"What do you do with all this themed furniture? Do people buy them?"
You can see above that this is an actual question I received on Instagram...
but to be perfectly honest.....I get this question A LOT!!!
I am human of course....and sometimes, depending on the day and the mood, I want to say, "WELL DUH! Yes, they buy it! Why else would I paint it???"
But then I remember that it is a question I hear often and for good reason!
Whimsical .....is NOT for everyone.
It is what we call a "niched-down" category.
For me, as a whimsical painter, this is fantastic!!!!!
As a business owner, furniture painter, and online coach, this means I have "found my people." I serve them whimsical and they LOVE it!
They BUY it. They LEARN it. They PAINT it. They COMMENT on it. They SHARE it. They get EXCITED about it. They CONSUME it! These are ALL good things!
Whimsical Armoires (click the pictures below to take you to the accompanying blog)
I want to let you in on a little something though: It took me years to cultivate this community! It did not happen overnight!!!
Years of consistency. Years of doing "both".....whimsical and neutral. Years of following my heart.
So to all my fellow furniture painters, flippers, and shop owners that LOVE whimsical/themed/color-filled furniture....but only seem to be able to sell the neutral whites, grays, and blacks......don't give up on what makes your heart happy!
I truly believe what we hold in our hearts can be seen in our art.
If you are bored painting neutrals, it will eventually show. It is SO important to LOVE what you are creating!!!
That passion that you feel when you are making art is what many buyers are looking for!
They WANT that passion, that emotion, that excitement!
Well...they can buy solid at Target, Ikea, and even Walmart, right?
But they can only buy heart-filled artistic furniture from artists: FURNITURE ARTISTS. And guess what? That is a WHOLE LOT of YOU that are reading this right now!
Alice-Inspired Creations (click for the blog!)
My advice to you is this.....
Paint it anyway.
Paint it, post it, email it, showcase it, talk about it!
Paint what makes YOUR heart happy! DO NOT hide it! One by one, it will make other hearts happy and they will look to you for more!
And then, keep going!
Chairs (click on images to learn the process!)
I realize you need to pay the bills. I am NOT immune to that! Painting furniture was our only source of income for a very long time. This is why I mentioned "years of doing both"!
I suggest you paint your pieces that sell, but CONSIDER THIS: For every piece that you paint that feels draining to you, (ex: white/gray) paint a piece that fills you back up with color!
Or maybe you don't have the space or budget for that either.....so personalize that plan for your situation!
For example, for every five pieces of neutral that you paint, paint a passion piece!
And remember, DON'T HIDE IT!!!
Paint it, post it, email it, showcase it, talk about it!
You must put in the work to spread your love of what you do!
It takes guts and dedication, but don't all passion projects???
Headboards (click each for the blogs)
There is a world full of people looking for furniture art that makes them smile.
There is a world full of people wanting a reminder that we can create our own wonderland.
There is a world full of people wanting something unique to feature in their homes.
Whimsical creations (click the pics!)
I challenge you to create from the heart as often as you can.
Be diligent about sharing your creations consistently.
Be patient while your people find you.
Love on them hard when they do!
Build it and they will come.
You attract what you put out there.
Create your own wonderland.....we need more wonder in our world!
XOXO,
Tracey
Want to watch a little of the process on these pieces?
I've got a video for ya!
Watch this week's Whimsical Round-Up YouTube video here:
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Want more instruction on how to stay Whimsical?
Here are some of my faves!!!