Soft Green Night Stand

If my kids would consider getting rid of bunk beds I would place this table between two twins.  It's the perfect size for a shared nightstand.  I found it at an overflowing antique shop in Coventry, CT where it was left outside in the rain and snow! The wood felt very rough and the sweet details of this table were being overlooked.  It just need some TLC and now it's beautiful again.  It's at the Old Bank now getting proper appreciation.

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Stir It Up

Being stuck indoors because of record low temps may make some people stir crazy, but it made me stir up some paint. It was the perfect opportunity to tackle a kitchen project that my friend had been asking for... daily, for 6 months.

Here are some before shots of the kitchen. The builder grade cabinets lacked the personality that had been thoughtfully put into the rest of the room. The homeowner had already upgraded the kitchen with tile blacksplash, granite countertops, stainless matching appliances, warm earthy wall colors. 

before- stock cabinets

 She even planned out the new hardware on the drawers and doors to coordinate.  It all made the plain stock cabinets stand out even more.

before

It is 6 degrees outside which means sanding and spraying these cabinets was a no-go.  We were inspired by Savvy Southern Style to try Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Cream for the base color of these cabinets. ASCP requires no sanding which is a gift, but the wood was thirsty and required 2-3 coats of paint. Also, the paint needed to be thinned because the air is very cool and very dry right now. It was challenging to find the right mixture balance at first, but once I figured it out, things moved quickly. I also had a ton of support from The Purple Painted Lady where I ordered my ASCP.

 Not only did my paint arrive packaged like a gift with extra goodies inside, but she included some very helpful advice about frozen paint.  Remember how it's been 6 degrees out? 

I used a dark stain to bring out the detail in the cabinet doors and crown.  It's a tricky process, but the result was stunning. The flat cream cabinets suddenly had depth and warmth. Next they were sealed with 2 coats of ASCP Lacquer. This also needed thinning. In some areas which still seemed "flat" I added a drop of stain to the lacquer to give it a little more depth and interest. The lacquer adds just a little sheen to the paint and makes the finish feel smooth and silky. It's a great protector of the paint and and easy surface to wipe clean.

Overall, this project took 4 days of painting for 6 hours each day. 

And it was well worth it!

I am extremely happy with the way the whole thing turned out.

before and after

Friday morning mimosas to celebrate a completed project? Yes, please!