Smithy's Painted Furniture

Friday 29 April 2011

Quick side table paint job


This was a quick makeover, for a (very roughly) white painted side table, which, to be fair, doesn't look that bad in the before photo, but it was.


Being already painted, it just needed a quick rub down, then let the painting begin! The colour, believe it or not, is called 'Gravel', not very inspiring but  I think it looks quite classy. Then a quick distress and a couple of coats of wax and voila!

Doing such an instant makeover was very satisfying but in the before photo you can see a small chest of drawers in  a similar 'finish'. I need to think a bit more about that one and it still awaits it's fate.........

Tuesday 26 April 2011

Things I have Learnt...........

There are a few thing I have learnt over the last month or so, firstly, when it comes to used furniture nothing can be taken for granted! This can be good or bad, I now know that it pays to look thoroughly at a piece before buying, a nice piece that turns out to be part MDF, extra inhabitants included that you didn't notice, things sometimes look smaller when you get them home, or bigger! A beautifully made piece of furniture picked up for a song, (almost) too nice to paint, look beyond the skin to see the beauty. Auctions are good fun and frustrating, it's amazing what people don't want and amazing what some people will buy.
All these things and more have added to the enjoyment of my new "hobby".
I have also found out it is easy to spend almost as long thinking about painting  something as actually doing it! 
Paint will take ages to dry when you want it to dry fast and will dry as soon as it hits the wood when you want it to stay wet. Wax is remarkable.
 I have discovered as well, that photographing furniture is by no means easy. if you photograph it on its own it can look lost and neglected, or you can cover it in stuff 'till you can hardly see it, what looks good to the eye can look 'different' on the screen. Daylight is good, bright sunlight is bad, this and that effect the colour, flash is limiting, that's not straight, that's too high, that's too low, too far away, too close, too blurred, too light, too dark, perfect!
Another thing that has become obvious is my wife and family's patience now that I have turned our house in to a furniture warehouse, it is addictive isn't it?
Of course I have learned what a fantastic amount of talented people and inspiration there is here in Blogland, how kind people are with their comments and free with there advice and encouragement, thank you.
I have learnt all this and more while pursuing a simple interest that started with....."just get on and do it", it can be done, I should have done it sooner!


Tuesday 19 April 2011

Cool Britannia!

Well it was only a matter of time, there's loads of inspiration for Union Jack furniture here in blogland, notably this chest at Lilyfield Life, I just had to put it on something and this table seemed ideal!


Take one bog standard coffee table, prime and get drawing.


Lots of lines and head scratching later, and we are getting there.


Once the painting was done it was time to distress it and I must admit I felt a small pang of guilt defacing my county's flag, but it had to be done.





 Two coats of polyurethane for the top, wax for the legs and Bob's your uncle! It's safe and sound in my son's bedroom...for now ...but I'm going to try and sell it, if he'll let me!


and no, his room isn't normally that tidy........

Saturday 16 April 2011

Cabinet finished! martini anyone?

Here is the finished 60s cabinet, with turquoise and black colour scheme, just right for that drinks party in your retro home!

So this was painted in primer, matt emulsion then many coats of (thinned) water based satin varnish. I repaired and re-painted the wavy back board and used spray black satin on the legs. The inside was in pretty good condition so I touched up the worst scratches and waxed like a madman.
It scrubbed up pretty well I think, now where did I put that cocktail shaker...........

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Decisions, decisions...........

That drinks cabinet; I thought it would be really simple to give it the look I wanted but...no. First I couldn't decide what colour it was to be, I must have mucked about and tweaked four or five colours before settling on the one and even then I wasn't completely convinced! Then I started agonising about the finish. I wanted to hand paint it but also have that plasticy 60s feel so started fretting about brush marks! So I've been rubbing it down then re coating it thinly but now I've decided, it comes out like it comes out or I'll be at it forever. I think it will be alright and I'm looking forward to finishing it now. I'll stick some pictures up when it's finished, soon.....I hope.