distressed – Re-Design In A Day (The Store)

Vintage Secretary – From Ugly Duckling to Beautiful Swan (SOLD)

Painted Furniture

When I first saw this antique secretary, I knew a beautiful swan was waiting to emerge.

Her serpentine drawers and cabriole legs hinted at the beauty to come.

And a writing surface and cubbies only added to her charm.

Hidden under dirt, grim,

and layers of pealing and cracking paint

a beauty began to emerge!

On the outside, “Tricyle Red” milk paint from Miss. Mustard Seed

allowed the imperfections and character to shine through.

While”Driftwood” by General Finishes provided great coverage and durability on the inside.

Damask and french script stencils add the final touch and

The Transformation Is Complete!

And that’s how an Ugly Duckling transforms into a Beautiful Swan!

Thanks for stopping by! Love Nicole

From Plain Jane to Pretty in Teal (SOLD)

Painted Furniture

Teal is everywhere these days. From fashion to furniture, it’s the must have color this season. So I decided to take the plunge and try CeCe Caldwell’s Thomasville Teal and see what the rage is all about. My test subject for this project is this “roadside rescue” my husband found. It’s a plain Jane dresser with good bones. For me, “good bones” means its solid construction, it’s functional and has lots of potential!

Say hello to “Plain Jane”

Dresser Before

CeCe Caldwell has a great blue/green paint called Thomasville Teal.

Thomas meet Jane!

After a few coats of Thomasville Teal, “Jane” is still looking plain. It’s like she has on a pretty dress but no accessories to complement her dress.

So, I added some accessories. The numbers add character (like a scarf ) but the black is to subdued. She needs some bling!

You can always count on gold for some bling. And, it really pops against the teal.

After a little bit of distressing and some gold knobs (earrings), Jane goes from plain to Pretty In Teal!

I could see this in a nursery with sweet little baby clothes, or for a toddler just learning to count, or as a lingerie chest in the master bedroom. The possibilities are endless!

Dresser Before

Dresser Before Dresser After

Have a great day!

Gray Wash Pine Dresser

Uncategorized

Sometimes you get a piece of furniture and you can see the natural beauty of the piece just below the surface. That was the case with this pine dresser that my friend Meghan’s father handmade.

The top stain had worn off so the top looked really dull.

By sanding and staining the top, you can now see the beauty of the wood. It is gorgeous!

For the body of the dresser, I layered on several colors to create a worn weathered look. The first color I used was CeCe Caldwell’s Omaha Orche,

Followed by a Pittsburgh Gray color wash. To create the wash, I mixed 1/2 cup of water to 2 tablespoons of paint. I love that you can still see some of the graining and it looks like the paint has worn off over time!

I am really happy with the final look. My goal was to maintain the history and integrity of the piece while making it fresh and current for a 21st century home. It’s now available at Maggie Jane’s, located at 913 King Street in Old Town, Alexandria, VA (703.706.0411). This versatile piece would fit in any room in the house. Nice small scale for a foyer; an awesome wine bar; side table or bedside dresser.

Here is a collage of before, during and after. Enjoy!

Baby Blue Dresser/Changing Table (SOLD)

Painted Furniture

I found this piece at a cute store called Haywoods Variety (https://www.facebook.com/HaywoodsVariety), in a small town on the Northern Neck called Urbanna, VA. I grew up in Urbanna so it fun finding this piece in my home town. To give you an idea how small this town is, there are no stop lights!

Anyhow, when I saw this dresser I immediately thought it would make a great dresser/changing table for a nursery.

With two small and two large drawers, I knew there was plenty of storage space for diapers, onsies, lotions, etc.

And, the top is large enough for a changing pad for the baby.

OK, I realize it’s hard to imagine a baby on this dresser, but trust me its going to look great!

So the first thing I did was get out the sander and sanded the top. It’s looking better? Right?

I then painted the drawers a color I call “Baby Blue” It’s my custom mix of CeCe Caldwell’s Blue Montana Sky and Simply White. The trim and sides where painted in CeCe Caldwell’s Simply White.

I stained the top “Jacobean”, waxed the entire piece with CeCe Caldwell’s clear wax and the transformation is complete!

This piece was available at maggie jane’s brownstone but a sweet couple expecting their first child purchased it for their nursery! How cool is that? SOLD

Pentagon Table with Marble Top

Painted Furniture

This table has a great marble top and a beautiful tulip shaped base but the dark stain (left picture) made it hard to see these features. To highlight the beautiful detaiIs, I used CeCe Caldwell’s Pittsburgh Gray, then distressed along the shape and lines.

This unique piece would be lovely in a foyer, living room or bedroom and is available at maggie jane’s brownstone in Old Town Alexandria, VA.