yes. paint them.

2011-12-02T13:20:13.262-05:00

yes, yes, yes. paint them.

rough one... I say, look at the other things in yo...

2011-12-02T12:47:23.160-05:00

rough one... I say, look at the other things in your home. If the new painted look is in line with your total style then go with it. If they would be a departure from your classic style and the only thing that is the painted Belgian look would be those chairs... I'd stay with the wood.

Not sure how the "I" in my first sentenc...

2011-12-02T11:13:35.497-05:00

Not sure how the "I" in my first sentence in my first post became an "U"?

mb