Painting a Piano!

I painted this piano a while ago, but am just getting around to writing (typing?) about it.  The piano was one of the first projects I used Annie Sloan chalk paint on.  I started with an end table first (forgot to take pictures of that project).  The top to the end table had come off, there were nicks and scratches on it, and I had accidentally spilled a bottle of pink nail polish on it.  Needless to say, it needed a new coat of paint.  So, for my birthday I asked for a quart of Annie Sloan paint in Provincial Blue.  I started with the end table first: glued the top back on, made sure to wipe and clean all surfaces and started painting!  It went really well and I was itching to paint something else, so the piano became my next project.

Picture #1:  We got this piano free from friends of a friend.  They were moving, and didn't want to move it.  So we got it, free of charge!  The kids like to play on it,  I got a few beginner books and it has been fun to play around on.  But it was a drab brown that blended in with the floor too much. Why not paint it blue?

 Picture #2:  This was after two coats of the Provincial Blue.  I kept it like this for a few weeks, but still felt that something was missing.  It was better than it was, but not its best.
 

Picture #3:  I decided to cover the bench with this fun arrow print.  I put some batting down as well to make it a little more comfortable.  I remember covering this in my closet during nap time.  I didn't want to wake up the smallest with all my nailing, so I hid in the closet covering a piano bench.

 Picture #4:  I decided to add some white accents!  Definitely gave the piano a little more oomph and pizzazz.  I really did want to paint behind the keys, but couldn't figure out how to get the keys to stay down, so that area stayed brown.

I think the only area that was a big oops was the varnish.  I did a light coat of Annie Sloan varnish on all the whole piano except the top.  I wanted to do something a little more water proof in case a drink was left there.  I had previously purchased some boat varnish (for a wooden sign for a garden that needed to withstand the weather) and decided if it was good enough to keep water off of a boat, it was good enough for the top of my piano.  Well, this varnish has a yellow tint to it and it left my white paint looking a little yellowish and discolored.  No one notices unless I point it out, and the top is covered with nick knacks anyways.

I enjoy this piece so much.  It ties my living room together because it shares its color with the end table.  Seems like it will be sticking around for quite a few years!