Vintage Vanity gets Vibrant & Whimsical Makeover

Hi guys! I’m slowly getting back into the groove after relaxing at mom’s condo in Fort Myers but I have to tell you, it’s taking a while.

The 30 degree drop in temperature from Florida to Michigan was a rude awakening. I knew what we were returning home too so I tried to over sleep or misplace our boarding passes but my daughter was adamant about getting to her track meet that afternoon so there so onto the flight we went.

We got home just in time for her to check into an hour’s worth of school so she could take part in the meet.

That night was

THE World’s LONGEST

WINDIEST

COLDEST Bleacher

Track meet… eva!

Did I mention it was cold?

Our meteorologist joked today that we’ll most likely have a later than usual date for the last hard freeze. Typically it falls around the first weekend in May. I can’t believe Lake Michigan is still 30% covered in ice! It’s usually down to 1% by now, that’s 30 times more than normal! I shot this photo as we flew over the shoreline.

Ice breaking up on Lake Michigan Shoreline taken April 2014 after a brutal 2013-14 Winter

I’m sure a lot of you are anxious for Spring to arrive; hopefully it’s already arrived in your neck of the woods. I see pictures of other people’s flowers and I’m so jealous!!! If we can’t start planing for a few more weeks, at least we can enjoy brighten up the place with some paint.

Cathy did a super cool makeover on this antique vanity. When we got it, it looked like this.

It was one of those pieces that you look at and think “What the heck and I supposed to do with THAT?” We both had sentimental feelings about it since we had one exactly like it in our room growing up but seriously, the style??? How could we bring it into our era?? I shoved it back in the corner like a naughty little kid in a time-out but it hadn’t done anything wrong ~ lol. The veneer was also missing and coming off in various locations on the front so we had to address that.

Since it didn’t have any detail to play up, I suggested adding fabric. I’ve seen that done on other pieces of furniture, come to think of it ~ I’ve done it myself too on a buffet a few years back.

Soooo, off to the fabric store we went. I spocked the neatest print right off the bat but it wasn’t my project so I had to let Cath choose. I couldn’t believe it when she ended up with the one I liked. We almost always have different ideas for things so I was pretty geeked to see what she did with this.

She base coated the vanity in American Paint Company’s all natural chalk & clay paint using Bordello, a vibrant purple/fuscia that I absolutely love.

She applied all her paint in a messy, any-which-way style to build a lot of texture and interest, then layered over that with a wash of a fabulous new color from the Limited Edition Ellis Collection called Waistcoat. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this color!

Waistcoat over Bordello BEFORE Clear Wax

Waistcoat over Bordello AFTER Clear Wax

The stool was base coated with Beach Glass, one of my favorites (I may have kind of, sort of… planted the seeds by placing my favorite colors on top of her material 🙂 I was absolutely loving where this was headed but I what would she put over that???

American Paint Company’s Beach Glass

She went in the back and mixed up a dreamy yellow-orange. What a cool color! LOVE this!!!

After all the vibrant colors were applied, Cath sealed distressed everything and applied American Paint Company’s Clear Wax to everywhere except the drawer fronts. This is where the cool fabric comes into play. It was adhered with Modge Podge specifically designed for fabric then sealed with American Paint Company’s Topcoat.

She finished it just in time for the Women’s Expo that where we were featured presenters at DeVos Place & Performance Center.

whimsical retro vanity shizzle design west michigan decoupage waistcoat mirror vintage antique painted furniture — Shizzle Design Painted Furniture and American Paint Company’s Chalk and Clay paint at DeVos Place Grand Rapids MI

Cathy finished it all off with a pretty trim and is practically giving it away with the low price. It’s sitting pretty waiting for its next owner at our Shizzle Design booth within Not So Shabby in Holland. For location, click HERE.

Well…. What’cha think???

Upcoming Events…

May 3 Get Messy with me while trying out our Chalk and Clay Paint, Wax, Topcoat, Metallic Mica Powders, Glazes… during the Outdoor French Flea Market at Caledonia Vintage Marketplace, Caledonia, Michigan

May 16 and May 17 Transform Your Find with Shizzle Design Furniture Painting Workshop at our Shizzle Design Paint Studio, Jenison, Michigan

Our Transform Your Find with Shizzle Design Workshops on May 16 and 17th are quickly filling up. If you’d like to join us for one of those classes, grab an old piece of furniture and spend a fun day with us!! For more information on how to register, click HERE.

Did you know…

Shizzle Design is a small family owned business in Jenison, Michigan. My sister Cathy and I work, paint, ship and teach our chalk and clay paint workshops out of the same space where we paint all our furniture. We are truly humbled to be known as a leader in the world of chalk and clay paints.
Instead of hoarding our knowledge, we empower DIY’ers by sharing our years of experience. Stop in for paint and we’ll offer you honest and knowledgeable answers for all your chalk and clay paint needs.
We are so blessed to have taught people from all over the United States and Canada. Join us for one of our super fun hands-on chalk and clay paint workshops. Learn in our casual & relaxed environment. Click Paint Workshops to see a list of current classes offered.
Subscribe to Shizzle Design for tips, tutorials, ideas, pictures, videos for our furniture painted in all natural chalk and clay based mineral paints.
Did you know that you can get these sent directly to your inbox and that it’s FREE? It is ~ what are you waiting for? Enter your email in the right hand column of our blog to stay in the loop.
We have a Shizzle Design Facebook Page. We share all sorts tips, ideas, photos EVERY DAY and offer special deals (which you’ll only know about if you’ve Liked our Facebook Page).
Pin our posts on Pinterest ~ Find all sorts of inspiration here.
We sell our painted furniture in our Shizzle Design Paint Studio at 2018 Chicago Drive, Jenison, MI 49428 and at Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture at 2975 West Shore Drive in Holland, Michigan
Shizzle Design is an Authorized Retailer for American Paint Company Paints. We offer a large inventory of chalk and clay paint and supplies at our Shizzle Design Paint Shop /Studio, 2018 Chicago Drive, Jenison, MI 49428. We also stock several other shops in the greater Grand Rapid’s area, to find out where, click LOCATIONS. Not from Michigan? No worries, we ship paint and paint supplies worldwide through our Online Shizzle Shop.

Click here to see Shizzle Design Painted Furniture Makeovers

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

Click here to see Funky Finishes

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

July 8, 2013May 10, 2017

Whimsical Patchwork Painted Dresser

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.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park

Lake Michigan’s Beautiful Shoreline, Empire, Michigan

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 (and I can’t remember what else). Here’s what I ended up with.

To begin, I simply slapped on the paint and kept layering… and layering… and layering!

This dresser is a good representation of what’s going through my brain at any given moment.

To me, it’s not just about the color, it’s how a piece feels

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 which adds a sunset-like warmth to the vast array of colors I used.

I love APC’s Antiquing Waxes!

They are by far the easiest dark waxes I’ve ever used. They can be applied directly over the paint without an initial coat of clear wax!

APC’s Antiquing Wax comes pre-mixed so…

You don’t have to mix it up yourself and worry whether you have it mixed well enough to cure properly. It’s good to go.
You don’t have to fart around cutting the dark wax with clear wax just to make it glide on evenly. It naturally spreads out evenly without creating streaks you can’t blend into the finish.
You also won’t have to dilute it with Mineral Spirits like some chemically laden waxes require to make them work properly ~ just brush it on like you would Clear Wax and buff with an old t-shirt and you’ll end up with such a buttery smooth finish that you won’t be able to stop touching it.

Ok, maybe that’s just me

I touch a lot of painted furniture that doesn’t FEEL good

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!!

I dropped this off to our Shiz zle Design booth at Not So Shabby in Holland, Michigan

These colors lift my spirits!

What do you think?

Leave me a comment below ~ I’d love to hear about your favorite color combinations!

Did you know that…

We’ve opened up a Shizzle Design Paint Studio at 2018 Chicago Drive, Jenison, Michigan 49428? This is where Cathy and I paint our furniture but we want our customers to know that we’re here for you. We encourage everyone to stop in any time to buy paint or to get your questions answered.
We’ve taught people from all over the United States and Canada how to paint furniture Shizzle Style using chalk and clay paints? Join us for a fun and relaxing workshop. Click Paint Workshops to see a list of current classes offered.
You can Subscribe to Shizzle Design for tips, tutorials, ideas, pictures, videos for our furniture painted in all natural chalk and clay based mineral paints?
Did you know that you can get these sent directly to your inbox and that it’s FREE? It is ~ so what are you waiting for? Enter your email in the right hand column of our blog to stay in the loop.
We have a Shizzle Design Facebook Page? We share all sorts of additional tips, ideas, photos EVERY DAY and offer special deals (which you’ll only know about if you’ve Liked our Facebook Page?).
We have numerous Pinterest Boards? Stop in and check out our extensive portfolio ~ Pin us on Pinterest
We sell our painted furniture at Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture at 2975 West Shore Drive in Holland, Michigan 49424?
Shizzle Design is an American Paint Company’s Chalk/Clay/Mineral Paints in West Michigan locations and sell both domestically and international online? Click LOCATIONS or Online Shizzle Shop.