Robyn 3/7/15 Robyn 3/7/15

Facelift Friday | Sheet Music Cabinet

Last summer I found this beautiful piece at a local antique shop.

Regretfully, I didn't get a picture of the tapestry covered cushion. When I removed the fabric, there was a LOT of dust. I knew this piece was very old.

You may notice one of the legs is a bit shorter than the other. I actually like that because it shows the authenticity of the piece as well as the fact it was likely handmade.

This piece immediately struck me as English, though I don't know why. {I'm guessing it was the tapestry covered cushion.}

The bottom portion of this bench is a door that opens to reveal several compartments. After a bit of research, I discovered this is a sheet music cabinet. These types of pieces were used in the early 1900s to store sheet music. This was during a time when nearly everyone had a piano or organ in their home.

After the introduction of file cabinets in the 1950s, these pieces of art became much less common.

According to serious musicians, a sheet music cabinet is actually a very disorganized way to store music in contrast to a file cabinet. I can understand that completely!

To makeover this lovely piece, I covered it in two coats of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in Ironstone. Because of the thick varnish on top of this piece, I definitely needed the bonding agent.

On top of the Ironstone, I added a coat of Schloss; a lovely gray with almost a purple hue. Schloss is one of the six colors in Miss Mustard Seed's new European collection.

After everything dried, I sanded the piece quite heavily. My hopes were to reveal some of the original stain, as well as the Ironstone paint underneath.

As for the cushion, I added new foam and reupholstered it in a drop cloth. Yes, a drop cloth! I love the faux linen look and texture of these for a fraction of the cost of real linen. It's such a perfect neutral that is goes with most anything. {Make sure to wash and dry before use to soften it up!}

I love the way this piece turned out. It's beautiful, subtle and striking all at the same time. I initially planned on selling it, but my hubby and I both fell in love with it. It fits flawlessly with the rest of our decor, so it has now become a permanent piece in our home. {For now.}

Robyn 9/15/14 Robyn 9/15/14

Makeover Monday | Union Jack Coffee Table

Yes, I love alliteration. Maybe too much? It sounds clever in my mind and I can't think of anything else more witty for my post titles. I'll be working on that.

So, I have missed the past two Fridays. It's been busy around here, folks. But I've missed doing my regular Friday posts. It's the one constant for me on my blog. Which brings me to a question. What would you like to see more of on the blog? I'm working on developing recurring content throughout the week. If you have any ideas or desires, please share them with me!!!

On we go. I picked up this super cute little accent/coffee table at a local mission thrift store. I thought it was cute and I loved the legs. For the love, I swear I took a before shot, but alas, I cannot find it.

My original intention was to slap some lovely ironstone milk paint on it and call it a day. But then I started painting with a mix of french enamel and typewriter. I came up with a rich grey that had some nice blue undertones.

As I was painting the top, I suddenly realized it was the perfect size and shape to try out a Union Jack accent.

I was so excited to try out this design. For the stripes, I used ironstone and typewriter. I definitely needed two coats of each.

This cute little table was not in the best condition when I picked it up. So, I decided to embrace the super distressed look.

I sanded quite a bit and I even used a razor to add some big chips and marks. It was pretty fun doing this technique and I am sure I will be using it more often.

After the paint dried and I removed the tape, I sanded the stripes quite a bit as well. I wanted them to look very worn and blended together. I love how it all turned out.

I am loving the combination of this dark, distressed piece with flowy white drapes, colorful bedding, and a lush, faux fur accent rug.

Paint truly is amazing, isn't it? I don't think I will ever stop loving transforming these forgotten pieces into something lovely.

Robyn 8/8/14 Robyn 8/8/14

Facelift Friday

Giving new life to a mass produced end table.

I recently picked up a run of the mill end table much like this one:

It was super cheap and I'm sure it is hardly solid wood. But everything in this life deserves a second chance, right? I like the idea of rescuing pieces that most wouldn't give another thought to.

For the first coat of paint, I used a homemade chalk paint in an antique white. I wasn't entirely sure the direction I'd be headed with this piece.

The second and third coats of paint are Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Typewriter. I am in love with the soft charcoal pigment of this paint.

I knew right away I'd want a damask on the top. I found a pretty image at www.thegraphicsfairy.com, but it was a little taller and thinner than I prefered. A simple manipulation in PSE fixed that.

I painted the damask with a very dark grey latex paint in hopes that it would withstand a heavy amount of sanding. It worked. I sanded quite a bit on the top of the table so the antique white would come through.

The result is a beautiful image that looks as if it has survived many years of love and wear.

The final step to complete this table was new hardware. An antique bronze cup pull was just perfect.

The final result is just lovely. I hope you are inspired to breathe new life into something this weekend!

sharing at MMS Milkpaint Masterpiece Monday

Robyn 7/31/14 Robyn 7/31/14

Facelift Friday | French Country Ottoman

While thrifting a few months ago, I found a sweet end table. It was solid wood, in excellent condition and a fantastic deal.

With it being shorter already, I thought it would be an excellent ottoman.

It was a bit outdated with it's oak finish and high gloss poly, but that was an easy fix.

I lightly white washed the end table and heavily sanded. I love the look that was achieved.

For the cushion, I covered a super thick piece of foam cut to size with the most lovely fabric I had on hand.

I am in love with the final product. This piece can be purchased at Old Time Antiques in Crestview.

Robyn 2/14/14 Robyn 2/14/14

Facelift Fridays

Today I am introducing a new feature on the blog: Facelift Fridays. I love rescuing dilapidated pieces and turning them into a lovely treasure.{also, I like alliteration} It astonishes me that paint, some new hardware and lots of love can provide such a transformation.

A few weeks ago, I found two of these nightstands at a garage sale. I was able to see past the hunter green and dated custom painting. These tables have great bones and are of solid construction. Those qualities are most important when rescuing furniture. The facade can easily be fixed.

I painted the majority of the piece in creamy white chalk paint. It's no secret how I feel about whites, grays, and the whole range of neutral colors.