Whether you’re looking for a new hobby or you’re simply trying to find a way to spruce up your old end table in the attic, refurbishing antiques or used pieces of furniture takes an eye for design, a love for arts and crafts, and (of course) a little patience. Before you dump your weathered dining room table off at the landfill, be kind to the environment and find a way to make your old furniture pieces look brand new. Serve your family this year’s Thanksgiving meal on a dining room table that you can be proud of – not dispose of.
A haven for collectibles, antiques, and vintage furniture, The Barn on Country Club helps its customers design custom-made refurbished furniture pieces to add to their home. The Barn’s team of painters is well-versed in sprucing up furniture of all sorts, leaving you with a vintage piece of furniture that looks like it was perfectly handpicked for your home. However, for those craving a bit more independence when it comes to home décor, The Barn on Country Club can help teach clients how to paint and restore furniture on their own dime and time.
Taught by Debbie Gentry, furniture painting classes at The Barn are the ideal way to learn the proper technique for painting your favorite pieces in order to keep them in the family longer. For only $85 per class, students receive a container of paint, a Zibra brush and sanding pad (a $30 value in itself), hands-on experience in prepping, painting, and distressing furniture, and a 20% discount on all Farmhouse paint products and Zibra brush purchases. Load up your vintage furniture item, pick your paint color, and let Debbie teach you the ins and outs of turning an old accent table into a proud work of art.
Although the concept of painting furniture might sound simple at first, the process takes much more preparation and precision than one would initially expect. Paint class students might be shocked to learn why high quality paint designated for furniture, such as Rethunk Junk or Farmhouse Paint sold at The Barn, truly makes all the difference in the furniture’s finish. In fact, even the type of brush painters use, including its cleanliness, can make or break a project. For best results, furniture painting expert Debbie recommends using her favorite Zibra brushes, and warns against painting against the grain of the furniture’s wood.
Students attending furniture painting classes at The Barn also learn how to properly measure how much paint to use for each coat, how to determine how many coats a piece of furniture needs, and how to recover if you make a few painting mishaps on your first try. According to Debbie, it’s important to remember that your furniture is in charge when it comes to determining how many coats of paint are needed. Have a dark piece of furniture? Prepare for more coats of paint. Busy mothers can relax with their finished product, as Debbie teaches students how to distress their pieces to give them a stylish, naturally worn look for homes with rambunctious children.
What started as a hobby for Debbie eventually turned into a profitable passion. After meeting Renee Floyd, owner of The Barn on Country Club, at a market show, and shortly after being introduced to Rethunk Junk and Farmhouse furniture paint from Renee and her team, Debbie left the market with a handful of new products to paint with. After teaching classes in a small studio prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Renee asked her to teach monthly furniture painting classes upstairs at The Barn. For many, furniture painting is a way to relax while being resourceful with old furniture. Debbie has a keen eye for determining which of her students need a little extra advice during the painting process, and which students prefer to paint solitarily and get “into the zone” during the class.
In the future, Debbie and Renee hope to host “lunch and learn” cabinet painting classes, in addition to monthly furniture painting classes. With Debbie’s strong background in teaching, students are bound to walk away with a stunning piece of furniture and the foundation for embarking on a new hobby of their own. To find out more information on upcoming monthly furniture painting classes, follow The Barn on Country Club’s Facebook page. Check out @thebarnoncc on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest news and events from Renee and her team. To view impressive works of art crafted by Debbie, check out Vintage Sunflower by Deb on Facebook, and follow @vintage_sunflower_by_deb on Instagram. You can also find Deb’s pieces available for purchase at The Barn. Visit www.thebarnoncountryclub.com to see operating hours, meet the team, and to get a taste of what The Barn on Country Club has in store.
