I took home another ceramic animal.
Is there a support group for this? (Hi my name is Sherry and I hoard porcelain mammals)
I totally understand that they’re not everyone’s cup of tea – not even close – but for some reason they’re like catnip to me. I can’t stay away. And I’ve realized that I’m attracted to certain characteristics when it comes to these fake friends of mine. I don’t like them too cutesy and sweet. In fact I usually like them very hard and prickly looking. For example, my beloved rhino is ruff and tough and armed with horns.
Kind of like my no-nonsense iron bull.
And my muscular bite-your-face-off ceramic pooch. And my harsh and haunting concrete greyhound (decked out with a bow for Christmas in this pic). Ok, so he’s not ceramic, but he’s close…
And my serious and angular horse bust (there’s nothing my-little-pony about him).
Sure I have a few cute-ish porcelain pig hooks (gotta get Clara on the ceramic animal bandwagon early)…
… and even some sweet ceramic birds. Sidenote: You know that scene in Cinderella where birds fly through her window and try to dress her? In my dream version they’d be ceramic and instead of dressing me they’d land on all available surfaces and live there permanently.
But more often than not I fall hopelessly in love with tough- even sinister- objects that make up for their malice with glossy and chic white exteriors. Maybe it’s that balance of rough and smooth or angular and light that I love.
So when I saw this nasty wart-riddled ceramic frog for $1.99 at Goodwill I had to take him home and add a crisp white coating of high gloss spray paint…
There, so much more charming! Almost kissable I’d say. How many points do I get for working two random Disney movie references into one post?
Or is it just me who finds glossy white ceramic frog friends to be approachable and endearing?
It’s probably just me.
But the lesson here is that: something you like from Goodwill (not necessarily the color, but the shape) + spray paint = your own personal state of Nirvana. And it doesn’t have to be white paint either. We think a hot pink or a turquoise frog (or even an antique bronze or hammered platinum one) would look quite posh indeed. Just go with whatever color you’re feeling at the moment. Remember our buddy Lumiere who we recently spruced up? Bam, there it is: a third Disney reference.
What have you guys been collecting or spray painting lately? Is there anything in particular that you’re always on the lookout for? Or any specific animal that you’d like to add to your own personal menagerie?
Elizabeth says
I skipped over the collecting part of the question! I collect several things and one of them is nesting dolls ever since my grandmother brought me some from Russia. My latest find is this totally adorable set of nesting dolls which are white and MEASURING CUPS! How cute is that?
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=17324070&itemdescription=true&navAction=jump
Julia says
After reading this post and ALL of the comments, I noticed a lot of people are spray-painting things that I thought HAD to be just …”regular” painted. haha. Like spray-painting a bookshelf? fireplace? I can understand a little ceramic creature, but what is the rule?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julia,
For the best possible results we use oil-based primer and latex paint for furniture (applied thinly and evenly with a brush or small foam roller). Spray paint is fast and furious though, so if you’re confident you can attack something without ending up with a drippy and sticky mess we say go for it!
xo,
s
candace @ thecandace.com says
I’m loving your little white ceramic “farm” as well! It’s because of you that I decided to only put white ceramic dishware in my hutch and I think it looks stylish and modern. And, because of you, I’m tackling my first white spray paint project this weekend! Fun!
Kristi says
I love the idea of spray painting something you like the shape of. There have been so many items that I have seen at the thrift store that I would love to do that too! Unfortunately, I live in Chicago and the sale of spray paint is banned in Cook county! I know they are trying to cut down on grafitti, but don’t they know that DIYers everywhere need spray paint too?!
Sarah says
I just spray-painted all of our registers (the air conditioner covers) a nice creamy white. Those things are expensive!! Our were dirty brown with rust spots starting to form, so I threw them all outside and spray-painted away!!
amanda says
“Bam, there it is: a third Disney reference.”
i just died laughing!
Snickrsnack Katie says
You know, I am not big on all of the ceramic animals that you have, but I do like a lot of them – and that frog is AWESOME! I have always had a slight frog obsession – in high school and college, I collected them. I like how you turned that lumpy, bumpy frog into a lumpy and bumpy white frog! He looks gentrified!
I love the idea of using spray paint to liven up something that is old! You guys rock.
Nancy says
You certainly turned you frog into a “prince!” It’s amazing how a shot of white spray paint can turn the so-so into something fabulous!! I bought two ceramic garden stools at Big Lots – $20!!! EACH – spray painted ’em white and they look like the $350 you see in the fancy schmancy decorating books!!! Gotta love the paint!!
Amy B. says
I love your hideous warty turned oh-so-glossy frog. I have a thing for frogs anyway, just not normally ceramic ones :)
I have been collecting succulents, and just this weekend I spray painted some garage sale flower pots in a deep navy blue for some contrast. You can check it out here!
Angela N says
I just spray painted a metal basket that I have had for over 10 yrs. I was just not feeling the silver matte metal of it any more so I sprayed it hammered bronze. Love it again!! I also just spray painted a stick lamp that I have had for.ever. It’s also hammered bronze now. This is the third color it’s been, not counting the original color. haha Gotta love a can of spray paint!!
I am considering spray painting some large picture frames. They are professionally framed photos/prints, but I am not loving the color of the frames anymore. One set I think I might go with the bronze color, but the other set I am thinking I might go a high gloss red. I am a little chicken to go for it though. Guess if I hate it, I can always paint it another color. :-P
And I also have to add, I’ve been hitting up my local Sal. Army store and found some FANTASTIC finds! One week it was a set of 4 parsons chairs for $20, one week was a fabulous bird print from Z-Gallerie for $45 (it had the original price tag on the back still at $175!), etc. I try to hit it up once a week to see if they have anything I can’t live without. :-)
Sandy says
As an add-on to my first post, I just have to tell you that the comment from Kathy should get “Comment of the Day.” I’m still laughing at her reference to her grandmother’s house, with Precious Moments babies “holed up in a cabinet together like an army, glaring and threatening to break out at night.”
What a hoot!
Monica says
I had no idea you had so many ceramic animals!
brieanne says
If/when you come to San Francisco, I found THE hotel for you. It’s near my house, called Hotel Vertigo. In their front window, they have a small menagerie of shiny white animals. The first time I saw it I totally meant to tell you! You can sort of see in their photo gallery and on google earth street view
http://www.hotelvertigosf.com/gallery.html
YoungHouseLove says
Can’t. Resist. Shiny. Faux. Critters.
Love it!
xo,
s
pam says
I’ve been on a spray painting frenzy. A coffee table that was left in our new house, all my frames black so they’ll match, a bathroom light fixture that I got off of freecycle & some small containers.
Lisa in Seattle says
I love your horse head – so Adleresque! I can’t justify shelling out for his pieces, but sometimes you can improvise. This guy from Pier 1 looks terrific in white, I’m just sayin’. Not every experiment has worked out. There’s a hideous white squirrel destined for the trash very soon, alas.
Amy says
Oh you make me want to go buy a random animal (ceramic of course) and paint it! I’ve never been much for “novelty” type things, especially animals….but once it’s painted white it’s like a piece of art! Love the new frog!
My favorite are the birds! Safeway has these little garden mirrors with little white cermamic birds at the top…orginally something like $20? On sale for $4.99….I want to go get one before they sell out, so cute!
Sara says
Who else is guilty, she has two thumbs & is this girl! My friends & husband tell me the next step is collecting light houses, but I have to have any figure that is all white & odd. Strangely, it is mostly DIY craft items, such as the My Little Pony that is meant for a child to decorate or the Mickey figure that you can color. Mine are all smaller & a throw back to childhood classics (Bart Simpson). This way they take up less room & my husband is not so frightened that he hides them on me. I am glad I am not the only one.
PS. I absolutely love your photos of Clara, they make me laugh out loud! She is super cute.
Cait @ Hernando House says
We recently picked up a chrome (yes, chrome) elephant at HomeGoods because my husband has a huge soft spot to elephants (we got a white one from HomeGoods in July). I have resisted attacking it with spray paint (so far). And we also have my collection of Breyer horses from when I was younger throughout the house (you can see them here: http://hernandohouse.wordpress.com/our-house/).
Emily T. says
Who doesn’t love living with ceramic animals? My husband and I like to surprise each other by assembling our ceramic crew together and depicting a funny scenario. So silly and dumb but is hilarious when you are running out the door for work and notice that there is a turtle, 2 birds, a penguin and an elephant reading books on your coffee table and smoking fake paper cigarettes. Its the little things, right?
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! I’m totally doing that to John tonight.
xo,
s
Jo says
Awesome work :) I am always on the lookout for things to spray white – anything can look modern, fresh and funky with a coat of gloss white! I have a stylised stone rhino that I sprayed white; it was an odd, mottled stone colour before and looked hideous. Now it looks so fresh! I have just bought a fantastic betta statue from TK Maxx Homesense (do you have that over there? Basically TK/J Maxx, but only homeware. Its my favourite shop ever!) thats currently hot pink; while that is funky in its own way, it doesn’t suit our decor, so its probably going end up white too. Or maybe gold.
Erin says
I have little birds just like yours! I got them at Michael’s in white and bought a minty green one for my mom. They are precious, and they make me happy. And now that you mention it, they make me feel like Cinderella. :)
Amanda says
I recently found some big, beautiful (if a little dated and tacky) gold mirrors at a yard sale for $20. A few coats of glossy white spray paint later, they look fantastic and totally updated! As one of the other commenters said above, my husband jokes that nothing we own is safe when I have a can of spray paint in my hand! It’s just such an inexpensive, easy way to update anything and everything! The frog looks great in white by the way!
ally says
So my husband brought many relics of his bachelor-hood to our marriage, but my favorite has to be this white porcelein mountain goat. When he showed it to me, he thought I’d get a good laugh out of it, but it’s actually pretty fabulous. And if it didn’t have a broken leg and horn, it’d be up her out of the man cave in a heartbeat!
hi-d says
I like the ceramic animals too…love the paint it idea…that’s always in the back of my mind with things.
julianne7 says
I don’t know what it is about animals that attracts us! Lately, I have been scouring ebay, thrift stores and various antique shops for copper jello animal molds to hang in my retro kitchen. Maybe its because I’m not home enough to have a real pet… so the copper ones will have to do for now!
Great find with the frog!
Christa M says
I like to purchase old cruddy candle holders for cheap and spray paint them to go with my decor…..I LOVE SPRAY PAINT! And I saved the cardboard boxes our dining table came in to use as a spray paint catcher. Now I can spray larger items like some retro folding chairs I scored 4 for $20…looked them up online and they are selling for $70 a piece!
I also have to comment to let you know how lucky you are that your Goodwill puts price tags on items. The two that I frequent use black oil type pens to mark the prices on everything and I sometimes find it difficult to remove. Thankfully most of the time they put it in an inconspicuous spot.
Laura says
Decked out with a blow… :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, all fixed!
xo,
s
Paula/adhocmom says
Seems innocent enough. It’s a classy collection.
Kay says
I love the frog. I’ve spray painted several figurines avocado green lately. I also love a good tasteful carved wooden animal.
I’ve been meaning to tell you also that I picked up a cool white faux bois pitcher ($2) that totally made me think of you guys. I used it to put flowers in at a baby shower I threw for my bff from kindergarten. It was beautiful!
Sunny's Life in Rehab says
Soon after discovering your blog, you inspired me to unify a school of mismatched and unrelated wooden and ceramic fish with some high gloss white. They turned out fantastic. I’ve never looked back.
Kim at Yellow Brick Home says
You’re not alone in your addiction! Last weekend, my friend told me I needed to take a photo of my whole “family.” They’re just too fun to pass up!
Rachel says
I love ceramic/statuesque animals as well. The weirder or grumpier the better!!
Christine says
Hey, where’d you get the rhino?
(I think that’s the first time I’ve ever asked that question.)
YoungHouseLove says
Z Gallerie. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Agent Scully says
Phew! This whole time I thought your bull was there to signify your alma matter love (it does look strikingly close to that one Texas school logo, does it not?). But since it’s not Texas school related, +5 points for you. Even with all your whacky animals. :)
Christy B. says
Sherry-this question isn’t exactly on-topic but I noticed in your picture above with the pig hook in Clara’s room the big binder ring holding the paint samples together. After reading about how you made your own paint deck a few weeks back, I decided to do the same with the Martha Stewart samples…but now can’t find a ring big enough to hold them! I’ve looked at Office Max and Target and the biggest I can find is 2 inches which won’t work. Any suggestions? Thanks and LOVE the blog :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Christy B,
We got our 3″ rings from Office Max (they were packaged in a round clear plastic container). Maybe ask the guys who work there to show you where the bigger ones are (perhaps they were sold out when you checked?). Happy hunting!
xo,
s
Kate says
I love spraypaint! I’m not into the ceramic animals for my apartment, but I love them in other people’s spaces, and it makes me happy that you turned an ugly little toad into something so lovely!
I haven’t done too much spray painting lately. A few months ago I got a cheap wood spice rack at Savers and sprayed it black. It is so helpful to hold all our spices on the wall (I tried to find a more modern one but never could) and was dirt cheap. I’ve also done a bunch of picture frames and such. The only thing that bums me out about spraypaint is that I don’t have a place to do it once it gets cold here (which is fairly early in Madison, WI!).
Jenna says
I love Sherry’s collection. I will have to find a worthy creature to spray paint.
I have been spray painting mismatch picture frames for my boys bedroom… along with a wall hanging of a plaster owl.
I want to spray paint everything. It’s clean glossy finish is so rewarding :)
Christina says
It’s so funny that you posted this! Just the other day I was talking to my husband about the horse we have. It was given to him after his grandmother passed away last year. It’s definitely not my favorite, but we can’t get rid of it. So I asked him how he felt about spray painting it white and it was totally cool with the idea! I don’t have a love for ceramic animals, but maybe this horse and I will start a new, long lasting relationship. Now to just actually paint it, haha.
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme) says
I never thought about or had really gotten introduced into the white ceramic animal fad until I first came across your blog! And now I can’t wait to add them to my future house/apt, I love the idea of finding ones at GoodWill or other thrift shops and spray painting them lots of different colors.
Sherry, you should get a commission for all the ceramic animal buys that people are making because of this site! Haha
Tara says
This turned out AMAZING. You;ve inspired me to look twice at things that I would’ve just passed on before. Ok, very basic question – what brand and color of spray paint do you use? And do you know if spray paint off-gasses the way regular paint does – so is it safe to use on stuff that’s finally going to be inside the house? Or maybe there’s a greener version of spray paint?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tara,
Alas, we have yet to find no VOC spray paint but we’re counting down the days until everyone hops on the bandwagon and starts making it. Until then we always spray everything outside while wearing a gas mask. Then we let it dry in the garage with the door open (so it’s protected from rain but allowed to air out. After about 48-72 hours of that we wait for a hot sunny day and sit it out in the sun (heat helps things offgas a lot faster) so that when we finally bring it inside it’s fully dry and done offgassing. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sadie says
I scored a porcelain parrot from Z Gallerie about a month ago. A week later, we had company and I was talking to them about home renovation and decor (like you guys, my husband and I bought a 50 year old house that had all the original fixtures, carpet, etc). The woman said to me, “There’s a blog you would absolutely love; it’s called Young House Love.” I told her I was a huge fan already and she said said, “Your parrot totally reminded me of Sherry!” So funny!
Tiffany S. says
I found that Adler Rhino on sale this weekend, and he was mighty tempting though I think he was still way over $100. I showed amazing self-restraint (and I had just eaten a big burger so I think my stomach was saying NO RHINO).
OwningsSingle says
Cute collection. I’ve recently developed a love for white accessories. Not neccesarily animals but vase, bowls etc.
Ms. Bright says
Sherry. It’s ok. I, too, have a white menagerie.
I’ve been hunting a greyhound like yours for a year now!
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite says
I am dying to spray paint something! I better get my butt over to my nearest goodwill…
Holly H says
3 Disney references in 1 week… amazing!!
ladibug32 says
I love this. I do the exact same thing! I have random spray painted ceramics all over my apartment. Mine are all pink but I love the white. They look so clean. I might be buying a can of white spray paint this weekend. I love the rhino. It makes me want to go shopping :)
Lindsay@Tell'er All About It says
I love your white ceramic animal addiction! I’m always on the lookout for (though it’s harder to find) any metallic/shiny/mirror-y animals. So instead of white ceramic, I go for full-on glam. Loves it!
Karen J says
Great transformation! This is OT, but have you seen the Nate Berkus items on HSN? Maybe you can use some of his furniture in a mood board:
http://home-decor.hsn.com/nate-berkus-furniture_c-hd0060_a-5936_xc.aspx?prev=hp!sf&cm_re=Modular_Right*seeall&ccm=hd|5936
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Karen,
We love his stuff! You’re right- we totally have to squeeze it in soon!
xo,
s
Hally says
Maybe I’m the only one with this ridiculous problem, BUT I’ve found I’m a horrible spray painter. So in my quest to get better, I find myself buying little things like this to practice. LOL. Thanks for inspiration. He’s adorable!
Am I the only one without spray painting abilities?! lol