Week of Transformations

Since this is my last week in the shop on Main Street and before I spend the entire week next week cleaning, painting and moving, I decided to work strictly on custom work instead of pieces for the shop.  I'll have the next 2 weeks to make up for the shop floor.  With a storage, trailer and a garage full of pieces, I don't think I should have a problem with stock!  My husband has been my picker thus far believe it or not.  He is addicted to skimming upcoming estate sales and is a regular on Craigslist as well!  It's cracking me up, because he would get on me about being addicted furniture and now HE is, haha!  But, it does make my life a little easier as that is just one less thing I need to do, so thank you honey for that.  He's is also my biggest blogger fan, so I know he's reading this right now!
So I thought I would share 4 of the 6 custom pieces I did this week.  I would have shared all six, but because I jump right into a project, it's hard for me to remember to take before shots and on these 2, even forgot to take after shots, but I want to mention them so..... I painted a large 1970's rocking chair for an expecting mom in ASCP, Pure White.  This chair was used by the expecting father when he was a baby, love it, so sweet!  Then there was the "metal" bank file cabinet.  Yes, I said metal and yes I painted it in chalk paint and yes it took as if it were wood.  The client on this wanted to use it as a jewelry cabinet, so I added porcelain knobs and hand painted whimsies on the front of the drawers! It was so CUTE, I may have to request a few shot from these clients!

Custom Work #1

Back to the week of custom work, I started the week with a client's antique wardrobe that had been "attempted" to be stripped, but was left in just a mess.
My client wanted the top of this wardrobe refinished in a dark walnut as seen on several pieces in my shop.  I thought this was a clever and beautiful idea.  I did need to strip not only the top, but the majority of the piece so that when I distressed, the wood grain could be seen.  I knew I was going to paint it in ASCP Old White, and then put a mix of clear and dark wax to give it a nice worn appearance, so I didn't need to get down to the bare wood all over, thank goodness!  After sanding for quite some time on top with 180 grit and then finished it off with 220 grit, I applied the dark walnut stain. There is something about applying stain that I still get giddy over.  I just love it!  When the stain dried I didn't think it needed to be sanded down again, so I went ahead and put a a few coats of wipe on Polyurethane which gave it a matte luster look. The body, I painted in Old White.  I really wanted to make sure the stunning filigree in the doors and atop would come through, so I distressed pretty heavily on those areas. Although it took time and patience, it exceeded my expectations and turned out just gorgeous!

Love those doors!

Again, my apologies for the lack of staging,
but I wasn't about to haul this big guy inside for a few shots

Top Refinished in Dark Walnut, gave it that special touch! 

And this is what we started with, not so pretty,
but had great potential

Custom work #2

One of my favorite looks for furniture right now is using large buffets or sideboards as T.V. or entertianement centers.  So, when a client asked to help locate and refurbish some kind of piece that would work for her 48" T.V., I knew just what to look for.  After showing her a couple different sizes  of sideboards and buffet, she chose the biggest one I had, which I thought was just perfect for the large wall she was putting it up against.

Sorry about picture, again I forgot to take a before, so here it is on
Craigslist where I originally found it.

The client gave me her swatch of all the colors in the furniture and walls in the room, which I just love when they do that as it kind of make color choice a lot easier for me!  In this particular swatach was a a couple colors that could very well have been ASCP Duck Egg or Provence or MMS Kitchen Scale.  I decided to mix Duck Egg and a bit of Provence on this piece.  After a little distressing, a then used a clear and dark wax to maninpulate the differnet colors coming through as in the swatch.  The hardware was the standard French Provencial ones, and that worked for the client, but they did need to be sprayed with good old rubbed bronze which gave them a completley new life!

And the reveal...... again to heavy to carry in for a prettier shot,
this will have to do:)

I'm in love with the color mix on this piece, very soft, yet will stand out in any room decor.  Last night, we delivered it to the client and in my opinion it made itself right at home with her other furnishings, just lovely!


Custom work #3

Like with furniture,  other home decor items need loving too!  A repeat client brought in more of his antique sugar crocks, I think there called Gherkin, but could be wrong.  He also brought 2 old metal watering cans for makeover.  He, and yes, some of my clients are men with good taste, haha, wanted these to look aged with the layered paint technique.  For the crocks, I used ASCP Napoleonic and dark wax and on the other primer red with dark wax.  Both very simple to do, but made such a difference in appearance.

On the 1 watering can, I painted one coat of Primer Red followed by Antibes (green) then distress and dark wax.  This was my favorite of the bunch!

On watering can #2, first coat rubbed bronze followed by Primer Red, distressed and dark wax.  Dark wax can be tricky to use alone, but on these colors, it looked amazing!

Custom Work #4

Have you ever seen the cool idea of using old shutters for a headboard? LOVE THAT!!

Source,  indulgy.com

The same client that I did the above buffet for, wanted a pair of shutters painted for a head board.  My inspiration swatch was a wash cloth in what I thought looked like a coral color.  Now what color do I know in either Chalk Paint or Milk Paint is similar? Scandinavian Pink by ASCP was almost right on.  She wanted it under a navy blue so in came ASCP Napoleonic.  I distressed pretty heavily until Scandinavian Pink came through and sealed it with clear wax.   The 2 colors compliment each other very well!

ASCP Scandinavian Pink and Napoleonic, NICE

So there you have it, my busy week of custom work!  Today is my last day in the store on Main Street. It's kind of a bitter sweet day for us but I am so excited to get started on the NEW store and NEW pieces:)

Have a blessed day everyone!