I LOVE THIS STYLE OF FURNITURE! THERE IS SOMETHING SO WONDERFUL ABOUT THE CURVES AND DELICATE FEATURES OF ROCOCO FURNITURE. WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHATS YOUR FAVORITE STYLE OR ERA?
WHEN I FIRST PICKED IT UP, I THOUGHT IT WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION AND DECIDED TO NOT REDO IT. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND DIDNT NEED THE LOVE… BUT THEN WHEN I STARTED CLEANING I NOTICED DEEP SCRATCHES, DINGS AND MISSING PIECES SO I REDECIDED, FIXED IT UP AND PAINTED IT.
I LIKE EXPERIMENTING WHEN IT COMES TO NEW PIECES, I LOVE USING COLORS THAT ARENT AS POPULAR AND CREATING SOMETHING WANTED OUT OF THEM.
SO I HAD SOME LEFTOVER GREEK BLUE BY ANNIE SLOAN WHICH IS A STUNNING SKY BLUE BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN THE MOST POPULAR WITH MY CUSTOMERS. I HOPE TO CHANGE THAT.
I HAD TRIED A COMBINATION OF GREEK BLUE AND FRENCH LINEN BEFORE AND FOUND THAT THEY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER NICELY. SO WHY NOT, LETS TRY IT OUT.
THIS IS WHAT I STARTED WITH-
- UNSCREW HARDWARE
The first thing i did before anything else was unscrew the hardware, these were made from solid brass. I was unsure about the materials of these so i did a little research to find out how i could find out.
#Tip of the week
The way to tell if something is brass, you can use a magnet if there is a little pull you know the piece is brass plated and if it has no pull it is solid brass. If there was pull it is because the underlying metal is usually iron or steel, these metals are magnetic.
I then decided to give them a little clean, they were not very dirty so i decided to use a little mix of baking soda and white vinegar, i mix it, let it fizz a little then wipe it down and leave it for about 30mins to work its magic. I then wipe them down with a cloth. And gave them a little rinse. (Norwegian vinegar and baking soda in pics).
2. CLEANING
I recently purchased some Sugar soap in a spray bottle. It is easy to use and has lasted a while now and was super cheap. Has made the process of cleaning the items i will be finishing easier which is always a plus. It is great being able to just spray some on. I think you would love it too!
I give the piece a thorough cleaning, using a cloth, old tooth brush, and sponge. I clean with the harsh side of the sponge first on the main surfaces, to remove any caked on dirt or grime. I then proceed to use the tooth brush in all the nooks and crannies! Well isnt that just the best 2 words out there! I am always spell checking when writing my posts! and they just gave me a giggle.
I then take a bucket with clean warm water and use a cloth to wipe down the whole piece to remove any residual cleaning product. I let it dry.
This will give you a great surface to start sanding on, without clogging up the sand paper with dirt and grime.
CLEANING BEFORE SANDING IS A CRUCIAL STEP IN THE PROCESS, AND EFFECTS EVERYTHING YOU DO AFTER. SO IT IS WELL WORTH IT FOR A PERFECT FINISH.
3. Sanding
I gave the whole piece a scuff sand with 220 grit sand paper, i think it would have been even better with a grit a little lower (100-150) but this is all i had at the time, so that is what i used.
However it was only because it took a little longer and i had to go over some areas after that i think it would have worked better with a lower grit. I noticed there was still a sheen on the surface and that is a no no…. When prepping a surface for paint it is important to remove any shine.
You want to create grooves in the surface to give the paint something to sink into and stick and not just lay on the surface. Meaning there could be peeling or it could scratch off easily.
I was guilty of this some times, your rushing, your excited to start painting so you sand but you dont double check! You dont take it seriously enough.
But the same thing always happens, the paint does not stick. It moves around on the surface and does not adhere properly. I will try to not make this mistake again as it is easily avoidable. And it drives me crazy!
So the project im doing at the moment is this gorgeous rococco table. Oh i am falling in love with it. I am at the sanding stage and am just thinking to myself how i need to double double check it tomorrow to make sure there is no shine. Excited to make a post about this as i will be trying a technique that is a little unusual. Excited!
For this project i managed to fold the sanding paper and squeeze it into the grooves. To really sand inbetween all the gaps.
List of items you will need for this project.
- Sugar soap/tsp/furniture cleaner
- Sanding paper (grit 100-150)
- Spray bottle
- Greek Blue- Annie Sloan
- French Linen- Annie Sloan
- White wax- Annie Sloan
- Gold Gilding wax
- Transfer paper (This is a similiar transfer)
4. Painting
I find there are so many beauiful chalk paint colors out there, that it can be hard to choose one color. But i had some left over greek blue so i decided to use this as my base color.
I painted two thin coats of Greek blue which ended up giving a nice coverage.
I then proceeded to play around a little with the French Linen, i started slowly, applying the paint a little at a time. By dry brushing the paint on. (To dry brush is to have pretty much a dry brush, you wipe away any excess paint first and you want to have literally no paint on your brush) This takes a little getting used to, it can be a good idea to have a cloth or paper near by to practice on and wipe away any product on the brush. (I like to wipe away on plastic as you dont waste any product.
I have a post here where i go into more detail about dry brushing.Dry Brushing Technique
On the top i did a stippling technique where you dab your brush up and down.
Stippling Technique
In this picture you can see how i started. I just started by dry brushing the parts that were raised. I kept on with the layers until i was happy with the result.
5. Waxing
For this stage i used a white wax which is gorgeous over blue, the wax sinks into any grooves and brush marks and lightens everything up a little.
White wax can be used over any color and creates some wonderful effects.
It has a little different consistency then clear or dark wax. The best way i can describe it is that it is a little wetter. I feel i have to wipe a little harder when wiping away any residue, this might just be that the paint has a little texture to it, so the wax sinks into those grooves easier.
6. Transfers
Ohhh transfers…. They are so beautiful! So many gorgeous designs and patterns. They can be so lovely.
I have noticed that depending on the surface you will be applying them to, sometimes you have to rub them on for longer then other times.
It is a good idea to lay them out to decide where you want them to be before you put them in place permanently. I also suggest checking how far out the draw actually comes. These cost a bit and there is little point having them all along the draw where it will not be seen.
I love the look that is created with these, what do you think?
7. Gilding wax
I rarely use gilding wax but love it! I mean it just pops so nicely. I have a house full of treasures i have found over the years. I used to live in a tiny apartment and had the most decor ever. It got a little silly! Now however that is amazing i have all sorts of staging props so wasnt such a bad idea after all.
I would suggest using gloves when applying gilding wax. I usually apply it slowly and build up. With this chest i felt it suited more so kept adding until i felt happy.
It can be added to handles, carvings, edges or really anywhere YOU want. Thats the fun with DIY we can do what we like, make things into our own! And that truly is a great feeling.
I have already had some interest in this piece and have just put it out to sell. That is always a nice feeling. Sometimes a little reassurance is nice, however much you like something yourself!
I hope you liked the post and please leave me a comment if you have any questions. If you would like to receive weekly FURNITURE MAKEOVER IDEAS then sign up for my weekly email. At the top of the page. I hope you all have a great day.
Love Anna x
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