Team White or Team Wood? Our fireplace mantel gets a new look
Some people are die-hard fans for Team White. They’ve never met a wood surface they haven’t liked better with a coat of crisp white paint.
(They often cheer loudly for Team Pottery Barn, too.)
Others are Team Wood. It pains them to the point of offense–deep, deep offense–when natural wood is painted.
(You can hear their cries of outrage most clearly over at Apartment Therapy.)
We are Team It Depends.
We think paint is the best choice sometimes. We have a little chair in our garage right now that’s been dismembered and all cleaned up in preparation for some Martha Stewart metallic paint that I’m itching to try. (Yes, I know that sounds like it will be weird. Trying it anyway.)
The chair wasn’t a high-quality piece to begin with, and the wood is so far gone that restoring it would be way more work than I want to do. We have no problem with painting it.
But, in general, we like wood.
It’s warm, simple, and rustic–sorta like our door-turned-storage bench.
Or like the braided wool rug we love more every day.
We’ve been meaning to strip the mantel pretty much since we moved in. I’m not sure why Cane suddenly got a bug to do it last weekend, but he did.
It took less than two hours, even with four coats of stripper and two coats of MinWax Polyshades in walnut (a polyurethane and stain in one).
We think it’s real pretty. A lot of bang for our Sunday afternoon buck.
Maybe that’s our team: Team Pretty.
Yeah, we can cheer for that.
What team are you on?
We’d love to know. If I had more time and know-how, I’d put a fancy-schmancy poll right here. But I don’t! Maybe you can show your allegiance in the comments.
And, if you want to see lots of practical and pretty, there’s plenty to be found at the Pancakes and French Fries weekly William Morris project. We’ll be linking there.
May 24, 2012 @ 07:20:48
Three cheers! It looks great! Hmm…I’m mostly a Team Wood member. I will however paint something if it is too far gone to ever live in it’s natural state in my house.
May 24, 2012 @ 07:43:51
Thanks, Eartha! We’re most often on Team Wood, too. It sorta kills us that all the trim in the house has been painted white. If we had a different sort of house, we’d probably be better with it, but…
That said, we’re quick to pull out the paint can for the too far gone stuff.
May 24, 2012 @ 07:41:34
I usually like a mix of wood and painted surfaces, so I’m with you on It Depends. The mantel looks beautiful–the warm wood is definitely the right choice in your living room. Pretty!
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May 24, 2012 @ 07:47:39
Thanks! As I said to Eartha, we’re not in love with all our white trim, but we’re sure not going to strip all of that. We’re thinking about other paint colors for it. We like a mix, too.
May 24, 2012 @ 08:15:06
I’m a depends girl. Wow, that did not come out right! I think the decision, no matter what your style, should be on a case by case basis. My mucho expensive entertainment center that we’ve only had for 5 years looks great in it’s new creamy and distressed outfit. My fireplace mantle, since it’s an old pine beam that’s weathered and beautiful, gets to stay naked.
Your mantle, by the way, looks awesome! Great job and great choice.
And I meant to comment last week that I love your blog! It’s so homey and relaxing. I’m sure it has something to do with that Brady Bunch feel.
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May 24, 2012 @ 15:20:46
Um, I think as long as you don’t capitalize “depends” you’re OK!
I’m really with you on the the case by case business. And thanks for the kind words–we’ll take “homey” for sure! (Relaxing, not so much with the three kids and two dogs.)
May 24, 2012 @ 12:22:21
Yeah, I think I’m an It Depends team member. Our house in Oregon had all original wood trim (from the 1910′s), but our house here is getting all the wood trim painted white (in my defense, it’s cheap wood trim from the 1990′s). I ADORE the white trim, as it makes the house look much more updated. I think your mantle looks lovely, and it fits perfectly with the rest of the warm wood you have in the room.
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May 24, 2012 @ 15:30:42
I think so much of this question is about the wood. I’ve seen transformations with paint that I really like because the original just didn’t have much going for it.
As for white trim, I’ve seen spaces with it that I really like. I think it’s about the style of the home and of the other things in the room.
May 24, 2012 @ 18:13:03
That is a great, great job! I vacillate between wood and paint – depends on the surface, the wood, the product, the work involved in getting the wood’s beauty to shine through. You’ve done an awesome job.
And I love that braided rug. Yes indeed, it is just so perfect. Coveting from afar.
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May 28, 2012 @ 09:20:22
Team Pretty! I’m on Team Pretty! And love the mantel. And now I’m interested to see that metallic painted chair … hmmm …
Linda
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May 29, 2012 @ 21:12:51
Ummm…about that chair? Yeah. No metallic. Was worth a shot, though!