Pure White Sideboard

Hello, today I've got a gorgeous sideboard transformation to show you.  It was a custom job for Paula, a lovely client of mine who has entrusted me with a few pieces of her furniture, such as this hall stand...

this china cabinet

and this desk.

Here's what the sideboard looked like before I worked my magic:

I just love to paint this type of furniture - it is solid, sturdy, has nice lines, and looks amazing once painted!

This one was hiding a bit of a secret.  It had been stored for a while and wasn't being used. As we pulled it out from the wall to load it into my car, we discovered this:

A very mouldy backing board! Our sub tropical climate is quite humid at times and as such, mould can thrive before you know it. 

Of course it looked bad, but I knew it would be simple to fix by removing it and installing a fresh new one.

I used 3mm MDF and got the lovely man at Bunnings to cut it to size for me. I primed and painted it in a fresh green (Dulux French Limestone) before stapling it on after I had painted the sideboard.

The sideboard itself was painted in Annie Sloan Pure White - it was my first time using Pure White as I would never choose to use a pure bright untinted white myself, as I find it too stark. However, after using this I am converted! It is a beautiful colour and goes so well on this type of furniture. It did take 5 coats to get a coverage I was happy with, but had expected that as I had read others say similar.

Here's the finished article, looking all beachy and fresh.

I delivered the sideboard back to Paula's gorgeous home yesterday, and came home with the next project - this bookcase which is going beachy in pale Duck Egg and White...really looking forward to this one - it's going to look beautiful!

Vintage Green and Cream Corner Hutch

Hello...funny story...I posted a progress shot of this project on my Facebook page the other day, saying how I had decided it was well and truly time to get it finished.  It kept getting pushed down the list because I was doing it to keep for our home...you know...a furniture painter's furniture never gets around to being painted ;)

So, Sunday afternoon I got it done!

The funny part is, now it is done, I've decided I don't have the room for it, particularly because last week I painted (then decided to keep) the French Linen Buffet.  I love them both but they are such different styles...and the French Linen Buffet fits better in our home.

Here's how the corner hutch started out...

I painted it using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® - Old White on the inside, and a custom 'vintage' green on the outside.  To make the green I used Antibes, Old White and French Linen in quantities I didn't really measure - it was approx equal amounts of Antibes and Old White with half the quantity of French Linen.  I did the first coat of green a lighter, cleaner shade to give it a bit of a layered effect.

It is very subtle but I think that it works well with this piece to add to the vintage feel.

Here's how it looks all finished...

It reminds me of this hutch I did last year...

That was pre-ASCP, and I used Porters Glossodia for the green and Resene Pearl Lusta for the cream. It's up there as one of my most-viewed posts...although nowhere near as many views as this one,or this one - which, ironically, has nothing to do with furniture makeovers!

This piece is for sale, please contact karen@restyledvintage.com for details.

Linking up with:

* Elizabeth & Co. * Domestically Speaking * A Stroll Thru Life 

 * Miss Mustard Seed * DIY Show Off * Savvy Southern Style

*Funky Junk Interiors

French Linen Buffet

Yes this is my second post for today and I've only just published the other one...I could schedule this one for later but I am so excited about it, I just want to show it off!

But first, a little bit of reflection...skip to the photos if you want to, lol!

Today was the the last day of Term 3 for us in Australia...wow where has the year gone, seriously!

It has been a big year for me - I enrolled in, and completed some study for the first time since I left school...no university degrees for me, that just wasn't my thing...I wanted to get out and work!  So it was straight from school into a bank for me, where I stayed for 17 years, met some fantastic lifelong friends...and my lovely husband!

 To complete the requirements for the study I undertook, I had to do a work placement...where they loved me and offered me a job!  My second job ever, and the first time I have worked outside of home since having my children.  At this stage it is a casual role, which suits me fine for now...leaves me lots of time for my family, and furniture of course :) 

I feel very proud of myself (and a bit blown away) that the goal I set earlier in the year has come to fruition. It was kind of tiring heading out to night school twice a week for six months...but it got me out of the house at witching hour...so it had its benefits too ;)

Anyway back on track...back to the furniture!  Here's a before shot of a lovely buffet I bought last week (at the same place I got the hutch dresser from that I just posted about).

I just love the shape of this piece...I bought it at an op shop (thrift store)...can you believe the things some people get rid of?

What you cannot see in the photos, is how filthy it was, it will never cease to amaze me how people get furniture in some of the states I find it in!

Since my recent love affair with French Linen Chalk Paint® is still in the honeymoon stage, I had to put it on something else, and I thought this buffet was the perfect candidate.  I had wanted to keep the French Linen Hall Stand, but it just doesn't work in our home.  This buffet would, though, so I decided it would be a keeper...it's a long time since I have painted something for myself to keep, so I thought it was about time :)

After thoroughly cleaning the buffet, I painted three coats of French Linen Chalk Paint®, then distressed it by hand using my favourite 3M Flexible Sanding Sponges in Fine and Superfine.  I cleaned it again to remove all the sanding dust, then waxed using Annie Sloan Wax in Clear.

*I thought I would point out that I believe that Annie Sloan recommends waxing first, then distressing. I have never done it this way, as it sounds back to front to me...I imagine it would clog up your sandpaper/sponge with wax? You'd need to work harder to sand through the wax before hitting the paint layer, then you'd need to wax again.  The only 'benefit' I can think of is that it would create less dust doing it her way, but I do all my distressing outside (wearing a good quality mask) and blow the dust away with my air compressor blower so it's really not an issue for me.  I'd love to hear from anyone who does it the recommended way...does it clog your sandpaper? Do you get the look you are after?

Here is the buffet now, all fresh and French country style. You may notice I left my bunting out of these shots, for a change ;)

I just love this colour.  It is much better in real life than in photos, too.

There go my favourite crackle knobs...again...I just think they look great on everything!

My parents bought me this zinc container back from South America in 2000, after they lived there for a while. This was a long time before these sorts of pieces were available in homewares stores locally.

This willow heart was a Christmas gift from my husband and children a couple of years ago.

The flowers are fake but I still think they are lovely :)

I love the shape of the top part of the buffet.

As I've mentioned before, our home has the kitchen and main living areas upstairs, which makes it almost impossible for me to drag finished furniture into the house just to 'see how it looks'. Which is usually just as well or I'd never want to sell any of it!  This piece will most definitely be taken upstairs tomorrow, where I have the perfect spot just waiting for it.

And once it's up there, it's not coming out again!

Linking up with:

* Elizabeth & Co. * Domestically Speaking * A Stroll Thru Life 

 * Miss Mustard Seed * DIY Show Off * Savvy Southern Style

*Funky Junk Interiors