White Linen Chest

This linen chest is a custom job for my client N. She has just moved into her new condo and wanted the chest to match the rest of her furniture. Before I load and head over to deliver it, I have staged a little photo shoot and here is what I came up with. I love how despite its neutral colour the chest still come out a hero.

Before and After

This little side table was a donation from my neighbours. They decided they didn't need it any more and wanted me to reinvent it in some way. The finish on it was mostly well preserved except for the black burn mark on the top. I hoped that the damage was only on the surface but once I stripped the varnish I noticed that it had damaged the wood. I didn't want to paint the entire piece and came up with the design for the top that would at the same time mask the burn mark.

I used an old Pantone chip to create an octagonal shape that I then traced on surface creating a random pattern.

Each octagon was then taped off to allow for a seamless colouring.

And here is the finished product. I used soft yellow, vibrant green, shimmering brown and light grey colour combo.  Wondering if the neighbour may want it back.

Three Chairs, One Stool, Three Distinct Looks

It is easy with unlimited or substantial resources to create different looks on a whim. When it becomes a challenge and fun (for me at least) is to work with things you already have on hand without adding anything from the outside. I had these three chairs already kicking around my house, the teal one in my stepson's bedroom, the wooden a spare one in my basement and the yellow one in the bathroom as a landing point for clothes and towels. The stool is also one of those things that sits in the living room corner and is often pulled closer to the sitting area as a closer spot to rest the drink on. The balance of the stuff came from all over the house to create vignettes that each offer their individual charm yet speak to my personal taste. I would love to see the different vignettes you are creating in your living space. Feel free to share them on my Facebook page.

Ready for Spring - New Green Dresser in the Shop

When I first saw this dresser, green is what first came to mind. It happens often that the pieces I choose to work on dictate the colour. Sometimes I change my mind just as I am about to start painting, but this was a 100% commitment. All the pulls are original sprayed in a super pale sage green with a green and gold combo on the longer drawers. Fun and class at the same time, and it is already gone, gone, gone to it's new home.

Random Stills from Photo Shoots

Whenever I do a photo shoot of one of my bigger products I like to capture a detail or two of the items I use as props that don't otherwise receive full attention even though they may be deserving of it. Here are a few of those in case you missed them in the past.

Reveal #4 of 4 - Boats

I got a call from a friend one day saying that she is stuck with a dresser and not sure as to what to do with it. She had just moved to a new place and sadly this piece did not make the cut. It was in plain wood finish with pulls that were interesting but not enough as to carry the look of the whole piece. I had an oil painting sitting in my basement and when I brought the piece home I noticed that the size of the painting fit the height and the width of it perfectly. The plan was to cut the painting to size to fit each drawer and the spacing between them to provide a continuous image. However, even though I measured twice I managed to cut the first piece for the top drawer somewhat short which automatically took away the allowance for the spacings and I was left with just enough material to cover the drawers. I was faced with the challenge of either leaving the spacings blank or trying to paint them and provide a continuous image. I took the latter approach and sat for hours, mixing paints and dabbing and blending them into the wood. By the time I was done I could not believe my eyes as somehow I managed to achieve what I had originally envisioned. The piece currently is listed in my Etsy store.

Reveal #3 of 4 - Dresser With Painted Arrows

When I acquired this dresser I wasn't quite sure as to where I wanted to take it. The lines are simple and it required some imagination to make it stand out. I opted for a neutral base colour that would allow the design to stand out. My love for triangles is  apparent in this piece, but instead of random configurations that I used on a few pieces last year I went for a more systematical arrangement and came up with these stylized arrows. It is currently listed in my Etsy store and up for grabs.

Reveal #2 - Grey Desk/Vanity

I have had this piece for a while, sitting in my friend's storage as the matter of fact. The veneer was peeling on the side, bubbling on the drawers and chipping on the top and I was waiting for the right time to start working on it. By right time I mean the time when I actually felt like tackling those problems as they take a lot of patience and time to resolve.
The final decision was to paint it in a satin charcoal grey and outfit with subtle yellow patterned knobs. Liner is a gorgeous powdery blue fabric with a floral motive.

New Reveal - Green Faux Bamboo Dresser #1 of 4

#1
Green Faux Bamboo Dresser

When I first saw this dresser it had already been painted in glossy black and for pulls it had stainless steal kitchen type hardware. Even though the paint job was decent, the pulls were a total miss-match that had to go. I happened to have these golden ones in my stash and they added a perfect touch to the character of the piece. It was listed and sold within a few days, a total winner.
This green is so fresh and inviting (Tavern Green in Milk Paint) and there are a few more pieces that will see their new life in this colour. Over the next few days I will share a few more pieces that I have completed lately and there will be more to come after that.