DIY Funky Painted Porch Tables
Last fall I shuffled the end tables throughout the house and porches. Our side porch ended up with a solid green trunk that we use to store firewood as a coffee table, two plain white end tables and a small shelf that wasn’t even painted on the outside. Functional but boring.
I decided it was time to bring some interest to the situation. Unlike most sane people, I didn’t sit down and map out what I wanted to do to each table. Instead, I got the colors of paint I wanted, some paint brushes and dove in. I painted over a few things but mostly if I didn’t like how 
something was turning out, I just added more detail and hoped for the best.
The end table with polka dotted legs (one leg with large polka dots) came out best. Second best was the top of the coffee table that I enlisted my four year-old’s help with. I initially was too scared to set him to work with real latex paint, and had him use his washable paints instead. It didn’t look right because of the different 
colors, and worse, it eventually occurred to me that placing drinks on that table would make the paint wet again and be a huge mess—in perpetuity. Not okay.
Anyway, I’m pleased with our crazy tables. If any of them start to annoy me too much, I bet I’ll just take the paint brush up again.
I love how it all turned out. Next time, just throw down some old bed sheets to cover the floor, throw an adult-size T-shirt on the four year old, let him be barefoot, hand him a brush and the latex paint and let him learn.
Those are great ideas! We’ve had him help paint the house but it got really crazy really fast but that was last year. I think with the precautions you mention it could be fun. Thanks!
Been there and seen the mess.
Some would suggest a plain white adult-size T-shirt to be kept for “projects” through the years. In another 6-8 years, he’ll be mowing the lawn wearing his favorite-memory, colorful T-shirt.
So creative. They look great!
Thanks! I kind of think I’m going to keep adding to them whenever a certain design starts to annoy me.