Hand Painted Furniture Archives | Page 8 of 27

Hand Painted Furniture

Furniture Makeovers

favorite furniture of 2014

Hello 2015! I’m excited about this coming year and all of the possibilities it holds. I am going to take a few posts to soak in 2014 before diving in, though. Furniture makeovers are my favorite, so I thought I would share my favorite pieces that I painted and upholstered over the past year… I was totally in love with this cabinet painted in Eulalie’s Sky… It was a dark green when I bought it off Craig’s List. Using two colors of paint and finishing with some light distressing brought out all of the charming details. This piece had great bones and they just needed to be highlighted. Most of my favorite pieces are blue, of course, but I love this dresser painted in Boxwood layered over Lucketts Green… This piece wore green well and chipped in just the right way in all the right places. I love it when furniture

January 2, 2015 18 Comments

Before and Afters

say "hello" to Arabesque

It’s time to say hello to another color in our new European line for Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint – Arabesque. (You already met Bergere in October and four more are coming soon…) I’m not generally what you’d call a “pink person”, so this color was harder for me to create than others, but what we arrived at just might convince me to use more pink. It’s a soft, dusty pink with lots of warmth to it, so it’s not sweet or babyish. It’s sophisticated and has a neutral quality about it, even though it’s pink. Of course, it’s named Arabesque after the ballet move. (via dance.net) As I was thinking of color names for the pink, I immediately thought of ballet and knew I wanted to use one of the French ballet terms. Arabesque just seemed to fit…graceful, feminine, seemingly effortless. Notice how Arabesque is almost the exact color

December 22, 2014 26 Comments

Before and Afters

painted "swedish" bench

I always have a hard time getting refocused after a big event or project. I seem to work at my best when there is a date looming, but at the same time, I dislike the pressure of deadlines. So, I’m conflicted. I love and hate due dates. To combat the unfocused work approach, I decided to knock out a few projects that have been on my list for some time. I grabbed the bench at the table in our family room and dragged it out to the car, so I could take it to the studio to paint. (I have a knack for moving furniture by myself when I’m determined enough!) Remember this pine bench that we gave to my mom as a mother’s day gift when we lived in Germany? I like the shape of it, but the pine was a little too yellow and shiny for me. I

November 4, 2014 17 Comments

Hand Painted Furniture

child's cupboard

I definitely have a soft spot for things made for children. The small scale just melts me. My mom and I spotted this little hutch in an antique store and jumped at it immediately. It had been painted in a white latex over oil, so the latex was peeling off and it was a little dingy. We sanded it down and gave it a fresh coat of MMSMP Eulalie’s Sky with the Bonding Agent added and finished it with Hemp Oil. I forgot to take a before picture of this one, but just imagine it in white. Here it is now… I love the glass knobs and little latch on the cabinet. When I painted it in the pale blue, I immediately imagined it paired with a red child’s riding toy I bought the same day… I’ve been looking for a pretty red tricycle for ages for photo shoots, since the

October 20, 2014 26 Comments

Before and Afters

hand painted empire dresser makeover

It has been a marathon getting ready for The Chapel Market, which is just over a week away, but it’s been so fun, too. I am most focused and intentional when I’m working towards a specific goal. And this time has been even more fun, because I’ve had a lot of great help and the amazing studio space to work in. I’ve been relishing it! I have been a little overzealous with filling the “green zone” (aka my mockup booth for the event), because I’m starting to wonder how it’s all going to make it down to Alabama. Has anyone invented a way to beam furniture, yet? That would make things much easier. We have a plan A and a plan B, so hopefully it’ll all fit. It’ll be like playing Tetris. Anyway, here’s the latest makeover… Here’s how this piece started… Now, you know me and paint. I don’t usually

October 17, 2014 30 Comments

Before and Afters

say hello to "bergere"

It’s been a while since I asked you to say hello to a new milk paint color! I’m really excited to share our first Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint color from our European color line that will be launched in January 2015. We are introducing six new colors that will be carried in our European & UK markets, but will be available elsewhere on a limited basis…meaning our retailers outside of Europe aren’t required to carry the colors, but some will. I would encourage calling ahead before driving somewhere to buy one of these limited colors. So, the first color I’m introducing is a smokey blue/gray called Bergere, named after the French style of chair that I love so much. (And no, they aren’t all blues!) This is definitely a chameleon color that looks bluer in some light, grayer in others and lighter/darker as well depending on what’s around it. It

October 10, 2014 35 Comments

Before and Afters

victorian settee makeover reveal

I shared a preview of this makeover yesterday, but here is the full sha-bang (that’s a highly technical decorating term)… This isn’t a typical piece for me to buy, but as you may have figured out already, I like to change things up, so I don’t get stuck in a rut. Buying a piece of furniture that is atypical for me helps me with that. Sometimes I love the piece and then I want to explore that style more. Other times, I enjoy working on the piece, but I don’t fall in love with the style. I really like how this turned out, but I’m not sure you’ll see a lot of stuffy victorian settees here. This is how the piece started out… It was one of the messiest pieces I’ve ever worked on…shedding grass and old burlap every time someone brushed passed it or breathed near it. The fabric

October 8, 2014 33 Comments

Artistic Endeavors

milk crate & a peek at the settee

When Kriste and I went shopping last Friday, I was looking mostly for pieces to sell at the Chapel Market, but I was also looking for one specific piece for a specific photo shoot – a milk crate. I didn’t have a particular style in mind, but I figured I would know it when I saw it. And I did. Kriste and I spotted this beauty and there was a silent acknowledgement at the awesomeness of the milk crate. Maybe there was a slight gasp, but words didn’t need to be exchanged. I turned it around to look at the price. It was $59. I cringed. That’s a lot more than the $20 range I had in mind. I looked up at Kriste, “It’s $59. Do you think that’s worth it?” “Oh yeah.” “Yeah. I thought so.” I’ve learned in my years of hunting for antiques that sometimes it’s better

October 7, 2014 36 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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