Amazon.com Review
Tired tables, boring bookcases, cast-off chairs, and other fatigued furnishings take on a whole new life when dressed up with zingy colors and simple paint techniques. In
Fantastic Furniture: Intriguing Paint Techniques & Projects, author Mickey Baskett and a team of designers show how easy it is to embellish flea-market finds or new unpainted items with color blocking, stamping, stenciling, or simple drawn motifs, or with slightly more complicated methods like decorative painting, crackling, or detailed hand-painted designs. Step-by-step instructions and patterns are included for all 30 projects. Styles range from bright and bold to softly romantic, with several kid-themed projects as well. This guide takes a very similar approach to Baskett's similarly titled
Fantastic Furniture in an Afternoon, but it does not repeat actual projects; overall this one offers more variety.
--Amy Handy
From Library Journal
Innes shows how the various paint techniques she described in The New Paint Magic (Pantheon, 1992. 3d ed.) and Applied Artistry (LJ 1/96) can transform furniture and decorative accessories. She begins by describing the history and use of various paint effects, suggesting that furniture projects are a way "to try out ideas in a small way." Baskett, author of numerous instruction books, presents furniture decorating projects created by various artisans. Experienced craftspeople will find this an inspiring book with its colorfully decorated furniture, but some of the techniques, such as tole painting, and the generalized instructions will be challenging for a novice. Similar techniques and projects are covered in Sheila McGraw's Painting and Decorating Furniture (LJ 1/98), but given Innes's reputation, hers would be a wise purchase. Baskett's book is recommended only if this is a popular topic.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.