There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who paint wood furniture, and those who don’t. The first group likes to appreciate the natural shades of wood. We might have a client buy one of our teak shower benches for the buttery yellow color alone. But others are more artistically inclined, and an unpainted wood piece is a blank canvas.

We salute those who like to get creative. But before you break out the paintbrush, here are a couple of tips on when not to paint.

• Painting wood furniture is hot right now. But like all trends, at some point it won’t be. If a painted wood piece speaks to you or complements your personal style, go for it. But if you’re simply doing it to be trendy, think again.
• Let’s say you were given an antique desk by your dearly departed aunt. You’ve considered painting it for a while now, but you always stop because you know she would hate it. If guilt is stopping you now, don’t do it. If anything, consider stripping it and either staining it yourself or paying someone to do it to restore some luster.
• If you’re going to paint, make sure you use the right kind of paint. A Rustoleum style paint could turn an antique into a monstrosity. Instead, consider a specialty wood furniture paint.
• If your piece is rare or an antique, do a little research before painting. You might have something that’s worth a fair amount of money, but painting it could destroy the value.