Random Renovations

I have so many projects around the house and hiding in the cellar, waiting to be transformed.  Sometimes I forget to do the 'before' pictures. but I promise the before was worth turning into the 'after'. 

The desk was free from a Facebook site. It was filthy orange pine, but really good quality all wood with dovetailed drawers. It is now a dressing table with a matching mirror. I painted it in Vintage Paints chalk paint in Nordic Blue, with silver dry brushing.

Lamp Stand

This lamp/plant stand was originally brown wood. It then transformed into a dark pink/terracotta colour, but having recently redecorated the hall in palest grey, the pink was horrible. I painted it in Everlong Chalk Paint in Noir and waxed it in Annie Sloan Dark Wax. 

At the Side of the Road

There I was driving through Thaxted, and there they were at the side of the road. Two slightly battered Windsor carver chairs with a scrap of paper attached. I skidded to a halt, reversed at speed and jumped from the car. The scrap of paper said £5 each. Well, it would have been rude to have left them there exposed to the elements.  One had a rather bad burn on the seat, but they were sound. I paid the money and put them in the car.  This is how they looked.

A quick wipe down with white spirit, and then on with the Everlong Vintage White.  Two coats and a quick buff up and they were done.

Now they look like this:

EMMAUS COMES UP WITH THE GOODS AGAIN!
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We love to go to all the Emmaus branches when in France. There are always treasures to be found.  This time we needed a dresser for our house in France and found this treasure.  It had to be treated for woodworm, although it was not live. Better safe than sorry.  Then it was allowed into the house.  We painted it with Annie Sloan Old White, but due to the age, it eventually turned yellow because the varnish melts and bleeds through.  However, over time, the yellow turned orange so it has been re-painted in Artichoke chalk paint from Vintage Paints, which is a sort of Duck Egg Blue.  The colour is a much better contrast against the walls and tones with the Duck Egg blue kitchen units. The old escutchions and the edges of the carvings on the top were dry brushed in Old White.

Voila!

Emperor's Silk and English Yellow
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Two chairs that have a new lease of life.  The red one was bought for a song just because I loved the wood grain on the seat.  It has been in the cellar for years, waiting for me to find inspiration and a home for it. It will now be my fifth chair in the kitchen when Lucy and family visit. Painted with three coats of Annie Sloan Emperor's Silk, finished with clear wax. Two coats of wax to the seat have brought out the lovely grain.

The next chair was in my large bathroom, which is going to have a grey makeover. Paint is Annie Sloan English Yellow. The accessories will be yellow and grey. The chair will have a new cushion in yellow and grey when the right fabric comes along.