Before and Afters Archives | Page 45 of 51

Before and Afters

what you don’t see & a dresser makeover

I probably have enough content for two blogs, but I only have the time to keep up with one. And sometimes I can’t even do that! There are so many projects and makeovers I work on that you never see. I just don’t have the time to stage them, photograph them, write about them. I sort of hit my favorite projects and what I’m feeling most inspired by on my blog. One of the things I didn’t share was this union jack sign I made out of an old dutch barn door. It had the original red paint on it, so I kept the red and painted the blue and white in craft acrylics. It looks like it came off an old ship or something. I also recently painted that French mirror with gold leaf detail and the small shelf to the left of the dresser. Speaking of the dresser…

April 2, 2011 50 Comments

Serendipity – Dresser Before & After

I love happy accidents. This dresser was a happy accident. Someone had left it in an attic or barn or somewhere where it was exposed to heat. This heat made the poly finish bubble and it eventually cooled and hardened, leaving an amazing alligator skin texture. This would be a bad thing to most people. To me, it gave a texture I can’t begin to reproduce. Another happy accident was me being a little sloppy with the paint stripper I used on the top. Some of it stuck to the sides and the result was this amazing crazing in places. I ran out of my signature glass knobs, so I used some carved bone knobs I found on clearance at Hobby Lobby. Another happy accident. They are perfect for the piece, but not what I originally had in mind. If you read my blog, you know I’m into nice legs. These legs?

March 30, 2011 76 Comments

Dining Room Cabinets – Before & After

I once posed a question on this blog. Should I paint these corner cabinets? There were people in both camps. It was quite a comment thread to read through. What some figured out is that I already knew the answer to the question. I wanted to paint them…I just wanted a 2nd (or 80th) opinion. The truth is, I wanted to paint these cabinets the minute my aunt and uncle gave them to me. I just pictured them painted, but struggled with the age old debate about painting really nice wood. Ultimately, I followed my gut and threw out conventional wisdom about not painting nice wood pieces. I put that conventional thinking in the “dark colors make rooms feel smaller” or the “blue and green should never be seen” camp. (Boy, I really need a rug in this room! And yes, I allow my kids to ride scooters in the house.)

March 23, 2011 100 Comments

Cruel and Unusual

OK. I need to explain something, so you don’t feel like I’m just going, “Neener-neener-neener. I know a cool paint and you don’t!” I am going to share everything about the paint I used on my desk as soon as I get the green light. My source asked if I would hold off for a few days until they are ready to handle lots of orders. You know, when I posted my glitter letter tutorial my source, Meyer Imports, sold out of my glitter and I had to wait to get more! So, I sent my source an e-mail today, letting them know my readers are dying and can I please share. I’m still waiting to get the “OK”. Since I have not gotten the thumbs up, yet, I was going to post my next installment of the slipcover series. Well, the video didn’t upload and it’s going to take

March 15, 2011 88 Comments

Guest Room Dresser Before & After

I have been painting up a storm this week and it’s been a blast. I love playing with new products and I’ve recently discovered some amazing ones that I can’t wait to share with you. One of the best things about experimenting is that I have to experiment on my own stuff, so I don’t mess up pieces I need to sell…right? Sounds good to me. So, I’ve been painting a bunch of pieces that have been on my list for a while and I’ve been really inspired. Here’s what the dresser looked like before. It was a nice piece off Craig’s List, but it just didn’t look that special in the room. I really wanted to add a color that would compliment the red drapes and a greenish blue was perfect. The way this piece distressed is so yummy. It may be too far for some people, but I

March 12, 2011 89 Comments

Union Jack Dresser Junior

First, I want to thank Stacy from Red Door Home for featuring Miss Mustard Seed as the blog of the month for March. She is the one who inspired my color choice for my living and dining room. Read her feature to find out how. If you’ve been reading my blog the past few days, you know I’ve been working on my second Union Jack Dresser. Just click to read part one and part two. And now…the reveal. Last night I applied the second coat of white and red on the flag and allowed it to dry overnight. This morning I sanded the entire piece with a coarse sand paper. I sanded all edges down to the wood and only lightly sanded the flat surfaces. After wiping off the dust with a rag, I applied a dark wax on the entire dresser. The dark wax (made by Minwax) antiques the paint, brings out the

March 1, 2011 64 Comments

Take Two Part Two

I’m still in the process of making my second Union Jack Dresser. I shared the first steps yesterday and today is part two. The picture above is the original UJD and the picture below is where I am in the process with the second one. Believe it or not, the same exact colors were used. This gives you a good sense of how much glazes and distressing can change the look of paint. This is also a good example of how different colors look when they are wet vs. dry. I didn’t adjust these colors with photo editing software or anything. When the blue is painted on, it looks like a bright royal blue. It dries to a deep navy. I used my opaque projector and a piece of chalk to sketch on the flag and then hand painted over the chalk. The colors used are Naval (blue), Stolen Kiss

February 27, 2011 29 Comments

Union Jack Dresser – Take Two

Last month, I painted one of my favorite pieces of furniture ever…the Union Jack dresser. I rarely do the same thing twice, but this dresser received rave reviews and sold in a wink (with six other interested parties), so I thought it was worth making another one. I found the perfect dresser when I was out antiquing with my mom a couple of weeks ago. It’s a little bit smaller and the details are slightly different, but otherwise it’s the same. If there was a paint or a thick finish, I would’ve stripped the top, but since it just had a thin topcoat that was half-worn off, I simply sanded it with a palm sander. Applying stain to a dry, sanded wood is one of the most rewarding things in DIY. It instantly looks better, rich and warm. It’s like magic. I applied the dark walnut stain with a scrap

February 26, 2011 41 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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