The Shabbiest Chick: Chalk Paint

Thursday, November 17, 2011

More With The Grungy French

*Be sure to read the details of my Fab First 100 Followers give away at the end of this post!

I think I have a favorite style. It is Grungy. Grungy French to be precise.

I love the lines, the curvy drawers and arched doors. There is just something about it that begs me to Grunge it up! The unexpected, extreme distressing somehow calls my name...and makes me happy. I like to be happy.

The other thing I like is the freedom that comes from painting something that didn't cost an arm and a leg. Furniture that costs less than a meal at a so-so restaurant. This was one of those pieces. It is the bottom half of a china cabinet. The China Cabinet Fairy has not waved her magic wand over me. I can't seem to sell an entire china cabinet to save my life! But the bottom half? No problem!

I painted this with one with ASCP in French Linen and then did a wash with Old White. Then, because I seem to be the only person who has never stenciled before (unless you count, which I don't, the time I tried to stencil a border around the nursery for our first son and didn't finish it until our second was born) I thought I would stencil a harlequin pattern on the top.

Well, that gold was a little bright! I sanded it down, distressed it then topped it off with clear and dark wax.

Oooh la laa! Grungy French.

This one is headed to Lone Elm Antique Mall in the morning!

**Because I am totally appreciative of those who follow my little blog and want to reward one of you with goodness and joy. I have used my massive influence (on my husband) and gathered the best gift I could think of . I would love to send one of you 25 coupons for a FREE Chick-fil-A Sandwich!

The rules? Super Simple.

1) You must LOVE Chick-fil-A.
2) You must be a follower of this blog.

Just leave me a comment telling me what your favorite menu item is at Chick-fil-A and you are entered! I will draw from these entries one week after there are 100 followers on this blog. I am excited!!

Joining these parties;

Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Feature Friday

The Shabby Nest Frugal Friday

Perfectly Imperfect All Things Furniture Pin It

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Frenchy Hutch

Dear Sweet Frenchy Hutch,

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Well, I just do. I do love her!

This hutch was the second piece of furniture I bought with the intention of painting and reselling. It was $75.00. Six months ago. Since then I have been unable to bring myself to paint her. She just sat in my garage patiently waiting her turn. Tucked away, behind several other pieces and broken bikes. A LOT of broken bikes.

The problem? I loved and wanted to keep her. The bigger problem? I didn't need another hutch and really, it didn't work with the table and chairs I had, and the table was a definite keeper. I built it myself when my husband said we needed to "teach these boys manners". He went out of town and I built "The Manners Table". I love The Manners Table. It doesn't work (for bestowing manners anyway), but I love it. Here is the table with the old hutch and chairs.

Besides, the hutch I had was fine. I had just redone it when I built The Manners Table, for crying out loud! But, this one? We had a connection! So, I did nothing. For six months. Until, on my birthday, like a sign from Heaven (que the angels), these chairs popped up on Craigslist. Here was the bridge between my table and the new hutch! They had a sweet little carved basket design, just like my hutch!! Happy Birthday to meeee!

Once I finished up some custom work, it was finally my turn. And wouldn't you know it? I couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to do with it. I knew I wanted two colors and something different on the back. I bought some wallpaper thinking that I could pull colors from that. Not so much. Finally, I settled on Chalk Paint in Old White and Coco. Coco seemed just frenchy enough, and I love, love and want to marry Old White.

The first thing I did was pop the back off of the hutch part. Did you know you could do that? Just tap it out with a rubber mallet. It makes painting the inside so much easier, plus, I knew I was doing something to the back, I just didn't know what that was yet.

I decided on Old White for the body and Coco for the moving parts and the top trim. Once it was painted, I did some pretty heavy sanding and distressing. I have always been a fan of seriously distressed. We buy scratch and dent furniture. Things in my house end up distressed one way or another. I would rather do that intentionally and not freak out when someone bumps into it with a skateboard or lands on it while going for a "record breaking catch". We definitely "live" in our house.

After the painting, distressing and waxing was done, I was still a little stuck for what to do on the back. All of the wallpaper I had was too fussy. I thought about stenciling it. Nah, still not right. I tried a few fabrics from my stash when I remembered this one. I am not even sure what I bought it for in the first place, but I was feeling the love! I took it outside and sprayed the back with adhesive spray and smoothed it into place. Easy Peasy! I didn't remove the staples when I pulled the back off so I just lined them up with their original holes and tapped them back into place. Done and done.