Before and After : Ornate Vintage Headboard in Annie Sloan Paloma, Paris Grey, and Pure White

One of my most recent projects is a super cool distressed / cottage / shabby chic look with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint blended and layered in Paloma, Paris Grey, and Pure White! I love that it's a little bit of a departure from what I 'usually' do, but that it's still classic and gorgeously elegant - while still being a little down to earth and approachable!

This gorgeous headboard came from a bedroom set that included a beautiful small chest / nightstand that I painted in Antibes a few months ago.  Remember this adorable green piece on the left? One of my favorites! Well, this next project is a testament to the versatility of the Annie Sloan color line - these chalk paints can be bold and beautiful, or soft and sophisticated. And no, they don't pay me to say that.. I just really dig the vintage-inspired colors!

Anyway, I absolutely ADORE this carved oak bedroom set! I will probably paint the large chest of drawers in a beautiful neutral, but I would realllly love to see it in a fabulous jewel tone! In the meantime, I decided to play with some leftover custom blended paint and incorporate it into this project. Isn't it amazing how different this looks from the green chest now?

Read on to see how we achieved this awesomely shabby chic look!

Before and After : Vintage Coffee Table and Chair for Donation Project

I realized that I have been so busy, I haven't put together any Before and Afters for a while! So I'm thrilled to share some of my favorite recent projects with you. First is a donation-based project in collaboration with Red Chair Workroom in Austin. They redesigned a space for a deserving family and gave them a bright spot of color to see throughout their day! The vintage coffee table and chair were painted with Annie Sloan Pure White chalk paint and sealed with Pure Earth Paint's Diamond Coat in Gloss to give it the shine the designers were looking for. The Before and After is below - can you believe these are the same pieces? The upholsterer did a great job on the chair as well.

I feel blessed to have been able to contribute in even a small way to doing good for a family that could use a little sunshine! Thank you for including me in your Revolution Redesign project! I am honored and look forward to working with you again in the future.

Before and After : Vintage French Provincial Nightstand in Emile and Pure White - with Tutorial!

First of all, a huge THANK YOU to everyone for  all of your support! Finished pieces have been flying off the shelves at Red Door Lane, and I have a steady flow of custom orders for which I am so honored to have been selected! Thank you for letting me be a part of your homes and lives.

We have had such an influx of work that I have begun to group projects together to maximize my efficiency. It still takes a number of hours to hand-paint each and every piece, but this way I can get just a little more done in a day. For instance, I am working on a beautiful antique French end table refinish with the top painted in Annie Sloan Emile Chalk Paint. (Update: see that finished project HERE). My daughter also needed a nightstand in her bedroom, and absolutely loves all colors (she comes by this honestly). So while the paint can was open, I worked on the two side by side - you will probably see many more of these "project pairs" in the future! I will also be adding more DIY and home projects as they come to fruition.

I found a fantastic French Provincial set a few weeks ago, and realized that the nightstand was perfect for my daughter's room! (The other pieces are still available!) So what better to surprise her with than her very own custom painted big girl furniture?

 Want to see how I got this look? Click below to continue reading!

Before and After: Hand Painted Photo Frame

This photo frame is an example of a great project to have in the wings! I love to pick up small items where I can, and paint them when I have a color open that inspires me. In this case, I was painting a mirror with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Louis Blue to match a client's dresser, and decided that it would give a perfect touch to this pedestal frame.

I love how it really brought to life the gorgeous carved details! I also added a highlight of Pure White to the highest points of relief. Here's an in-progress photo so you can see how much visual interest it gains with the addition of the white vs. the blue by itself.

Then, I sealed the frame with clear wax, and a little dark wax for antiquing! I love the end result! This was the perfect way to spend my time while my other project dried. Can't wait to get started on the next one, and see where the colors may take me!

Before and After : Black and White French Provincial Bedroom Set Refinish

Here is another great custom set for a client! She really loves black and white, and so we designed this beautiful refinish based on an inspiration piece that was all white, with black trim. The gorgeous chest of drawers and nightstand are curved, and also had beautiful wood grain. What this means for a high-contrast finish is that even after a secure taping between colors, I still needed to come back and use a fine detail brush to touch up. It was worth it! This high-impact refinish is a total showstopper!

I really love the soft vintage-y feel of Annie Sloan Chalk Paints, but they don't make a true black. So for this, I borrowed a tip from another refinisher, and combined Graphite Paint with a bottle of India Ink to make a jet black.

I also spray-painted the hardware with Rustoleum hammered look black. The trick to getting a beautiful finish while preserving the original shapes of the hardware is to use light passes and build the color, and not let it pool from overspray. The faux keyhole at the top could not be removed without risking damage, so I sprayed directly into a disposable bowl, then quickly and carefully applied the paint with a QTip, pressing first in the center of the metal, then pushing the paint toward the sides.

Before and After : 5 Drawer Vintage French Provincial Chest of Drawers

This gem was a great find, and it was just missing its handles. It actually was being used with standard round cabinet knobs, but the previous owner had some of the original handles. One, however, was broken. I was able to find a very close match on Etsy (ummm love Etsy, and they don't pay me to say that!). However, I thought it wouldn't look *quite* right since they weren't an exact match. Since the chest has 5 drawers, separated by a midline, I decided to order 2 of the replacement pulls for above the midline, and use the 3 original for below. It worked out to make the shapes look very cohesive and natural for this piece! However, the colors were a little different. The client wanted a distressed look to the handles, but with the different color metals, I decided to first spray paint the pulls all the same color, THEN do a color wash over them. Eureka! We were on to something.

The client picked Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Pure White, and Paris Grey. She also selected brushed nickel with a Pure White wash for the handles. Here's the before and after of the chest:

 The hardware looks like it totally belongs, I think! Beautiful :) Here's how I achieved that cohesive look:
Before: notice the very slightly different shape and patina to the hardware. I cleaned them well and laid them in a wide flat box so I could get them all with even passes with the spray.
Step 1: several super light coats of Rustoleum spray paint, dried overnight.
Step 2: dry brush of the color overlay (Pure White, in this case).

I started by doing an actual wash of color, but it wasn't adhering to the hardware the way I wanted, so I wiped it off well and changed tactics to the dry brushing with barely any paint on the brush. I gradually built up color over about 3 passes per handle until it looked just right. Et Voila! I this it's gorgeous and sophisticated, and just exactly what the client envisioned. What could be better?

Before and After : Aqua Blue Antique French Provincial Vanity

This stunning vanity was refinished in blend of 1 part Annie Sloan Florence Chalk Paint to 4 parts Pure White.

A great tip for custom colors is to get empty paint tins from Home Depot to blend your color in, write the recipe on the lid with a Sharpie and dab the top!

That way when you run out you remember how to re-create that gorgeousness. (Some days I'm doing well if I remember what I had for breakfast, so this is totally invaluable!)

Curious about my inspiration for this piece? I absolutely adore the light blue and teal colors in the sky, and in.. prickly pear cactus! So beautiful!!

What inspires you? Leave me a comment with your favorite plant, and if I can find a local inspiration, I'll do my best to capture it in a furniture piece!

Before and After : Lexington Chest of Drawers

This is a beauty from the Lexington Victorian Sampler collection. The proud new owner also had a cheval or standing mirror refinished in the same Annie Sloan Pure White Chalk Paint and distressed. Another before and after will come soon for that project!

I don't usually use all white for my refinishes, but this has a beautiful, clean look to it, and a classic elegance. Here's a Color Story: Inspiration photo from my in-laws' lily pond!

Timeless! Be sure to check out my other inspirations by clicking "Color Story". What inspires you? Send me your ideas and I may be able to translate them into my next furniture refinish!