Before and Afters Archives | Page 16 of 51

Before and Afters

hardware cabinet no. 1 makeover

There are times when I’m out shopping for antiques and I see a piece and just know. I know the price has been marked down because it’s stinky and dirty and a drab color and it’s going to be a lot of work to overhaul. I know that I can work a little magic on it and make it an awesome piece. I just know. And, when I spotted two of these almost identical hardware cabinets, I knew. They were both marked down dramatically, because of the reasons I mentioned above. They stunk. They really needed to be cleaned and painted. And it was going to be a royal pain in the rear to paint all of those cubbies. BUT, I just couldn’t pass them up. Everyone is looking for pieces with cubbies these days and these had loads of potential. And loads of cubbies. I had a few moments

March 4, 2016 51 Comments

Before and Afters

painted mora clock & farmhouse white in australia

When I decide to paint something, it doesn’t take me long to add the powder to the water and dip in a brush. Remember the Mora clock from Antique Farmhouse I posted about over the weekend? It looked beautiful as is, but how could I resist painting it in MMS Milk Paint Mora? A Mora clock painted in Mora. I painted the trim in Linen and finished the entire piece with a little bit of Antiquing, White and Furniture Wax. It has a soft, muted finish that I really love and suits the Swedish style of the clock. I used all three of the waxes to bring out different aspects of the finish…highlight the texture, simulate age and grunge that may have built up in crevices and on ledges. The key was keeping it subtle, so the result wasn’t smudgy. If you apply tinted waxes properly, you really shouldn’t be

February 25, 2016 24 Comments

Before and Afters

Custom White Milk Paint Dresser

Remember this dresser I showed you a preview of last week? When I finished it, I put the hardware back on and took some pictures, but it just wasn’t working for me. The hardware just isn’t right for the piece and, while I love the blue & white quilt, I didn’t love it as a backdrop for this piece. So, I ordered different hardware for it and reworked some things while I was in the studio today. Here is how the piece started… It’s actually a sweet piece and wasn’t bad at all, but the wood is a bit too orange for my taste. I found it for a good price on craigslist. I left the top as is and painted the body of the piece in a custom mixed white – equal parts MMS Milk Paint Mora and Farmhouse White. It’s layered over Bergere with a Beeswax Finish Resist between the

February 18, 2016 32 Comments

All Things Home

tufted farmhouse sofa reveal

After much deconstructing, button-making, tuft-tying, fabric-stapling, trim-gluing, tack-hammering and cushion-sewing, the tufted farmhouse sofa is finally done!! I feel like some confetti should’ve fallen from the sky when Kriste and I put the final cushion in place. It didn’t, but it should have. This sofa has been the most challenging and high-maintenance piece of upholstery I have taken on to date, but it is done and I finally get to show it off. There it is, all styled and pretty. And here it is without any pillows or props… Kriste and I were “oohing” as we were proofing the pictures. It’s just such a pretty tufted farmhouse sofa! Here is how it looked when it came into my possession. It was given to me last year after the Lucketts Spring Market for free. Eddie, a photographer and fellow vendor, didn’t sell it, but really wanted to get rid of it, so she

February 13, 2016 No Comments

Before and Afters

tufted sofa reveal

After much deconstructing, button-making, tuft-tying, fabric-stapling, trim-gluing, tack-hammering and cushion-sewing, the tufted sofa is finally done!! I feel like some confetti should’ve fallen from the sky when Kriste and I put the final cushion in place. It didn’t, but it should have. This sofa has been the most challenging and high-maintenance piece of upholstery I have taken on to date, but it is done and I finally get to show it off. There it is, all styled and pretty. And here it is without any pillows or props… Kriste and I were “oohing” as we were proofing the pictures. It’s just such a pretty sofa! Here is how it looked when it came into my possession. It was given to me last year after the Lucketts Spring Market for free. Eddie, a photographer and fellow vendor, didn’t sell it, but really wanted to get rid of it, so she gave it to me.

February 12, 2016 101 Comments

All Things Home

Kim’s coastal bedroom | non-chippy milk paint

I love the look of paint that has been worn with time. Chips, flakes, rubbed areas that reveal the warm patina of the wood underneath. It just speaks to me. But, I know some people look at those pieces and wonder when you’re going to repaint or refinish them. It’s just not a look that is up everyone’s alley. My mom is one of those people who doesn’t like the “chippy look.” I know! Where in the world did I come from, right?! She does still ask her chippy-loving daughter to paint furniture for her, though. It’s always a good challenge for me and forces me out of my comfort zone. For her bedroom makeover, that large oak cabinet was begging to be painted. It felt massive and orange and a little dated as it was. I suggested painting it in Marzipan, to keep it light and fresh, but my

February 2, 2016 53 Comments

All Things Home

creating a chippy finish

One of the reasons I love milk paint is because it can chip and flake in a way that makes a freshly painted finish look authentically old. This chipping can be a bit random, though. I’ve tested out a lot of different products and techniques to consistently force chipping to happen and, while I’ve achieved some great finishes, the consistent, authentic-looking chipping has been illusive. Until now. Last week, I had several of my milk paint retailers in the studio for some refresher training and we played with some products and techniques to see what we came up with. On of the favorite teachniques was painting a coat of milk paint, followed by some 100% Beeswax Finish in select places, then another coat of paint, another coat of Beeswax Finish, and so on. I think I did five coats altogether, using a heat gun to help dry time. The result was

February 1, 2016 32 Comments

Before and Afters

ticking slipcover for an industrial stool

I had a full, productive day in the studio on Thursday and it was glorious. I worked on the tufted sofa and I made a slipcover out of some antique ticking for the white industrial stool I bought at the Raleigh Flea Market over Thanksgiving. I love how sweet and simple the skirt turned out. Yeah, it’s a little crooked, but that’s okay. I don’t do perfect well at all! Here’s how the stool looked before. The black pleather seat cover lent the stool a decidedly more clinical feel than I was going for. I started out by cutting a band of fabric off the scrap of antique mattress ticking I had in my stash. I used the portion of it that had a hand stitched initial and year (1913). I wrapped the piece around the stool, inside-out and pinned the ends together where they meet, right sides together, raw edges facing

January 30, 2016 38 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.

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