Paint Shop in West Michigan
Whenever I pick up a piece, it takes me a while to decide how I’m going to refinish it.
Continue reading to learn how to create this paint finish.
Continue reading “Vintage Gray & White Dresser with Metallic Glazed Stencil and Top”
I love the silky smooth feel of this piece. Seriously can’t keep my hands off it. Sounds weird right? But it’s true. It’s hard for me to walk through a store and NOT touch the furniture. What can I say?
This painted furniture makeover is basic chalk painting in it’s simplest form. I literally mixed two whites from Old Town Paint’s over the black, wet distressed it, sealed with clear wax and voila! I’m thinking it was Old Town Cream and Vintage White, or it might be Linen? I seriously can’t remember. I had a tiny bit left in two different cans and I wanted to finish them up.
It’s a cool piece though. Silky smooth because I lightly wet distressed the entire piece and because Old Town Paint in and of itself is so silky. The color looks a little bit golden in these outdoor pictures because the sun was going down…. FAST!
It’s a great size and so functional in any room. I almost kept it for myself because it could have worked in so many different spots in my own home but it’s for sale in our space within Changing Thymes in Grandville, Michigan. Changing Thymes is located at 2900 Wilson Avenue, Grandville Michigan, 49418. We’re in the main room, 2nd aisle about 2/3rds of the way down. To check on availability, email me at shizzledesign@gmail.com. It’s got a red hot price on it and is sure to go quickly.
Here’s some of the pieces just brought in. Prices are marked firm but for this one special day,
Hope to see you there!! I hope to be there in the morning painting. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at shizzledesign@gmail.com
a hui hou!
Shelly
Last week I found a great highboy with beautiful mahogany drawers. The body was made out of maple or some other type of wood and was stained a different color. I typically paint everything but something inside me said “save the drawers!” Continue reading “Two tone Navy and Mahogany Dresser”
This coffee table was pretty beat up when my client dropped it off to be refinished. I typically don’t sand anything prior to painting, that’s one of the luxuries of using our paints, but this well loved piece was beat up and needed some TLC prior to making it fabulous. This table was made out of soft pine. Over the years, most of the edges became chewed up leaving lots of rough areas and sharp edges.
No worries ~ I used my handy dandy mouse sander and within minutes, the damaged top and edges were sanded smooth.
It still had a lot of dark knots but that was an easy fix as the client wanted the top refinished in an espresso colored finish.
Love this stuff!
It’s my go to stain when I refinish old, beat up tops. Camouflages everything. Barb chose Limoges from American Paint Company as the color for the base. It’s a rich, bone ivory color.
Be sure to enter their upcoming contest in July. They have all sorts of fun categories to enter and I’ll be one of their judges again. LOVE seeing all the creative entries!
Sad to have closed our studio down but I do have to admit, I’m geeked to be painting back at home where I can take outdoor pictures again. Sorry indoor staging peeps, indoor pictures are not my style. I’ll take outdoor pictures any day cuz that’s how I roll.
Here she is! What’cha think? My client has a really cool metal piece along with a sheet of glass that completes the top. I can’t wait to see it all together! I’ll attach the finished piece all together at the bottom of this post as soon as she sends me a picture.
UPDATE ON CATHY: Hope you’re all enjoying a wonder 4th of July holiday. I spent this morning in the hospital with Cath. She has new pain in her shoulder and head so more scans have been ordered to check it all out. She was supposed to be getting chemo this week but they put a halt on that until the results of the scans come back. This third line chemo, called Taxol, causes Cath extreme pain the entire week of chemo so there’s no sense putting her through hell if it’s not even working. We’re praying it is of course, but felt it was a good idea to run the scans now anyway just to make sure. She’s so incredibly weak and thin as is our mom who’s also back in treatment as her cancer came back a few months after she finished her last round. Our brother Steve’s skin cancer was taken care of immediately upon diagnosis so he should be fine but continued prayers are definitely appreciated for our family.
a hui hou kau kou
Shelly
When I first started creating this type of finish, I was using toxic products from a very well known brand of chalk paint. It makes me sick to think about the horrific odors my sister and I inhaled back then and even more sick to think that I occasionally used them around my family without realizing how toxic they were. That paint itself contains chemicals known to cause cancer which is very concerning and their horrifically awful smelling wax is even worse. I The sad part is, I never read their labels. Since then, both Cathy, my mom and I have been diagnosed with cancer. Is it a consequence of working with all those chemicals? We’ll never know, but we’re all doing what it takes to stay alive and there’s no room for exposure to toxic chemicals.
I’ve learned so much since then and no longer expose myself or my family to those products. I still love the look of Venetian Bronze, I just to do it now with all natural products like those from American Paint Company. Their paints and finishes are so much easier to work with and create a much superior finish. It’s a no brainer.
The beautiful European paint finish we create on brass chandeliers is amazing! It looks and feels better than the Venetian bronze you find at local big box stores and the depth of texture is incredible. Can you see it?
To recreate this luxurious finish, start with Gun Powder or Freedom Road and either Espresso or Kona. Kona is a bit more saturated and a touch more warm than Espresso but either will work. It’s more a personal preference of what you like; they’re both gorgeous.!
Shizzle Tip – If in doubt about a color or finish, practice on an old piece of scrap wood or an inconspicuous area of your piece.
Slap on one of the colors in a sloppy, random way covering a 75% of the brass. Intentionally leave parts of the brass exposed and then catch that when you go over it with the 2nd color. The key is, don’t overwork it. Let an area dry before you start adding more paint or it could pull off the first coat. It’s your choice which color you start out with ~ continue painting until everything is has nice layers of coverage, then let everything dry completely. It will dry fast and if you set it out in the sun, it will be dry in a heartbeat.
This particular candelier sold within minutes of putting it on the market so I had to make another one just for us.
The candelier can be used indoors or outdoors. This also looks great finished in a vintage white patina. Can you just imagine how beautiful these would look if you hung several of them under a large white tent for an outdoor garden wedding?
You don’t have to just stick to this particular color combination. You can also create a cool finish using neutrals like we did for our latest garden wedding candelier. If you have any questions regarding which colors to choose, feel free to email me at shizzledesign@gmail.com or call or text me during normal business hours at 616-438-2644. Thanks ~ Shelly
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I found this antique bow front dresser two years ago during a trip to one of my favorite places ~ Traverse City, Michigan.
I usually bi-pass pieces that need a lot of work and this one was definitely in need of some TLC, but I knew there was a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.
I hauled it home then stashed it in our workshop for years. Each time I thought about working on it, I dreaded removing the damaged veneer so I’d push it aside and move on to another piece. I had it so long that I actually tried listing it for $45. Apparently nobody else wanted to make the repairs either so I decided to dig in and salvage it. I had just returned to work after my surgery to remove Chondrosarcoma and I was on a mission for new beginnings!
Continue reading “Use Textured Wallpaper to Camouflage Missing Veneer on Vintage Furniture”
Today I’m revisiting one of our most popular posts written a couple years ago. I love painting this whimsical patchwork style and on this cold, dreary, SNOWY April day, I needed a little whimsy to brighten my spirits. Hoping for warmer days ahead this summer. Enjoy!!
Do you ever have one of THOSE days? THOSE weeks? THOSE months? I do! Sometimes I just need to walk away from everything and escape the chaos for a little while. This is one of our favorite places to relax.
I love Michigan’s summers! Since it’s light until almost 10:00 p.m. this time of year, late afternoons and evenings the perfect time for painting. The sun isn’t intense, the winds are usually calm and everything seems more tranquil.
I took the opportunity to slap together a quick makeover using various leftover sample pots of American Paint Company’s chalk, clay and mineral paint. I dumped blobs of each color onto a plate and went to town. No deep thought, no planning ~ Ready, Set, GO!
The only thing I knew I wanted was a chunky, patchwork quilt type of colorful finish. I used American Paint Company’s Beach Glass, Orange Grove, Amber Waves of Grain, Home Turf, Dessert Cactus (a couple of these have since been retired and are on sale now here). Here’s what I ended up with.
To begin, I simply slapped on the paint and kept layering… and layering… and layering!
I wish you could reach through your monitor and feel how silky smooth the finish is on this piece. It’s sealed with American Paint Company’s Light Antiquing Wax (retired, we have one can left on 4.22.15) which adds a sunset-like warmth to the vast array of colors I used.
To create this look, take a variety of colors and start slapping it on in random patterns. Dry brush in every which way then use a little water to spread it around and repeat over and over again until you like what you see. I used a variety of colors from American Paint Company’s chalk/clay/mineral paints including: Fireworks Red, Home Turf, Surfboard, Orange Grove, Wild Horses, Home Plate, Beach Glass, Coral Reef and whatever else was within my reach that day.
I do the same thing with carpet, couches, sweatshirts and linens. Living room carpet needs to be soft enough to lay on, the fabric on a couch needs to be so comfy that you can crash face first into it… Yes, I’ve been known to lay on couches at LaZboy and I’m about as experienced as they come at picking out the best rocking chair. Ok ~ so I like to rock. One of these days I’ll share some of my earliest photos of this habit that I seem to have carried on to adulthood. Did I mention, I still rock my 10 year old? SHHHH ~ don’t tell her I told you!!
May 29 – 31, 2015 ~ 3 Day Furniture Painting Weekend Retreat – Waukesha, WI
Visit our Online Shizzle Shop to sign up or read all the fabulous details here.
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Confused about which paints are good, which are junk, what’s safe, what’s not, what works, what doesn’t? Then look no further because Cathy have already done the homework for you. We’ve spent the past six months experimenting with all then paints on the market and are ready to share our favorites!
If you think that sounds fun, wait until you see all the different finishes we now have! White Wax, Bronze Mica Powder, Matte Varnish, Gloss Clear Coats, Black Wax, Liquid Wax, Stains, Satin Finishes and of course all the other awesome paint colors and finishes by American Paint Company.
I shared one of our new paint lines a couple of days ago and will announce the 2nd one tomorrow.
Here’s a couple of the pieces I’ve started.
I’ll finish them during the paint demos so you can see how all the paints and finishes work together.
Hope to see ya soon!
1:00 p.m. Free Paint Demo SOLD OUT
4:00 p.m Free Paint Demo, sign up OVER
12:00 p.m. Free Paint Demo, sign up OVER
2:00 p.m. Free Paint Demo, sign up OVER
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March 31 – April 2nd, 2015 ~ Go junkin’ with us at Round Top Texas
May 29 – 31 ~ Furniture Painting Weekend Retreat – Waukesha, WI
Stay tuned for times & all the fabulous details…
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We seldom have time for custom work anymore but I made an exception recently for a client who originally had purchased one of the other buffets I had painted. After she sent me the picture of what she was looking for, I realized what would work better was a piece with more ornate details. With that look in mind, we started searching for the perfect piece. She found what she was looking for at Fabulous Finds in Middleville, Michigan.
Here’s what it looked like when it was delivered to our shop.
I know, I know ~ some of you may like furniture sprayed with black lacquer. Me ~ not so much. Thank goodness we all can choose or this world would be pretty boring. Look away if you’re a big fan of lacquer, ‘cuz it’s about to disappear.
I hauled out my mouse sander to scuff this piece up a bit prior to painting. Did I have to ~ probably not, but I prefer to lean on the side of caution. A quick scuffing only took a couple minutes and gave the new paint a little more to bite into.
To recreate the look of the piece in her picture, I started with white using Navajo White by American Paint Company. I busted out my spray gun for this project. That saved a ton of time on, especially on the chunky ornate legs.
I sprayed over that with a coat of American Paint Company’s new Limited Edition color called Tarnished Platter. It’s a pretty, gray/blue color, deeper than Dollar Bill.
It looks funny in the picture because it’s half wet, half dry. American Paint Company Paint colors dry lighter than they look when they’re wet. Once dried, I went to town distressing the buffet to reveal some of the white paint underneath.
I used sand paper and a damp rag creating different types of distressing. I love how a damp rag not only distresses through the layers, but how smooth it feels afterwards. I can really get lost in this process.
During the creative process, I do a little ~ step back ~ check it out ~ do a little more ~ repeat… Cath was in Florida at the time so I could only work on it when I wasn’t swamped in the store so I probably spent more than a week just doing this. Because I was doing this piece for someone else, I wanted to make sure I didn’t distress too much so I shared pictures with my client each step of the way.
Can I just say, it wasn’t working for me at this point? What I mean is, it lacked the character I wanted to achieve. I wanted to present Jami with a couple differenet options of how to finish it but I really wanted her to be there when I did it so she could tell me yah or nay.
We decided to go with a white glaze and a white wax. I applied a slip coat of Top Coat to the entire piece prior to glazing. By doing this, it allows more working time while glazing and prevents any one area from grabbing onto the glaze. Do you have to do this? No, but it helps with American Paint Company Paints because it’s so porous and absorbent.
I have to admit, I’m a sucker for a waxed finish so I was excited to share the glazing and waxing with Jami. I mixed a little bit of Navajo White Paint into APC’s Clear Glaze and started brushing it on the surface. On parts I used my brush, on others I used a rag and simply wiped on and wiped off.
The glaze isn’t a sufficient finish to seal and protect a piece such as this so I sealed over this with a custom mixed white wax.
You can see in the picture below where I’ve started buffing the lower areas. See the difference in the sheen? I give all the credit to my drill buffing brush. It does a fantastic job of buffing and takes the strain off my hands.
Here’s some more detailed shots
It was so fun working with Jami. She was so appreciative of everything which made the project a lot of fun. Just this morning, she sent me a picture of it all set up in her entryway. Thanks again Jami! Enjoy!!
1:00 p.m. Free Paint Demo, sign up here
4:00 p.m Free Paint Demo, sign up here
12:00 p.m. Free Paint Demo, sign up here
2:00 p.m. Free Paint Demo, sign up here
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March 31 – April 2nd ~ Go junkin’ with us at Round Top Texas
May 29 – 31 ~ Furniture Painting Weekend Retreat – Waukesha, WI
Stay tuned for times & all the fabulous details…
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a hui hou!
Shelly