Color Story: Inspiration Series

I'm super excited to begin sharing some of my inspirations behind the colorful refinishes I've been working on. I am so blessed to be able to enjoy the beauty of nature and outdoors, and have been able to capture a few of those moments on film.. well ok, digitally. I'll be adding some inspirations to my before-and-after posts, but also have a few projects that don't have their own posts, so I'll share them here! Be sure to click on the "Color Story" label to see more!

First, a gorgeous Bombay console table painted in Annie Sloan Antibes green (over a shimmery cola color by Martha Stewart interiors), distressed, and with clear and dark waxes.

Click below to see more!

Before and After : Vintage Writing Desk

I have been absolutely obsessed with photography lately! (Shameless plug - follow me on Instagram @forloveofthepaint to share my art and inspiration). So I decided to capture some of my inspirations and put them side-by-side with the before and after series for you to enjoy! The first is a gorgeous desk redo in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - Napoleonic Blue. For those of you who don't know, I am trying to use a new color every month this year, and pretty sure I'm on track with # 5 here!

I did a very light distressing on the paint, then clear and dark waxes. I'm super excited about the gorgeous blue! And here's the Color Story: Inspiration behind it... Bluebonnets! Can't love a Texas spring without the requisite bluebonnet photo :) There is literally nothing quite like that rolling field of blue.

What do you think? Love it? I'll be putting together more color stories in the coming weeks. I look forward to sharing them with you!!

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 : Antique Carved Wood Mirror

This project was super fun, and didn't take a million years (but it looks like a million bucks!) It's a gorgeous antique mirror frame that was a dark gold color, and I gave it a fresh new look with a dry brushing of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg Blue, followed by an lightly applied coat of Old White on high points. The trick (for me) to all those details is to try and find a fulcrum on which to rest a part of your arm - I often put my wrist down on the surface of the mirror or some dry part of the frame. That really helps me to keep a nice, even line. But with a vintage look, your lines don't *have* to be perfectly straight and 100% evenly saturated, and they shouldn't be! That's part of the hand-painted charm that distinguishes it from a factory finish.

Ain't she a beaut? Here's a close-up of some of the detail. I am just in love!

Normally I would put wax over a finished piece, but in this case I opted not to, because I can see this potentially being repurposed as a fancy frame around a chalkboard outside a boutique! However, wax coated pieces need to be climate controlled and it gets HOT in Texas in the summer, so I refrained. I also figured that there really isn't a lot of hands-on interaction with a mirror frame in the long term, so oil transfer from fingers or paint erosion wouldn't be as likely. But if we do wax it down the line, the colors will just become a little deeper and more intense. It'll be gorgeous either way!

Here's the inspiration behind the refinish - clouds! It was next to impossible to choose a photo because there are so many amazing options; these colors are in the clouds, sea, waterfalls... They must be perfect together, since they appear together so often :)

What inspires you? Leave a comment with your favorite color in nature, and I can help share your Color Story!

Before and After : Vintage Henry Link Dresser and Mirror in Paris Grey, Duck Egg Blue, and Old White

Today's projects is one of my favorites! We found this gorgeous Henry Link Dresser at an estate sale, and it is just amazingly beautiful. I kept the original stain on the dresser and vanity tops to make it feel more grounded and neutral, but added Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey, Duck Egg, and Old White for a super lovely color combination!

Yummy, right? I put Paris Grey over the whole shebang, then dry-brushed Duck Egg over the body, and used Old White for the trim. I distressed the high points and around the drawer faces to finish the vintage chic / shabby chic look. I love the completed look, especially with the hardware patina!

Curious about my inspiration? The absolutely stunning light-and-cloud interplay of blue, white, and gray! Here's a sweet side-by-side with a photo taken on our Montana trip last year. There's a reason they call it the Big Sky State, y'all!

 I'd love to hear your thoughts!