Before and After : Vintage Rolltop Desk

This rolltop desk is near and dear to my heart, since my Dad stained it originally when I was a child, and I lugged it to Austin with me and around various apartments. But now it has a forever home in my son's baseball-Americana-meets-dinosaur-and-car themed room! I left the original stain, but did a solid clean and shine on the drawers/interior with polish, and painted the body Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Aubusson Blue, with clear and dark waxes.

Here's the before and after - what a facelift! I love the modern / classic juxtaposition :) as always.

Here's a photo with great sunlight so you can really see the Aubusson Blue gorgeousness!

Before and After : Vintage Hand-Carved Writing Desk

So technically this isn't the true "Before" on this desk, since in all actuality, I'd already refinished it with Annie Sloan Old White. But it just didn't *feel* right. So it sat. And things sat on top of it. It actually lived for a while under my work cabinet and housed various sandpaper sheets and drawer pulls, waiting for inspiration to strike. Then one day, inspiration hit in the form of some blue glass knobs I found on Etsy.

If you haven't shopped on Etsy, you're in for a whirlwind. You can find anything on Etsy - and I mean anything. This weekend I found unicorn-rainbow-robotic-tyrannosaurus-rex yoga pants. They were labeled as, among other things, Christmas leggings. I want to drink the egg nog at that family's Christmas reunion! But I digress. As it turned out, the white desk and blue knobs still wasn't working for me. Then along came a friend of mine who envisioned a shabby chic, distressed look with Florence chalk paint. She decided she wanted to really accent the hand-carved details, so I used Aubusson Blue in the recessed area. We started to distress one of the legs, and she decided she preferred this graphic, bold look instead. This totally doesn't sound like me at all (just 100%), so we changed plans and repainted the leg!

Since she really loved the color this way, I didn't wax finish the piece (this step intensifies and deepens the color). Instead, I ordered some matte polyurethane that gave a soft look and feel, but preserved the brightness of the hue. I'm loving the bold update! And we made a super cute coordinated chair cushion with some fabric that just-so-happened to match exactly.. it was clearly meant to be!

Before and After : Antique Buffet

I have been craving a buffet refinish for what seems like forever!! And now that I've finally gotten my paws on one, I know why :) This gorgeous antique buffet is likely from the 1920's - 1930's and, well, they just don't make them quite like this any more. I was inspired by another refinish I'd seen in the same colors, and once again it turned out pretty much 0% how I thought it would, but as lovely as I'd imagined at the same time! This one is in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Paris Grey and Cream. I also restained the top for a gorgeous, more modern twist to this classic piece.

 And here's one more, this time with the top trim on. I personally love it without, though!

I actually have another buffet in the wings, so to speak.. Can't wait! And if you're curious about the Color Story : Inspiration behind this piece, I'd love to share! I just adore the soft, bluish hues in this Paris Grey paint juxtaposed with a buttery Cream. I weathered to a light shabby chic to reveal some of the gorgeous natural wood, and added a smooth, rich, nutty brown color in the stain. You can see these warm and cool colors paired together in the Texas Cedar and also this amazing Julia Child rose from my garden.

Hope you love it! Leave me a comment or email me at forloveofthepaint@gmail.com to let me know your inspiration, and I'll work to incorporate the colors into an upcoming piece from my Color Story collection!

Before and After : Antique Oak Chest of Drawers

This lovely antique oak chest of drawers was purchased by one of my clients at an antique fair nearby, and when she found the 9-drawer dresser I'd done in Annie Sloan Louis Blue Chalk Paint( See it here!), she thought this might be a perfect pairing! I'm super excited to have beautiful results to share!

I used an antique finish stripper and fine grade steel wool to remove the original finish, with a very fine sanding, so as to leave the original grain of the wood intact. After stain and polyurethane, I taped off the sides with a gentle-grade painter's tape and completed the side panels with paint and wax. Gorgeous, n'est-ce pas?

Before and After : Thomasville Sofa Table in Annie Sloan Country Grey and French Linen

This is a great new addition to my "Greige" period ;) as my sister would say. I'm continuing my exploration of gorgeous neutrals, and did this in shabby chic interpretation with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in two coats of Country Grey on the body, and a single coat of French Linen, plus distressing, so the wood really shines through.

They call it "distressing" but it makes me feel so calm ;) . There's definitely a lot of love in the careful just-so sanding on this piece! How far do you distress, you may ask? Until it feels right. I actually took this back farther than I had originally planned, because it just didn't feel done yet! And now the surface is smooth and soft like... well something super smooth and soft.

It reminds me of something you'd find in a cottage beachside.. Lovely!