Decisions, Decisions....

I have a Chinese apothecary cabinet that looks almost identical to this one and I can't decide what to do with it. It doesn't quite fit with the rest of the house, so at this point it is inhabiting our basement and serving as storage for all our Christmas ornaments. Painting may help. Or it might be better to let it move on to a new home where it is better appreciated as is.

Sometimes when I am immobilized by indecision, I will try out ideas on a smaller, less intimidating piece. Which leads me to my post for today.

Although hard to see, the scale of this apothecary cabinet is quite different. It is a tabletop size, something you might use as a jewelry cabinet. It was painted with a combination of Old White and Old Ochre. A little Louis Blue was added to the Duck Egg and used on the face of the drawers. I used more Dark Wax than I usually do. It adds the shading and shadows and gives it more dimension. I like it on this, but I still don't know what to do with the large chest. Any ideas?

Opposites Attract

Opposites on the color wheel (Blue and Orange) not only attract but are stunning when paired together. This old pine pie safe, notice the vents for cooling, is a perfect example.  Mix and layer a little Emperor's Silk with Barcelona Orange over Greek Blue. Old White lightens each of the colors and is dabbed on for texture and highlights. Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ makes this an incredibly easy technique for a vintage, distressed style.

I like Annie Sloan Chalk Paint  for my craft and furniture projects, but for walls nothing compares to Pure & Original Fresco Lime Paint. I love the natural variations of shades and tones the lime creates within one paint color. You have to see how gorgeous it is! Checkout my most recent interior design make overs with Fresco. It can be purchased online at www.502paint.com

P.S  Pure and Original also makes a chalk based paint called Classico in 140 colors! Its amazing too!

Green with a Touch of Blue

Adding a little Aubusson Blue to Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ Chateau Grey will result in a green with strong blue undertones, as seen on the antique blanket chest above. French Linen and Country Grey for shadows and highlights.

Watercolor Pops

Annie's Blog last week featured a  great new technique of watercoloring with Chalk Paint. I love to experiment and try new ways to use her fabulous paint. I hope to have something to post on it later this week.

However, in the meantime, here is another of my color cards, this time based on watercolors and popsicles...... just for a little fun.

Chinoiserie Chalk Paint

One of the techniques I have been working on lately is using Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ to create a Chinoiserie style paint finish. A shiny lacquered surface is usually made by spraying several light coats of lacquer based paint. It is almost impossible (for me) to brush on lacquer correctly, it must be sprayed on for a smooth finish, meaning several cans of Spray Lacquer (limited colors) or  High Gloss Spray Paint. Because this must be done outdoors, when the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, for me it is only an option about 6 months out of the year. There are also numerous environmental reasons to find other alternatives.

The mahogany chest above had never been painted and the finish was in excellent condition. My client chose emerald green for the color and was willing to allow me to experiment with Chalk Paint. It took a little mixing and layering of the colors above to create this rich green. Graphite was used to finish the hardware and add the striping. It was topcoated and buffed with clear wax. It was an easy process for me and my client is delighted with the result.

I like Annie Sloan Chalk Paint  for my craft and furniture projects, but for walls nothing compares to Pure & Original Fresco Lime Paint. I love the natural variations of shades and tones the lime creates within one paint color. You have to see how gorgeous it is! Checkout my most recent interior design make overs with Fresco. It can be purchased online at www.502paint.com

P.S  Pure and Original also makes a chalk based paint called Classico in 140 colors! Its amazing too!

Country Cabinet

A country cabinet proudly wears its age. Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ color palette.

Paint it Pink

An antique sideboard painted with shades and tints of Scandinavian Pink, Annie Sloan Chalk PaintⒸ.