Artful storage.
Stories in the surface.

I’m Sondra, the artist behind Painted Designs by Sondra. I’m drawn to vintage and antique furniture that has stood the test of time, pieces with a story and sound bones that simply need to be reimagined for their next owner.

I started out drawing, then followed that creative pull into home and business decorating, including faux finishing. Later, I found myself designing sets and painting for church productions and local theaters, where I also stepped onstage as an actor.

Art runs in my family, too. My aunt, cousin, daughter, and I each bring our own creative point of view to the world. I still paint in acrylics whenever I’m commissioned or come across a subject I simply want to paint.

I look for vintage pieces built by craftsmen rather than mass-produced in a factory, then give their solid construction and thoughtful details a new life through color, patina, and artful finish. I do not work on IKEA, MDF, or other composite furniture. While those pieces can certainly be updated for a home, I choose solid vintage wood almost every time. The result is furniture that can feel at home with a new generation. Painting museum-quality antiques is not what I do.

I’m especially taken with the details that give a piece its point of view: the architecture of an old cabinet, a maker’s mark worth preserving, an unexpected drawer front, or hardware with a past. Those clues help shape where a piece goes next.

My finishes are meant to feel layered and lived with. Paint, stain, patina, decoupage, metallic details, and hand-finished texture turn each piece into something useful, expressive, and unmistakably personal.

For a closer look at the history of painted furniture, read my brief history of painted furniture.

Based in East Moline, Illinois, I offer local pickup and work with buyers across the contiguous United States.