"I MEANT TO DO MY WORK TODAY" ~ RICHARD LeGALLIENNE

GOD BLESS AMERICA, MY HOME SWEET HOME

   GOD BLESS AMERICA,

Land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with the light from above

From the mountains to the prairies

To the oceans white with foam

GOD BLESS AMERICA, MY HOME SWEET HOME

OLD TO NEW & WONDERFUL ~ PAINTING A SPECIAL STAINED TECHNIQUE FOR PHYLLIS'S NEWLY DECORATED POWDER ROOM.

OLD TO NEW & WONDERFUL ~ PAINTING A SPECIAL STAINED TECHNIQUE FOR PHYLLIS'S NEWLY DECORATED POWDER ROOM

Phyllis wanted to redecorate her powder room.

She got new granite, new faucet, and a new paint color for the walls.

She saw an "inspiration" cabinet online and asked if I could paint a finish like that on her existing cabinet.  (It was a VERY expensive cabinet.)  I never want to copy anyone, but it just so happened the finish on the "inspiration" cabinet was exactly what I have painted for clients on other jobs.  I knew how to do it.

Cabinet "after".
Her cabinet was stained and no trim on the doors.  I suggested that she have someone put trim on her doors.  She really liked rope trim, so I suggested she go to Lowe's.
 She didn't know what to do so she asked me to go with her.
She picked out three pieces to go on the door fronts.

Her carpenter attached the trim, then I painted the cabinet and mirror to match.

Phyllis found these beautiful knobs for the doors.  I swiped a little metallic paint on them to match the cabinet and mirror.  Isn't her new granite just wonderful!!

I love the shades of browns and creamy colors.

This is her new light fixture.  When it's on, it really sparkles.

After I painted the basic technique on the cabinet,

 I painted a metallic paint on all of the trim pieces that her carpenter attached.

Here you can see the metallic paint on the trim.
You won't see a sheen unless the metallic paint is reflecting light.

Cabinet "before".
If you want to change the look of your cabinets, adding this trim would be really nice,
 even if you are painting them white, black or any color.

These are the three different trim pieces Phyllis chose.

You can find these and other beautiful decorative trim pieces in the lumber section.

Phyllis's new powder room is really beautiful, now.  I think she's looking for an oriental rug to go in front of the sink and a large painting for the wall.  

FABULOUS & AMAZING HOME RENOVATION ~ KITCHEN, FAMILY ROOM & WHOLE HOUSE

FABULOUS & AMAZING HOME RENOVATION ~ KITCHEN, FAMILY ROOM & WHOLE HOUSE

This is one of my most favorite homes, ever!  You will not believe the transformation.

Paula and David found this home in a very nice neighborhood and it happened to be
 on a greenbelt.  They made major changes in the whole house.

They did some MAJOR renovations.

This is the family room.  That's Hank lounging on the floor.

He's a very large Maine Coon and the sweetest cat.

Notice over to the left there is an entertainment area.  They removed some cabinets and built a smaller cabinet.  Notice the fireplace, too.  It's very different from "before".  Below, you will see "before" and won't believe how pink and outdated.  Lots of pink, even the tile.

I'm sure it was really beautiful at one time, but desperately needed to be updated.

Here is their wonderful new kitchen.

I applied a very thin dark glaze on the, already painted, gray island and entertainment cabinet. 

This is sweet, sweet Gabby.  Her passion was playing ball.
She was very focused on that tennis ball in her mouth.

Gabby watches the deer in the greenbelt.  There were several tiny fawns in the spring.

The new wood floors were covered with a heavy paper while we were working.

This is "BEFORE"...can you believe the difference!!
Notice the fireplace and mantle and how different it is now.
Notice the entertainment cabinets "before".

This island was removed and it really opened up the kitchen.
Also, the light box and all cabinets were removed.

The new colors are shades of gray and white/off white.
Soon, I will show you a couple of other projects Paula asked me to do.
Don't you just love, love, love this home!!

HOW TO DECORATE A VERY LARGE "GREAT ROOM" IN A HOME

HOW TO DECORATE A VERY LARGE "GREAT ROOM" IN A HOME

Remember this HUGE open living area I showed you last fall?
This was Patti's new home.  I promised to share pictures with you.
She's not finished with her decorating, but I'll share what I got to see, recently.

Last fall I walked into that HUGE room and wondered what in the world she was going to do with that huge open space.  This room is the entry, living room, dining room, kitchen all in one.

Well, below is what she's done, so far. 

 (She's still working on it.)

Isn't this absolutely beautiful!!

She had that huge pine cabinet in her other home in the dining room.  She knew she wanted it to be a divider/defining rooms piece in this new dining room.  She had the back removed from the top so it would be open and the light would come through. 

 On the left of this picture is the fireplace and,

on the other side of the fireplace is her living room.  In her other home she had dark tuscany colors.  In this home, she wanted everything to be peachy, light and airy.

This is her  "daddy long legs" clock.

I love it!

Isn't this copper pot beautiful on this tall pedestal against the peach wall color!

She hung her clock collection on the dining room wall.  That white cuckoo clock is cuckoo!  It never cuckooed at the correct time.  It kept me a little confused :)

This chair is one of her dining room chairs.  She had them in her other house and they were a dark stained finish.  Patti had them reupholstered and asked me to paint them a bit distressed metallic silver finish.  I painted a tan base coat.  Then, as I was brushing on the metallic silver paint I wiped off with a rag in some areas.  

Other areas I gently dry brushed the silver so the tan would lightly show through. 

 The design of the chairs is so beautiful and the metallic silver paint looks really nice.

This is the entry to her home, so far. 

Patti loves flowers and yard art and is in the process of major relandscaping.

Yesterday, Patti sent this picture to me.  

Before, you stepped off of those brick steps above, onto the grass.  

They've just poured this new-extended patio and these new steps. 

 It looks like her guy is going to lay the bricks on these steps to match the existing steps.  

That green mirror is going to be hung outside, somewhere.  

She asked me to come by and seal it for using outside. 

 I can hardly wait to take pictures! 

 I know she won't mind if I share them with you.  And, 

I know it will be beautiful!

PAINTING A FARMHOUSE ~ BARNWOOD FAUX FINISH ON A TABLE FOR PATTI & TUTORIAL

PAINTING A FARMHOUSE ~ BARNWOOD FAUX FINISH ON A TABLE FOR PATTI & TUTORIAL

Patti has been my client for many years.

  I'm so glad she calls me when she's working on a new project.  

I really love her style and really enjoy working with her.

Recently, she wanted me to paint a faux barnwood finish on a table for her daughter's new home. 

This is a picture of the table "after" I painted it.

I always use brown and gray colors to get this look.

It's not hard to paint a "barnwood" look.  

The table and legs were a white washed light oak finish.  For the base of the table, I used a white oil based satin paint.  I painted small sections at a time and immediately rubbed the paint off of the areas where I wanted to expose the old finish.  I used soft rags for wiping the paint.  I didn't seal the oil paint.  I left the shiny satin finish, hoping to contrast with the duller barn wood look.

To start, I painted a wood colored paint as my base coat.  Next, I brushed on a medium gray color.  With a rag, I gently rubbed off the gray in linear strokes.  Always brush the direction of the wood grain.  In this picture it is painted and you can't see the wood grain, but you can imagine how the wood grain would go.  The brush strokes should be almost dry brushed because you want to see the base coat of tan through the gray.  Try to make long strokes, but it's ok to have shorter strokes, too.  That's the way natural wood looks.  On top of the gray, I painted a dark brown.  I painted the brown in long and short strokes.  As I was brushing it out, I left some of the strokes a little heavier with paint and some a little more brushed out.  I did this so the brush strokes would simulate wood grain.  

This is the "before" white washed finish on the table.

Patti actually fed her children on this table when they were small. 

So sweet that her daughter has it now and will be feeding her children at this same table.

Many times clients have asked me to paint furniture they've kept in storage for years.  Painting and making it new again is perfect for the kids that slept on it, played on it, shared a meal with family, etc.  Many times older furniture has really good lines and painting makes it beautiful and new again.

Today, Patti was doggie sitting.

  Gracie and Stella are her dogs.  In the picture, you see Buddy, Sadie, Stella and Sara. 

 I love these doggies. 

 When I told Patti I wanted to take a picture of them, she said the only way I could get them all was to put them outside and they would, for sure, be looking in the house. 

 All but Gracie.

Gracie wanted to stay inside.  I love Gracie.  I've known her since she was a puppy.

She's an older lady, now.

This is Sara.  

I wanted to take this picture because she looked so pretty with these colors around her.

This is Buddy.  Still a puppy and so much fun.

Patti, thank you for a fun project, again.

SUMMER BLOGGING ~ I WILL BE BACK SOON

SUMMER BLOGGING ~ I WILL BE BACK SOON

 I really miss working on my blog and I will be back soon.
 It's been a very, very busy summer with my work and I've taken lots of pictures.

Almost three weeks ago a mommy raccoon and her three big babies kept hanging out in my yard.  Maybe the mom thought her babies would be safe here.  I  could tell they were playing in my yard at night.  Two nights in a row they knocked my birdbath off of the pedestal.  Knowing better, I lifted that heavy concrete birdbath and put it back on the pedestal.
 I pulled a muscle, twisted or did something to my back.
I've continued to work, but I'm uncomfortable sitting at my computer for very long.
Slowly, my back is feeling better.
I will be back soon and share lots of pictures with you.