Simple Piano Makeover using Jolie Paint and Wax

Thanks for stopping by friends! I am SO excited to finally be sharing our simple piano makeover using Jolie Paint and wax!
My mom plays piano, and one of my biggest regrets was not learning how to play myself. Our boys have shown so much interest in music and especially the piano ever since they could pull themselves up to reach the keys at church, so we began looking for one for our own home that we could start using for lessons.
I could not believe the number of pianos we found on Facebook marketplace for FREE. It was unreal! We didnβt pay anything for ours, my husband just had to go and pick it up. I had never painted a piano before this one, so I thought I would share the process with you all and what I learned along the way.
I am so excited to be working with Jolie Paint for this project, you can learn more about their amazing products here.

What I love most about this paint is the fact that it’s water based and non-toxic. There were no smelly fumes while applying this product! I’ll share more of my thoughts on Jolie throughout the rest of this post.
Let’s get started! Here’s what I did –
Jolie Paint provided the paint, wax and brushes used for this makeover. This post is not sponsored, all opinions are my own. For my full disclosure, click here.
Simple Piano Makeover using Jolie Paint and Wax Step 1 – Clean and Prep your Surface
I cleaned my piano using a damp cloth, making sure the surface was free of any dust or grime. The paint on the side of the piano are colors that I tested when we first got it home.

This piano was absolutely beautiful, but it was just a bit too orange for my taste. I also felt like the bench didn’t have the same character that the piano had, plus it was pretty damaged on top. I ended up switching it out for another bench – you’ll see what it looks like at the end of this post!

Thankfully for me, Jolie Paint adheres to any surface so thereβs no need to sand. Like most other chalk paints, this is a huge plus.
I am a busy Mom with very little time to work on projects during the day, so skipping this step saved me so much time.
Now I will say that Jolie Paint is a premium paint and it’s definitely more on the expensive side. However, I only used about a quarter of the quart that they sent me to paint my entire piano. So while the price is high, the coverage is actually really amazing.
You can also make your own chalk paint, I shared the recipe I normally use here if you decide to go that route!
Simple Piano Makeover using Jolie Paint and Wax Step 2 – Paint
Once your piano is clean, itβs time to apply the paint. Try your best to apply a thin, even coat, checking for drips as you go.
Another thing I’ll say about Jolie – I really loved their brushes. The rounded paint brush was literally perfect for the curves of the piano, and the pointed wax brush worked so well for crevices and hard to reach areas.

I chose the color βLinenβ by Jolie Paint, and I would describe the color as a darker gray with muddy undertones. Itβs a beautiful color, and once our sunroom is repainted (right now itβs Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams) I really think the piano will pop!

My piano took two coats of paint, and on the second coat I especially tried to create smooth, even brush strokes. While I didnβt have to apply a third coat, I did end up going over a few areas a third time in order to cover some orange that was still showing through.
I painted my piano in sections, obviously some areas had to dry before I was able to move on to others. For example the fall board (that covers the keys) could not be painted until the key block and slip area (surrounding the keys) were dry, and I had to wait for the music rack to be dry before I could paint the areas underneath the lid.

In order to paint around the keys, I chose to use a small painterβs brush rather than using painterβs tape. You can see the whole process in the video I linked above! It was tedious work but honestly not that difficult.
Simple Piano Makeover using Jolie Paint and Wax Step 3 – Finishing Wax
Finally, I sealed my piano using clear wax. The wax gives the paint a protective top coat and helps to prevent scratches and marks. This particular wax by Jolie went on like butterβ¦it was so smooth and easy to work with!

I just swirled my brush around the wax and applied it just like you would paint, working in small sections at a time. Any excess wax should be wiped off with a clean, lint free rag.
And thatβs it! I am SO in love with the way this piano turned out!



The linen color is gray but it still feels warm to me.

I wasnβt loving the bench that came with the piano, so I decided to use an old piano bench (also free) that we used to have in our entryway. Do you recognize it? π I may end up painting it the same color to match, and stripping the seat down to the raw wood. What do you guys think I should do?




Be sure to check out the video I linked above to watch the whole transformation! I hope you enjoyed this post. Do you love the piano as much as I do? Let me know in the comments below!


PIN IT FOR LATER

Wow! This came out so gorgeous!! Iβve been so scared to paint our piano but this might sway me to. Itβs so beautiful! I love the gray color you chose too! xoxo
Grace thank you!! You are so very sweet!! If you end up painting your piano, I’d love to see the finished result π
Love the look! The video was great, too. Awesome job!
Oh Brandi that you!! That really means a lot! π
Hi Andrea the piano looks absolutely amazing love the color!!! The piano looks so rich now with the new color and the bench looks great also!! Thanks for sharing with us!!
Thank you so much Diane!! I so appreciate your kind words! π
It turned out so well! Love the color you chose!
It turned out so well! Love the color you chose!
Thanks Jess!! π
I’m new to your blog. LOVE, LOVE your house. And the piano turned out just beautiful. Have never seen this brand and will check it out. I’d like to try the color you used. I’m a follower now! Thank you!
Mary thank you! Oh you have no idea how much that means to me!! You just made my whole day! π
Your piano is beautiful. I just came across your blog and was quickly drawn to see how you painted with all the parts of the piano. My piano is exactly like yours – same brand – except for a different style rack and legs. If you talk to anyone else who is thinking of painting their piano, here’s a tip. Talk to a piano tuner first before you start to paint.The front piece just above the pedals and the lid (that closes over the keys) – and THE KEYBOARD come completely out! It would be much easier to paint without those pieces in place. I’ve had several piano tuners through the years remove the front board and the keyboard to work on my piano. The first time I came around the corner and saw the entire keyboard lying on the floor I about fainted! Just good information to pass along!
~Adrienne~
Such great information Adrienne!! Ha! My goodness that would have saved a lot of time! Good to know if I ever decide to repaint it! π
What color are your walls behind the piano? We are painting our dressers in this Jolie Linen color and like how they go together.
Thanks Melissa! The color on the walls is Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams π
Super disappointed… I love the way this piano looks. I watched the video, purchased the Linen Jolie paint, and my color is no where close to this. Waste of money on the paint, waste of time on painting… and not i will have to purchase MORE paint to cover up the linen π
Oh my goodness Jordan I am so sorry!! Have you contacted Jolie? Could the color be wrong by chance? I will say that my piano is in our sunroom which is FILLED with light, could it be that all the natural like makes the color appear lighter? I would for sure contact Jolie and see if there is anything they can do!
I love this piano so much! Youβve inspired me!
The color linen looks so much darker on the samples on Jolieβs site. I know you have a lot of light in that room, but I wanted to make sure that was the right color.
Thank you!!
Hello, yes that is the color I used. I hope this helps and your project turns out perfect!