Single-colored painted animal figurines – like owls, ducks and dogs – are popping up all over blogland and are a popular way to update and use these cast-off items in decorating.
Whether it’s a pop of bright color like blue or yellow, or a serene white, this is a great way to upcyle some of the little statues that litter thrift store and flea market shelves.
I found these two little figurines recently – .99 for the dove and $1.75 for the duck. Nothing’s actually wrong with either of them – no garish painting like the ceramic turkeys – it’s just that the duck is very “cabin-y” and the dove looks, I don’t know, kinda dated with that rough-looking finish.
I thought about a bright color (like Sherry paints her animals on YoungHouseLove), but I wanted to use these on our living room shelves and they have a white, black, and green theme (with green coming from the painted background and book bindings).
A black dove just seemed wrong to me. So I broke out the white paint. Again.
And I think she (shouldn’t sweet doves be female?) adds such cute style to the top of this stack of vintage books. Even though she was already light colored, the solid white paint instantly updated her.
The duck had seen his day come and go (like, the 80′s do you think?) and while a cabin-theme mallard wouldn’t work in our cottage-farmhouse, this little guy (if doves are female, ducks must be male…) morphs into a design statement in his solid white clothes.
He almost seems swan-like and elegant doing the job of a book-end, doesn’t he?
So the next time you wander past those over-stuffed shelves full of weird tchotchkes at the thrift store, take a few minutes to see if there are any animal figurines or bookends that wouldn’t benefit from a single-color-spray-paint-makeover.
And, again – no judging people by what they’re holding in their hands…
Have you ever painted an animal figurine? If you’ve posted about it, leave a link in the comments – I’d love to see the results!
This is day 15 in our series (you can click on the button to see all the posts in the category). If you’re wondering what’s up, you can read the introduction to 31 Days of Thrift Store Transformations here. I’m taking a little liberty and using the term “thrift store” to stand for anything you buy used (and cheap!), be it from a store, garage/estate sale, flea market…whatever.
I believe a cottage can be anywhere or anything (condo, ranch, farmhouse) as long as you have a "cottage mentality" which puts people above things, celebrates imperfections, embraces simplicity, and finds joy in everyday life. Thanks for joining me!
I love, love, love white animals and I’m all over this kind of project! I got a couple birds at a garage sale for literally nickles and I went after them with a can of spray paint and hung them in Baby’s room. You can see them in this post: http://rindymae.blogspot.com/2012/01/babys-room-reveal.html
I am LOVING this series of repurposing and updating thrift store finds! We are in the midst of tearing our house apart….er………..REMODELING…….and I am seriously tempted to try a few of these ideas! (That’s all I need, after my Little Damascus Garden with the raised garden beds and Green Bean House, to start a whole new set of projects!) Thank you for such great ideas!
Isn’t it amazing what a new coat of paint can do for something that we might otherwise overlook. I like the unity that you have achieved with a bit of white paint.
Wonderful and inspiring…my friend!
Blessings from Bend,
Carolynn
The “guy” looked like a loon to me, not a duck, but it doesn’t really matter, does it, because he’s a swan now! *g*
I have not done this before but I’ll be tempted now.
Yes, well, Brian thought he looked more like a Canada goose so you are not alone, Colleen. I wasn’t looking that close, but now that I do I think you two are more correct than me – it really didn’t look much like a mallard to me. I like him better as a swan, whatever he started as.
LOL! I’m the silly duck. Brian is right; it’s not a loon, it’s a Canada Goose! You’d think being from Canada and seeing dozens of them in our local park regularly, I’d have clued in right away. Good thing he’s a swan now! I quite like him that way more, too. I love the way the bird looks on the gorgeous blue vintage books.