Sideboard Buffet in Annie Sloan’s Emperor’s Silk Chalk Paint

09 Oct Sideboard Buffet in Annie Sloan’s Emperor’s Silk Chalk Paint

Okay – sing it with me now and don’t get mad when that song is stuck in your head the rest of the day.  I found this wooden chest un-noticed in the corner of a resale store partially hidden by other missed treasures and came to it’s rescue shortly before the store went out of business.

It was love at first sight.  I loved the look of all the hardware and the fact that it offered so much storage.  I knew the moment I saw it, it needed new legs and a dash of red.  Of course I had no idea at the time HOW this would be accomplished, I just knew it needed to happen.

These are the kind of thoughts that constantly bounce around in my brain.  I have no control over them, they just enter and take over my mind.

I could hardly wait to get started.  I grabbed my Annie Sloan Emperor’s Silk Chalk Paint and slapped on a thin coat.  Then I found some legs for it.  I stacked boxes under the chest until it was just the right height then held them up against it to get the visual.  I’m weird like that.  Always need the visual.  PERFECT!  Just the look I imagined!

At that point, I was stuck.  How can I add tall legs to a piece?  It sat in my garage patiently waiting while I flew off to Maui for a family reunion.  Cathy waxed it while I was gone and when I returned there she sat, still anticipating her new legs.

I just couldn’t wrap my brain around how to attach those long legs in a way what would provide stability and still be all squared up.  I could have gotten the job done, it just wouldn’t have been done professionally.  Introduce Tim – he’s one of my lifelong friends who just happens to have a God given talent for carpentry.  He also happens to have the coolest, to-die-for, workshop on the planet and is a perfectionist in areas where I have no patience.

He knew immediately the best places to make the cuts and also had the coolest Japanese knife/saw to get it done accurately.  He made it look so easy, but I’m telling you, there’s a skill to it.  He was ready to bop me over the head about ten minutes into it, but we persevered.  Several hours later after meticulously squaring, cutting, drilling, sanding, gluing and clamping…. she had her new legs!

I touched up the paint and Cathy gave her one final glazing, okay two or three, but she got her done – lol!  Cath also finished off the inside with a cork tack board and fabric liner.  This would be a fabulous addition to any dining room or entry way providing lots of storage for treasured or seasonal items.

We just dropped her off to Not So Shabby and she’s proudly showing off those legs as you walk in the front door.  Come check out our new space!