THE FANCY FRENCH PROVINCIAL MAKEOVER AND HOW TO ANTIQUE YOUR OWN HARDWARE

There was A LOT of fun stuff going on with this project!















My customer was looking for a new bedroom set (nightstands are in the works). She knew she wanted the french provincial style, with a creamy base, light distressing, glazing and a dark stained top.  The challenge was finding 2 large pieces, that she liked and that were a set.  We never did.  What I decided to do was pair together 2 very similar pieces, using the same paint techniques, try to match the different wood tops the best I could and cross my fingers I could come through on my promise.

You can see in the before that these are SO CLOSE in style and shape.

She really like the gold finish by Valspar that I had on my hardware sample board.  If you know me, you know I love my fancy gold finishes, but after spraying the hardware, it just looked to...new!  I got her ok to "antique" it a bit by using some of the burnt umber acrylic paint.

Below is the difference. 

So being the professional I am, I just squirt some right on my newspaper and went to work.  I made a new discovery along the way...spray paint makes an excellent nailpolish.  You can see on my thumb the gold I used.  It took a LOT of scrubbing to get that off!  God forbid I walk 3 feet to my workbench for gloves.  I'm a busy girl!

Any brown will work just fine.  just brush it on, getting into the groves and with a dry rag, wipe off as much as you want.  Seal with a protective clear coat when done.

 Much better:)

DESK RENOVATION

I come across some pretty cool desk but I am not sure what the deal is space where the chair goes...did everyone 70 years ago topped out at 5'0 and 80 lbs?  They can be so DINKY with Zero leg space!  I am pretty sure I am not the only one who doesn't like to feel claustrophobic when sitting at a desk.

So either they can now be used as cute little accent pieces for storageor only used by kids.

This desk is a perfect example.  Cute, great lines, nice drawer space...little leg room.

Now here I am, all dressed up nice and pretty, trying to sit at this desk...not so comfy.  I decided that 6 drawers were enough and the middle one had to go!  Would rather have one less drawer than a very uncomfortable desk.

There now, that wasn't so bad.  Little patching up, sanding followed up by a good refinishing job and it's like new:)

DIFFERENT STYLES, BOTH BEAUTIFUL!

I definitely have an eclectic style.  I think you have to to really enjoy this job with being able to see to beauty and potential in all the different styles that you come across.  Take these 2 new pieces for example...both could not be any more different is style, but both gorgeous.

 This sweet feminine French Provincial piece is for a customers daughter's bedroom.

Sprayed in a classic "creamy white" by Sherwin Williams and hardware is in one of my favorite finishes, rustoleum "champagne".  This is a great soft metallic color and a good cross between gold and silver.  Goes great with almost any color.

This Mid Century modern piece is going to used as a TV Console for a customer.  Love the nice clean lines.

He chose black hardware to match the other hardware in his home.  Looks masculine and perfect!

A FREEBIE AND MY AWESOME BOWLING CHAIR!

So, how good are you at seeing beyond the roughness of this beauty?

I originally had this set in my "what the hell am I doing to myself pile". That pile used to be a LOT bigger than it is now as I have learned a lot the past 9 months on what to pass up on and what to grab,  what is worth my time and what is not.  Now, if a piece is not close to "perfect", I usually pass it up...unless it's for myself:)  It's funny how I am less "picky" about pieces if they are for myself as opposed to going in my shop for someone else to buy.  I personally do not mind imperfections here and there, but would never want to have a customer buy anything other than "perfect".  Or as perfect as a 50-60 year old piece can be:)

This set is something that, if I didn't just drive so far to go look at, I would have turned around and left. But I hate to take a road trip and leave empty handed:) So glad I didn't!

Structurally, it's perfect. But I though it would need to be stripped, which is super fun...NOT! Sometimes these older pieces actually sand down very easily.  I finally got lucky:)

I LOVE the detail and lines on this set.  So ornate and beautiful.  The original hardware if awesome too!

OK...The mirror is free for whoever wants to purchase this set, IF can tell me what is different about the before sanding and after sanding project on one of these pieces

Oh, and here is my newest and most favorite find of all time I think!  Some nice guy was having and estate sale and just really wanted to go home.  He gave me this chair for free...just wanted it gone!  My husband was like "are you kidding me" and I was like "hell no!  Pack it up!"  It was kinda gross originally, but after some murphy's oil and bees wax... she shined up reeeeaaaal nice like!  LOVE!

THE PUMP HOUSE!

I posted last about a project I was working on,  helping a friend with her new self serve yogurt shop she was opening.  Well, it's finally open and so cool!  Not to mention she has about 800 flavors or yogurt and about 6000 topping!  Maybe my numbers are off a bit, but there are a lot:)

If your in the mood for frozen yogurt, please visit her store called "THE PUMP HOUSE".  It's located at Knapps corner across from Celebration Cinema and BW'3's in a strip shop area.  Not only is the yogurt good, but the design of the entire place great.  Cross of modern and vintage...just how I like it!

Here are a few pics of the projects I did for her, all complete.

I took the phrases off the stores cup and put them on the wall...

The mirrors I was not sure of before, look great in bright white flanking the cabinet in turquoise with a pearly brown glaze.

I am officially sick of making starburst mirrors for a while:)  So glad we did this though...was a fun and fairly inexpensive way to dress up the bathroom

MY NEW COFFEE TABLE REDO!

Ok, so it's no big secret that I stink at putting together tutorials.  Mainly because I am doing projects ALL DAY LONG and don't think, until I am done with a project, "hey, maybe someone else wants to know how to do this".  Not to mention I am to involved (lazy) to go grab my camera or phone to take pics.  I promise to get better:)

I saw this coffee table at a thrift store.  Actually there were 3 of them.  They were all in great shape, had nice and simple detail and were a great price...3 perfect reasons to buy!  I am like that with clothes too.  I hate shopping, so if I see a shirt I like, I will just get 2 or 3 in different colors:)

After I refinished the table, I realized this was a perfect opportunity to use some decorative metal that my brother brought me.

Speaking of brother...let me digress a second and tell you all how LUCKY I am to have this guy as a brother.  He is a project manager and renovates old buildings and is always thinking of me and bringing me stuff he thinks I might want to use on projects.  Now my hubby is AWESOME and helps me with anything I need, but Jarrod, my bro, he truly loves vintage, rehabbing, making crap outta crap and being creative.  Not to mention he calls his big sis every morning for my "wake up call" because he knows I hate getting up in the morning.  Never heard anyone so happy at 5:30 am!

((BTW single ladies...he is single, super cute (minus the dirty clothes), hardest working man and the nicest dad, uncle, brother and guy you will ever meet! And he is the only guy I know who looks good in a cowboy hat in GR:) HA HA!  He is gonna kill me!  This will be a great test to see if he really reads my blog like he says he does!!))

Now back to my coffee table...

I bought some 1-1/2" wide trim and cut it, mitering the corners, to fit the outside of the table.  I new I was going to be adding 1/8" metal and 1/8" piece of glass, so I made sure that the lip, sticking up around the table was about 3/8", so that the material would fit inside the table with a small 1/2" reveal.

I filled in the holes, primed and resprayed it in black.

After cutting the metal to fit the table, I primed and sprayed it out in gold.

Here she is!  Had the glass cut at Ace Hardware for $25.  I love it!

SNEAK PEEK AT COOL PROJECT!

Have I mentioned that my friend, Karen Avery is opening up a new self serve yogurt shop with TONS of great flavors and even more great toppings?  The shop is call THE PUMP HOUSE.  Isn't that a great name?!?!  It is located at Knapp's Corner in the little strip right across from the theater and BW3's and if all goes well, will be open next week!

The place is BEAUTIFUL and fun with a cool vintage style going on.  She did an awesome job with all the big major decor pieces and decisions, but wanted a little help with a few last minute things.

Here are a few before pics that I am working on to go in her store...

Very "mirror, mirror"ish

That's A LOT OF LETTERS I sprayed and glazed.  Aren't I a nice friend:)

Super cool piece I found for the restroom.

At first wasn't sure if I loved or hated them!  After spraying them out, I love them!

Can you guess what I am going to be doing all night...

I WAS FEATURED!!

Normally I am very humble, but not today!!  I am so happy and excited when I noticed that on one of my favorite blogs, I was featured for a "before and after" I did back when.

If you have never visited this website, you must.  Not only does Lindsey feature awesome "before and afters", but she has great tips and is so funny!  I love reading her blogs.

Here is the link to the posting and her website...

http://www.betterafter.net/2012/10/the-drug-report.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BetterAfter+%28Better+After%29

LOTS O WORK, THESE LITTLE GUYS

I am loving, yet again, this pretty new piece I just finished for a customer.  It is a darling jewelry armoire that she wanted in this high gloss purple, to keep all her jewels.

I knew when I quoted this piece it was going to be a good amount of work.  Don't let the cute little size fool you. I can honestly say that is was as much, if not more work, than a big 9 drawer dresser.

It did turn out darling, with the blingy glass hardware, but check out the before...

My customer picked it up at a garage sale.  It needed a little TLC, a new finish and most definitely, new hardware.

I wish people knew the amount of work that goes into doing pieces like this.  Not only do I have to diligently tape off the pieces with the felt interior on the side pieces, top and drawers, but also refinish both sides of the top and side pieces, which means extra time to cure before flipping to do the other side.  

Putting this beauty back together and adding the hinges and new hardware was a job in itself, this always takes about an hour when you have to drill new holes and replace pieces.  

I guess what I am getting at in this post is...don't be mean to me if you ask for a quote on your jewelry 

amoire and don't like it...they are a LOT OF WORK!  xoxo