Just paint over it............

Remember the guest room makeover last year? I painted old vintage shutters. All that happened after my first trip to Provence in high Summer. Sunny colors of fabulous Vincent Van Gogh paintings, fields of sunflowers, lavender, purple iris, rich red grapes, cobalt blue sea ~ were my inspiration.

Second time around, last October, the glaring sun had faded the countryside. Autumnal shades surrounded me - russet and ochre of the vineyards after the harvest was over, lavender fields turning to dusty gray under paler washed blue skies. Still stunning ~ I loved it all, even more perhaps.

Dried lavender fields and windmill - nr. Minerve, France. Oct. 2008


Last week I dragged the shutters out into the 'cloud shine', better painting when the sun's not too bright.......or scorching hot!

I lightly sprayed unevenly with cream first, then dry brushed with Valspar's Gravity.
I like this softer look. On entering the room, which is small, you no longer see the shutters first and foremost!

Vintage monogrammed hemp French pillow cover purchased at La Madone in Provence.

Do your decorating projects occur spontaneously? Do you enjoy refinishing, repainting, re-purposing items in your home?
Do you usually buy new furniture, or hunt for gently used, vintage or antique items? Have you ever had a mad moment when, on a trip, you purchased an item which had to be shipped home because those overheads are so minuscule?
How about shipping an entire container load from Europe..............now that's my dream!