Hand Painted Furniture Archives | Page 21 of 27

Hand Painted Furniture

French Daybed Makeover

I mentioned in passing a few months ago that a family from our church gave me a French daybed for free. It was in their basement playroom and I spotted it when we were over at their house one day. I have a habit (and I’m not sure if it’s good or bad) of commenting on the decor and furniture in people’s homes. So, in classic Marian fashion, I just spewed out, “This is a really, really great piece.” A few weeks later, my friend called with a “proposition for me”, as she put it. She gives me the French daybed for free and I get a free French daybed. That’s the kind of trade I cannot refuse. It’s been sitting in my family room since then, waiting for a makeover, and the lure became too strong to resist this weekend. This is sort of how it looked when I got it. It had different pillows

June 28, 2011 64 Comments

Frenchy Chair Makeover

When I spot French chairs that have never been rescued from their 1970’s splattered wood and harvest gold or burnt orange velvety upholstery, I get giddy. Most people won’t give them a second look and most people don’t see the potential. Seeing potential in furniture is one of the things I do best. When I spotted a pair of these old girls on Craig’s List… …I knew I could give them the attention they needed. I took off those tufted cushions the minute they came in the door. Behind them was a great caned back. One was intact, but unfortunately, the other wasn’t. I stripped the chairs down, painted the frames and then reupholstered them…making the detached tufted cushions one attached cushion. It’s still cushy, but has a more refined look. I upholstered the back of the chair with the broken caning and left the intact one painted. The frames are

May 15, 2011 53 Comments

Delicious Chippy Goodness

Here’s my latest dresser… Here’s how it started. Sorry for the stinky picture. Do you see my boy’s shoes on the lower right? He was ducking into his “fort” as I took the picture. It was a standard Empire dresser and had some nice details. The legs are a little chunkier than I usually go for, but I love the curve and the brass wheels. I painted it to look ultra chippy and distressed, so the buyer can get that delicious chippy goodness without the lead paint concern. Despite all of the texture, it has a smooth finish, thanks to some wax. I know this amount of distressing isn’t for everyone, but I love it! I’m off to do some more painting, but first…an announcement. I’ve decided I am going to sell my dining set. I think. I reserve the right to change my mind, but I think I’m at

May 10, 2011 72 Comments

Dining Room Set Reveal

Well, I’m going to warn you. I’m revealing this dining set, but it’s not going to be a post full of staged, beautiful photographs. It’s just not possible right now. The prettiest shot you’re going to get is of one chair. Here’s the full set. In my basement workshop. Such as it is. Embarassing. The fluorescent lighting and band saw in the background really add to the look, don’t they? I can hardly stand it! I’m ready to clear out my entire dining room and move this all upstairs just to get some proper beauty shots. So sorry! The set is pretty, though, isn’t it? I was so tempted to swap it out with my dining room set and sell the one I have. I think I’m at peace with selling this one, though. Here’s how it looked before…this is the Craig’s List picture. So sorry again! I painted the entire set

May 9, 2011 75 Comments

Feed Sack Chair & Finds

First, I need to give a shout-out to my friend Becky from Infarrantly Creative and her new-ish blog, Knock-Off Decor. I know you girls love flipping through the pages of Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, not to see what you can buy, but to see what you can make. This blog is a place to show it off and get even more inspiration. If that’s your thing…check it out! Next…I had no idea how often I used my dining room for photo shoots and now that my dining room is a staging area, I am having a tough time finding places to take pretty pictures! I finished a dining room set…picture it with me…antique European grain sack seat covers, white distressed French provincial chairs, a hand waxed table top in a warm wood…I love it. Anyway, I can’t get pictures of that and the other things I’ve finished to take

May 7, 2011 39 Comments

Table Makeover

I have so many things in the works and so few things finished at this point. I have babysitters coming for the afternoon over the next few days, so I can get some things in the “finished pile.” Here’s the first piece… I found this pretty table at a yard sale last week. Funny story…I was paying for this table and a few other things when I spotted a really cool antique shelf leaning against the barn. It had a $10 sticker on it. “Oo! I’ll take that as well.” I grabbed it and added it to my pile. “Oh, I’m sorry, but I think that gentleman set it aside.” Total bummer. Oh well. The gentleman looked over at me. I couldn’t resist asking, “Are you sure you reeeally want it?” Eyelashes batting (not really.) “Yeah. Yeah, I do. I’m going to put it in my workshop.” I had an

May 4, 2011 65 Comments

A Painted Desk

I worked incredibly hard today and I am incredibly tired tonight. The day started at 6:30 am when my sons woke me up. The entire family got ready and we headed out for a morning of yard sales. I found some great things, which I’ll share in another post, and came home about noon. After hanging out with the boys for a bit, our babysitter came over and the painting frenzy began. I have lots to share, but it will all happen in another post. Tonight, I’m going to share a desk I finished last week. This is how it started… I painted it in Annie Sloan’s Louis Blue with Old White on the body. The top was stripped and refinished in a dark walnut stain and Fiddes Wax. I chose to keep the original hardware, since it was in good condition and still worked with the painted piece. Some light

April 30, 2011 43 Comments

Cherry Blossom Dresser

Here’s the latest dresser… …and how it started. For those of you who have “known” me for a while know that my business started out as a decorative painting/mural business. That eventually evolved into my true passion – antiques and refurbished furniture….well…and my blog and freelance writing and photography and sewing and designing… Do you know what a nightmare it is to try to classify my business? Anyway, I wanted to get out of the decorative painting only business, because I felt like everything had to have painted embellishments on it and some things just didn’t need that. I don’t know why I felt that way, but I did. I hardly even think about what extra painted detail I can add to a piece now. For some reason…I just decided to do it on this one. I added some very simple white cherry blossom branches to just the drawers of

April 29, 2011 54 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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