FROM BATH CABINET TO A HAND PAINTED ARTSY BIRD CABINET & TUTORIAL

FROM BATH CABINET TO A HAND PAINTED ARTSY BIRD CABINET & TUTORIAL

In the home where I was working my clients happened to be remodeling one of their bathrooms.  They were replacing their cabinets and put them in the garage to be hauled off.

One of the cabinets was a linen cabinet that hung over the commode.

When I saw it in the garage I just knew I could do something special with it.

I bet lots of you have this same cabinet over your commode with the opening on the bottom for tissues, towels, etc.  I asked a carpenter to help me with the feet.   

I asked him to turn it upside down with the opening at the top.  Then I found these feet at Lowes.  Actually, they are fence post finials.  I asked him to attach these feet to the cabinet.  The little wrought iron corner pieces I found at Hobby Lobby...LOVE their 40% off coupons!!

I added the new handles, too.

I started painting it.  I primed and painted it a soft blue.  I painted all of the artwork on front and sides.  Finally, I aged it with an antiquing glaze and sealed it with a clear coat.

I painted the inside an off white that matched the other artwork.  

I painted little metallic dots on the front of the shelves.

Painted metallic copper/bronze around the feet and a couple of other places on the cabinet.

I really loved how this cabinet turned out and it sold very quickly!  

One of these days I think I will get to see it again in a client's home.

I do hope so!!

Because I forgot to take a "before" photo of the original linen cabinet

I found this on Google to show you.  I wanted you to see what I started with.

You can do it, too!

Original post 1/17/13

PAINTING BLACK & WHITE CHECKERED CORBELS FOR PATTI'S NEW HOME

This is a project that Patti wanted me to do for one of the bedrooms in her new home.

These are corbels that she ordered for the corners of her room and asked me to paint them for her.  I painted them white, then PAINSTAKINGLY!! painted allll of those checks in black.

Next, I glazed with an aging glaze that I mixed and sealed them with a clear sealer.

They were not easy to paint, but turned out so wonderfully, 

like everything that Patti did for her new home.

The ceiling is papered and the corbels were a really decorative way to fill in the corners to meet her molding.  Believe me!! they look wonderful up there on her bedroom wall.

Original post:  4/26/13

HAND PAINTING STRIPES & FLOWERS ARTWORK ON A NURSERY DRESSER

HAND PAINTING STRIPES & FLOWERS ARTWORK ON A NURSERY DRESSER

Maria lives in Dallas and is expecting a baby girl at the end of December. Her mother has a beautiful dresser that is pink and white with a big bouquet of flowers on the front.  Maria wanted me to paint something like that for her baby girl's nursery. 

This is the dresser that I painted for Maria.

Maria's mom found this old dresser at a flea market. 

The style is very similar to the original dresser.

It was a bit wobbly and my neighbor did an old fashioned repair on the back, to make it more stable. He put a screw on each four corners and then attached wires and tightened them until the dresser didn't sway, anymore.

When he was working on the dresser, he pulled out a drawer, turned it over and this is what he found. Back in the 60's, we think someone was doing homework and studying the states and capitals of the United States.  Was so neat to find this!

This is the old dresser as it sat in the flea market.

Maria's mom sent her photos of the dresser I painted for her and her mom said she was very happy and loved it!  That made me feel good, too.

Next week, it will be on it's way to Dallas, just in time for that sweet baby's arrival.

Original post:  12/21/12.

BLACK DISTRESSED PAINT SAMPLES FOR A KITCHEN ISLAND

BLACK DISTRESSED PAINT SAMPLES FOR A KITCHEN ISLAND

A designer/contractor has asked me to bid on painting a kitchen island.  The other kitchen cabinets are a really nice medium brown stained.  They are thinking they want a black distressed finish on the island.  So, I made these samples for approval.

Paint black and rub the edges with a rag.

I love the middle one.  I think the bottom one is the designer's choice.

Black is such a good accent color in almost any room.  

And, as always I love old distressed finishes.

When I was in the really beautiful home, they were also talking about removing a high wall and leaving a load bearing beam exposed.  They wanted the family room and kitchen to be open to each other.  I might be faux painting that beam to look like some kind of wood.  We'll see what happens and of course I'll share the final results with you.  It might be a while, though.

I really like my job!!

Original post 10/18/14.