How to turn New Boring White Furniture into Rustic and Unique "Antiques"!

 My client, Sheila (no relation)

recently commissioned me to reinvent these two pieces.

A large bookcase and a nightstand.

 This is a new piece from Crate & Barrell,

but Sheila wanted me to "have my way" with it.

So I did!

 I mixed up some chalk paint colors

 and painted the insets a light teal.

 I painted the body a very pale taupe.

I recoated the inside panels with a bit more blue...

 For the bookcase,

wow! I went a little cray cray!

I used an ombre effect, 

going from blue/green/yellow/orange/red/violet/purple.

For the outside and the shelves,

I painted in Paris Grey.

 End of day one.

 A new day and time to pump up the rustic factor!!!!!!

I first drybrushed some stain on the little nightstand, along the edges

and knobs..

 Then I waxed the piece.

Waxing is an artform for sure!

Here I used lots of dark waxes to simulate age.

 (My mother looked at this and said,

"What happened!

It looks like it came out of a barn!"

Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!)

 

For the bookcase,

I added stain to "knock down" the brilliance.

I brushed on a deep walnut stain,

then  wiped off....working in sections.

 After the stain dried a bit but not cured, 

I sanded to get this aged effect.

 The stain lingers in the edges and details...

Wow, nothing new looking about these pieces!

Sheila, being an artist and creative soul,

loved them!

And I love projects like this - 

when someone just lets me do my thing.

(But you might end up with a rainbow in your living room!)

Thank you, Sheila, for the awesome projects!

Need help transforming your new pieces?

SheShe, The Home Magician

Sheila Fox

sheilafox@aol.com

804-402-4370