My post yesterday not only inspired those who left comments and told me so, but it inspired me as well. I’ve been working on the pair of chandeliers in my living room for months, now, and it was finally time to finish them.
This is how they started out. They weren’t bad at all, but when I hung the curtains, they seemed too busy and the finish wasn’t working with the newly installed rods.
I removed all of the beading and crystals, which were splattered with a burgundy paint. (Why, oh why?) With the chandelier stripped of its bling, I painted it a warm antique gold with an asphaltum glaze over top. Now, they matched the gold curtain rods. I then went through the laborious task of soaking each crystal in nail polish remover, scrubbing it with steel wool and then stringing it on jewelry wire and back on the chandelier. It took a long time, but it was worth it.
Today, I finished the soaking and stringing and sprayed the candle sleeves white. They now compliment the chandelier in the dining room, which is opposite the living room. They’re just a lot cleaner looking, too. I’m not normally a fan of painting things gold, but this was the right way to go with these for this room.
I also painted the cord cover to blend in with the ceiling a little better. The picture below is without the paint and the sleek finish stands out against the eggshell paint.
I’ve also bee refinishing my dining room table and plowing my way through the chair slipcovers. This may be a personal project, but I needed to write a tutorial for the slipcovers and I need to have the table finished for my HGTV.com Christmas projects, which include several tablescapes. I couldn’t have a speckled orange table in the pictures! It’s my job. I must refinish my table. (What an awesome job.)
Here’s a before picture from Craig’s List. A full reveal is in the near future.
I loved my last dining set, but I am smitten with this one. I had my doubts about it, but the top turned out absolutely gorgeous.
And those legs and rounds backs. Sigh.
…and just in case anyone is curious…it’s not for sale.
(Click here to see what happened to my last dining set.)
Off to finish more things…
32 Responses
Your chairs are a dream! I love them very. You are a luck-child that you have this group!!!
Hugs
Tine
I do hope that you will have the time to keep chipping away at all the house things. The chandeliers and dining table look wonderful!
I understand what you mean from the previous post. Our first two homes were fixers, the next two were new, and now we are back to a fixer upper. As much as I love DIY, there was something very nice about just keeping up a new home rather than rehabbing an older one. And I loved that we entertained immediately and often in our new homes. You are right. We deserve to live in the "for sale" home long before it is for sale!
Marion,
We have the same paint sprayer…do you have any advice on how to avoid lap lines on the topcoat? I have a #5 for latex and a #2 for urethane…every other pass is dull/shiny/dull/shiny. Any advice from a pro?
Christa
I forgot to tell you that I love your table. Where are my manners? It's late.
Oooo! So pretty.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia;)
Oh.My.Gosh! Absolutely gorgeous! I so love the chandy!! It is perfect!
And the table and chairs? LOVE! I have been searching Craigslist for months looking for something similar…no luck yet! Yours is totally an inspiration to me!!
You are an inspiration!
Lou Cinda 🙂
Wow! Great job on the chandelier! You really improved it and I love that you didn't just got buy a new one 🙂 Cheers to up-cycling!
*Tania @ Passport2Design.com
See…..you ARE inspiring! Your chandy looks great.
It was so fun to see my two favorite bloggers in the newest issue of Romantic Homes and on the same page…kudos!
You are getting paid to finish the furniture you are keeping. I LOVE your job!!! 🙂 Can't wait to see your Christmas tutorials too!
Cassie, you are so sweet! 🙂
Donna
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
I've seen your chandy (similar)with all the bling on it at Lowe's.. I love your stripped of that jewelry and given the white candle sticks… I like it.
Elegant yet simple.
PS-
Oh… and you said they compliment the chandy in the living room now… I have a hard enough time getting things in ONE ROOM to work together…now your telling me it needs to compliment the other rooms too? …Ha ha ! never gonna happen here.
Drooling over the chandelier and the GORGEOUS dining room set!!!
So very, very pretty! *sighs in delight*
Love the chairs and the chandelier!! Gorgeous!! And that table…wow…great shape. Can't wait to see the reveal!
Hugs
SueAnn
The chandeliers look great. You know, it really is hard to envision the "afters" sometimes. The "before" CL photo – yuck! Hugs, Kim
Oh everything just looks so pretty. Love the chandy, table, and chairs. Beautiful. 🙂
Oh everything just looks so pretty. Love the chandy, table, and chairs. Beautiful. 🙂
Oh everything just looks so pretty. Love the chandy, table, and chairs. Beautiful. 🙂
I agree with you, normally gold is not my first color but the chandelier is just beautiful with the rod as stated. I adore the chair slipcovers, such a good job. The transformation of the chairs and the table are fantastic. Terry
The chairs are so beautiful. Question: do you still have a captain's chair or did you remove the arm rests?
The chandeliers look gorg! finding one for our bedroom is next on the list! Well, after christmas and traveling and new years and resolutions….:>)
kate
The chandelier is gorgeous and I love the pairing of the gold and white. The transformation of the table is lovely too. I love seeing all of the pieces you refurbish.
Cheers,
Aubrey
Any chance we could get a tutorial for the seat covers?
I love it….and antique gold is coming back by the way so you did the right thing painting it gold. I feel for you for the time spent cleaning the crystals and restringing and can understand why you put it off for a while 🙂
LOVE the chandelier makeover! I actually love gold. I used to paint anything gold metal a creamy-white but now I'm loving the french style so much that the gold works for me – unless it's shiny, bleh! (Not to say I don't still paint everything else!) I've actually been into painting things black now, I don't know what's come over me! People have been buying it up though!
Anyway, all that work was worth it, your chandelier looks just beautiful in your living room.
Blessings to you,
Missy
The chandelier looks really good, especially with the curtains! I love your dining set, what a transformation!
Down-sizing boomer says, "Do you think some of your talent will rub off on me if I read your blog regularly? I sure hope so.
your table is beauty 😉
ok… now I get it! You sold that one!! 😉 I am sure the new one will be just as beautiful.
Very well done! Both with the chandelier and the dining table. Have a wonderful weekend ahead, Kellie xx
Oh I love it all! I can't wait for a seat cover tutorial.
Your chandalier is beautiful, just right and a perfect fit for the room. What a beautiful combination with the chairs, it makes me want to replicate your whole house!