Two Girls in the press!

Fayetteville Observer

Interior Designs

Friends turn their love of painting into a growing furniture transformation and gifts venture.

By Al Greenwood

The furniture sold at Two Girls and a Brush can start out a cabinet abandoned on the roadside or an old dresser sold at an estate sale.

The furniture is given a coat of paint and a second lease on life. “It’s amazing what paint can do,” says Beth Meredith, who owns the company with Julie Jones.

The two met through their children’s preschool and they learned they each liked to paint. The two went into business together and started painting faux finishing on walls. They grew the company through referrals. “Painting was nice money” Meredith said, but the two wanted to paint something other than walls.

They expanded into furniture, picture frames, wine buckets and other gift items. They dropped the faux finishes because they didn’t have enough time.

The two opened their downtown store in November, during A Dickens Holiday. “We did fabulous” Meredith said “We were wiped out of everything.”

However, Jones said some people mistook the store for a hair salon. They thought the “brush” in the company’s name referred to a hairbrush; she said “We do not do hair.”

The two find their furniture at garage sales, estate sales, - even on the roadside.

Some of the furniture has color schemes from the 1970’s. Other pieces come in with faded paint and water stains.

“A lot of people can’t see that a hideous piece of furniture can look so good.” Meredith said “We’ve done a lot of ugly dining room sets.”

The two paint the furniture at the studio. Many times, customers walk in while the two are busy painting.

Usually, the two paint with neutral colors, but will occasionally choose something eclectic. Depending on the colors, the furniture could fit in a living room or in a dorm room at college.

If business grows enough, the two would like to franchise it, Jones said. Their goal is to make Oprahs list of favorite things. Jones said: “If you’re going to dream, dream big.”