So I wanted to bring this fun color into our home and once I found the perfect piece, this small campaign desk, off to the paint store I went to color match it!  Here’s the  desk I found at (of course) a thrift store for $40 – the hardware alone is worth that to me, but the added benefit was this desk with faux bamboo legs that would tuck nicely into the kids study/art/craft playroom.

Before:

After:

The desk was not real burled wood, but had a speckled and scratched surface, so painting it was an easy call.  I followed the same steps I’ve mentioned before, 1. Remove the hardware, 2.  Clean and scuff up the piece with a medium grit sanding wedge and 3. Prime with product designed for glossy surfaces (Zinsser is my fave).

Next, two coats of this fabulous paint!  I’ve wanted to try the Advance formula by Ben Moore and this desk was perfect candidate.  This enamel formula gives a harder finish like oil based paints but cleans up with water, I’ll definitely use it again – it comes in satin, semi-gloss and high gloss formulas.  No Floetrol needed, this paint is that good.

The color is a custom formula to match the bowl, but if you want two close matches, try ‘Grasshopper’ by Sherwin Williams or ‘Bunker Hill Green’ by Benjamin Moore.

Finally I scrubbed and polished the brass hardware and reattached it.

Now this fun Kelly green campaign desk sits in the kids’ playroom for art or homework.

I’m not alone in my love for this shade on campaign furniture, it’s been done before, so be sure to check out Emily’s campaign dresser and do you recall this set of green campaign dressers from Lonny magazine?  A gorgeous classic color!

Painted anything a bright fun color in your home lately?

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In the past two weeks, I’ve fixed up two pieces, one dresser and one campaign desk, and both had brass hardware I wanted to reuse.  One set of hardware was real brass, the other brass plate, and both needed a good polish.

Over the last year, I’ve also narrowed down two great substitutes for faking the patina with other hardware that you want to give a golden glow.  If you’re curious how to tell the difference between real brass and brass plate, how to polish unlacquered brass, or how to fake the look of antique brass hardware, here’s how I do it.

Real brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and if it’s not lacquered, will tarnish with exposure to air over time.  There are two methods I use to bring back the mellow antiqued patina, one is Brasso if I have it on hand and the other is natural lemon juice and salt paste mixture.

But first, before you polish, you should know whether your hardware is real brass or brass plate.  Here’s the simple way to tell the difference.  Take a household magnet and see if it will stick to the piece, if it won’t that means the hardware is real brass, like these campaign pulls.

However, if the magnet picks up the hardware, then it’s brass plated (with steel or iron as its base).

Good old fashioned Brasso works well for cleaning off the tarnish, and I usually soak for about 20 to 30 minutes.

With real brass, I use a rag or extra fine steel wool to remove the tarnish.

You can also use a mixture of salt and lemon juice as a natural polish, use approximately ¼ cup of salt per squeeze of ½ lemon to make a paste.

Either one works great on either brass plate or real brass, just be sure to use a soft rag or soft toothbrush with brass plate and not steel wool, it can scratch the thin brass plating.

Lemon juice is acidic, so be sure to fully rinse and buff your brass hardware, and I’ve read that using a little olive oil on top will prolong the periods between polishing.

I find brass plated hardware is more stubborn for some reason and usually takes repeat soaks to bring it back to life but it can be done.

But if your brass plate doesn’t come back to life because it’s too corroded or you want to give it the patina of unlacquered brass, there are two products that will do just that.

Rub N’ Buff is a waxy metallic finish that comes in several golden shades such as Gold Leaf (depicted), but also look for Antique Gold and European Gold.  Krylon’s ‘Gold Leaf’ is the best metallic gold spray paint I’ve found to date to mimic brass or give you a warm golden glow on your hardware.

As you can see, both the Rub n’ Buff and Gold Leaf spray paint are pretty darn close to the real thing!

What about you?  Have you noticed the popularity of brass hardware on furniture lately?  Are you liking its resurgence?  Know any other natural formulas or products that are great for cleaning brass?  Do share!

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#1 Board & Batten Storage Wall

#2 Reupholstered Velvet Chair

#3 Closet Makeover

#4  Nursery Dresser Makeover

#5 Silver Leaf Reupholstered Vanity Chair

#6 Dyed Favorite Jeans

#7  Bookcases + TV Stand = Media Center

#8  New Stone Patio

#9  Summer Patio Cabana

#10 Whitewashed Trunk turned Coffee Table

#11 Mini Kitchen Makeover

#12  Peacock Blue Bamboo Chest

#13   Restained Pedestal Table

# 14  Building and Styling the Billy to Built In Bookcases

#15 And this roundup couldn’t be complete without…

The Sexiest Before and After, Like Ever

See more spaces in the My Spaces page, and more projects in the Project Gallery.

Linking up to Rhoda’s Top Projects party!

See mo.

Years ago, we set up a makeshift media center in the space with some small wood bookcases and a coffee table to hold our dinosaur TV.  We finally decided to donate that TV and change the wall to serve a different purpose. I’ve been thinking about IKEA’s Billy bookcases for years, but I was always disappointed with their 11” depth.  In October, IKEA release a 15” deep Billy bookcase which finally sold me on the wall to wall bookcase project I’ve been thinking about for years.  At last, it’s finally finished!

So long old media center . . .

. . . hellooooo built in bookcases!

I am in love!  I’ve wanted a wall of built in bookcases for years, people, years!  We finally made it happen for under $400 and in about 7 hours.

We started with four of these 15 inch deep Billy bookcases from IKEA:

We knew we wanted to reuse the existing baseboard along the front of the bookcase wall, so I carefully cut the existing caulking with a Dremel MultiMax and pried it off. 

Next, we measured and then mitered the baseboard where the old baseboard piece would fit when set in front of the new cabinets. 

The only problem in using the existing baseboard was it was taller than the height of the bottom Billy shelf.  In order for the existing baseboard to sit at the same height, we had to elevate the bookcases by 3/4 inch.  How so?  We simply cut a plywood base with a Skil Saw for the Billys to rest on, perfect!

Once the bookcases were elevated, the baseboard trim fit perfectly in front.

I had to crack up at the IKEA assembly instructions and the little men they use to guide you through the process.  Yes, thank you IKEA, two are better than one at assembling these Billys!  Once you get the hang of it you can assemble each in about 20 minutes.  I confess I was very surprised at the quality of the bookcases too, each cabinet weighs about 100 pounds and the shelves are all adjustable.       

The spacing between the four cabinets and the walls turned out to be exactly 2 ¼ inches, which the same exact  width of the trim I chose to hid the gaps in between each cabinet and between the cabinet and the wall.  How lucky is that?

At any other width, we would have had to choose different trim or run it through a table saw, but luckily I found the perfect 2 ¼” trim x ¼” trim at Lowes to disguise the gaps to perfection, plus the greater width gives the cabinets even more of a custom look.  We also added crown molding to the top for a finishing touch using the same technique I mentioned here.

The vertical pine trim was easily attached with a nail gun then primed with Zinsser (I always use oil based primer on raw wood.) I used paintable caulk to fill in any gaps between the baseboard, crown, and bookcase edges. Two coats of paint unified the vertical trim, baseboard, and crown.*

The final issue was providing access to the existing outlets on the wall, so to use them anytime in the future, I just notched their location on the back of the cabinets with a box cutter (not shown). 

All four cabinets are reinforced with another long strip of plywood across the top that is the same size as the base piece of plywood.  That plywood top is nailed into the Billy’s frame and then anchored to the studs in the wall with ‘L’ brackets so the entire unit is sturdy and there’s no danger of them falling even if little munchkins should be so bold and try to climb on them. The crown along the top hides both the plywood stabilizer and the brackets from view.

Now the real fun begins, how to make them function for us as storage but also look  stylish. I’m thinking I’ll definitely paint the back and play off the blues, greens, and yellow in the window panels. Looking at the room now there’s too much white, but this wood pedestal table will help ground the space and provide dark contrast. 

How do ya like this fun pair of accent chairs I found at a local second hand shop, aren’t they fab?  I love them gloss white but I’m tempted to spray them a bold hue for a fun punch of color like this yellow barstool or this aqua chair.

I’ll be working on styling the bookcases later this week (following most of the tips from this article) and hopefully I’ll have something to show you soon.  A blank canvas, how fun!

Cost: four 15” deep Billy bookcases at $69 each ($300 with tax), plus plywood, crown molding and trim: $65

Total = $365 

Not a bad price for sturdy wall to wall built-in bookcases completed in a weekend.

* update: many asked about paint colors. The wall color is ‘Camouflage’ by Benjamin Moore and the paint on the trim on the bookcases is Valspar’s ‘Dove White’.  Valspar’s ‘Cream Delight’ and ‘Ivory Dust’ are also very close matches to the IKEA white. 

** update #2: if you’d like to see how they turned out when styled with books and collectibles, take a peek at this follow up post.

Thanks Apartment Therapy for the feature!!

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I was on the fence about whether to paint it, but thought I’d try to restore the wood first. I had heard about a product from several antique dealers that breathes new life into tired old antiques and doesn’t require the typical strip/stain/poly steps that are required to fully refurbish wood furniture. The product is Howard’s Restor-A-Finish and I thought this latest vintage piece was the perfect candidate to give it a try.

I followed the instructions and used a very fine grade steel wool (level 000) to wipe down the buffet in the direction of the wood grain, then applied two coats of the Restor-A-Finish. I also pulled off the acanthus applique attached to the back because it was bugging me, then replaced the center hardware and broken pulls with new ones lightly coated with Rub N’Buff in ‘Antique Gold’. 

Here’s a peek at the easy transformation that took about an hour.

Before:

After:

Not bad!

I grabbed these three products at my local True Value Hardware to see how well they’d perform on this buffet.

I confess, I was a little surprised. I’m not a fan of gimmicky products but after using the Restor-A-Finish, I do think the surface is much improved.  I followed up the Restor-A-Finish with the recommended Feed-N-Wax but before I did that, I tried out the Minwax Blend-Fil pencil to fill in a few deep scratches.  My response to the Blend-Fil was mixed. From a distance, the deep scratch is minimized but up close, you can see it’s a waxy filler, and on this piece the shade is a little off.   

The finish ends up being a little oily, so be sure to rub off the Restor-A-Finish as directed and don’t leave it on your wood.  Also, I noticed the product seemed to enhance the underlying deteriorating layers of original varnish. This picture doesn’t show that, and it’s very subtle, but I notice it in bright light.   

The thing that impressed me the most about the Restor-A-Finish was the removal of these small water spots on the front.

Before:

After:

If there were deeper water (or heat) marks, gentle sanding and restaining would be the real solution. I do give a thumbs up to the Feed-N-Wax. I’ve used that product a few times over the years, it smells much better and gives wood a nice luster. 

Here is my initial impression of Howard’s Restor-A-Finish:

Pros: Restor-A-Finish removes cosmetic surface water spots and minimizes scratches, it comes in several shades, and is great for beginners who don’t want to take on a full refinishing job. 

Cons:  Restor-A-Finish is really stinky but the odor dissipates quickly. It should be used only in a well ventilated area. You cannot apply poly over it, only wax, which is fine with me, but requires waxing every few months to maintain the luster. In my opinion, because of its oily nature, it enhances any imperfections that may exist in the layers of original varnish underneath. 

Bottom line, this product is like plastic surgery for furniture. It won’t return your piece to the flawless finish of its youth but it will take 10 years off, and at $12 bucks a can, that’s a pretty good price for a quick facelift.

Have you ever tried Restor-A-Finish?  What were your results?  Were you pleased or displeased? 

True Value Blog Squad legalese: “I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.”

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The Alma Project began as the transformation of a fixer upper house into a comfortable functional home for women who desperately need it. Living inside the Alma House are single mothers, previously homeless, who reside for free on the condition that they are learning skills, stabilizing their lives, attending counseling, and that they remain drug and alcohol free. Busy remodeling their lives, these mothers have no time or money to fix up this house.

Over the past few months, we’ve given our time to this project with money donated by so many of you. Some of you blogged about the Alma house and others held small fundraisers to benefit the project.  We cannot thank you enough. 

In April, we spent a day transforming the entry hallway to create better utility:

In May, we built them this media center. 

Over the summer, we set out to build the families a laundry room center in the garage and at last it is complete! 

Here’s a glimpse of the space a few months ago:

Here it is today!

This all started with a simple request for more storage. These ladies weren’t even asking for a laundry center, I’m sure they never envisioned one in their wildest dreams.  They just wanted a place where they could store their extra things they had no room for in the house.  

Me?  I saw something a little more than storage.  I wanted to create for them a laundry center because I know how it is when you’ve got kids – the laundry just never ends.  It piles up everywhere and all a mom really wants is a place to lay it down and fold it. 

I knew my local Lowe’s carried stock cabinetry, and their white versions were great quality. I sketched up a diagram and off we went to Lowe’s to investigate how many cabinets and countertops we would need, but the projection for the entire project came in higher than we could afford in the budget for the project.  

I had a great contact with Lowes, and asked them if they’d be willing to donate $500 worth of cabinetry to the project.  Big props to Lowe’s, they agreed!  We were able to grab all the cabinetry, three base cabinets and five upper cabinets, for $995 (one base cost us only $20 since the back was damaged).  With the $500 store credit, we got all the cabinetry for this space for $495 !

Originally, we planned to install the entire laundry center ourselves.  After some consideration, we realized that times are really rough for contractors right now. We budgeted some extra money, we assigned the building of the half walls and the installation of the cabinetry to a local contractor we knew could use the money. 

The first thing he did was build those half walls with wood framing and sheetrock (seen below). The new half wall has the effect of hiding the washer and dryer behind it and also stabilizing the cabinetry and folding counter.  We also primed and painted the walls which were covered with dirt and stains.

We squeezed three lower and five upper cabinets into this new space and topped it with a brand new laminate counter to create a folding surface. 

Finally, we added new pulls and knobs to finish it off. 

The ladies who live here are over the moon with excitement – they absolutely love it!

I’m so proud of this new laundry center, and again I wish to issue a great big thank you to Lowe’s for their generous donation of cabinetry to this project.  We couldn’t have completed it without that extra credit.  

Also a huge thank you to Becky at Vinyl Crafts who donated these custom signs that she made for the children’s bedrooms and also the family rules subway art for the living room.  You rock Becky, the kids are so excited! 

Total Expenses:

Cabinetry:  $995 (minus $500 credit) = $495

Laminate countertop: $105

Framing supplies: $55

Primer & paint = $30

Knobs & pulls = $55

Laundry baskets & soaps = $45

Labor = $300

Total for laundry center = $1,085

We’re so proud we completely transformed this space, providing a ton of new storage, a folding counter, and also disguising the the washer and dryer behind the half wall.   

  Isn’t it fantastic ?!

We couldn’t have done it without all of your support !!

We have a small amount of money left in our Alma House account, and we are trying to decide where the money will go.  We think it will be best used to purchase a new sink and faucet in the kitchen.  We will keep you posted!

Many thanks to all of you who donated and raised funds for this worthy cause.  We’re so grateful to all of you who helped us give back to these families living in this shelter. 

xo,

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Goal #1 – Replace the kitchen backsplash.  Done!  I was sooooo happy to swap out the yellow fruit plate last winter for a cleaner updated look.  Back in February I removed the old decorative tile and installed plain white tile in its place tile for a more cohesive feel. 

Goal #2: Create a homework and art center for the kiddos.  Yep, finished!  The blank wall in the kid’s play space got an upgrade with the addition of a homework and art station, including a desk, floating shelves, and frames for their artwork.

Goal #3:  Swap out entry chandelier and replace or repaint sconces.  Whoops, only half of that goal was completed.  I was able to repaint the outdoor sconces (and front door too) and a little paint went a long way to updating the dirty ol’ fixtures, but the main entry chandy will simply have to wait till I find something fabulous and a very very very tall ladder. 

Goal # 4:  Spruce up living room with a smaller scale sofa, some artwork, and a new rug.  Done! 

I shopped my house earlier this summer to switch out the rug from the dining room and a borrow a striped chair from upstairs. A painting found at a local thrift store and a smaller scale neutral loveseat from JC Penney complete the sitting area.  Together with my reupholstered velvet chair, these now form one of my favorite sitting areas in the house.

Goal #5 – Finish my little boy’s room.  Done, yay!  This sweet boy’s bedroom space for my five year old son was one of my favorite projects I completed this year.  

Goal #6:  Remodel the hall bathroom.  How did I do?  Total fail.  Every day I walk by this bathroom I think about how much I desperately want to update it.  Next year (hopefully) I’ll finally get my act together, pull together a design plan, and make some real progress.  Should be fun!

Goal #7: Fill in the circular patio.  Yep, done!  After tripping over the edges of this patio for years, we finally got around to filling it with some natural stone and we absolutely love the result!  Read the step by step installation here. 

Goal #8:  Refinish the courtyard with new tile or stamped concrete.  Nope, fail.  This goal was one we honestly weren’t prepared to take on this year due to the time and expense, but hey, there’s always next year.  We’re hoping a little more money will grow on some trees in that backyard to make it happen!

Goal #9:  Repaint and wallpaper my closet.  Done!  (Minus the wallpaper.)  The shelving and walls in my personal closet got a makeover with a lot of primer, a little paint, and some stencils too, I love it! 

So I didn’t finish them all, but I’m feeling mighty proud of what we did accomplish this year.  Speaking of home improvement, we also adopted the Alma House earlier this year and are still working on it.  We ran into some obstacles last month with the cabinetry we planned for the laundry room, but this week we’re back on schedule and excited to be finishing up that project very soon.  Hope to share it with you all next week!

Finally, a reminder that the fall link parties start two weeks from today – we hope you’ll join in all the fun. 

What about you?  Got a few major home improvement projects you’re mighty proud of completing this year?   

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I’ve got to give PB credit, they make a a high quality solid wood table, but over the years it had suffered the typical wear and tear that comes with daily living.  Scratches, dents, paint residue, kid crud, you name it, that table had it.  After all the damage, I decided the time had come to refinish the surface. 

So often, when there’s damage to wood, the first inclination is simply to paint it and I confess I do that all the time.  For this table, I thought it would be better to take the time to restore the beauty of the cherry wood and I’m so glad I did.  With all the light and bright in this studio, I loved the idea of a classic wood pedestal table grounding the space.  Besides, let’s face it.  Dark wood pedestal table?  Totally timeless. 

Here’s a glimpse of some of the damage before . . .

. . . and today !

Here’s the skinny on how I restored the surface of this pedestal table in a weekend:

First, arm yourself with your DIY supplies. 

You’ll need 1. stain   2.  metal container (especially if you’re mixing stain)  2. sponges or high quality brushes  3.  both medium and fine grit sandpaper 4.  latex gloves  5.  orbital sander   6.  sanding wedge or hand sanding tool and 7.  protective respirator or mask (not shown)  8. tack cloth (not shown), 8. wood conditioner (optional). 

Note, in my original pic of the supplies, I planned on using Minwax Wipe On Poly which I absolutely love for stained furniture, and also used with great success on my staircase makeover.  At the last minute (and since this was a tabletop) I substituted non yellowing Deft Clear Wood Finish which my friend Layla also used for her whitewashed dining room table.  Deft also states the protectant is “baby safe”  but not sure what that means and also “alcohol, fruit juice, and water resistant”.  Okay, so I gave it a try. 

I decided since the pedestal was in perfect condition, I didn’t want to restain that part, only the feet and the top.  It’s always best to start with a less conspicuous spot to try to match stain and for me, the scratched up set of feet was the place to begin.  I turned the table upside down and popped off the feet to start this adventure. 

I drove on down to my local True Value with my big ol’ table foot to go hunting for some matching stain.   With all the Minwax choices it seemed the ‘Cherry’ was a bit light (despite the pic), and the ‘English Chestnut’ too dark, so I determined a mix of the two would likely give me just what I wanted and grabbed both.

After I found my stain, I started the sanding process using my orbital and 80 medium grit (80) sandpaper to remove the stain and the scratches. 

Make sure you use all the necessary safety precautions when sanding including gloves, a mask, and goggles.  One of those cheapo respirators you buy in multipacks at home improvement stores should do just fine.

Once all the stain was removed, I wiped the sawdust off with a tack cloth.  Next, I mixed two parts ‘Cherry’ to one part ‘English Chestnut’ to arrive at the perfect color stain for the table.  I used a new cheapo sponge brushes for each application of stain and always with the grain. 

Stain with the grain, stain with the grain, repeat after me, stain with the grain! 

I got lucky and matched the color pretty closely.  The feet turned out just a hint darker, but a close enough match to that pedestal, I’m mighty pleased.

The feet, before and after!

I noticed after the staining, some of the legs had a slightly darker tones in different spots, so I decided to purchase some wood conditioner for the tabletop for more even stain application. 

First I sanded the top just like the feet, with medium grit sanding discs attached to my handy orbital.   It took about thirty minutes to remove most of the dents and scratches from years of wear and tear.  I should state that the table also has a leaf insert which I refinished at the same time.

Then I applied the wood conditioner with the grain of the wood to help prevent blotchiness and with another cheapo sponge.

Next came time to stain which I applied and let it sit for five minutes, then wiped away any excess.  Raw wood is thirsty wood and loves oil based products like this, so most of the stain was absorbed.  After the first coat was dry, I applied a second coat, both with the grain of the wood. 

Another important safety precaution:  As it indicates on the directions for these products, they are combustible, meaning you cannot leave them out in the heat where they could self ignite, so take every precaution  and follow all safety instructions that are clearly marked on these products, and dispose of them properly!  

The final step was adding the top protective coat.  In between coats I used fine 220 grit sanding discs and also by hand to smooth the surface.  I used two coats for my table, but three or four may be a good idea for a surface with a lot of daily use.  Make sure you allow sufficient time to dry between coats and before you use the table. 

Two coats of protectant later . . .

I have a gorgeous table top, good as new!

So there it is, the full step by step on how I restored the surface of my old Pottery Barn cherry wood pedestal table! 

The paisley print panels are from Pier One, the scramble citrus pillows from Pine Cone Hill, and those are my spring green cottage chairs I painted last year. 

I so love the look of painted chairs with a classic wood table to break up the matchy matchy feel, don’t you? 

True Value Blog Squad legalese: “I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.”

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I spied this vintage dresser just as it was coming in the door at a local thrift shop. The wood was damaged in places, but it’s a well made piece and solid wood.  Wood putty filled the cosmetic flaws, and two coats of AS Chalk Paint in a custom mix prettied it up in a shade of barely gray almost blue.   

I’m still playing around with my two quarts of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint leftover from this mirror and this table.  This time I mixed them, using 2 parts Old White to 1 part Paris Gray (which I’m noticing has a hint of blue to it, especially after it’s waxed). 

Chalk paint easily distresses with a sanding wedge, and I follow it up with a clear paste wax – lately I’m using Johnson’s.  Rub ‘n Buff is the quickest way to freshen up vintage hardware like this and give it that ‘Antique Gold’ glow. 

This revamp only took a few hours since since there’s no priming with this kind of paint.  I even painted it indoors on a tarp since there’s little to no odor with the AS Chalk Paint.  Pics are less than stellar today since the light was fading fast, but it looks so classy in person. This piece will eventually get sold at a local shop.

What DIY projects are you up to this weekend?  I’m thinking of restaining a tabletop in between the kids’ soccer games and hoping for a little wine tasting adventure.  Wishing you all a relaxing weekend and cooler temperatures. Those of you on the east coast, stay safe! 

xo,

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My hub scored us some amaaaaaazing seats up front, and I was so excited to be just a few feet away from one of my favorite singers.  I do things I wouldn’t ordinarily do when in the presence of Michael Bublé, he makes me all teenybopper crazy.  He was wiping his perspiration all night on a MB Tour towel, then guess who he threw it to?  Don’t believe me?  All the evidence on this video. 

Can you believe it?  His sweaty towel is mine baby miiiiiiiine !!!! 

How much do ya think I could get for it on eBay?

Kidding!  I could never part with it.  Unless you make me an offer I can’t refuse.

Back to biz.  So I’ve had this little console table for like ever that I painted white over the weekend.  

This console is no antique, in fact it’s a mass produced hall table from Bombay Company and it has suffered some dents and scratches in the dozen years I’ve had it, so I had no issues with painting it. 

Years ago, it sat in my entryway, then I replaced it with this tall stained dresser.  When I moved the writing desk from my stepdaughter’s room to make an art gallery wall for my younger daughter, I moved the console table to my older daughter’s bedroom. 

You still with me?  Do you care?  

*crickets*  

Mkay.  Well guess what.  The dark tones and traditional feel of that table weren’t working in the space, so I freshened it up with a little paint.  Hey white paint!  The cure for anything!  Vicki, a local stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint recently sent me some ‘Old White’ to try, so this little console table was the perfect candidate.  This shade is not a bright white, it’s really more of a vanilla or a cream in most light.

Ooh la la, here’s lookin’ at you kid. 

The thing I’m loving most about this chalk paint is the way it distresses around the edges with light sanding so easily and beautifully. 

I also hung the scroll mirror that used to hang in my kitchen above the mantel, but now hangs above this console table.  It works well with the French inspired feminine aesthetic in the room. 

Two questions for the day.  1) What singer makes you go gaga ?  2) Have you tried the AS Chalk Paint lately, and what were your results?

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