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!

Desk for M

Another piece for a friend with a great eye for color and detail.  These desks are all over the place but they don't get much love.  She picked out a Surfer Blue paint that adds just enough contrast in her daughters room and it's a color that she can grow with for years. Lots of drawers for all of her art supplies got a feminine lift with new glass knobs.  The chair was painted with the leftover paint from the walls which makes it a perfect match. 

 after- all settled in 

before- waiting for a new home

Sweet Dreams

I found this iron headboard for a steal, probably because it was well loved by a young girl with a scotch tape habit... It took hours to get all of the tape off the frame, but I imagine that at one point she slept surrounded by taped up photos of her friends, favorite quotes and bits of art.  Although, more likely it was magazine pics of Justin Bieber... ANYWAY, I painted it green! Shocked?

It is full size and has plenty of holes to attach an existing bed frame.  I've always wanted to use one of these as a garden trellis, but this one is too pretty and in perfect shape.  It would also look great on a mantle with a mirror or painting in front of it, hmmmm....

A trendy store that starts with Anthro sells these sets for close to $2000.  I've put it in the shop at the OLD BANK for 5% of that. 

Gotta have more Union Jack!

At the OLD BANK.

I couldn't help it! Once the Union Jack dresser was gone I needed to paint another flag! It's fun and this sweet table was calling for it.  Apparently this is a popular table in CT as I now see it in almost every living room I enter, but none have been painted... yet.  I included a photo of how my furniture looks with a fresh coat of wax on it because it's one of my favorite steps.  Once the wax cures I buff it a little to get it to shine a bit, but nothing about the finish really budges unless you drag the claw end of a hammer across it.  Please don't try that...   

On a side note, we just survived Blizzard Colbie here in Connecticut.  The Aubergine Cottage received 18 inches of light fluffy snow, not that bad all, and very pretty.  This house is quite old so when it's 5 degrees outside it's pricey to keep the temperature inside  warm enough to work with wax.  I use an electric candle jar warmer to keep my waxes soft enough to work with and try to apply near a heat vent.  Sometimes I feel like furniture MacGyver. I love Winter, but sanding and waxing will also be a lot easier when Spring arrives! 

Clover breakfast table

This drop leaf table has a 36 inch diameter of adorable.  

It sat for many years in a lakeside window wearing cups of tea and daily newspapers as well as an occasional cat.  I have wanted to try engraving furniture for years after being inspired by the work of a sweet friend. If you want to see some fantastic work go over to her website Sticks and Bricks.

Here is the Aubergine Cottage corner at the Old Bank Marketplace 

in East Hampton, CT.

It is also listed on Craigslist.

Stop by and check it out!