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French Country Armoire ~ includes Video on Wet Distressing

I hope you’re all enjoying a picture perfect night like we are here in West Michigan!  The sun is setting as I write this post and I have to tell you ~ I’m so excited to share the pictures of this piece with all of you!

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, painted furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish for sale Grand Rapids Michigan crown

I loved it when I purchased it, then I got it home and for the life of me, I couldn’t decide what to do with it.  So it sat in my garage until last week.

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan before

I had a general idea of how I wanted to do it but it sure evolved over the course of a couple weeks.   I wanted to create some kind of old world paint finish that would represent years of wear and tear.

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan dry brush side

You’re going to think I’m crazy for how I started it, but I wanted to create a colorful base coat that would make it look as though it had been painted many times over the years.  I loved the blue and purple that peaked through on the inspiration piece I had seen online.  It looks nothing like what I ended up with but hey ~ ya gotta start somewhere!

To replicate the undertones I had seen in the photograph, I busted out some Purple Mountain Majesty, Desert Cactus and Blue Jeans from American Paint Company and started slapping it on like a wild woman.

Shizzle Design Painted Furniture of West Michigan now carries American Paint Company Paint on our online shizzle shop www.shizzle-design.com Not So Shabby Holland MI

What can I say?  It was the first week of summer break!

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan experimenting

I have to tell you, I received some pretty interesting comments after I posted this shot on our Shizzle Facebook Page.  That’s ok, I’m used to getting strange looks from neighbors, my husband, my kids….  but stay with me here, this is just my base coat.   I wanted a light neutral and APC’s Rushmore fit the bill!  It’s a beautiful taupe, one of my absolute favorites!!  I poured my paint into a little bowl and diluted it with a little water slapping it on with random brush strokes to cover everything.

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan experimenting 2 layering

I had already painted the details with Freedom’s Road.  It’s a deep slate color which looks similar to Lincoln’s Hat until it dries.  That’s when you can see Freedom Road is slate and Lincoln’s Hat is black.  Anyway… I painted the crown molding with Freedom Road then dry brushed with a little Desert Cactus.

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, purple, blue, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan 5

Then came the fun part ~ I used a damp rag to wet distress / remove the Rushmore which started revealing some of the initial colors.  Cath taped this video of me while I was distressing.

Click the following link to watch my VIDEO on how to Wet Distress Large Areas to reveal Colors Underneath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFfW0xW3riU

Just keepin’ it real folks!

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan experimenting 2 wet distressing

It looked cool but after I had finished the front of it, I stepped back and realized doing the entire piece like this would be WAY too much.

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, purple, blue, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan 4

I had to break it up.

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan experimenting wet distress 3

It was late, dark and I was tired and crabby that it wasn’t turning out how I had planned so I painted over the door inserts with Desert Cactus and after it was dry, did a crazy wet wash using Lincoln’s Hat.

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, purple, blue, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan 12

That’s when my heart skipped a bit.  It was finally starting to take shape and represent my style.

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, painated furniture, for sale, chalk, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish doors 23

I worked on it on and off for several more days, tweaking it here and there until I was finally satisfied.  Sit back and enjoy all the close ups.

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, purple, blue, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan 13

The paint we use has both chalk AND clay in the mix!

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, painted furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish layered doors burnish

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish layered doors14

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish layered doors 15 French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish layered doors 17 French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish layered doors 18

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish layered doors 20

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish layered close up front door 1

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish layered doors 21

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, painted, furniture, hardware, chalk, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, painted furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish for sale Grand Rapids Michigan crown

French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, painted furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish for sale Grand Rapids Michigan hardware French Country Armoire Shizzle Design, ideas, gray, furniture, chalk, clay, American Paint Company, Michigan funky finish layered close up detail claw feet 3

 Hope you enjoyed the ride!  It’s already loaded up an will be headed to the store.  For location and availability of this piece, click here.

If it doesn’t turn out how you imagined, just keep working it!

Have a great night!!  Shelly

 

Click here to see many more Shizzle Design Painted Furniture Makeovers

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Click here to see our Shizzle Tips, Tutorials & Video How-To’s

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Click here to see our Funky Finishes

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Linking up to these GREAT Parties!

Domestically Speaking – The Power of Paint Party

The Shabby Creek Cottage – Transformation Thursday

Miss Mustardseed – Furniture Feature Friday

Redoux – Friday Link Up Party

Homespun Happenings – Rustic Restorations Weekend

Funky Junk Interiors – Saturday Night Special

Silver Pennies – Silver Pennies Sundays

Knick of Time Interiors – Knick of Time Tuesday

a hui hou!

Shelly

 

21 Replies to “French Country Armoire ~ includes Video on Wet Distressing”

  6. Shelly, That is just gorgeous.. You are such an inspiration. I have a couple of gals that are painting with the multi color technique.. I am going to have to try it myself. I just never think to do it.. but I will now. Love, love it.

    Reply

  8. Shelly you are amazing! When I grow up I want to be just like you (I’m older than you)! I have a question. I noticed the back of the armoire was cut out for a tv. Sometimes its a just a small hole for wires. Do you have a secret for dealing with these?

    Reply

    1. LOL Deborah!! You’re too funny! I was going to add a couple shelves to make the inside more like wardrobe but everyone I asked said to just leave it in case somebody wanted to use it for a tv. The back had been cut out, not just the regular cut out, but they had enlarged it for their tv so it was a goofy shape. I was whining like a little baby because I didn’t feel like running to Home Depot to buy any beadboard and then I found a piece that fit perfectly in my garage ~ lol. I usuallly don’t worry about the back side of armoires. It’s hard to fill in a tiny hole if it’s that thin flexible pressed backing.

      Reply

  9. Thanks for the “in process” pics. It is an image I have been missing in my mind. I know you changed path but I still appreciate the process you took. It is lovely.

    Reply

  11. What is the difference between chalk and clay paint. Is it a combination in one product? Can’t wait to make a road trip from Centreville to Holland to see your beautiful furniture. Of course, I should pick up some new colors/paint, right?

    Reply

  12. I too have a difficult time knowing exactly what to do with a piece, even though it’s in my head how I want it to look! Love your work, but this one is one of my favs…glad you kept going because it’s awesome!

    Reply

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