Painting & Refinishing Archives | Page 15 of 16

Painting & Refinishing

French Chair Reveal, Glaze Mix, & Simple Upholstery

There’s a lot of good information and inspiration in this post, so get ready! First of all, the beauty shot. Now, the before shot. I’m so happy with how these turned out. I’m taking the pair of arm chairs (only one is pictured in the before shot) to the Ground Hog Day Sale at Lucketts (Feb 4-6). If you’d like to read about the paint technique I used on these chair frames, click here. And, as promised, here is my “secret” glaze formula. It’s Ralph Lauren’s Faux Effects Glaze tinted in Espresso Beans by Behr. It gives a soft, aged finish that’s perfectly brown. I have found most “mocha” or “antique” glazes look really orange. Orange like a bad bronzer or self-tanning spray, so I have one custom mixed. Click on the picture to enlarge. I use a lot of different antiquing techniques, but this one is good for a worn look. It’s also easy to

January 21, 2011 77 Comments

French Chairs – Painting Technique

I’m picking up where we left off yesterday with my newly acquired French arm chairs. So, the upholstery was removed and the frames were painted Georgian Revivial Blue by Sherwin Williams. This color is a little shocking at the moment, but just wait. Before moving on to the next step, I want to point out the texture I left on the frame. I did not sand this piece before painting it and that was intentional. This texture is going to work in my favor. Once the darker blue was dry, I used a brush loaded with a very small amount of Light French Grey (Behr) and hit the high points of the frame. I made sure to brush with the grain of the wood and kept the brush “dry.” Now, remember when I said a couple of weeks ago that there is a point in every “faux” technique where it

January 20, 2011 69 Comments

Living Room Paint Techniques

I received a ton of e-mails, comments, requests and pleas for a tutorial on how I achieved the paint treatment used on my trumeau mirror and reupholstered French chairs. Well, I aim to please, so here it is! For the chairs, I started off with a thin coat of Light French Grey by Behr. For the mirror, I started off with a base of Georgian Revival Blue by Sherwin Williams. It’s OK if there are some brush strokes or places where the wood shows through. Just watch for drips and keep this coat light and thin. Allow it to dry. For the second coat, I used a “dry brush” (meaning it doesn’t have a lot of paint on it) and lightly brushed on French Grey Blue by Deco Art. (This is an acrylic paint that can be purchased at a craft store.) Work the paint with the grain of the wood. While the

January 4, 2011 27 Comments

The Making of a Sign

I am finally coming good on my promise to reveal some of my sign-making secrets. Before you get intimidated and think, “I can’t paint. I can’t draw. My lettering always ends up looking all funky and like a second grader made it.” Let me assure you that anyone can make these signs. Start off by finding something to paint. I prefer old doors and boards that I find at antique stores, yard sales and flea markets. I like that they have an age to them already, so I don’t have to create that. Try to look at things in new ways. I’ve used sides of an old crate, table leaves, and a dismantled shelf to make signs. If you can’t find old doors or wood, though, don’t despair. Some crackle medium, distressing and glaze can make any piece of wood look old. The second thing you need to do is create your design.

September 26, 2010 77 Comments

Painted Pail Tutorial

I loved how much my large painted pail turned out, so I went out today and bought several smaller ones to work on. As promised, here’s a step-by-step tutorial and some other ideas for painting and using these buckets. Start with a galvanized metal pail. I found these on triple clearance at TJ Maxx, but I’m sure you could find some at any craft store. Apply a sloppy coat of a crackle medium and allow to dry until tacky. Don’t let it get too dry or it won’t work as well. Check your perfection at the door with this project. The gloppier, the better. Apply a sloppy coat of paint. I used both latex and acrylic paints in varying shades and allowed them to dry for about ten minutes. If you want to add a pattern, like the red cross, stripes, a number, or words, this would be the time. I made a

August 10, 2010 33 Comments

Before and Afters

Oil & Vinegar | homemade cleaner for wood furniture

A few weeks ago, I found a wonderful tip about using oil and vinegar to revive and clean old wood. This is one of those tips that sound really cool, but I was pretty skeptical. It may be the kind of thing that makes a piece look good long enough to snap a picture and then, when it dries, it looks like crap again. Well, this oil and vinegar solution to clean wood furniture is the real deal…and I used it on just about every piece of wood within walking distance to test it out. Check out the before and after on these croquet mallets. I purchased them at an auction and used ONLY oil and vinegar on them to clean them up and bring out the patina of the wood. Obviously, the one on the left is the before, right is the after. I purchased this gorgeous dresser at

June 16, 2010 106 Comments

Ask Miss Mustard Seed – Answers to Painting Questions

These are all paint related questions asked by my readers last week and my answers to them. Feel free to ask more questions as they come up or for clarification, if needed. When you paint furniture, do you wax it or poly as the final coat? Or something else? It depends on the piece. I know that kind of answer stinks, but I use a lot of different techniques on different pieces. Here are some examples… For my Bird and Branch cabinet, I didn’t want it to be chippy, so I used one coat of bonding primer (SW Water based Adhesive Primer) and latex semi-gloss paint (SW ProClassic in Creamy.) Once the paint was dry, I applied the decorative design in acrylic paint and sprayed on a water based top coat (Polycrylic by Minwax in semi-gloss.) The reason I didn’t use polyurethane is it would make the white look yellow. Polycrylic provides

May 16, 2010 55 Comments

Painting & Refinishing

Workshop Series – Furniture Stripping 101

Welcome to the workshop series brought to you by Mustard Seed Creations and Funky Junky Interiors! As a continuation of the furniture refinishing and painting series, I’m going to cover furniture stripping. Donna is dishing some great photography tips, so make sure you visit her blogafter you read this post. When I did a post on stripping furniture several months ago, I shared my hatred of it. That post certainly did not inspire people to go out and try it on their own. Since then, I’ve warmed to the process. I learned that my hatred of it stemmed from using the wrong products and working on intricate pieces with a billion coats of paint. Only the bravest and/or stupidest DIYers should tackle those. (I fall in one or both of those categories frequently, but not when it comes to paint removal!) So, the first rule to DIY furniture stripping is to find

March 23, 2010 31 Comments

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Now Available for Preorder

Move Slow & Make Things

A book about creativity, intention, and making things with care. Sign up to receive updates, preorder details, and exclusive bonus content.

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From original paintings and art prints to Pup Club releases and curated goods, each piece is created or chosen to bring warmth, creativity, and character into your home.

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

A handpicked collection of items styled and shared throughout posts, projects, and social feeds. Every product is thoughtfully chosen to reflect a timeless, collected aesthetic.