Fresh & Fabulous:

A selection of paints, a variety of applicators, and a little imagination are all it takes to breathe new life into all sorts of furniture. Plaid's Fresh & Fabulous Painted Furniture offers 28 step-by-step projects for enlivening chairs, tables, chests, benches, cabinets, and even a bathtub with stencils, stamps, block prints, decorative painting, and simple hand-drawn motifs. A tall cabinet sports bright rectangles of color and a bold outline vine pattern inspired by Matisse. An inventive patio table is actually an oversized clay flowerpot upended beneath a large clay saucer, both adorned with a gardenful of flowers. A pretty writing desk exhibits delicate floral-spray designs. Kids' furniture gets perked up with a mix of striking hues and an assortment of smiling, cartoon-like children. Styles tend toward either the romantic-country look or the vivid-multicolor approach. Most projects are fairly easy, though the decorative-painting methods will require some practice. Complete painting patterns are included when necessary. -- Amy Handy