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

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.

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

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Hidden under dirt, grim,

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and layers of pealing and cracking paint

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a beauty began to emerge!

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

allowed the imperfections and character to shine through.

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

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 Damask and french script stencils add the final touch and

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The Transformation Is Complete!

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

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 Thanks for stopping by! Love Nicole

From Plain Jane to Pretty in Teal (SOLD)

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”

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

Thomas meet Jane!

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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!

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

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

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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 After

Have a great day!

$123 Farmhouse Dining Room!

Once we finished our kitchen renovation (see it here ), the adjoining dining room “beach” decor clashed with the new urban French farmhouse kitchen. We had money in the budget to paint and a rug, but I only had $150 for a table, chairs, lighting, and artwork! Time to get creative!

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I wanted the two spaces to flow together and the best way to unify the spaces was to paint the walls the same color..so goodbye yellow and blue,

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Hello Front Porch (by Sherwin Williams).  I love, love this color. Depending on the light, the color changes from gray to taupe, to gray/blue to gray/green.  Four colors in one!

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 I rescued this table from my neighbors (Thanks JJ) trash several year ago and have been using it on our screened in porch.

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I love the chunky legs but wanted an aged look for the top.  To achieve that look, I left on some of the flaky vanish, then dry brushed the top with CeCe Caldwell’s Destin Gulf Green.

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Farmhouse table. Cost: Free

Nothing says “farmhouse” like mismatched seating.

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Thrift shop Buffalo check settee. Cost: $75
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Farmhouse chairs. Cost: Existing chairs, no cost.
Chalk paint updates a pair of french chairs. Cost: $12/pair
A pair of french chairs from the thrift shop. Cost: $12/pair
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Curb side Corduroy. Cost: Free (Click here to see how I painted the fabric and wood on this chair!)

Final touches include thrift shop artwork,

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Bold colors and texture from abstract artwork. Cost: $14

Yard sale lighting,

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Spray paint and swag add bling to a Chandelier. Cost: $12

And a thrift shop faux fur throw.

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Pillows and a faux fur throw add more texture. Cost: Existing pillows, $10 throw.

Farmhouse Dining Room ! Cost: $123.oo

Farmhouse Dining Room!

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Thanks for checking out my post and Happy Decorating!

Nicole

Antique Wardrobe (An American Beauty)

A long, long time ago in a far away land, a closet looked like this……..

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I found this beautiful piece of furniture on the curb, destined for a landfill:(

It’s a quality piece with original details and plenty of storage.

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This old girl has seen a lot in her lifetime and it was time to give her a 21 Century makeover.

Several coats of CeCe Caldwell Vintage White paint brightened the dull/worn finish. Behind the mirror is a secret compartment!

IMG_2075Original hardware plus vintage style glass knobs added some bling! Attached to the pink bow is a skeleton key to hid your treasures!

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Say hello to “An American Beauty”

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This piece is available at Maggie Jane’s located at 913 King Street, in Old Town, Alexandria, VA.

The transformation is amazing, literary from trash to treasure! Go find your decorating style, and change your world!

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Vintage Corner Cabinet (aka the “Meghan” Cabinet) (Sold)

A few weeks ago I went to my sweet friend Meghan’s house to see some furniture.  One piece in particular caught my eye.

This beautiful vintage corner cabinet. OK, it’s not beautiful yet, but just like Cinderella, with the help of her fairy godmother (me) she will be!

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Vintage corner cabinets are hard to find and although this one had a few “character” spots it was well made. Meghan found this piece on the curb and it was destine for the landfill. So sad!

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My first step was to decide on a color. I felt blue would be the perfect color for the ball so I mixed CeCe Caldwell’s Paints and created a color I call “Royal Blue”.

So here is the cabinet after painting, distressing and waxing.  The new color is fresh and happy!  The inside is painted CeCe Caldwell’s Vintage White.

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Although the inside color looks nice, the white is sterile. Another custom mix (Grey Goose), and the interior finally compliments the exterior. Here’s Meghan, all dressed and ready for the ball! She is the “Belle of the Ball!

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This piece would be perfect in a dining room filled with china, in a family room filled with books and accessories or in a nursery filled with sweet baby books, toys and clothes!  Available at Maggie Jane’s Brownstone, located at 913 King Street in Old Town, Alexandria, VA.

Thanks and Happy Decorating!

Nicole

Modern/Glam Buffet & Mirror (Sold)

One of the many things I love about my job is the ability to create “one of a kind” pieces.

For this project, I decided to combine design styles from different decades. This process can be tricky because the styles may not “play well together”.  Example: imagine combining the skinny jean concept to a leisure suit. Scary, right! Lucky for me, my two styles play well together because they are united with a common thread……paint!

This buffet is a classic piece from the 60’s. It’s solid construction, in great condition with ample storage. The bowed front and curved details are beautiful but the dark stain makes it look old and worn.

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I chose a color from the Paint Couture line called “Calm”. The color is a white/gray/blue combination. I painted/distressed the bottom, then sanded and stained the top (jacobean).

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The Hollywood glam gold mirror is the perfect compliment to the buffet but the gold is too shiny. ( That’s my dog Gomer in the mirror….it’s he cute!)

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Two coats of “calm” tones down the gold and a light distressing allows hints of gold to shine through.

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And here is the buffet and mirror in the store.

2 design styles + 1 paint color = Modern Glam

Happy Decorating!  Love, Nicole

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Available at Maggie Jane’s Brownstone (913 King Street) in Old Town Alexandria, VA.