Well since Abigail came a little early, I was definitely behind in my preparation for my third grandchild. I had promised Sean and Krysten a chest of drawers for the baby and I bought them a rocker. Well they needed a little sprucing up as they were old. The chest of drawers was Jan's when he was a child. His parents gave it to us when we got married in 1980 and we used it until we had kids and then it was for my kids to use. I had previously painted it red with red, yellow, blue, and green drawers and coordinating knobs, but that look was long ago in the dinosaur wall paper days. Anyhoo I've been reading a lot of furniture and decorating blogs, like missmustardseed.com, betweenblueandyellow.blogspot.com, and storiesofahouse.blogspot.comand have been inspired by their work and their tutorials. So I gave some of their ideas a try.
All of them like to leave the tops in a wood finish and then paint/distress/antique the rest of the pieces. This little chest didn't get distressed because of the red underneath but I did go over the paint with a walnut stain and then wiped it off. The top got a walnut stain and then several coats of polyurethane. I took off the old knobs and bought some cute crystal knobs at Hobby Lobby on half price. I think they make it look a little more feminine. We used the dark walnut stain to match the color of the crib and the changing table. They are both a dark wood color.
I also lined the drawers with fabric using Mod Podge to attach and to coat the fabric. I remember using this stuff to decopage back in Jr. High School.
This is the fabric I used. I bought it at Hobby Lobby, and it was on sale also.
This lamp I had bought at a garage sale many years ago and it had been red, white and blue. I spray painted it white and mixed some craft paint and did the turquoise trim, and then I had picked up a self adhesive lamp shade at the thrift store for $.99 and used the same fabric and covered the lamp shade and added some ric-rac trim. I think it looks pretty cute! I am having a good time doing this especially since I never got to do a girl's room before.
The rocker is one that we bought on Craig'slist and it is an Ethan Allen rocker. It was painted a VERY dark green, almost black, with grapes and vines on it in a typical Early American style. Not Krysten's style though, so per her request it got a coat of the same ivory oops paint that I got at the Ace store near our home. It looks white until you put it up against some real white then it looks yellow. It also got a coat of stain that was wiped off. I am very pleased with the result and hope my kids are too. I have a mirror to go over the chest that will receive the same treatment of ivory paint and stain. It is very ornate and was painted a very shiny gold, but I think will look really cute painted ivory. I hope Abigail loves it. I have some more stuff to do for Milly's room next. It has been fun.
All of them like to leave the tops in a wood finish and then paint/distress/antique the rest of the pieces. This little chest didn't get distressed because of the red underneath but I did go over the paint with a walnut stain and then wiped it off. The top got a walnut stain and then several coats of polyurethane. I took off the old knobs and bought some cute crystal knobs at Hobby Lobby on half price. I think they make it look a little more feminine. We used the dark walnut stain to match the color of the crib and the changing table. They are both a dark wood color.
I also lined the drawers with fabric using Mod Podge to attach and to coat the fabric. I remember using this stuff to decopage back in Jr. High School.
This is the fabric I used. I bought it at Hobby Lobby, and it was on sale also.
This lamp I had bought at a garage sale many years ago and it had been red, white and blue. I spray painted it white and mixed some craft paint and did the turquoise trim, and then I had picked up a self adhesive lamp shade at the thrift store for $.99 and used the same fabric and covered the lamp shade and added some ric-rac trim. I think it looks pretty cute! I am having a good time doing this especially since I never got to do a girl's room before.
The rocker is one that we bought on Craig'slist and it is an Ethan Allen rocker. It was painted a VERY dark green, almost black, with grapes and vines on it in a typical Early American style. Not Krysten's style though, so per her request it got a coat of the same ivory oops paint that I got at the Ace store near our home. It looks white until you put it up against some real white then it looks yellow. It also got a coat of stain that was wiped off. I am very pleased with the result and hope my kids are too. I have a mirror to go over the chest that will receive the same treatment of ivory paint and stain. It is very ornate and was painted a very shiny gold, but I think will look really cute painted ivory. I hope Abigail loves it. I have some more stuff to do for Milly's room next. It has been fun.
The artful designs done on glass bird feeders are sure to make your
ReplyDeletebird cage feeders ,porch, or garden a little more exciting and vigorous