Country Chic Bar

This is a welcome change from all of those bright colors. My brain needed to mellow!

 

This would make a great bar or mini buffet hutch.

 

 

 

Here it is before, very blah but still cute and in great condition. (Courtney, I'm glad you took a pic because I totally forgot to!)

I painted in ASCP Old White with some light Duck Egg on the front panels. Lots of distressing and 2 coats of wax. All the hardware was perfect, just a little clean up.

 

Cute little country chic piece!

Patina Accent Table

I think I'm really starting to find my style. I really do love the classic shabby with the whites and the cream tones, but I am starting to love the bright colors and deep tones, mixed with lots of distress and dark waxing.

This was my first crack at a patina which is supposed to mimic tarnished metallic tones. Old bronze and the green crap that collects on old stone. Basically needs to look like it's been sitting in a courtyard for centuries.

I decided to try it on this table, really because I first tried sanding and staining the top and ended up getting all kinds of lint in the poly and had to sand it down again. But we can pretend that I meant to do it in the first place.

Anyway, here's the final piece...

 I tried the look out on the top first so I could see if I'd want to continue. I basically used a little bit of every color I had laying around and I had no idea how it would turn out. So after sanding the crappy poly off the top, I covered it in the lightest color, duck egg blue, followed by Florence.

Looks scary at this point, totally 80's. Added a touch of olive color and a bunch of graphite to give it the stony look...

Then sanded the crap out of it making sure to go through to the wood in parts...

Let it all dry. This is the only nice thing about the dry 100 degree weather we've been having. Each layer of paint dried fully in like 10 or 15 minutes. Then I took my dark walnut stain and painted it on with a brush. The rag made it to smudgy, stain doesn't like to go smoothly on to paint. Then wiped back the stain to show the color thru. Took a while for the stain to dry, but finished it off with dark wax.

I loved the outcome, but it was a LOT of painting, staining and waxing. I got a bit lazy on the legs by basically skipping the stain step, but it has a nice separation and lets the top stand out a little more.

Again, I'm looking all over my house for a place to put this. The thought occurs, we don't REALLY need a dining table, do we?

I think I need to take a break from all this painting fun. I'm starting to compare contrasting colors in my dreams and my kids are starting to wonder if I have moved away.

Turquoise Dresser

Done, love how this came out! After many splinters from chipping off old veneer and blue chalk paint dust in my eyes, it's all finished.

 


Before and after...

I used ASCP Barcelona Orange under Florence/Abusson mix for a deeper turquoise and added some new fun knobs. I so dig how the colors complement each other! I had to use the damage to my benefit as there was no way I was going to be able to fully restore this guy. I think it worked out well though, lots of character.

As much as I'd love to hang on to this, aside from decorating my lovely garage, I have no place to put it. Available for sale, to a good home with a large backyard so it has some room to run and be free...

Old Dresser Redux

Really, really old dresser. Just picked this guy up a few days ago. He's in bad shape but has some potential.

I must be insane for taking this on...

I was lucky enough to get out of this with just a few splinters. Note to self, turn and run if you see damaged veneer.

I was trying to decide between some nice classic, subtle colors and some new crystal knobs or some loud colors with lots of distressing. My aunt Laura convinced me to go bold. Stay tuned...