Color and Shimmer for an Old Tilt Top Table

 

I often wonder if I was meant to live in a different age and time.  I do think I could have been quite happy living during the Victorian era, sitting quietly day to day, sipping tea and laboring away at needlepoint and writing long, thoughtful letters to dear friends.  I am sure that the troubles and tribulations of that time would be wearing and I might change my mind, but it's fun to romanticize and dream about these times past.

 

 

 

Although this tilt-top table isn't from the Victorian era, it is older and was modeled after the tables used in parlors for tea time.  I have always wanted to get my hands on one, but up until a couple of weeks ago had not come across one for sale.  For this reason, I was willing to pay a little more for this table than I normally would for a piece this size.  Also, it was very sturdy and the mechanism functioned well.  It seemed worth the investment.

 

 

I knew this table top needed something extra special, as it would not only serve as a place to set things, but as a piece of art when displayed upright.  I started with a mixture of Louis Blue and French Linen Chalk Paint®.  Once this was dry, I applied a stencil by layering and alternating colors in Paloma and Pure White.

 

Once I had the stencil technique just right, I brushed on some slightly watered down Pearl Plaster by Artisan Enhancements to give the finish a beautiful Pearlized effect.

 

I applied the Pearl Plaster all over the entire table and sealed it with Annie Sloan's clear and dark wax.

 

 

I was hesitant to use dark wax on this piece, but when I got to the point where the decision had to be made, the finish was looking a little too modern for this table. 

 

 

The dark wax seemed to add just the right amount of aging to get the antiqued finish I was looking for.

 

 

The day after waxing, I buffed and buffed this sweet little table to give it a lot of extra shimmer and shine!  The finish feels velvety and soft.  I am really pleased with how it turned out.  It now sits in my booth at Camas Antiques awaiting a chance to grace someone's lovely parlor (or living room) and hold a beautiful tea set and needlepoint work (or a glass of white wine and a kindle).

 

The more I think about it, the happier I am to be living in this day and age.  At no other time in history could a woman sit down at her computer and correspond with other like-minded, passionate, creative individuals all over the world!  Amazing, isn't it? 

 

I will fill my longings for times gone by with Masterpiece movies and mini-series!  They transport me to a romantic era, fill me with creative inspiration and offer a glimpse into a different kind of life.  When I can, I love to watch (or mostly listen) to period films while I paint.  All during the time I worked on this piece, I had the North and South series on in the background.

 

 

If you love period dramas like I do, you've probably seen North and South many times.  If not, it is available on Netflix and Amazon Prime!  All you Downton fans will surely recognize the gentleman on the far left in this promo ad!

 

Thank you so much for your sweet visit today!  I appreciate you stopping by!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

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Sharing With:

Inspire me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life 

 Before and After Wednesday at The Decorated House

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy
Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

 Friday's Unfolded at Nancherrow

Decorative Column...from Brassy Gold to Concrete Chic

 

Last Saturday morning I set off to Camas Antiques for a Chalk Paint® demo.  My mom had just given me this heavy, ornate, solid plaster column, and I thought it would be a fun piece to demonstrate my favorite decorative paint on! 

 

 

The column had been previously spray painted a bright, shiny gold and was desperately in need of a Chalk Paint® update!

 

 

I had to really push my brush into all of those nooks and crannies to fully cover the bright gold paint.

 

 

  After roughly 2 coats of French Linen, there was no sign of the original shiny gold finish.

 

 

I let the paint dry overnight before applying a wash in Old White.  Normally I wouldn't wait this long, but I wanted to be absolutely sure that I didn't reveal any gold during the wash or wax process.  I have a tendency to be a little aggressive with my buffing, and sometimes buff away the paint in spots on a shiny surface.  I am learning to be more gentle, but in this case allowing the paint to dry overnight seemed to do the trick!

 

 

I love how the Old White wash brought out the amazing imagery here as there are so many interesting things going on with this piece.  It was hard to fully appreciate the details when it was painted a solid color.

 

 

I brought the column outside this afternoon to take advantage of the beautiful, soft overcast lighting and to photograph my lovely pink magnolia tree.  Because I did wax this piece with Annie Sloan's soft, clear wax, it isn't suitable to be left outside.  Anything painted with Chalk Paint® intended for outdoor use, should never be waxed as the wax doesn't hold up well to the elements.

 

 

These blooms are so wonderfully fragrant!  I had forgotten just how lovely their scent was until I brought a branch inside to enjoy.  It filled the whole kitchen with it's heavenly fragrance!  I wish this tree would bloom all year long!

 

Thank you so much for your sweet visit!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

  

Sharing With:

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

 Friday's Unfolded at Nancherrow

Antique Radio Cabinets - Restyled and Repurposed

 

When fortunate enough to find them for a good price, I don't hesitate to pick up an antique radio cabinet.  I especially love the ones with pretty curves and details.  The person I purchased this one from had already cut the cupboard doors and created shelves inside, so all it really needed was paint! 

 

 

I finished it up and took it to the shop on Thursday night only to hear the next morning that it had sold!  I later learned that it was a friend of mine who bought it!  That's always fun to hear!  Thanks for the sale, Diane!  I hope you find the perfect spot in your home for this sweet cabinet!

 

 

To create the pale blue for this piece, I mixed approximately 3 parts Old White to 1 part Louis Blue Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan.  The accents were painted in Old White and the entire piece was finished in clear and dark wax after some light distressing.

 

 

These cabinets are great for holding stereo equipment, dvd players and all of those entertainment components!  This very cabinet was on loan to our play room for this type of storage up until last week when I reclaimed it to paint and sell!

 

 

Now, the cabinet I painted over 3 years ago for our family room will be moved upstairs to the playroom.

 

 

I shared this cabinet here in 2011.  It has worked out great in our family room.  Last week my husband mentioned that he'd like to have something a little larger to house more equipment.  I always jump on an opportunity to buy and paint something new for our home!  It just so happened I knew where to get the perfect cabinet for our family room!

 

 

This beauty, an old music cabinet is now awaiting it's Chalk Paint® destiny!  I hope to get to it in the next week or two!  So, be sure to stay tuned!

 

 

Let's connect!  Please find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

 

Thank you so much for your sweet visit!

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

 

 

Sharing With:

Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

 Friday's Unfolded at Nancherrow

Make it Pretty Monday at The Decorated House

Made Pretty with Chalk Paint® - My Updated Portfolio

 

 

 

Hello friends!  I hope your week is going well!  I just spent some time updating my 

Chalk Paint® Makeover Portfolio.   I hadn't realized how far behind I was in posting to this page until I sat down to add projects to it.  There are over 80 projects posted here, all Chalk Paint® makeovers!

 

Besides being up-to-date, this page now has a link beneath each photo that will take you directly to the blog post where the colors and techniques that I used are described.

 

I often receive emails asking what paint colors I had used on a piece of furniture that was seen on the Portfolio Page, so I hope that the corresponding links will prove useful for readers.

 

Thank you for your visit today!  I hope you will be back next week as I plan to have some more projects to share with you!  I am on my way to the garage at this moment, waxing brush in hand...ready to finish up a few pieces I've had waiting in the wings!

 

Have a lovely weekend!

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

 

Sharing at:
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Scalloped Cottage Cream Dresser Details

 

Last month, I replaced my husband's little old dresser of 12 years with a bigger, more masculine piece, painted with love and even monogrammed just for him!  You can see his new dresser here.  The old dresser had a makeover this week and made it's way to my shop space at Camas Antiques!

 

 

Annie Sloan's butter yellow color called, "Cream" lends itself to the cottage style so well.  It seemed the perfect color for this vintage dresser destined for a cozy cottage one day soon.

 

 

The hand painted scalloped design in Old White adds just the right amount of subtle detail to the drawers.  Painting scallops is easier than you might think.  I shared my method in a blog post last year.  You can find it here. 

 

 

Rather than do any distressing on this piece, I kept my brush strokes uneven and laid the paint on thickly.  After a coat of clear wax, I worked some dark wax into my brush strokes to accentuate them and give the finish an aged appearance.  I typically go this route when painting over something that was previously painted in a color that I don't want to show through my new finish.  It works as an alternative to a sanded back, distressed look.

 

I hope this sweet little dresser reaches it's cottage destination one day soon.  I think it would be lovely in a cozy bedroom, nursery, or even a vintage inspired bathroom.  Dressers are so versatile.

 

Thank you for your visit today!

Have a lovely week!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

Sharing With:

Inspire me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life 

 Before and After Wednesday at The Decorated House

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy
Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

 Friday's Unfolded at Nancherrow

Painted Sofa Before/After and Master Bedroom Updates

 

Several years ago I brought home an orange sofa from an estate sale.  Yes, it was orange and aesthetically dated in a way that didn't fit my style, but it's condition was pristine and it was only $30!  I was so drawn to it's curves and lovely tufting that I was able to look past the Brady Bunch orange upholstery.  I remember my husband giving me a funny look when he helped me unload it from the truck, but he didn't question my intentions.  He rarely does.  He knows better.

 

Our master bedroom is fairly large and I was hoping to create a pretty little sitting area.  The sofa was the perfect size, but obviously the wrong color.  I immediately covered it with a beautiful quilt, threw some pretty pillows on it and vowed to save my pennies to have it reupholstered one day.  Well, we all know how expensive upholstery work can be.  And it seems like after having children, your priorities get shifted and suddenly spending hundreds of dollars to reupholster a $30 sofa that no one ever sits on seems frivolous and unnecessary. 

 

If you've been following along with me here, you know that I have been working on making some updates to our bedroom.  I painted a new dresser for my husband and re-painted my old dresser for a completely new look.  With the pretty new updates happening in the room, the quilt covered sofa just wasn't working for me anymore.  I had been contemplating the idea of painting it with Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan ever since I saw other bloggers painting their own upholstered furniture.  My biggest concern was that the sofa would soak up several cans of paint and even though I would be spending considerably less than I would to have it reupholstered, I still was ready to spend over $100 making my $30 sofa look more presentable.  Recently, Debbie Hayes of Annie Sloan Unfolded painted and stenciled a sofa that appeared to be comparable in size to mine.  In her blog post, she stated that she was able to paint the entire sofa with just a half can of Chalk Paint®!  That was all I needed to hear!  A few days later, I pulled that quilt off of my orange sofa and started painting.  I created a custom lavender color by mixing Paloma and Old White.  Within a matter of hours the orange sofa was no more.  I estimate that my sofa took closer to one whole can of paint, but it was still a much more cost efficient makeover than what I had originally anticipated. 

 

 

This little sofa had been covered up with a quilt for so long that I had forgotten what a cute shape it had and how lovely the tufting was!  The Paloma/Old White mix created the most perfect shade of lavender for our room.  It's exactly the color of fabric I had envisioned the sofa being reupholstered in one day.

 

 

I know exactly what you're wondering when you look at this upholstery paint transformation...what does the fabric feel like?  Is it crunchy?  Well yes, it is a little crunchy...and I know I could apply Annie's clear wax and probably get a softer feel, but honestly no one ever actually sits on this sofa.  We lay our clothes out on it, and that's about it.  I was happy with how it turned out, so I decided to save my wax for another project.

 

 

Once it was painted in the most perfect shade of lavender, the little sofa needed a few more accessories to make it extra beautiful!  I tried to be open minded when shopping for throw pillows.  I knew I wanted to add some accent colors but I wasn't sure exactly what they would be.  I am trying to go for a "collected" cottage look in our room.  I fell in love with this little sequined, ruffled pillow at HomeGoods but it wasn't the pop of color I was looking for, luckily on the next aisle over was the satin patchwork pillow that had a lot of lovely soft colors on it to pull from.  I carried it around to a few different stores and eventually found the blanket in the perfect shade of blue to work with the pillow and accent the sofa. 

 

 

The other accessory the little sofa just had to have were some new legs.  As you can see in the before photo, the original legs gave the sofa sort of a mid-century modern look. 

 

 

Switching them out for some curvy Queen Anne style legs really helped achieve the vintage cottage feel I was hoping for.  I purchased the legs online from Van Dyke's Restorer's.  They were on sale and I ended up paying just $20 for four legs after all was said and done.  I chose to stain them with a dark stain I had left over from another project.  I felt like I needed a little bit of wood grain in this corner of the room in contrast with all of the painted pieces.  Special thanks to my sweet husband for his help in replacing the sofa legs!  I don't want to down-play his efforts, but it seemed like an easy straight-forward project, in case you were wondering.

 

 

The tiered end table is a piece that a friend of mine had for sale in her booth at Camas Antiques!  I originally purchased it hoping to use it as a nightstand in our room but it ended up being a bit too small.  I decided to try it out in the corner of the room next to the sofa, and as it turns out I think it's perfect there!

 

 

 Michelle painted this lovely table in Old White, distressed it just right and finished it off with clear and dark wax.  I love it, Michelle!

 

 

While I'm sharing in this corner of our room, I'll tell you a little bit about the new curtains I just put up.  Before, we had hand-me-down lace panels.  I liked them okay for several years but you know how it is when you change one thing in a room..it quickly leads to more changes!  I decided I wanted a more finished look with sheers and panels but I didn't have hundreds of dollars to spend, so I headed to Ikea! 

 

 

I liked the color, texture and the price of the Lenda curtain panels, but didn't much care for the tab top.  I thought I would do an alteration of some sort when I got around to it.  When I layed the panels out on the ironing board I realized that I could easily cut a little slit at the top of the curtain where it's folded over, just at the hem and feed the rod right through it.  I just tucked the tabs back behind once the curtains were hung in place.  It feels a little like cheating, but it works for me!  These have been up in our room for a few weeks now and I am really happy with them!

 

 

 This corner of our room is now prettier than I had imagined it could be, thanks to a few easy projects, a can of paint and some special accessories!  I still have a few things left on my to-do list as well as my wish list for our bedroom, but I am really pleased with how things are coming together!

 

Thank you for allowing me to share my decorating journey with you, and for your sweet visit today!

 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing With:

Inspire me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life 

 Before and After Wednesday at The Decorated House

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy
Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home

Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

 Friday's Unfolded at Nancherrow

 Vintage Inspiration at Knick of Time Interiors

 

Mini Makeovers for a Dresser Top Vignette

After braving the winter blizzard with the kiddos for a bit of sledding this morning, I am so happy to be inside by the fire, sitting at the computer with a cup of nice hot coffee!

A few weeks ago I shared the vintage dresser that I painted for my husband, as part of our master bedroom update.  I was struggling with how to decorate the top of it.  It's a large dresser and we have vaulted ceilings so there was a lot of space to fill.  I knew I wanted something substantial up there, but I wanted it to be special too! 

A couple of years ago my grandma gave me this sweet little cabinet.  As adorable as it is, the story behind it is what makes it so dear to me.  You can read more about it here.

Ever since the day I brought it home, I have been moving it from room to room trying to find the perfect spot for it.  I stuck it up on the dresser one day and thought it almost worked, but wasn't quite right.  I liked the natural look of the distressed wood but it wasn't flowing with the rest of our décor.  Last week I painted it Old White, with the interior in Paloma followed by a bit of distressing and both clear and dark wax.

Now this darling little cabinet has a sweet new look and a special spot in our room.  I love that it is finally in a place where we can enjoy and use it!

I just purchased the lovely gold crown from a friend's booth at Camas Antiques!  I thought it would be a fun accessory for our bedroom but wasn't sure where or how I would use it when I first brought it home.  I am loving antique gold these days and the color of the crown coordinates so perfectly with the hardware on the little cabinet.

Yesterday this thrifted gold frame got a quick makeover.  I had a small jar of blue paint I had mixed a long time ago...I believe it was Aubusson, Old White and Paris Grey.  It was more than enough to cover the brassy gold frame.  I distressed it back to let some of the gold show through and waxed it with dark wax only. 

The crowned Cavalier was an image I had purchased from an Etsy seller long ago.  The pup in the drawing looks so much like our Cavalier, Basil and with the crown on his little head it was just too fitting of an image to frame for this vignette!

 

I am really happy with how things are coming together!  I am a firm believer in decorating with pieces that you love.  If a piece doesn't work quite right, tweak it, paint it, reposition it, repurpose it!  If you love it enough, you will find a way to make it work!

I can't wait to show my grandma her little cabinet's new look!  I know she will be happy to see that it is being treasured!

Thank you for your sweet visit today!  Stay warm! 

Best Wishes and Blessings,

Amanda

Sharing with:

Make it Pretty Monday at The Decorated House
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Home
Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed

Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch To Yours

What's it Wednesday at Elephants and Ivy

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground 

 Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style