DISTRESSED FAUX FINISH ON BATHROOM CABINETS & TUTORIAL ON PAINTING & INSTALLING MIRROR MOLDINGS

    DISTRESSED FAUX FINISH ON BATHROOM CABINETS & TUTORIAL ON PAINTING & INSTALLING MIRROR MOLDINGS

 This is a newly renovated bathroom.  I painted a distressed special finish on the cabinets and mirror molding in the dressing area.

     My client chose antique bronze knobs and handles for the cabinets.  They look so nice with the new colors on the cabinets. 

    This cabinet will have the antique bronze knobs and handles, too.  And, the mirror molding will be on these two beveled mirrors.

 These are the moldings I painted for the mirrors, to match the cabinets.

TUTORIAL

  PAINTING AND INSTALLING MIRROR MOLDING

     If you want to dress up mirrors in your baths, you can go to any hardware store that sells moldings.  The fancy molding is usually in the same area as the baseboards and door trims. These are flat on the backside because they are attached on top of the mirrors, not the wall.  You don't have to remove your mirrors.  Paint the moldings before you attach them to the mirror. You can faux paint them, spray paint them, stain them or do any finish you want to match your bath.  Rubbing a little metallic paint is always a nice touch, too.  Just on the decorative areas or all over you can paint on and wipe off with a rag.  Be sure to seal them really well to protect them from water splashing on them.  A very important step:  paint the backside of the moldings with a dark raw umber or soft black because you will be able to see the reflection of the back side in the mirror.  To finish, I prefer a low sheen, like a satin  for the clear sealer.  Then, measure carefully, miter each corner and attach your pieces to the mirrors with two sided tape.  When you're finished, if you are able to see the raw edges of the mitered areas just use the same paint for touch ups. 

     By painting the moldings and cabinets to match it makes that cabinet and mirror look more like a piece of furniture instead of bath cabinets.

     Have fun with this project!!  I think you'll be very happy with your new look.

(Today, I went by a house where I was supposed to faux paint the bath walls.  I had suggested painting and installing mirror moldings and they did and it looked so nice with the cabinets and medicine cabinets painted to match.  The guy who installed the moldings, had glued them to the mirrors, instead of using the two sided tape and that's ok, too.  Just letting you know.)

HAND PAINTED DRESSER FOR MACHEN

     This is a three drawer chest that I painted for Machen.  It was an off white piece of furniture.  The windows, door and steps were already on the chest and were painted the same off white color. Machen's mom had me paint several pieces of furniture for her daughters and told me to paint whatever I wanted on the pieces.  So, I painted this one pink with dark green trim.  Then, I painted the scenes on the front and sides.  They had a large black standard poodle and I painted him on the lower left corner.  I tried to paint familiar things, that Machen would recognize.
     On one side, I painted a picket fence, a tree, clouds, flowers, butterflies and Machen waving at the butterflies.  On the other side, I painted a picket fence, a tree, flowers and clouds.
     I'm really happy with the way it turned out and I want to thank Machen's mom for letting me paint it for them.

NEW AGAIN! PAINTING, AGING & DISTRESSING OLD FURNITURE

Today, James and Richard picked up this furniture that I painted for a client.  The french provincial dresser, chest of drawers and night stand belonged to her mother and I think my client said it used to be her's, when she lived at home.  Now, it is on it's way to her home.  She wanted me to paint it this aqua/blue and, age and distress it. I painted the handles to match the furniture. She's going to pick out new bedding, etc., for her bedroom.  I know it will all look very nice, when she finishes decorating around her new/old furniture.
      It's always so nice, when I'm finished with furniture and they move it out of my house.  These pieces have been in my living room and dining room.  Finally, my house belongs to me, again.  Not complaining, though!  I love working with furniture!!
   

   

HAND PAINTED "ROSES & BOW" ARTWORK ON A FRENCH PROVINCIAL LITTLE GIRL BED

HAND PAINTED "ROSES & BOW" ARTWORK ON A FRENCH PROVINCIAL LITTLE GIRL BED

     This little bed is from the 1970's and a french provincial design.  I found it at a garage sale for 10.00.  I painted it for someone very special to me.  When she outgrew it I couldn't part with it, so it is hanging on the ceiling of my studio.  I will keep it forever because it brings back sweet memories.  I painted it just for her!

FINALLY GOT THE COLOR RIGHT!!

     Well, the color looks so, so nice with the ceiling and woodwork, now.  After I mixed the paint, I was still a bit stressed, because the lighting in a room, reflections of furniture colors, etc. can change a color, once you've painted it. 
     Also, I painted the dark brown walls of one of my client's bathrooms.  The walls are now, a nice, soft aqua.  She found a really cute shower curtain and rugs, so she wanted me to paint one of the colors in the fabric.  She'll be home tomorrow from her trip, so I'm eager to know if everything is how she envisioned.  I think she'll be very happy with her new look. (Remember, it's a drastic color change from the dark green walls in her dining room and bright, intense yellow walls in her kitchen.)

    

TIME FOR A CHANGE!! PAINTING DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN WALLS

     Time for a change!  My client's dining room walls were a dark green and the kitchen walls were an intense yellow.  They were really nice colors, but my client was tired of them and ready for a new look. She wanted the new color to be just a little darker than her off white woodwork, so we chose a color.  As often happens, the actual paint was a little different from the color swatch.  When I noticed that, I just went ahead and finished painting the first coat in the "way too light" color, because I knew I would have to paint a second coat, anyway.  I brought the rest of the paint home and tonight I worked with it, adding more colors, just to get it in the same tones as her woodwork, just a little darker.  I'm happy with the new mixed color and eager to see it on the walls, tomorrow morning.  My client left for New York, early this morning, so, all of these paint color decisions have been left up to me...stress! stress! stress!
     Also, I'm going to paint a ceiling medallion to go on the ceiling at the base of her chandelier.  I'll paint it in the same color tones as her chandelier and might add a touch of burgundy because of the lamp shades.  She already has a chandelier chain cover in black.  You can get the ceiling medallions at Lowes and Home Depot and, you can leave them white or paint and sponge metallics, or just any colors on them and they always look so, so nice.

     My client has the nicest little dogs...Frodo, Sam and Pippin.  Pippin is a tiny chihuahua puppy with big brown and white spots and soooo cute!  Frodo has been with them forever and so sweet.  But, Sam is a beautiful little rescue poodle.  He was found at a home, tied to a wire or nylon string and it was so tight that it was embedded in his neck.  When he was rescued, the veterinarian had to cut the wire/string out of his neck and then sew him up.  When I worked for this client a few months ago, she had just gotten Sam and the scar on his neck was very large and wide.  How can anyone be so insensitive and treat one of God's little creatures like that!!!
     It was hard to get a good photo of them because Pippin kept jumping on the other two and playing. This is the best I could do, today.  Will try again, tomorrow.

  

BIRDS & NESTS HAND PAINTED ANTIQUE DOORS

     When my client found these beautiful old doors, they had been stripped of paint and down to the raw wood.  She had them installed as her front doors in her new home.  She wanted me to paint them dark brown and paint something special on them.  Since I LOVE birds and nests, that's what I painted, inside and outside.  Also, I embossed a scrollie design and painted it a metallic gold.  I really love how these doors turned out!!  She was very happy, too.  She loved that they greeted her family and friends as they approached her home.     
     I look back on projects like this and wonder how I did that!!  I'm a self taught artist and artwork is a bit stressful for me but, somehow, I know I can do it.  I'm always sooo relieved when I have finished and the client is happy with my work.

These two pictures are the "outside" of the doors.

These two pictures are the "inside" of the doors.

PISTACIO DISTRESSED CABINETS AND FAUX "ANTIQUE COPPER" VENT-A-HOOD

     This is the first kitchen I painted for Saundra, back in 2006.  She has such a beautiful home!  She wanted me to paint her kitchen cabinets a pistachio green, distressed and stained.  Fred built her vent-a-hood and Saundra wanted me to paint my faux "antique copper" finish on it.  She loved the "antique copper" finish so much that she had me do that same finish on her new kitchen in 2011.