Using knobs/hardware as inspiration for painted details

Hello guys and gals…

I am presenting this little black and cream dresser for your viewing pleasure today.

When I found this little beauty is was pretty much a wreck. It looks good at first glance and then…

you see veneer issues….

 and some ungodly wax that had been spilled all down the front of the drawers.

So because I knew I wanted to paint the surround black I knew I had to fill in the veneer really well and super smooth. 

Black shows every imperfection!

For that I use Bondo, an automotive dent repair epoxy. It sets up super fast so you can sand in 5 minutes! and I like the finish for veneer issues better than wood filler. 

The wax was another story. I had to scrape, then sand and then scrape again to make sure it was all removed. Then it was all about the painting.

I did not originally have that little medallion painted anything but cream and it was bothering me. It looked like an afterthought. But I needed new knobs for it so I headed to Hobby Lobby to scout out some inspiration hardware.

This is what I came up with.  You can layer your hardware! This set up is actually a backplate and a single knob. I knew the single knob wouldn't be visually hefty enough for the dresser. But I wanted that teal! So I kept looking and that's when I came upon the backplate and knew that was the answer.

 Once I got home I then realized how much of a genius I really was once I saw that I could use the motif from the knob to make a stencil for the medallion. Genius sometimes comes in fits and starts.

Luckily I even had a little teal architectural sculpture to add to the staging!

So if your painted piece is lacking something and you are not sure what, look to hardware as inspiration. Try layering hardware or just taking cues from the design. You never know when lightening might strike!

Always being renewed,

Please see the link party page to see where I link arms with those blissfully beautiful bloggers that host every week. So gracious they are along with these other sweet ladies!
       

 

     

Island Dream Chairs!

Please sign up for the newsletter, on the right there, to get all of the shop event information, holiday sales, and upcoming fun times!

My client, Sarah, who had me paint her dresser a beautiful teally-turquoise, wanted her four Craigslist score chairs to match so I got working on those over the holidays.

This paint color is called Island Dream by Behr and it is in the Marquee line. Because these chairs had so many surfaces, it would have taken forever to paint these by hand so instead I used my Home Right Finish Max Pro paint sprayer. 

 I can honestly say this is the easiest sprayer I have used. Not only does the sprayer lay down a great coat of paint, it does not have a steep learning curve and it is beyond easy to clean up!  Both things are necessary for a power tool to be kept in my arsenal.

I cleaned and sanded them first and then primed them with grey primer to help with easier coverage. I know most people say you can just paint on chalk paint but I am not a heavy distresser and I take a lot of time with my finishes so I want them to last. Hence I clean and sand every time to ensure greater durability….especially for something like a dining room chair that will have high traffic.

 I made my own chalk paint mix and used the sprayer with no problems. You just have to thin it a bit and it goes on great! I then added Minwax Dark Walnut stain over the paint to match the finish on the dresser and added a topcoat as the finisher.

I think they came out great .

Sarah was sweet enough to send me some photos of all the pieces in her condo and I love how it all looks together. 

Island Dream might be my new favorite teally turquoise but now I can't wait to show you my new favorite RED! 

Stay tuned!

Always being renewed,

Please see the link party page to see where I link arms with those blissfully beautiful bloggers that host every week. So gracious they are along with these other sweet ladies!