Girl in Pink: Mystery Paint Finish for a Pretty Provincial Dresser

Friday, May 2, 2014

Mystery Paint Finish for a Pretty Provincial Dresser

Yesterday I put the finishing touches on this French Provincial dresser and delivered it to Camas Antiques. I had purchased it just a few days prior to fill an empty space in my booth after having sold a large table.

I liked that it was in good condition and ready to paint and I knew I wanted to do something unique with it, as the style is not uncommon. I also knew I wanted to keep the color neutral so as not to limit it to a bedroom. It is really a great size and shape for a dining buffet or even a console for a large TV.

I started by pouring a little French Linen, Country Grey and Pure White onto a paper plate. I played with these 3 colors a bit on a sample board and eventually came up with this finish simply by brushing a little of each color in the same direction, overlapping in places and working quickly before the paint dried.

The drawer pulls were a little brassy and dated to start off with. I dry brushed them with each of the three colors, then waxed with both Annie's clear and dark wax.

As you can see, I did a little distressing around the edges of the drawers and the base of the dresser before sealing with clear wax. I also added just a touch of dark wax in a few places.

This dresser kind of took on a life of it's own. I wish I could say that I was inspired by something specific to create this finish, but I really just chose the color palette and went to work creating. When all was said and done, I was really pleased with the paint finish and overall look of the piece, but I couldn't quite figure out what it reminded me of.

I posted a sneak peek photo on Facebook and asked my friends there to tell me what this finish reminded them of. It was fun to read all of the different ideas. I think the most popular idea was driftwood, but a few also mentioned calico cats and fur. Our Bootsie kitty doesn't quite have the same coloration of the dresser, but I can see how the gradation of color in his fur could be reflected in the paint finish, and I have seen some lovely calico kitties with a very similar color scheme!

So, what thoughts or images come to mind for you?