What about Barcelona Orange?





Read the complete post on Colorways at LeslieStocker.com


If orange is the color you have been wanting to try on your latest find, see my posts, Doors from ItalyOpposites Attract, and Duck Egg Blue, for more inspiration.

Scandinavian Pink Over Arles







Some may say Scandinavian Pink and Arles are a bold color combination. If you are up for the challenge and need inspiration, check out some of my other posts,  Golden Yellow Chest,  A Warm Welcome,  and  The Colors of Carl Larsson

Eulalie's Sky




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Eulalie’s Sky is one paint color to use for a soft blue/green but you can also use Duck Egg Blue as I did on this French Chandelier, or mix Louis Blue and Provence as on this Flea Market Find or Rosewood Armoire.  I also used a mix Florence and Old White together and painted a Mahogany Secretary for a similar effect.

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Colorways Swatch Book



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If you want to compare these colors to my color swatches of  Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® you can find more color studies by clicking on the Tools tab or referring to my posts ASCP Colors + Tints  and  ASCP Colors + Shades.

Apron Strings





 Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint. Apron Strings, Ironstone hand painted cherry blossom.

Read the complete post on Colorways with Leslie Stocker » 


If a hand painted or stenciled design on furniture is right up your alley check out my posts, Piero Fornasetti (my personal favorite),   Inspired by Louis Vuitton, and   Paint and Pattern II

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Colors




To see a larger version of my MMS Milk Paint Color Swatches, and read the complete post, go to



Mixing standard colors in different amounts and combinations is a great way to create a diverse and unique color palette. To see some the custom colors you can make from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®, see my posts, Mixing for Green, Mixing for Purple, and Mixing for Orange.

Country Console




Inspiration from Country Living.

New Complete Post on Colorways at LeslieStocker.com


For more ideas to add a spark to your entryway console see my posts, In the MoodToday It’s a Console, and French Sideboard.  And if Arles and Graphite are favorite colors, just click on the swatches in the Color Palette.

Rough Luxe




Recipe to add character to modern decor.

See latest post on  Colorways at Leslie Stocker.com


For more cupboards to add personality and character to any decor see my posts, Not so SimpleArles over Primer Red, and Vintage Chest in Hues of Louis Blue

Efex™ Architectural Frieze




While looking through the new Restoration Hardware catalogue, in the wall decor section, I found these Wall Carvings made from resin, plaster, and metal.

Restoration Hardware

I also found similar pieces at Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs.

Ballard Designs

I love the look of real antique architectural ornaments, but these are very expensive reproductions and way over my budget. Being an avid DIYer, I saw this as an opportunity to be inspired to create my own work of art.
Enter Efex Furniture Appliques. I had used Efex on my Chinoiserie Cabinet and my Easy Picture Frame Upgrade and still had some pieces left over. I already had (from another project) a solid piece of wood 16″ x 24″ for the support and background of my frieze. I based my design (similar in style, not an exact copy) on a carved panel in St. Pauls Cathedral, London.
Efex Pieces
 Efex™ Pieces


Frieze Pieces


All you need to attach the Efex™ pieces is contact cement.
Effex before painting

After the pieces were dry, I painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® Paris Grey mixed with Artisan Enhancements Fine Stone.

Efex Plaque


In order to give it a more aged patina, I dry brushed Graphite Chalk Paint in the crevices and Old White Chalk Paint on the high points. Since it will be hanging on a wall I didn’t feel the need to seal it.

Finished Plaque lores

I would love to know what you think. Is my Efex™  hand crafted frieze worthy of display? Considering how easy and inexpensive it is, would you make one? Here is a list of  the Efex™ pieces I used, but honestly you could use any of the pieces in combination for your own work of art.

Efex Pieces: R61, SC14, SC16, L2, P13, 2 Rose 1, 2 Rose 2





Secretary Preview





Secretary Preview: Complex Green Finish 
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You can see other color combinations for secretaries and desks in my January post, French Secretary, and a post from July, Secretaire Extraordinaire  and also Old White and Pastels.

Modern Chalk Paint





Use Chalk Paint for a Modern look. See the newest complete post on



For more ideas on ways to use Chalk Paint in  contemporary settings, see my posts, On the Bias,  Antique and Mondrian,  and Color Studies Lime Green.



Shades of Autumn




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Barcelona Orange is a strong vibrant color. For more ideas on colors to use in combination, see Doors from ItalyBright Colors, and Barcelona Orange Color Palette. Or you can click on Barcelona Orange in the Color Palette to see all my posts where it is featured.

Natural Aging



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Patina and verdigris come in many color combinations. For more ideas see Architectural Patina on an outdoor ornament, a luscious Turquoise on a cabinet drawer, a faux Verdigris painted with one color on an outdoor light, and a  Weathered Zinc finish on planters and flower pots.


In The Mood




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Olive and red are used together in my post Primitive Red, and Chateau Grey is used in another green color palette, here,and here



Past Perfect




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If you would like some other ideas for using Florence Chalk Paint, you can see them in these posts: 
                     Rococo Commode,   Going Green, and   Console Table