Update your Longaberger baskets!

I can remember the very first Longaberger basket I bought in the early 90’s and I still have it.  I can also remember my husband asking, “You paid WHAT for a basket?!” Yeah. The darning basket, $25, plus the liner and protector. That was nothing compared to what we were paying for them a few years down the road. But, back then, I loved them. They went with my traditional home and everyone else was buying them!

With my latest move to Tennessee just a few weeks ago, I was changing out  décor and updating things for a new change in a new city, a new state. Just as others are updating their honey-oak cabinets, woodwork and even furniture, why not get some more use out of expensive baskets that are still in good condition? I sold quite a few baskets and almost all of my pottery when I moved to Latvia in 2011 but still kept about 20 baskets. What to do with them now that they didn’t fit in the new place?

Enter Pinterest. I wondered if do-it-yourself-ers were painting them and how did they do it? I found a few but they were too detailed and too involved. There had to be an easier way!

Experience is the best teacher so I started with a can of chalk paint spray paint. It did a great job covering but I didn’t like the finish quite as well. Here, you can see how it transformed this basket.

Next, I tried a satin and then a glossy spray paint and I liked them both. Unfortunately, I don’t have a “before” of all of the baskets…didn’t think about a post until I had painted a few! Here is what I call the banana basket because that is what I used to use it for. Before:

And after, in the guest bath!

Here is the paint and color I used on all of the aqua baskets:

Here are a few more I tried in blue ocean breeze, the first is the small trash basket, no, it doesn’t sit on my vanity, lol. Just for pictures!

The leather handles took the paint perfectly! Don’t be afraid! This one holds rolled up towels.

Even the little baskets that go in the cabinet to hold essentials received a makeover!

Here are a few in the satin gray granite by Rustoleum:

And my favorite, the large hamper, 25 years plus!!! The basket was still in great shape but the lid was looking pretty rough. This simple paint job really made it look years younger!

I did an old Easter basket in a very pretty cream glossy. It looks wonderful!

Does this give you the nerve necessary to tackle your own project with your tired-looking baskets? Go ahead, give it a try! Pick your least favorite to start, and preferably a small basket, if you are nervous and just be careful not to overspray. Take a paint brush and dust off the baskets, doing your best to get the lint and dirt out of the corners, they are dirtier than you think! Then you can start spray painting. Just be sure to go back and forth lightly so it doesn’t run. Let it dry according to the paint can instructions, sometimes I could respray in an hour since I was doing it outside. Keep turning the basket and be sure not to let it stick to paper. Have fun with it and in no time you will have a room full of NEW baskets to enjoy for many more years to come.
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