Vintage Dresser Turned Media Console

It’s never a sure bet I’ll find what I’m looking for when I’m out thrifting. One thing’s for sure though, there never seems to be a shortage of old dressers!

 



Okay, so you get the point!


One thing I’ve noticed about these dressers (other than people don’t clean their drawers out before donating)…is that they’re all long and much shorter than the standard dresser made today. I guess to most people that means they’re useless.


To me, that means they are PERFECT FOR MEDIA CONSOLES!!!



Sometimes I like ’em just like the one above, but it does make it difficult to change channels when the box is hidden behind solid wood doors.


So, with a little tweaking…



I added shelving where the drawers used to be and some dental molding for instant charm and VOILA, this dresser became a perfect living room console.
Here’s a few more I did for my showroom last fall…





….and they were all SAVED yet again from the Dreaded Landfill!!!!

I just LOVE a Happy Ending!

Coastal Subway Wall Art

I heart the Subway Art that’s popping up everywhere these days. The simple black background and the large white letters that pop off the canvas. It’s just, well…cool, right?

Pottery Barn’s Version

Courtesy of Pottery Barn

Restoration Hardware’s Version

Courtesy of Restoration Hardware

Yes, I was a fan of the standard Subway Art, until I saw this and my jaw dropped!

 

Now this is MY kind of Subway Art! I love the wooden weathered planks and the silhouette Seahorse. Check out the message hidden within the words that reads, “Follow the River and you will find the Sea.”

Seahorse Wall Art from Aidan Gray retailing for $306.

I have a huge blank wall in my front room when you walk in my house that is screaming for some wall art. Now my wheels are turning again! Definitely food for thought!

Driftwood Finish Tutorial…Part 2!

Finally! I know, I know! This was promised weeks ago!


I had BIG ideas for this post…I wanted to show you this great technique and not just write about it, BUT since I couldn’t get my four-year-old to hold the camera still while I set up a video workshop….this will just have to do! (Just kidding about the child labor comment BTW)
Okay, so you’ve gathered all of your materials. Let’s say you’re painting a tabletop, but you could really do this treatment on anything I guess!


Step 1: Scratch the heck out of your tabletop! I know, you think I’m Mad, but for real…rough that sucker up! Just make sure that you go WITH the grain of the wood, while you’re getting your aggression out. Use something you have…get creative…a kitchen utensil or wire brush for the grill will do the job. I happen to have a wire paint eater brush that I run across the table. This will help raise the grain of the wood, knocking off the old finish a little, and give it a “salvaged ” look.



Step 2: Prime It! Spray a light coat, you don’t have to go overboard.



Step 3: Paint your tabletop in 2 coats of the lovely 1980’s Peach Flat Paint. Again, make sure you go with the grain.  Let it dry until it’s no longer tacky to the touch…about 45 minutes should do.



Here’s a picture of my driftwood chairs after the Peach Paint. If you have chairs or lots of area to cover, it’s okay to use the Sprayer for the first coat in Peach. Unfortunately, the next steps come out a lot better using a brush.



Step 4: In a bowl, water down your Gray Flat Paint. Dip your graining tool in the bowl and mimic the lines of real wood along the tabletop by gently pressing and dragging down the table.
This is the hardest part. If this is your first time using a graining tool, like me, you may want to practice on a piece of scrap wood or cardboard first. It can take some time to figure out the pattern that looks most realistic. Take your time on this step, as it will be crucial to the end result! Let it dry to the touch before moving on to the next step.

 
  

Step 5: Mix equal parts Glaze to the Honey Mustard Flat Paint. A little goes a long way, so I just mix mine in plastic cups. Paint a layer over your tabletop. I like to take the graining tool and swipe through each brush stroke so that the colors underneath really come through. Let this layer dry.

 

Step 6: Rub the tabletop with Steel Wool firmly. This really helps to bring out the gray and blend everything together well.

 

Step 7: Repeat Step 5 substituting the Saddle Brown Flat Paint. Let dry. Repeat Step 6.

 

This is what my table looked like at this point in the process. You can stop here if you like the way it looks. I wanted a lighter finish to mine, so I added the last step with the Cream Glaze, but this looks great too and lends itself to a subtle Weathered effect, much like Restoration Hardware.



Step 8: Mix equal parts of Glaze, Water, and the Cream Flat Paint. Use your Graining Tool to layer on the last coat of paint. I like this layer to go on lightly. Then rub the entire table again with the Steel Wool.



At this point use your own judgment to determine if the effect looks the way you want it to. You can always go back over the top with fine grit sandpaper to soften the effect.


 

This table set was such a labor of love! I’m so elated by how it turned out and even happier that it went to such an awesome newlywed couple! Thanks Bo and Britney!

 


I totally forgot to give a shout out to Lucianna Samu who wrote a great post on Living In Color about her paint techniques for the Weathered Wood Finish. Check it out as she lists exact colors from Benjamin Moore for this technique.


Linking to...

Printed Fabric Pillows…Taking Orders Now!

Last fall I fell in love with the Vintage Linen Pillows that were becoming all the rage. Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and local boutiques were sporting them in all shapes and sizes with vintage images of birds, butterflies and botanicals. It seemed to be the next phase in the ever-so-popular Grain Sack Pillow.

Photo Courtesy of Pottery Barn
I was already making the burlap pillows with stenciled French script, but these were so time consuming and not nearly as intricate as the graphic pillows I craved!
So….naturally (if you know anything about the way my twisted brain works), I had to find a way to re-create the same look for Urban Farmhouse! I had heard about printing directly onto fabric, so I thought I’d give it a whirl!
After LOTS of trial and error, and saving up for a huge industrial size printer…VOILA!
Here they are!
 
Once I figured out how to make this process work, I realized the possibilities were endless! I got into a Printed Vintage Pillow Obsession!



The Butterfly Series on Vintage Postcards…My All-Time Favorites!




These pillows were flying off the shelves at Urban Farmhouse! The butterfly series completely sold out the day after I brought them in. Whew, that’s a lot of printing and sewing!
How to Place An Order
Pillow Slips are $32 (plus shipping cost). The slips fit a standard 16” insert. Inserts are sold separately for $12.
Email me at Baylorkls@aol.com to order. Custom designs and sizes can be ordered for an additional fee. Paypal Payments are accepted and I can ship just about anywhere! (Allow 2-3 weeks as these are made especially for you when the order is placed.)

Furniture Makeover: Beachwood Weathered Chest

Saw this pathetic little guy at a local thrift yesterday and just had to give him a little TLC and a major makeover!

Looks like he became the victim of a Toddler Magic Marker Makeover!!! (Warning, shield your eyes from the gruesome scene you are about to witness below!)



Sometimes these makeovers take me days and other times (like this one) it took me about 45 minutes while Tres watched True Blood last night (can’t watch that scary stuff, especially when working late nights in my garage!)
Ta Da! By 9am this morning, this little fella’ was dry and ready for his big shoot!



This is the paint color on my kitchen walls….LOVING it on Furniture now! I added a little dry brushing for a weathered look and some fun Coral hardware and I’m having a hard time putting him up for sale now that he goes so well in my living room as an accent piece!

 

At any rate, he IS for Sale for $275
Measures: 40.5”W x 19.5”D x 31.5”H
Contact me @: Baylorkls@aol.com if interested!