Charming Charcoal Grey Buffet {Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Graphite}

A little Sunday before and after to start your day.

These buffets are getting harder and harder to come by anymore and making a decision on how to refresh them is equally challenging. This buffet sat in the garage for a few weeks waiting for me to make up my mind. I went through my color swatches time and time again but just couldn't settle on anything in particular. Then one of my customers came by and had a suggestion that I do it in charcoal with a light blue wash. Sounded like a great idea but after several failed attempts on my sample boards I had to abort that plan.

I always think when you see a piece that someone has refinished that they must have had a clear vision and execution was effortless. But after some of my experiences, I have to imagine that other DIY'ers and furniture refinishers must encounter the same challenges as I do...please say that I'm not alone here!

I decided to paint this girl in graphite {one of my favorite colors in the ASCP lineup} and a heavy and intentional coat of Annie's dark wax.

I really love how the graphite paint lays down, letting just a little bit of the original wood grain show through and then enriched with the dark wax...a charming patina.

 

The inside of this buffet cleaned up amazingly. It almost looks brand new now!

 

 

I couldn't help but pick up a few flowers for the shoot, I love the look of vibrant magenta with the charcoal. It was unfortunate that the day I wanted to take the pictures there were gale force winds that made it impossible to capture a good shot of the buffet staged but I did manage to grab a couple close ups of the flowers before tearing down.

Well, that wraps up another makeover. Thanks again for stopping by.

Have a beautiful Sunday!

~Crystal

Berlin Blue Dresser

Happy April Everyone!

It's been awhile since I have posted a furniture makeover because I have been so busy preparing for some spring sales. Not that I haven't been doing some painting, I've just been to busy to get photos taken and posted. So here is a little piece I finished a few weeks ago...

Most of the time I use a standard paint color straight from the can, with maybe a color wash over it or some dry brushing but not this time. Nope, this time I was creating something special. This time I concocted a custom color that I'm calling Berlin Blue. I mixed Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Chateau Grey and Old Violet together to create a rich smokey blue with some violet and grey undertones. A swift distressing and some clear and dark wax gave a gently used patina. As a little special touch, I used gold gilding wax to bring the knobs and details back to life. 

It was so much fun to mix paints that I look forward to mixing a lot more custom colors!

Reclaimed Patio Planters

Piles of rusty tin.
Stacks of old barn boards.
Spring planting on the horizon.
All three things came together and these planters were born.

We wanted to create two different styles: a more rustic number and a chippy chic version. Together Paul and I worked through some creative brainstorming and prototyping...then perfected the idea and produced the first few. {lots of discussion and chicken scratches on cardboard go into the creative process and quite possibly a beer or two as well} 

To ensure these last for many more years, we lined them with cedar planking and sealed the exterior with poly.

Rusty corrugated tin and old barn boards make up this rustic pair. I think I would plant these guys with vibrant coleus and chartreuse potato vines---great contrast!

And here is the chippy version. I think the mix of cream stamped tin and green weathered boards are a sweet balance of reclaimed chic.

 

I love when a plan comes together, and it certainly did with this project. I'm so excited for the temps to keep climbing here so that I can get my flowers out!

Have a great week.

Reclaimed Sofa/Entry Table {Fourth in a Series}

Here we have the fourth reclaimed table in the Sheriff series. You can read about the history of the reclaimed lumber here.

We changed things up a bit this time around and created a sofa/entry/hallway table. Using reclaimed lumber, some reclaimed metal screen from an abandon quarry and my husbands mad welding skills, we created this one-of-a-kind, handcrafted metal/wood table.

The uniqueness of this table is evident and the attention to detail is like no other.

Here is the link to the dimensions and pricing for this table and all the other items I currently have for sale.

We are suppose to hit the 60s this week in Minnesota---can you say Spring Fever!

Have a great day!

Nine Drawer Drexel Dresser

This is, without a doubt, the LARGEST dresser I have had the pleasure of working on since UP has been in business. So much storage in this nine drawer Drexel...you could use it as a dresser or even a buffet/sideboard.

It's finished in Annie Sloan Old Ochre and I used Old White to highlight the filigrees and the molding on the drawers.

 

I'll be spending the next few weeks preparing for a Spring Show...stay tuned for details!

Have a great week!

~Crystal

Antique Wash Stand {Before and After}

I just wrapped up this antique wash stand for a customer. I was asked to paint the body navy blue, refinish the top and refresh the hardware.

So into the shop I went and here is the before and after!

As you can probably tell by now, I prefer to use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint as my product of choice but ASCP doesn't come premixed in a true navy. However, you can mix any of the standard colors to create a nice rich navy. I created this velvety blue by combining Napoleonic and Barcelona. {I'm really pleased with the depth of the color, it turned out better then I ever imagined} I did use dark wax to seal the paint and deepen the look some more.

Once I had the top stripped down, I stained it with a special mix of stain {seems like the colors right out of the can are never quite what I need for the project so I always mix} and sealed it with a couple coats of dark wax.

The hardware got an update as well and is looking stunning in a new gold metallic finish.

I hope you like the finished look of this project as much as I do...this is certainly one of my favorite color combos!

Thanks for dropping by!

Driftwood Bookcase

I'm fresh back from a three day seminar at the Annie Sloan Unfolded Studio in High Point, North Carolina. We learned so many different paint techniques and styles that my head is just buzzing with creative inspiration! I was honored to share the experience with an amazingly talented group of women and couldn't wait to get back to my shop to start applying what I learned.

While in NC, I finally had the time to experiment with color mixing...I mixed and played until I learned how to create a driftwood type finish. Why was I so determined to create a driftwood look...well, I lust over the finishes that Restoration Hardware creates on their furniture and I knew I should be able to create a similar look for a fraction of the cost. {and I think I've done it}

On the flight home I was already planning and plotting as to what piece I would try the driftwood look on and this stout bookcase seemed to be the perfect candidate!

 

It's really not an overly complicated process, it just takes some time to let the coats dry between colors. If you're like me...you are in a big hurry to see the completed project but trust me, it's well worth the wait! {don't ask me how I know this!} The process is a series of washes with a few different Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors and then at the end I distressed the piece and used a mix of dark and clear wax to finish it off. I'm thrilled with the final product!

 

 Have a splendid day!

~Crystal

Linking up this week at:
Something to talk about
Motivational Monday
Inspiration Monday