Holiday Open House at Red Door Lane!

I am so grateful to be a part of a group of artisans at Red Door Lane! We want to celebrate our clients by welcoming you all to a Holiday Open House THIS THURSDAY, December 10th, 2015 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. There will be prizes, hors d'oeuvres, drinks, discounts, and general merriment! PLUS take 20% off all in-store For Love of the Paint pieces, one night only!!!

Hope you can join us!! We wish you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year!

Before and After PLUS Tutorial : Bombe style Chest of Drawers in Modern Masters Metallics

When the client approached me with her ideas for a metallic stripe on this super classic piece, it was the polar opposite of what I had anticipated. I was thinking of maybe doing Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Louis Blue or Paris Grey, with some Old White accents on the carved side details and feet, light distressing... So we did a lot of searching online to see examples that might help me to realize the vision she had her heart set on! Here's the enormous complete transformation!

Originally the vision was for a more subtle stripe, so we mocked up some sample boards with Annie Sloan Paloma blended with a few metallic colors and thought that would serve as the base, with the pure metallic color on top. However, the client really gravitated toward seeing more of the metallic luster, so we ended up electing to put Warm Silver and Pewter next to one another. Read on to see the rest of the tutorial!

Before and After : Mid Century Modern Dresser in General Finishes Milk Paint

I picked up this fantastic Mid Century Modern or MCM piece from the lovely Michele at Barn Dance Vintage. I wasn't quite sure how to get started, so I walked by it for several weeks before making up my mind. Once I felt the smooth and fabulous texture of the General Finishes Milk Paint, however, I decided to go with that, in a high contrast to really show off the gorgeous curves on the front of the dresser. I selected Queenstown Gray and Snow White for a chic and classic finish. (Note: I ended up doing several coats of the white. This may be because I hand-paint and do not use a sprayer, but I wanted it to be totally opaque and not show as much variation. I still enjoyed the smooth feel of the paint, but probably used more coats than I would have with a chalk paint.. but that's an entirely different, much thicker product!

And a close up of the fantastic hardware! Mid Century Modern pieces often have these cute and quirky details that are just amazing and striking. I think the bold color contrast really lets them stand out!

I have another MCM dresser in inventory, and once I get through a large custom order, I will get going on that one! I'm hoping to stain the drawers and the feet, and paint the body. We'll see what we find when we sand down the drawer faces!!

Before and After : Dixie Dresser in General Finishes Milk Paint

This lovely was my first experiment with milk paints! The dresser has gorgeous knotted pine exterior facings and a subtle nautical vibe with a carved seashell detail and curved side edges along the drawers. I wanted to highlight these without being too literal and thought I would try the chippy texture of a milk paint! I selected General Finishes Basil and Persian Blue - then realized quickly that this was nothing like the milk paint I had anticipated. It instead was a beautifully saturated, smooth and gorgeous color with all-over adhesion (We had also lightly sanded the entire surface). I probably would have done two to three coats to see the full expression of the color, but Basil was a little more of a light sage than I had expected, so I switched to layer it with Persian Blue. This brought out a gorgeous almost sea foam or sea glass color that started to speak to me.

I wanted to also embrace the beautiful vintage texture and knotted pine on this piece, so I did a light all-over distressing, as well as a focused distressing at the natural wear points on edges, drawer sides, feet, etc. The texture was exceptionally smooth and I LOVED the driftwood-inspired finish.

Here's one more photo of it from the shop. Again, these colors have subtle nuances that pick up on different qualities of lighting and the rest of your decor and design. I adore the way this piece turned out, and am sure I'll experiment with these colors again! Next time I want to try a chippy paint, though, I'll try Miss Mustard Seed! Maybe Santa will bring me some :)

Antique Chest on Chest in Layered Paint Finish

I apparently managed to not get a "Before" photo of this antique chest on chest style dresser / chest of drawers. But I really liked the way it turned out, using layers of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in a Florence blend, Primer Red, and Aubusson to accent the original shape and style. I'm always a little nervous when I try something different, but often end up loving the results! This is one of those times - the carved details on the side and the beautiful antique texture of this piece really pop now; what do you think? Most of the layering you see below is from the primary paint application; however, I also did distress back gently at the edges to ensure I captured the natural wear points as well.

This also shows you how much lighting can impact the appearance of these paints. They are so nuanced and beautiful that the light/shadow balance and other colors in the room can really pick up on different details and look like a virtually different piece! I think of them as chameleons - they can blend into all sorts of spaces and still look natural and beautiful.

Before and After : Double Pedestal Dining Table

I was so excited by how the Java Gel stain looked that I decided to use it again for this dining table! It came with two 18" leaves, and was absolutely enormous all together! (Well, compared to my work space, for sure!!) I stain with the leaves in if at all possible to make sure that the color is consistent. Then I took an Xacto blade along the edges to separate them before putting on the final coats of sealant. The body was painted in Annie Sloan Duck Egg and Graphite washes, distressed, waxed, and antiqued with dark wax. This may be my favorite neutral, yet beautiful, cool color combination!

The table top has General Finishes Java Gel stain followed by a layer of Antique Walnut to add some vintage-inspired variation. I love how the color looks beautiful, but so different, when the same table is set on two different floors (Pergo and concrete). Which look do you love more?

Before and After : Vintage Highboy Chest with Ombre Drawers

I have wanted to try some new-to-me details lately, so I took a foray into Ombre! This vintage French Provincial chest of drawers was beautiful, but had some broken trim at the bottom that we removed, puttied, and sanded smooth. Then I painted the body of the dresser in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paloma, and poured some out into a sealable container. I added about two tablespoons of Old White to the Paloma, blended well, and painted two coats on the bottom drawer. I continued this until I had painted two coats on the top drawer to create a subtle gradation, and used the lightest color to highlight the floral detail as well.

I loved the end result!! I also did a small touch of sanding for just a hint at a shabby chic finish. I wanted to preserve the beautiful vintage feel of this chest of drawers. I adore the serpentine front as well! Note: I have seen Paloma described as a neutral taupe / gray color, but I found it to have a cool, almost purple undertone as well. It was beautiful, though, and I'll also be excited to see what it looks like with dark wax the next time I use it! This was a Project Pair with a Bombe style chest of drawers that is using Paloma as the under-layer beneath bold, modern metallics :).

Before and After : Antique Federal Revival Style Buffet / Sideboard

I absolutely adore when I get to play with new ideas and colors! I have been dying to try the gel stains from General Finishes, and my mother in law happened to be at a woodworking club at Woodcraft and offered to pick some up for me! We had found this beautiful Federal Revival Style buffet / sideboard at a fantastic price, and knew that it would be a phenomenally beautiful piece once.. well.. revived a little (pun slightly intended). I used General Finishes Java Gel on the top and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite on the body for a sleek, chic, beautiful look!

Graphite has cool blue undertones to the charcoal gray, so I elected to use dark wax as well to add a warmth and natural variation to the piece. I put the slightest bit of sanding on to highlight the curved front and fluted leg details. And, well, I think it's GORGEOUS! (Also, I'm thinking I might just pull down the "For Sale" sign and redesign my dining area to include it!!) What do you think?

Before and After : Vintage Coffee Table and Chair for Donation Project

I realized that I have been so busy, I haven't put together any Before and Afters for a while! So I'm thrilled to share some of my favorite recent projects with you. First is a donation-based project in collaboration with Red Chair Workroom in Austin. They redesigned a space for a deserving family and gave them a bright spot of color to see throughout their day! The vintage coffee table and chair were painted with Annie Sloan Pure White chalk paint and sealed with Pure Earth Paint's Diamond Coat in Gloss to give it the shine the designers were looking for. The Before and After is below - can you believe these are the same pieces? The upholsterer did a great job on the chair as well.

I feel blessed to have been able to contribute in even a small way to doing good for a family that could use a little sunshine! Thank you for including me in your Revolution Redesign project! I am honored and look forward to working with you again in the future.

Before and After : Antique French Chest of Drawers / Side Table refinish in Emile and Old White - with Tutorial!

This beautiful antique French chest of drawers was a custom project for a client that has incorporated a few other For Love of the Paint refinishes into her decor, and it's always such an honor to be able to create something together as a collaboration! The piece was previously painted white, but we were not sure of the age/product used, and since it was chipping and peeling we decided to lead test then sand down the chest entirely to ensure adhesion and a smooth look. We selected Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White, Emile for the top, and a 1:1 blend of Emile and Old White for the inset details and drawer trim.

Here's the full Before and After!

Click below for the full tutorial!

Artist Highlight up on RedDoorLane.com!

 As many of you know, I have been pleased to be able to work with the artisans at Red Door Lane this year, and enjoy collaborating and learning together on this journey! They have just begun an Artist Highlight series - read the guest blog post here that shares some of my life, designs, and inspiration!

"For those of you with whom I have been blessed to work previously, and also for those of you whom I have not yet had the pleasure to meet, I’d like to extend my gratitude for your interest in both this shop and in our inspirations as artisans! For me, there is nothing quite like the way I feel when I am working with my hands… I love to be with my family, to create, and to restore! I am also a wife and mother of two beautiful children, a lover of art and laughter, and a yoga teacher."

Click here to read the rest of my story over at the RDL blog!

Before and After : Vintage French Provincial Nightstand in Emile and Pure White - with Tutorial!

First of all, a huge THANK YOU to everyone for  all of your support! Finished pieces have been flying off the shelves at Red Door Lane, and I have a steady flow of custom orders for which I am so honored to have been selected! Thank you for letting me be a part of your homes and lives.

We have had such an influx of work that I have begun to group projects together to maximize my efficiency. It still takes a number of hours to hand-paint each and every piece, but this way I can get just a little more done in a day. For instance, I am working on a beautiful antique French end table refinish with the top painted in Annie Sloan Emile Chalk Paint. (Update: see that finished project HERE). My daughter also needed a nightstand in her bedroom, and absolutely loves all colors (she comes by this honestly). So while the paint can was open, I worked on the two side by side - you will probably see many more of these "project pairs" in the future! I will also be adding more DIY and home projects as they come to fruition.

I found a fantastic French Provincial set a few weeks ago, and realized that the nightstand was perfect for my daughter's room! (The other pieces are still available!) So what better to surprise her with than her very own custom painted big girl furniture?

 Want to see how I got this look? Click below to continue reading!

New Logo in the Works AND Red Door Lane in the paper!

I'm thrilled to share this gorgeous new logo by Kerry Ward Design! Kerry was fantastic to collaborate with, and I love the new restyle! For now, I placed it over my favorite green background, but that may change as I get acclimated to the new shape :)

PLUS if you are in the Leander / Cedar Park area, keep your eyes out for your Community Impact paper this week!! There will be an article featuring the artisans at Red Door Lane : LoveFifty50, Interesthings, Barn Dance Vintage, and of course For Love of the Paint! Hope you enjoy reading more about us, and come out to see us in person!!!

Before and After : Claw Foot Sofa or Hall Table in Emperor's Silk

I was so excited to find this claw foot or Chippendale / Queen Ann style sofa table / hall table / entry table for a great price, and originally envisioned it being green like my favorite Bombay demi-lune console table refinish. However, I was so busy with custom orders that I wasn't able to work on this one for a while, and had the opportunity to mentally envision this table in a whole host of other colors. So I decided I'd take a flash Facebook poll!

When one reader suggested it be bright red, "Like a fabulous pair of heels!!!!" I was sold. Let's just say it appealed to the girly girl inside of me (somewhere, probably covered in paint!). I was also thrilled to get to pull out the can of Annie Sloan chalk paint in Emperor's Silk that hasn't gotten to stretch its legs in far too long.

This color goes on super bright - almost a fire engine red - but does darken a bit when it dries. I also lightly distressed, which can be.. well.. distressing, because the areas that you kiss with the sanding block will pull up a fine light pink powder. The key is not thinking this is the final color! When you apply the clear wax it not only gets a beautiful rich sheen, but also a deeper color. This is beautiful on its own, but I have a great love for these bold colors with some antiquing, so I also followed with dark wax as well.

Isn't she lovely?? I adore this bold red look, especially with the slightly greenish hue to the beveled glass insets. What a gorgeous contrast! Bold colors on traditional styles can really blend well into both a more classic decor, or pop in a modern home!

Do you have any questions about how I achieved this refinish? Add a comment and I'll be happy to detail my process further. Or tell me what color YOU would like to see next!

Before and After : Antique Spool Leg Vanity Refinish with Upholstery Tutorial

I'm so excited to share this refinish!! I had a bit of Annie Sloan Florence Chalk Paint left over, not enough for a whole project, and decided to blend it out with some Aubusson for a custom shade. It created this *perfect* jade or peacock blue that I am simply in love with! I recently picked up a gorgeous antique bedroom set with stunning spool leg details, and had previously seen a peacock feather upholstery fabric that was just made for this project. You'll see!

I gently distressed the edges and details, then sealed the whole thing with a matte Diamond Coat by Pure Earth Paint. The knobs were an unusual size / shape, so instead of changing them out I sprayed them with a hammered metal look Rustoleum paint.

Here is the Before and After. Isn't it stunning?

The caning on the bench seat had worn through and been previously covered with a board, but the upholstery foam was thin, and the material fraying. So we decided to build a new top seat that would be much more comfortable! Read on for the full tutorial:

Before and After : Thomasville French Provincial Chest of Drawers in French Linen and Old White

I'm always so thrilled when clients return to get just the perfect piece to "tie it all in" for their space! It is so heartwarming to be able to share that creative process and experience with them. In this case, the clients had purchased this French Provincial side table set in layers of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Olive, Greek Blue, and French Linen, and also had other neutral creams / "greige" pieces / French Linen / some distressed looks that they are fitting together. They sent me photos of these gorgeous items they have already incorporated, and it was such a pleasure to get to research and collaborate on the various different styles that were available to help blend in with those existent pieces!

They decided on French Linen for the body of the chest, with Old White on the drawers.
 

How did I get this look? Read more (plus see the Before and After!) by clicking below!

Before and After : Bombay Accent / Occasional Table

This super adorable Bombay accent table was a fantastic estate sale find! I wasn't sure exactly what to do with it, so I held on to it and eventually decided that it was such a sweet shape, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg would be perfect to put on and distress for a gorgeous shabby chic project! I love to have small pieces around to refinish when inspiration strikes - mostly when I am working with a color on a larger piece as well :) In this case, I have a custom desk refinish in progress, and the client requested that we put Duck Egg in the drawers. It is such a beautiful blue/green/grey color!

I just love the distressing on the beautiful carved detailing! I used clear and dark waxes to really accent the shabby chic finish. It looks perfect to go next to a reading chair in a country cottage!

Before and After : Vintage French Provincial Vanity Makeover

For a bonus this time, I bundled a Before & After with a Color Story : Inspiration series addition! This French Provincial vanity was a gorgeous piece in a Dixie set I picked up, and one of my clients decided to have it painted in the same custom blend of Annie Sloan Scandinavian Pink and Old White as this dresser.

We decided to leave the original vintage stain on the top and the legs of the stool, and paint the body of the vanity in that gorgeous coral/pink! This color reminds me of the soft and always en vogue peonies that are in season.

 The cane was wearing out on the stool, so we reinforced with a piece of plywood upholstered with a 2" foam pad, batting, and a chic, modern upholstery fabric the client selected. What a beautiful whimsical touch, while still classic and elegant! I love this style of vanity for its versatility as well - the top flips down and can be used as a desk surface. Perfection!

Before and After: Antique Lowboy Chest of Drawers Makeover in English Yellow

This is a huge transformation! The piece was previously painted in a milk paint, which was peeling and chipping. The client had a vision of a gorgeous sunny yellow accent piece instead, and gave me some inspiration photos that led me to Annie Sloan's English Yellow Chalk Paint. What a difference between the Before and Afters here!

How did we get there? Read on for the details!

Before and After: Vintage Chest of Drawers into Chic Chevron Accent Piece!

This dresser was so much fun to work on! I started with a totally classic piece, and updated it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen, which is a lovely neutral gray with cool undertones. But I'd also done some late-night Amazon impulse shopping and came across Frog Tape's Shape Tape in Chevron, and was dying to try it out, so I decided to go bold on this refinish! My neighbor gifted me with some Old Ochre, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to give that a test drive as well :)And I'm so glad I did!

Q & A - "How do you get such a smooth finish with the Annie Sloan chalk paint?"

Today I received a message on my Etsy store with a great question that I'm sure that many of you have! How do you get such a smooth finish with the Annie Sloan chalk paint?"

This is a great question because the paint does have a unique texture that takes a little bit of getting used to! A beautiful, smooth finish is absolutely achievable, and I adore Annie Sloan's line not only because of the amazing vintage-y colors, but because of that soft, vintage feel as well. (And no, I don't get paid to say this, I just really love it!)

Here's the full question and my pointers:

Annie Sloan Antibes Table Makeover Tutorial

This green Bombay table has always been a favorite of mine, so when I received a request for a tutorial I was definitely happy to oblige! The Bombay company style of console table I love has long, lean legs with gorgeous fluting that I knew I wanted to accent with bold color and a little distressing.. or as I say, a little bit of shabby and a lot bit of chic!

Thanks to Jessica at LoveFifty50 and Red Door Lane for the photo in the shop! You may remember this table from the Color Story : Inspiration series in-progress HERE. I am positively obsessed with color and knew I wanted to try and capture this vibrant leafy green, but in a subtle, natural way. No big deal ;) .

So here is how I did it!

Before and After : Vintage French Provincial Side Tables

These gorgeous French Provincial side tables were a fabulous find! I decided to go after them with a layering dry-brush technique, and started with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Olive, followed by Greek Blue and French Linen. Then I came back in with a chippy paint brush and put on a little more of the Greek Blue, particularly to the leg and trim details. I sealed them with clear and dark waxes for a gorgeous antiqued look.

Aren't they beauties? I am just loving the subtle color variations! They will be a perfect complement to any decor! I'm always looking for new ideas - what are your favorite color combinations?

Before and After : Vintage Rolltop Desk Refinish

This client loves high contrast! She found an inspiration piece in black and white that we translated into a high-gloss black and blue to be a bold, modern accent piece in her home office. The blue inset is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Napoleonic Blue, and we used a gloss polycrylic to give her tons of the beautiful shine she wanted! The hardware was spray painted with Rustoleum in a nickel color for a gorgeous accent.

To spray paint the hardware, I poked holes through a cardboard box to stand the drawer pulls upright. This allowed me to get even coats all the way around the knobs! The handles were sprayed first upside down, then right side up for a few light passes so that the color is on all sides and angles.

I love how sleek and chic it turned out! It is always such an honor to collaborate with clients to bring their visions to life :) . They always have such creative ideas!

Before and After : Vintage 6 Drawer Dixie Dresser

This dresser is a total showstopper! The client wanted it to go darker, so we found a beautiful inspiration piece with a stained top and painted body. For the top, I used two different shades of stain, then a stain with polyurethane, and finished with a wipe-on polyurethane. The wood grain is stunning! The body is painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite, lightly distressed, with two coats of dark wax.

 Here's another angle with that rich, dimensional wood grain. I am definitely loving the finish! What a huge difference between the Before and After photos!

I can't wait for the client to come see this in person, she's a real beauty! The original hardware in a vintage bronze is the perfect complement to link the brown and thunderstorm-dark gray. What a chic color selection!

Before and After : Vintage Bassett Drum Table

This was a super gorgeous drum table already, so I knew I wanted to preserve the beautiful pattern on the stained top. I made it just a bit more modern with two coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White, then integrated the two with a wash of French Linen. I gently distressed the detail points on the legs and trim for a seamless transition between antiqued and modern shabby / vintage chic!

This table is so much more than a basic neutral! It is a truly lovely piece that will blend perfectly with any design, style, or home decor. I adore color, but I also love the versatility of the paint/stain blend on this classic French Provincial style piece!

Before and After: Hand Painted Photo Frame

This photo frame is an example of a great project to have in the wings! I love to pick up small items where I can, and paint them when I have a color open that inspires me. In this case, I was painting a mirror with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Louis Blue to match a client's dresser, and decided that it would give a perfect touch to this pedestal frame.

I love how it really brought to life the gorgeous carved details! I also added a highlight of Pure White to the highest points of relief. Here's an in-progress photo so you can see how much visual interest it gains with the addition of the white vs. the blue by itself.

Then, I sealed the frame with clear wax, and a little dark wax for antiquing! I love the end result! This was the perfect way to spend my time while my other project dried. Can't wait to get started on the next one, and see where the colors may take me!

SHOP NEWS!!

For Love of the Paint is now sharing some space with the super talented and wonderful artists from Barn Dance Vintage and LoveFifty50 in their Red Door Lane shop! They have beautiful vintage finds, and tons of knowledge and creativity!

Come by Friday - Sunday to check out all of the gorgeous pieces at Red Door Lane in the Leander Flea Market, 1291 E. Woodview Dr., Leander TX 78641. And check them out on Facebook for painting and distressing workshops!!

Before and After : Black and White French Provincial Bedroom Set Refinish

Here is another great custom set for a client! She really loves black and white, and so we designed this beautiful refinish based on an inspiration piece that was all white, with black trim. The gorgeous chest of drawers and nightstand are curved, and also had beautiful wood grain. What this means for a high-contrast finish is that even after a secure taping between colors, I still needed to come back and use a fine detail brush to touch up. It was worth it! This high-impact refinish is a total showstopper!

I really love the soft vintage-y feel of Annie Sloan Chalk Paints, but they don't make a true black. So for this, I borrowed a tip from another refinisher, and combined Graphite Paint with a bottle of India Ink to make a jet black.

I also spray-painted the hardware with Rustoleum hammered look black. The trick to getting a beautiful finish while preserving the original shapes of the hardware is to use light passes and build the color, and not let it pool from overspray. The faux keyhole at the top could not be removed without risking damage, so I sprayed directly into a disposable bowl, then quickly and carefully applied the paint with a QTip, pressing first in the center of the metal, then pushing the paint toward the sides.

Before and After : 9 Drawer French Provincial Dresser in Scandinavian Pink Blend

This lovely lady was a great find for a client! We got a beautiful French Provincial bedroom set with the 9-drawer style dresser her daughter loved, and gave it a modern, sophisticated, yet feminine redo! For this, they selected a custom blend of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Scandinavian Pink and Old White. If you're near a retailer, try to see the colors in person! There's a great store nearby here called the Weathered Cottage, which has a book of the colors blended with Old White so you can envision the great range of colors you can achieve from any given paint. Your retailer will also likely have examples of the paints with clear vs dark wax. The colors can definitely look different in person, so I highly recommend you look for the retailer nearest you, and give them an in-person visit!

The second consideration on this great vintage piece was the handles. There was one piece of hardware missing, so the first option would have been to look for an exact replacement. However, due to the beautiful curvature of the drawer faces, the original hardware actually made it a little difficult to grasp the handles - since both the drawer faces and the handles were curved in the same direction, there was a limited amount of space in which to grasp with fingertips. So, we found these great bail-style pulls as an option that gave a great vintage color, yet modern feel, and dropped away from the drawer fronts in a manner to give more sufficient manner. Aren't they gorgeous? And super usable and accessible.

Here's the full before and after:

Simply lovely! Scandinavian pink is a gorgeous, mature pink with coral undertones. In this case, we used a matte polyurethane for a gorgeous finish.

UPDATE: This gorgeous dresser now has a sibling! Check out the corresponding vanity by clicking here!

Color Story: Inspiration Series

I'm super excited to begin sharing some of my inspirations behind the colorful refinishes I've been working on. I am so blessed to be able to enjoy the beauty of nature and outdoors, and have been able to capture a few of those moments on film.. well ok, digitally. I'll be adding some inspirations to my before-and-after posts, but also have a few projects that don't have their own posts, so I'll share them here! Be sure to click on the "Color Story" label to see more!

First, a gorgeous Bombay console table painted in Annie Sloan Antibes green (over a shimmery cola color by Martha Stewart interiors), distressed, and with clear and dark waxes.

Click below to see more!

Before and After : Vintage Writing Desk

I have been absolutely obsessed with photography lately! (Shameless plug - follow me on Instagram @forloveofthepaint to share my art and inspiration). So I decided to capture some of my inspirations and put them side-by-side with the before and after series for you to enjoy! The first is a gorgeous desk redo in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - Napoleonic Blue. For those of you who don't know, I am trying to use a new color every month this year, and pretty sure I'm on track with # 5 here!

I did a very light distressing on the paint, then clear and dark waxes. I'm super excited about the gorgeous blue! And here's the Color Story: Inspiration behind it... Bluebonnets! Can't love a Texas spring without the requisite bluebonnet photo :) There is literally nothing quite like that rolling field of blue.

What do you think? Love it? I'll be putting together more color stories in the coming weeks. I look forward to sharing them with you!!

Before and After : 5 Drawer Vintage French Provincial Chest of Drawers

This gem was a great find, and it was just missing its handles. It actually was being used with standard round cabinet knobs, but the previous owner had some of the original handles. One, however, was broken. I was able to find a very close match on Etsy (ummm love Etsy, and they don't pay me to say that!). However, I thought it wouldn't look *quite* right since they weren't an exact match. Since the chest has 5 drawers, separated by a midline, I decided to order 2 of the replacement pulls for above the midline, and use the 3 original for below. It worked out to make the shapes look very cohesive and natural for this piece! However, the colors were a little different. The client wanted a distressed look to the handles, but with the different color metals, I decided to first spray paint the pulls all the same color, THEN do a color wash over them. Eureka! We were on to something.

The client picked Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Pure White, and Paris Grey. She also selected brushed nickel with a Pure White wash for the handles. Here's the before and after of the chest:

 The hardware looks like it totally belongs, I think! Beautiful :) Here's how I achieved that cohesive look:
Before: notice the very slightly different shape and patina to the hardware. I cleaned them well and laid them in a wide flat box so I could get them all with even passes with the spray.
Step 1: several super light coats of Rustoleum spray paint, dried overnight.
Step 2: dry brush of the color overlay (Pure White, in this case).

I started by doing an actual wash of color, but it wasn't adhering to the hardware the way I wanted, so I wiped it off well and changed tactics to the dry brushing with barely any paint on the brush. I gradually built up color over about 3 passes per handle until it looked just right. Et Voila! I this it's gorgeous and sophisticated, and just exactly what the client envisioned. What could be better?

Before and After : Antique Carved Wood Mirror

This project was super fun, and didn't take a million years (but it looks like a million bucks!) It's a gorgeous antique mirror frame that was a dark gold color, and I gave it a fresh new look with a dry brushing of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg Blue, followed by an lightly applied coat of Old White on high points. The trick (for me) to all those details is to try and find a fulcrum on which to rest a part of your arm - I often put my wrist down on the surface of the mirror or some dry part of the frame. That really helps me to keep a nice, even line. But with a vintage look, your lines don't *have* to be perfectly straight and 100% evenly saturated, and they shouldn't be! That's part of the hand-painted charm that distinguishes it from a factory finish.

Ain't she a beaut? Here's a close-up of some of the detail. I am just in love!

Normally I would put wax over a finished piece, but in this case I opted not to, because I can see this potentially being repurposed as a fancy frame around a chalkboard outside a boutique! However, wax coated pieces need to be climate controlled and it gets HOT in Texas in the summer, so I refrained. I also figured that there really isn't a lot of hands-on interaction with a mirror frame in the long term, so oil transfer from fingers or paint erosion wouldn't be as likely. But if we do wax it down the line, the colors will just become a little deeper and more intense. It'll be gorgeous either way!

Here's the inspiration behind the refinish - clouds! It was next to impossible to choose a photo because there are so many amazing options; these colors are in the clouds, sea, waterfalls... They must be perfect together, since they appear together so often :)

What inspires you? Leave a comment with your favorite color in nature, and I can help share your Color Story!

Before and After : Vintage Henry Link Dresser and Mirror in Paris Grey, Duck Egg Blue, and Old White

Today's projects is one of my favorites! We found this gorgeous Henry Link Dresser at an estate sale, and it is just amazingly beautiful. I kept the original stain on the dresser and vanity tops to make it feel more grounded and neutral, but added Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey, Duck Egg, and Old White for a super lovely color combination!

Yummy, right? I put Paris Grey over the whole shebang, then dry-brushed Duck Egg over the body, and used Old White for the trim. I distressed the high points and around the drawer faces to finish the vintage chic / shabby chic look. I love the completed look, especially with the hardware patina!

Curious about my inspiration? The absolutely stunning light-and-cloud interplay of blue, white, and gray! Here's a sweet side-by-side with a photo taken on our Montana trip last year. There's a reason they call it the Big Sky State, y'all!

 I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Before and After : Vintage Four Poster Bed

My daughter wants EVERY color in her room (but still managed to pick a sophisticated neutral for her walls! It's a Behr color called Gourmet Mushroom.) So how to incorporate fun, bold accents? We found this great vintage French Provincial four poster and it occurred to me that it would be PERFECT for a certain someone's space. I used one of my favorite colors, which is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Florence, for a (long) one-day project to surprise her!

Feeling inspired? The next home project is a Murphy Bed for our guest room, so stay tuned! We also have several client requests coming in the next month - some stunning highboy chests of drawers :) never a dull moment! I'm so excited to see the end results!