In Ireland, old hand-painted furniture is often associated with hard times, with poverty, and with a time many would rather forget.

An African art gallery occupies one barn; another houses a folk art shop with hand-painted furniture.

Rooms have their own separate entrance and are simple and clean, furnished with Alentejan hand-painted furniture; ask for the one with a veranda.

The rooms at the Ritz have private balconies, marble baths and hand-painted Italian furniture.

Ms. Brigham said that hand-painted furniture is especially popular among her European customers.

The decor is unbelievably extravagant, with hand-painted furniture, gilded light fixtures and frescoed cupola ceiling.

"We sell chandeliers, hand-painted furniture and humidors that sell from $1,200 to $4,000."

Its nine rooms feature private baths and hand-painted furniture - but no phones or minibars.

The 93 hotel rooms, most of which have balconies, are decorated in classic Austrian style with hand-painted furniture and down comforters.

She also creates hand-painted furniture and art boxes.