Antique cabinet

Isn't this piece cute.  We were given this by a relative who had it stored in their musty basement.  I didn't snap a before, but trust me, it was brown, boring and dingy.  I knew I needed to brighten her up.

I has a great time playing around with the colours and think it turned out beautifully.  It is certainly much nicer then where it started from.

Watercolor French dresser

I have been having a love affair with watercolor over the past few months and have completed several dressers that have a watercolor feel to them.  With this one I went a little more bold using blues and greens, and I just love it.

This piece was originally going into our living room as a couch backer, but I won the most beautiful French armoire at an auction, so this piece has been given the boot.

I added some cream knobs with a gold metal overlay, very chic.

This piece is for sale on my ETSY shop RetiquedByRaeBond

Steampunk Ornate Dresser

 Isn't this dresser cool?  It was absolutely huge (like almost 8 feet) and I loved the raised detailing and the angled doors.  Super unique. I used a very dark charcoal chalk style paint on this one as I wanted it to have an imperfect mottled look to the finish.

It had really cool little feet, they looked very steampunky to me, which is why I'm calling this my steampunk dresser.

The light catches the angled doors so nicely.  This piece was so big it completely took up my staging area, I could barely get the whole thing in the picture.  Don't you love those little insect-looking legs peeking out the bottom.  I kind of expect it to lift its heft and start tip toeing away.

I did a light distress on the edges to complete the look and I clearcoated the top and waxed the remainder of the piece.  Hardware is original but updated with gold.

'Many Coats of Red' Dresser

This dresser was a beast to finish.  Oh my word.  It was very average when I picked her up.  Short (having no legs), and bland.  Just a boring old ‘forget-me-please’ waterfall dresser.  It was free though, so I was determined to jazz her up.

I started by adding the legs, first I added these big chunky blocky type legs, but they stuck out too far on the sides and back, so I traded for these more delicate ones.  I then (with the help of Mr. Chuckles) added the trim on the bottom to cover up the annoying trademark waterfall dresser curve.  Lastly I filled all the holes as I knew I was going to add lots of knobs.

Ok, time to start painting.  I tested my paint, and as I feared it went on like stain (next to no coverage)  I use Dulux Diamond because it dries rock hard and has great adhesion, but Im beginning to realize that in their darker colours, the coverage is pretty paltry. If I wanted stain, Id buy stain.

So I decided to prime with a darker colour.  I custom mixed up some primer first in red (but it looked too pink), so I added some gray and it created a sort of purple/gray colour. It’ll do I thought.  The problem was that when it dried it was actually quite dark.  Consequently my ‘red’ paint when on looking more like burgundy due to the dark primer lurking underneath. 

  
In the end it took about 5 coats of red paint plus the coat of primer.  That makes for a sore wrist.  I topped her off with some black glaze and finished her up with a good sand/distressing and a coat of poly.   I think she turned out pretty well considering where she started from, but lordy, Im doubtful I will use up the rest of that red paint anytime soon.

Below is the before, you'll notice she is doing a headstand.

Ornate + Mint + White = Yum!

This solid wood dresser was in fantastic shape when I picked her up.  She was a lovely dark wood and had been taken well care of over the years.  I hesitated for a moment before breaking out the paint cans.  But like a good addict, I conceded in the end!

I wanted a break from turquoise, thought about a nice dark grey, but in the end I went with a mint/white combo.

This piece has fantastic hardware!  Large, solid and very curvy.  They just don't make hardware like this any more!

I bought some new paper about a week and a half ago and got to put it to good use!  This is a floral mint/white paper and it goes perfectly with the theme.

I used modpodge to attach it - easy peasy!

I used my Zinsser primer again and tinted it a similar shade of green.  I used my favorite dulux paint in satin for the body, I custom tinted using some green tint I got from the paint store  

I painted out some of the trim in white, and then distressed it a bit to age it up.  I also distressed the entire dresser lightly.

I think this piece would lovely in a nursery, or a room featuring neutrals or soft pastels.

And here is the before - quite the looker in her original duds, wouldn't you agree?

Linking up to:
missmustardseed
http://www.flusterbuster.com/
http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com
http://www.redouxinteriors.com

Aged Light Turquoise

I custom mixed up this colour.  It is a nice feminine blue-turquoise.  This dresser was in fabulous vintage condition.  A great find with all the detailing.

  

I sanded really well, and then primed the entire thing with Zinsser BIN (I find this stuff so frustrating to work with because it dries so bleeping fast, but it has aaaaamazing adhesion)

After my Zinsser dried (about 4 seconds later), wink wink, I painted on two coats of the turquoise.  I then highlighted the recessed detail with cobalt blue, and the raised detail with a lighter shade of the turquoise.

The result was very pretty, but not nearly edgy enough, I decided to give everything a really good sand to make it look more ‘antique-chic’ and less ‘little girl’s room’.

Because the Zinsser is stubborn as hell, it doesn’t come away when sanded like the paint does, so its great for creating a layered paint look.

The hardware was very dull and dingy, but I used my old sanding technique to bring out the soft gold lurking beneath.  I then shot a blast of sealer to prevent future tarnishing.

I picked up four new rolls of decorative paper a couple of days ago, and it was a real toss up to decide which one to use on the inside drawer facings.  I decided to go with a grey/white chevron pattern.  I kind of think it gets a bit lost against the boldness of the dresser.  I had a great dragonfly on butcher paper one, I wish I’d gone with that one instead!  Next time.

And here is the before. Not a bad looking lady.

Linking up to missmustard seed.  Have a great long weekend!

Big Bertha Dressed In Turquoise

I promised a ‘big bertha’, and now I present Big Bertha!  My word, this ol girl almost embarrassed herself by not fitting into my Mazda 3 hatchback.  I had to give her a subtle lecture about diet and nutrition, because she is... big and chunky!  Almost 7 feet long and definitely over 200lbs (sorry Bertha, but disclosing your weight is for your own good).  Eat some lettuce.

I clearly love this shade of turquoise/teal, because I have used it a billion times now.  I use it so much that my neighbor stopped by for a garage-chat the other day and asked ‘are you still painting that dresser?’ I paused midstroke and threw him a puzzled look before stammering, ‘No, I finished that one months ago, this is different one.’  I was too ashamed to tell him I had done about five other ones in the same colour in between the one he was referring to and this one. 

He is also the same neighbor who when I told him I rescued a beautiful credenza that was bound for the dump (this post), asked me if that was the colour I received it in (I had painted it the same shade of turquoise) implying that I hadn’t done anything to it yet!  Men.  They just don’t appreciate a nice shade of turquoise.  I did take a dose of pleasure a week later by complimenting his turquoise shorts and quipping that he matched my furniture.  He may or may not have blushed.  He may or may not have got my point. But I had a little inward swell of vindication. 

But back to Bertha!  She was in great shape for such a hefty girl.  I custom tinted some primer before covering her up in my favorite colour. 

The hardware was beautiful in it’s grandness, but it was very dull and dark, so I blasted her with some gold spray paint to really amp up the contrast with the dresser.

 I did some heavy distressing to reveal the lovely dark wood – a little peek-a-boo.  I also accented with some light blue piping and a touch of yellow to tie in with the gold.

The cupboard opens up to reveal three more drawers which I finished in a turquoise/navy chevron paper for a pop of fun.

I love big-bertha, but it will take a big room to handle a statuesque woman like her.  She is too much women for my little hallway, indeed!


Linking up to party with:

miss mustard seed

Teal and Antique

I bought this little antique gem along with the one I refinished in mint from the same ol' English lady who was moving house.  This is the one I asked Mr. Chuckles to help me fix the missing piece of veneer on in my previous post.  His methods may be a little unconventional (erm. just a little), but he sure did come through with the goods, because you can't even tell there was ever anything wrong with it.

I opted for a teal-blue colour which I custom mixed.  I knew I was going to do some heavy distressing which looks great with the really dark stained finish poking through on the sides

I accented with some of the mint I had left over from my previous project which I really like as it adds some highlights and moves your eye around the piece a lot.

I also painted that neat little recessed detailing in mint as well. Initially I was going to do it a dark colour (black?), but Im glad I decided to go with a lighter colour as I think it keeps it elegant and fresh.

I did some really heavy distressing on this one, more so than on the mint to really make it look rustic and antique.

I enjoyed working on these little dressers, it was a nice change from the big-bertha's I usually do.  Speaking of big-bertha, I just returned home with a massive 9-drawer dresser.  Stay tuned for the transformation!

Have a great weekend.  Im off camping - again!