Painted furniture and 'Shabby Chic' furniture are very much in fashion at the moment but, as with all things that are the very height of fashion, they can become unfashionable just as quickly - those of us old enough will remember the 'fashionable' chocolate browns and bright oranges of the 1970s with a shudder!
Now I'm not saying don't buy painted pine - far from it - just make sure that what you get has at least a degree of classic styling and quality about it (or is so cheap you won't be too upset when it has outlived its time). Right Price Furniture has a painted furniture section on its website that includes several ranges of painted pine furniture that tick all the boxes in terms of styling, quality and value for money.
OK, so you've found something that won't go out of date quicker than a mobile phone, what are the downsides of painted pine? One of the most obvious points is that any painted furniture is susceptible to knocks or scratches spoiling its appearance. With waxed or lacquered furniture, a small scratch will be almost indistinguishable from the rest of the piece but with light paint colours, a scratch is alwys going to reveal the difference in colour of the wood underneath. Is there anything that can be done about it? Well, you've got two choices: don't scratch the furniture, or go for the distressed/shabby chic look.
The other potential disadvantage of painted pine furniture is that, over time, the resin in the timber may bleed through the paintwork - especially around the knots. This is a natural part of the seasoning process of the wood but the resulting uneven appearance of the paintwork is very upsetting to some people. What are the potential solutions? Well, don't blame the manufacturer because they are using fresh pine to make affordable painted pine furniture.
If you want pine that doesn't bleed through the paint it will have to be extremely well seasoned, which is usually much older pine and therefore probably three, four or five times more expensive. Alternatively, if you want low prices and an even paint finish, then look for painted furniture made from MDF. Now MDF or Medium Density Fibreboard was invented in the 1980s and compresses wood fibres together under great pressure. The board is slightly heavier than pine and will not tolerate getting wet or damp (if unprotected by paint) but it does have the advantages that it will not shrink or expand in different environments and it is excellent at producing and maintaining a consistent finish when painted.
All that said, painted pine furniture looks great and undoubtedly adds style, charm and character to a room. Go for a distressed look from the start or a non-distressed look that can age gracefully. Of course the other great advantage is that as time passes, if you would prefer a different shade or want to smarten up your furniture you can just give it another coat of paint! Don't forget to check out the painted ranges on offer at Right Price Furniture
