This blue painted Georgian dresser is beyond gorgeous! This terrific makeover was done by Julia, and can be seen on her blog- 551 East Design Blog.  You can see how the brass hardware pops against the blue and makes this chest look very [...]]]>

Blue Painted Bow Georgian Dresser- Julia's Dresser From 551 East Design Blog

This blue painted Georgian dresser is beyond gorgeous! This terrific makeover was done by Julia, and can be seen on her blog- 551 East Design Blog.  You can see how the brass hardware pops against the blue and makes this chest look very distinguished.  Silver hardware wouldn't look as nice, and rubbed bronze could look quite nice, but the gold was a nice choice.  The best thing about this dresser is the dramatic color.  She mentions she used an oil based paint called Rainstorm in High Gloss by Sherwin Williams.  Look at this additional fabulous dresser painted by Julia.  It shows that hand painted details do pay off!

High gloss finishes look the best if they are sprayed on, rather than brushed.  Glossy finishes tend to show every brush mark, so if you love this look, consider purchasing a pack of spray paint and pick a great day (not windy) where you can spray outside.

Or, if you do use oil or water based paint, consider applying the paint with a regular paint brush and evening out the finish with a sponge brush.  Dollar Tree sells these same packs of brushes for $1 dollar.  They can be used and discarded.  I have bought my sponge brushes from Home Depot in the past, and washed them out just as you would with any normal paint brush.  If you are using them for oil finishes, dip them in paint thinner, and try to extract some of the paint, and then wrap them in a plastic bag over night.  The best way to get an even finish is multiple coats of paint, and using these sponge brushes to even out your paint strokes.

Spray Paint In 6 packs:

-True Blue Industrial Choice Spray Paint, Pack of 6 by Rustoleum $27

-Gallon Blue Industrial Choice Spray Paint, Pack of 6 by Rustoleum $27

-Deep Blue Hard Hat Spray Paint, Pack of 6 by Rustoleum $41

-Safety Blue Industrial Choice Spray Paint, Pack of 6 by Rustoleum $27

-Krylon Ace Rust Stop" Spray Paint Contl Blue (Pack of 6) $24

-Krylon Dual Paint And Primer One Spray Paint Sky Blue Gloss Pack Of 6 $27

-High Performance Spray Enamel 15oz. (Pack of 6) $43

-Krylon Paint And Primer One Spray Paint Regal Blue Gloss Pack Of 6 $28

Other Colors:

-12 oz Dusty Pink Aerosol Industrial Choice Paint, Pack of 6 by Rustoleum $27

-Rust-oleum  2x Ultra Cover Spray Paint Satin Green Apple (Pack of 6) $24

-Krylon Spray Enamel Paint 9 Oz - Wagon Red (Pack Of 6) $12

-Krylon Premium Spray Enamel Gloss Orange (Pack of 6) $20

-Krylon-Fluorescent Spray Paint  Oz - Solar Yellow (Pack of 6) $30

-KRYLON-Premium Spray Enamel YELLOW (Pack of 6) $22

Painted Furniture -Cobalt Blue Demi-Lune From One Kings Lane

People have been found to be more productive in blue rooms, especially with tasks involving creativity and imagination. Perhaps it’s because they feel so relaxed! Blue, then, is an appropriate color for a study, studio, or office.

Painted Furniture -Cobalt Blue Demi-Lune

Painted Furniture -Cobalt Blue Demi-Lune From One Kings Lane

People have been found to be more productive in blue rooms, especially with tasks involving creativity and imagination. Perhaps it’s because they feel so relaxed! Blue, then, is an appropriate color for a study, studio, or office.

1. Cobalt Blue Spray Painted Coffee Table -Erin Wynne's Pinterest 

2.This beautiful entry uses blue on a painted demilune table and matches the color up on the walls for a very paired down minimal effect.  The interior is based around white and blue, and the wood floor grounds the look quite nicely.  Featured on Melanie Arsenault's Pinterest 

3.The Most Famous Room Painted in Cobalt Blue- Jk Capri Photography

4.Ann Marie's Cobalt Blue Makeover- Twice Lovely Blog

5.Traditional Home featured Chicago Apartment with A BOLD Blue color on the walls with Hollywood Regency furniture.  A white "Tulip" chair from Baker and an over-sized 1960s enameled sconce pop against walls painted Farrow & Ball's "Hague Blue

6.Trying Another Color Of Blue, This interior features a lighter shade of blue on the walls, and harmonizes the look by painting the accent chair a deeper hue of the wall shade.  "Blue Seafoam by Benjamin Moore — instantly won over Margot Brunelle Fooshee and her husband when they first saw this Long Island house. A chair in a harmonizing color was a gift from Margot's mother, from the family's summer house in Nantucket. Preserved 18th-century floorboards were simply sanded and waxed. "  House Beautiful   

7. The gentle progression of color from the wall color to the accessories in the room.  This is an exceptional example of decorating with the color blue.   The headboard slipcover and matching pillowcases are shrouded in sky-blue linen that's dyed a deeper, sea-inspired tone, embodying the spare beauty of a monochromatic palette.

8.Bright Blue Cobalt is used on the walls while French Provincial chairs are used with Beige upholstery and light wood french furniture to bring a calming effect to the powerful cobalt blue.  -Melanie Arsenault's Pinterest  

9. Irish Country Houses features 10 houses from author Irish aristocrat Glin FitzGerald's own Castle with Blue Cobalt walls to other homes featuring classic Georgian interiors. 

10. This Swedish cabin uses a cobalt blue on a raw wood door with white stenciling for a primitive effect.  This beautiful home was featured in Ville & Casali in 2006 

11.  Melissa Rufty's bright cobalt gloss walls are still being blogged today.  The room shines like a diamond and is accented with traditional furniture.  Who knew blue would look so awesome in gloss!

12. Bryonie Porter decoupages a chest using Osborne & Little wallpaper which has tones of cobalt blue.  Detail such as this would take a long time to paint, why not decoupage?

13.Delft Blue Tiles are known to have tones of bright cobalt blue.  Here we see an entire wall tiled with delft blue tiles by a London based company.  The classic clawfoot tub is painted a cobalt blue to tie in with the colors in the tiles.  This photo has to be one of the prettiest photos around for those considering decorating with blue.

14. A series of chairs are painted various shades of blue ranging from cobalt blue to cornflower blue and lighter shades such as baby blue.  -Sue Craven's Pinterest 

15.  This wall by Martha Stewart features a series of framed bandanna's in darker shades of navy blue with complex patterns.  The walls are painted a vibrant shade of cobalt blue.

16.Scandinavian Antiques has some of the most spectacular furniture around.  Here they feature Romanian bench circa 1880, with a country flair. The design on the front of the bench emphasizes two blooming roses, and the hand painted design continues on the back rest. The color of the bench is very close to cobalt blue.

17.  In this picture white painted metal tables sit against a brightly painted cobalt blue wall.  A panel of Ikat fabric that has tones of cobalt blue, white and cornflower complement the walls nicely.  An Indian Summer Blog

18. Several rooms are painted in Trompe-loeil style with cobalt blue and white paint.

19. Cobalt blue is painted on the outside of this moroccan styled building with graduating color in tones blue running up the side of the building. This picture looks as if it is from the same building -Teresa Franz-Brown's Pinterest

20.Clare Fraser's Swedish bedroom is based around a neoclassic cobalt blue and white wallpaper.  A walnut bombe chest and gold wall sconces really pop against the bright color.

21.  French styled doors feature a bold shade of cobalt blue, which nicely contrast the burnt orange colored stone.  -Teresa Franz-Brown's Pinterest

22.This kitchen features cobalt blue painted cabinets.  The framed cabinets look very high end against white marble countertops.  -Esther DeVore's Pinterest 

24. The french styled architecture is beyond stunning in this room.  Here the doors are painted in a shade close to cobalt blue for a modern touch to traditional french paneling.- Emily Kay's Pinterest 

25.  This room features classic early American Windsor chairs which aren't a typical furniture style you would pair with such a bold modern color, but it works!  In this room they feature a number of picture frames on the wall in white with a touch of black which coordinates with the painted black chairs.  Cobalt blue certainly is the dominant color in this room giving it the edge it needs.  -Design Rumahku

26.Lars Bolander's Scandinavian Design features several homes with neoclassical style cobalt blue wallpaper, and hand painted walls with rococo designs a lighter shade of cobalt blue.

27.  Home Colors features a number of Cobalt blue bathrooms with different styles.  One features a claw-foot tub which is painted cobalt blue which match the walls in the same color.  Another bathroom is entirely based around cobalt blue except for the bathroom fixtures that are in white.  The look is certainly bold and modern.

28. In this room designed by Emma Thomas, an over-sized cobalt blueprint is used as wallpaper.  A modern painted cobalt chair is paired with a white painted desk.  White tones in the floor, and baseboards really brighten up this room.  -Improvised Life Blog

29.  This ornate door features the color of cobalt.  Gold ornaments hammered on to this door add a tremendous amount of detail. -Susan Six's Pinterest 

30.  This coffee table is painted in a glossy cobalt blue.  The color stands out against the natural fiber rug.  The traditional carved detail now has a modern edge.  -Melissa Pohl's Pinterest 

31.  A beautiful round tea table is painted in a navy blue.  This piece from Somerset Bay which has some of the nicest paint colors.  They feature a wide range of painted furniture.

31.  Here is a very rustic tapered leg table with a distressed painted look.  The distressing sure makes this table come alive.

32. Achieve this look by adding brown glaze to your blue painted furniture.  Glaze will tone down the color for a rich but old world antique appeal.  This look is best combined with distressing. 

Cobalt Blue Painted Interior Ideas

Elle Interior Norvégien, Feather Hat Featured on Hyphen Interiors

Brightly Painted Room by Eric Cohler and Jennifer Mason for Traditional Home

Sleek, high-gloss indigo paint provided a glamorous finish to timeless architecture, emphasizing the room’s paneling and moldings. An armless white sofa and a yellow painting stand out against the dark wall, enlivening the room with light accents. Designed by Eric Cohler and Jennifer Mason for Traditional Home 

As many people get ready for the spring and summer, they are looking for some great pieces to decorate their patio and gardens.  This table above was featured on My French Country Home, and shows how beautiful furniture can [...]]]>

Rustic Weathered Metal Patio Table- Ideas For Painted Furniture- Table Originally Featured In Jeni Chou's Wedding

As many people get ready for the spring and summer, they are looking for some great pieces to decorate their patio and gardens.  This table above was featured on My French Country Home, and shows how beautiful furniture can be when it has a weathered look.  This table was originally painted red, showing a hint of blue and white on the surface of the table.

Outdoor paint is much different than indoor paint, so be sure to buy outdoor paint when you are painting our patio or garden furniture.  Outdoor paint is made so the the overall color doesn't dull over time when lawn furniture is exposed to the sun.  Other formulas are specially designed to resist water.

Unlike interior paint, exterior paint must withstand a variety of harsh external influences such as rain, snow, and temperature changes.  All kinds of specialty paints have been formulated for particular areas of the home, such as roof paint, pool and marine paint, masonry paints, house and siding paint, gutter paint, concrete paint, and floor and porch paint.  Fortunately, there is a paint for every type of surface, and some paints are suitable for more than one surface.

Advantages and Disadvantages For Oil Based (alkyd) Paints:

I have used several different brands of oil based paints.  Coverstain is about the ONLY oil based paint that I ENJOY working with. Coverstain is an oil based primer that is TINTABLE.  You can tint it most colors and it is very easy to apply with a natural wood paint brush.

Like any paint, you need to seal up your container of paint, so the mixture doesn't become too thick.  The nice thing about oil based paints, is you can add a touch of paint thinner if you want to thin the paint to make it easier to paint.

I used coverstain exclusively for several years with my painted furniture, because once it was dry, I was able to sand it with ease.  It dried very quickly, often over night, and the overall paint had great coverage.  Oil based paint sticks to almost everything including plastic, metal, concrete, you name it, it sticks to it.

I have tried many other oil based brands and I find they often take a long time to dry, which is very inconvenient.  In addition, they don't sand that well, unless you get a brand that has a flat finish.  Coverstain makes a darn good primer.  If you are thinking of painting some outdoor furniture, consider getting Coverstain, which can be tinted the color you are hoping to paint.  A water based paint outdoor paint can can be then painted over coverstain.  Coverstain is a primer.  I have used it on my furniture, with polycrylic which seals in the overall finish.

Here are some additional qualities about oil based paint:

-Oil based paints contain resin and more pigment for color. Basically oil paint consists of a pigment and a resin in a solvent thinner. When thinners evaporate, the resins form a hard coating, leaving behind the pigment.

-Oil paint penetrates the surface better and has better adhesion.

-Oil paint wears very well over the years, compared to water based paints.

-Oil finishes level as they dry, which means that you don't see any brush strokes with oil based paint compared to water based paint.  Oil based paints show very little  brush and roller marks.

-Water based paints will not stick to oil based paints.  Oil if you can't tell or are unsure about what type of paint is on the house, use an alkyd-base paint.

-Oil based paints have a lot of toxic gasses.  A person does need to wear a painting respirator when using these paints.  MSA Safety Paint and Pesticide Respirator has been a brand I have found comfortable.  This is the MAIN drawback to oil paints.  They aren't good to breath in while you are painting.

(Like I mentioned above, Coverstain is a oil based primer that can be tinted, and water based paints can be used over top.  Coverstain is the exception)

-Alkyds, (oil based paints) are extremely durable, but they are more difficult to work with and they dry slowly.  Solvents must be used with alkyds to clean brushes, rollers, paint trays, and drips.

- Coverstain dries to the touch within 30 minutes, but you need to leave it set for several hours, before applying another coat of paint.  It needs to sit for an entire day before sanding.

-If you use oil based paints often, consider using an old coffee can with paint thinner.  The oil based paint settles at the bottom over a couple days, and the paint thinner tends to be clear again, allowing you to re-use your thinners.  I tend to pour the thinner into another container, and clean out the bottom of my can with a disposable paper towel, and pour back the thinner which can be re-used over and over again.  Again, always wear a mask.

Advantages and Disadvantages For Water Based (acrylic and latex) Paints:

-Water based paints are breathable (won’t trap moisture) on surfaces, and they don't have toxic odors to them making them easier to paint with.

-Water based paints dry quicker. Oil paints usually take between 8 and 24 hours to dry, while water-based paints dry in just 1 to 6 hours. You can have a project dry in under 3 hours or less, allowing you to work on additional layers of paint, or sanding.

-Lets face it, water based paints are easy to clean.  Soap and water is all you need to have to clean up.

-Lower VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals)

- In general, water-based paints are preferred for most exterior applications, but oil-based paints may perform better under certain conditions. Water-based paints are flexible enough to expand and contract with weather compared to oil based paints.

-Latex paints with an all-acrylic binder hold up to weather better than latex paints with a vinyl-acrylic binder

Consider applying paint in the right weather.  In temperatures colder than 50˚F most paint won’t dry.  Also in direct sunlight paint will dry too fast, causing lap marks.  Heat will also cause lap marks.  Wind can also cause paint to dry too quickly in addition to blowing dirt onto the surface. Cold temperatures, rain and humidity can prevent paint from drying properly.

Interesting Outdoor Paint.....

-Clear Floor Rustoleum Premium Clear Coating -2 part solvent base epoxy, high gloss clear floor coating , superior resistance to chemical standing water

-Krylon Outdoor Spaces Metallic Finish Aerosol Spray Paint, Gold

-Rust-Oleum 206999 Marine Topside Paint, White, Quart

-Zinsser, William & Co Perma-White Mildew-Proof Exterior Paint

-Zinsser Company 27295 Swimming Pool Paint 5 Gal - Blue

-Ivory Interior Exterior Decorator Spray Paint [Set of 6] IVORY

-Satin Painter's Touch 2X Cover Spray Paint Paprika [Set of 6]

-Krylon Spray Paints Krylon Mango Satin Aerosol Outdoor Spaces

-Eclectic Coat It Waterproof Epoxy Sealer & Protector

-Rust-Oleum Satin Enamels Spray, Putty, (Oil Based) (One of the Best Colors For French Swedish White Washes..... Let the paint dry, and use a oil based paint in a butter yellow, which you paint on, and wipe off. )

-Rust-Oleum 7758830 Satin OIL BASED  Enamels TAUPE- (ANOTHER One of the Best Colors For French Swedish White Washes..... Let the paint dry, and use a oil based paint in a butter yellow, which you paint on, and wipe off. )

-Rust-Oleum 7758830 Satin OIL BASED Enamels Spray, Almond,

-Rust-Oleum 7758830 Satin OIL BASED Enamels Spray, Black

-Rust-Oleum 7758830 Satin OIL BASED Enamels Spray, Cayenne Red

-Rust-Oleum 7758830 Satin OIL BASED Enamels Spray, Heritage Red

-Rust-Oleum 7758830 Satin OIL BASED Enamels Spray, Dark Brown

--Rust-Oleum 7758830 Satin OIL BASED Enamels Spray, Lake Blue

-Rust-Oleum 7758830 Satin OIL BASED  Enamels Spray, Dark Olive

-Rust-Oleum EPOXYShield Concrete Patch, 24-Ounce

-Rust-Oleum 245896 Enamels Spray, Seafoam

If you have a fondness to the extravagant styled furniture, do consider investing in a beautiful Victorian cast iron bench to be the centerpiece of your garden.  Antique cast iron garden patio furniture is still some of the most desired furniture to date, but extremely rare to find and quite expensive for the [...]]]>

Painted Iron Furniture

If you have a fondness to the extravagant styled furniture, do consider investing in a beautiful Victorian cast iron bench to be the centerpiece of your garden.  Antique cast iron garden patio furniture is still some of the most desired furniture to date, but extremely rare to find and quite expensive for the average homeowner. Cast Iron furniture is rarely manufactured as aluminum patio furniture has become the popular choice because it still is quite durable without the high cost of iron.  Each year the aluminum patio furniture becomes more appealing as designs get more streamlined.  Target has come out with beautiful patio sets which have an upscale look, they would be just as nice inside the home than outside.  Although the aluminum sets are quite popular, ornate benches are almost non existent, forcing many people to buy antiques.  Victorian cast iron benches are the perfect choice for a rose garden, or a Romanic gazebo.  Cast iron is rare in our current market which makes it very unique. In comparison to any garden furniture to date, it still remains the extremely durable and can withstand harshest conditions such as rain, snow, hail and the sun over years without showing a shred of damage. Cast iron furniture can last a lifetime and can be cleaned with the simple products you have at home compared to the plastic furniture that breaks and yellows in the sun over just several months. Antique cast iron furniture is much more valuable than today's popular aluminum furniture, partly because the material is no longer manufactured. Today's furniture manufactures tend to go for the easiest production techniques that fetch the most money. A company can make much more money producing an array of low quality -low cost materials which then can be affordable to 90% of the public than to produce something only a small percentage of the population can afford. Companies also seem to be dodging the high quality materials because genuine natural materials are becoming quite rare which then becomes costly to make a profit. Today pressed board and plastics replaces wood in many dressers, armoires and closets. From a manufacturing standpoint, it is easier to produce because it is light weight, low quality and inexpensive.  The majority of the public isn't into quality, but low price.  Vintage cast cast cars are still in tact while today's modern plastics have been thrown away by the thousands. If that is not enough, plastic will never disintegrate, as it sits in the earths land fills for generations.

The Beauty Of Antique Victorian Cast Iron Furniture

The reign of Queen Victoria in England from 1837 to 1901 saw the start of the Victorian era, which grew from the elaborate Gothic style, into more of a development of romanticism which reflected in every style such as fashion, architecture and home furnishings. The Victorian era spawned into several well-known styles, including Gothic Revival, Italianate, Empire, and Queen Anne. The Victorian style was more beautiful than practical and excessive in design as we see in many of the cast iron furniture.  Wealth became a status symbol during this time, and their pocket books opened up to the best even if it was in the garden.  Many designers and architects took the ideas from the styling's of the French, Italian, Tudor, Egyptian, and Gothic architecture as the height of mass-production allowed the opportunity of an array of architectural elements to become easily accessible. Cast iron furniture became popular as it became more available.  Major manufacturers of the time, such as J. L. Mott Iron Works in New York let you create your own designs, offering through mail-order catalogs a wide selection of iron urns that could be customized by swapping out different bases. In addition many custom finishes were available at the time such as black,bronze and aged green. .

How To Clean YOUR Cast Iron Furniture

After a harsh winter, uncovered patio metal furniture can start showing signs of rust which in technical terms is a result of the oxidation of iron or metal from the presence of water and oxygen which reacts with the metal. Prolonged rust that has not been taken care of can cause permanent damage to cast furniture.  Although cleaning rusty furniture is a daunting task to many because it simply doesn't come off, there are some aged tricks to getting the rust off easier.

Natural household products can clean up the rust doing the arm and leg work for you. The acid in white vinegar or lemons eats away at rust leaving you with less work than normal. Leave the vinegar or lemons sit on the rust for a few moments. (Remember that the rust is not apart of the metal, but the layer on top) The vinegar will eat away at the rust lifting it up so it will come off easier when you scrub your bench.

Baking Soda is another natural product that is quite effective on rust. Make a paste of baking soda and water that will stick to the rust.  Leave it enough time to loosen the rust. Use a wire wool, or wire brush to scrub the rusted area. Do use gloves when cleaning any rust. Be sure to bring in your patio furniture throughout the winter months to prevent rust from returning.

How to Paint Cast Iron Furniture

The latest trends in 2010 are bright paint such as peacock blue, butter yellow, gloss white, apple green, canary yellow, or creamy butter colors. We see that with  decorator Charlotte Moss and Kelly Wearstler.  Hollywood Regency style uses a lot of bright colors against black and white toned rooms.  So don't be afraid of painting your outdoor cast iron benches a bright yellow.  Today we see explosive colors in all white interiors, or on the contrast, antique looks with old world finishes.

Be sure before you paint to clean the surface of the furniture with a wire brush. Scraping away all the cracked paint, and rust will ensure a better overall beautiful end result. Spray your furniture down with the garden hose to wash away the rust and extra particles that were lifted during cleaning. Allow your furniture to dry in the sun, being completely dry before attempting to paint.

Use an oil primer paint specially formulated for rust prevention, such as Rust-Oleum's Flat Rusty Metal Primer

Rust-Oleum Flat Rusty Metal Primer has a unique fish oil vehicle that penetrates rust to bare metal forcing out corrosive moisture and air. It has outstanding film forming properties which provide a tight bond, a long lasting protection to sound rusted steel.   If you are working with a smaller project, consider Rust Rust Reformer which instantly converts rust to a protected paintable surface.

Victorian Cast Iron Painted Architecture

Victorian Kramer Bros Cast Iron Garden Bench By Ebay Seller Sandstonelion

This Victorian Bench by Kramer Bros is absolutely beautiful.  Consider priming a white bench with a white primer.

Oil Metal Primer

1:       Rust Oleum Cover Stain Primer-Sealer - TINTABLE!

2 A:  Rust-Oleum Rust, Quart, Flat White Clean Metal Primer

2B :   Rust-Oleum Rust, Flat White Clean Metal Primer IN A SPRAY

2C:    Rust Oleum VOC White Clean Metal Primer

You can get almost any color of paint in an oil based finish at your local Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore or better paint store.  Here are a couple suggestions that would make a statement:

1 A:   Rust-Oleum Hammered Metal Finish, Dark Bronze, 1-Quart

1 B:    Rust-Oleum Enamels Spray, Burnt Orange, 12-Ounce

1C:     Rust-Oleum Enamels Spray, Seafoam, 12-Ounce

1D:     Rust-Oleum Specialty Yellow Enamel Spray, 12-Ounce

1E:     Rust-Oleum Glossy Black

1F:   Rust Preventative Enamel 12 Oz - Medium Green

1G:  Rust Preventative Enamel 12 Oz -Blue

Poldo Como chest of drawers, $4,850 at the Conran Shop Made from beech and lacquered in a range of colors including vivid orange (Poldo Como chest of drawers, $4,850 at the Conran Shop

Choosing a paint can be perplexing at first as there are so many different colors to pick from. [...]]]>

High Gloss Rococo Bombe Chest

Poldo Como chest of drawers, $4,850 at the Conran Shop Made from beech and lacquered in a range of colors including vivid orange (Poldo Como chest of drawers, $4,850 at the Conran Shop

Choosing a paint can be perplexing at first as there are so many different colors to pick from. Having a wide range of colors options is a luxury and a result of years of innovation compared to the handful of color finishes just 100 years ago. Just as important as paint color consideration is sheen choice.  The main types of paints are Flat, Matte, Satin, Semi-gloss, Gloss, High-gloss, and Latex.

What is Paint Sheen?

Paint sheen is the level of glossiness in paint. High gloss paint will make your furniture or walls appear to have a glossy shine, compared to a flat paint which has no reflectiveness. Almost every brand of paint can be sold with a handful of sheen options, except for oil paint unfortunately. Flat oil paint is quite rare. You can buy the basic Flat Whiteand Flat Black paint made by rustoleum, and custom oil colors are often sold in satin such as Sherwin & Williams Paints, and semi gloss and gloss such though Parkers Paints, and Benjamin Moore.

Matte paint is one of the most popular sheen's on walls, as they are conceal imperfections better than glosses as they reflect far less light. It is quite important that when choosing a wall paint, that enamel is considered in high traffic areas. Often times children can scuff up walls in a hurry, or touch the walls leaving oily hand prints that can be very noticeable over time. Scrub able paints, or enamel paints are often the best choice for walls.

Satin paints are another very popular choice because of durability which has a soft finish that exudes warmth. Satin paint is the number one recommendation for furniture painting.

I have made the mistake in the past of using matte or flat paint as my final finish on some of my painted furniture pieces and it doesn't look right. I clued into my mistake after educating myself by looking at higher end painted furniture, and not one of them had a flat finish. Flat finishes are meant for walls that rarely get touched. Over time flat paint is very porous, and it will collect oil which ruins the finish very quickly. Although flat paint is almost imperative in painting, and we will tell you why below:

Green Lacquer Tall Chest From Fabulous Pieces on Esty

Antique Mahogany Bar Cart with Pistachio Gloss Green Lacquer Finish From Fabulous Pieces on Esty

Check out Fabulous Pieces on Esty, and consider venturing out to some unique colors such as her fabulous aqua cart, Rust-Oleum 245896 Enamels Spray, Seafoam KRYLON Pink Gloss Spray Paint, High Performance Enamel Gloss White, Gloss Caribbean Blue, Red Gloss, Gloss Spring Green

High Gloss Painted Bowed Chest

Flat Paint :

Flat Paint is commonly used on most walls, and has the lowest sheen available. Flat paint produces a very smooth finish and has non-reflective properties. Flat paint will conceal wall imperfectionsand it does this the very best compared to all other paint sheens. If you do have an older style home, consider flat paint with an enamel properties. This will enable you to scrub your walls, but also conceal the large amount of blemishes that exist on most every wall. Unless you have fresh drywalls, do not consider using a gloss or a semi gloss on your walls.

Flat paint lacks shine and is harder to scrub dirt and dust off without rubbing the dirt in further. Flat paint will not show any lines, cracks, or imperfections that exist, which makes it a miracle paint.  I would not suggest using really dark paint colors with flat paint on walls.  Flat paint is also most commonly used on ceilings, but not so much in high traffic areas where the wall will get dirty.

Matte and flat paint are almost the same sheen. Matte paint has a little more shine than flat but not much that it is a noticeable difference.

Satin or Eggshell

Satin or Eggshell paint is the prime choice for painting furniture. Furniture should always have some sort of sheen, either from the paint itself or from furniture wax.

Satin or eggshell paint has a low-luster and slightly sheen properties. They have a bit more luster compared to flat or matte paint, and gives more warmth and depth to a room compared to flat paint. The beauty of satin or eggshell paint is it still conceals imperfections quite well. It will not do quite as good of a job as flat when hiding defects on the wall, but it is more scrub able than matte paint.

Semi-Gloss

Semi Gloss paint is very durable and one of the easiest to clean. Semi gloss is often the most popular choice to use in bathrooms, and kitchens, and children's bedrooms, and is often used in high traffic areas due to the ability of being highly scrub able.

However, semi-gloss paint has some draw backs, making it a sheen most people steer away from. Semi gloss paint will not hide blemishes, but will magnify them. You will be able to see the crack or the roller marks from the paint brushes very easily.

Personally I do not use any type of gloss paint unless the furniture or wall is almost perfect.Either the walls are fresh drywall, or my furniture is sanded quite well. The reason for this is often times when you walk into a room with shiny walls, it is the first thing you notice, and often times as nice as the furniture may be, or the room beautifully decorated, your eyes are drawn back to the walls AND then to the imperfections. Your customers, or guests will notice the imperfections in an instant.

There are certain occasions where Semi gloss paints is a necessity such as Children's rooms, back splashes in kitchens or bathrooms.  Also, semi gloss paint is imperative in creating some specialty faux finishes.Faux Marble is one finish that semi, gloss, or high gloss paint is used. Marble will always have a high gloss shine, so therefore if your walls were painted in a faux marble the sheen should be expected to be shiny.

Martha Stewart Chinoiserie Sideboard

Gloss

Gloss should be an absolute must on baseboard, trim and and door frames. Not only will it be durable to scrub, but it will also show off the ornate details that trim work and architectural moldings are so famous for. There is nothing more beautiful than a glossy front door that has incredible depth in the paint. It certainly screams luxury! Again, the draw backs are it reveals imperfections, so be sure to sand well before and between coats.

High Gloss

High-gloss paint is a gloss paint that is glossed to the max. High gloss paint reflects so much light that it will draws in the light reflection from every angle.

High Gloss paints are perfect for high end furniture with plenty of curves, such as bombe dressers, french chairs, french chests, grand pianos and so forth. Heavily carved architectural moldings would be the ideal choice for high gloss finishes.
How to Achieve a Professional High Gloss Finish.

Tip #1 - Be sure your Surface is Flawless

Furniture:

If you are going after a high gloss finish, be sure to sand your piece of furniture with the finest sandpaper to begin. Next, use a flat paint in the exact same color you are planning on using in a gloss. Painting with gloss paint is sort of like painting with a lot of clear glaze. I made the mistake of using a high gloss on some walls without a base coat. I started off with the gloss, and after 6 coats it still didn't cover. It was an absolute mess, because after 6 coats, you could see endless roller marks. Start off with your flat coat to start, and be sure your coverage is perfect before working with the gloss. This means your finish should be cover your furniture completely, with it sanded to perfection before working with the gloss. Spraying furniture is often the supreme choice when working with gloss paint, although foam brushes do such a good job, so don't discount hand painting as long as it is combined with sanding.

Walls:

A Primer is a requirement, with a number of coats of the same color in flat to begin. Be sure your walls are fully covered in the flat paint before you begin working with the high gloss paint. Again your flat and high gloss paint will be the exact same color.

If you are planning to paint gloss paint over existing flat walls, you will need two coats of paint to avoid flashing (unevenness of sheen throughout the wall). Two coats improve consistency of sheen and enhance color tone.

Tip #2 Work With A Smooth Roller or Brush

Be sure to work with a SMOOTH roller that will leave no marks on your walls, such as a Ultra smooth polyurethane roller, or foam roller.

6-Inch Foam Roller Refills,  3-Inch Foam Roller,  Foam Roller Cover,  Ace Foam Trim Roller ,  20 Foam Paint Brushes

These painting tips will help your walls and furniture look like a professional finish with each project you undertake. Be sure to not rush your self, and allow some some extra time and your furniture will look amazing.

Steven Gambrel From Modern Interior Design Ideas and Pictures

Steven Gambrel's Home Pictures can be found here on Modern Interior Design Ideas and Pictures

Glossy Painted Walls Designer Melissa Rufty

Steven Gambrel's Glossy Painted Walls

Somerset Bay features some of the most beautiful painted furniture, with a focus on cottage and coastal palettes that will make you feel right at home. Their collections are inspired by the coastal influences of Nantucket, Newport, Carmel, Bar Harbor, to name a few. Each piece of furniture is handcrafted and [...]]]>

Somerset Bay's Painted Furniture

Somerset Bay features some of the most beautiful painted furniture, with a focus on cottage and coastal palettes that will make you feel right at home. Their collections are inspired by the coastal influences of Nantucket, Newport, Carmel, Bar Harbor, to name a few. Each piece of furniture is handcrafted and features the finest mahogany and premium veneers. Somerset Bay's furniture collection features a beautiful select range of available paint finishes with exceptional finishing techniques such as distressing, dry-brushing, and antiquing.  Their faux painted furniture certainly catapults their furniture above the rest in their field.  Check out some of the beautiful painted pieces below

Somerset Bay's Painted Furniture Avon Decorated

Sommerset Bay's Painted Furniture Long Key Chest

Sommerset Bay's Painted Furniture

Sommerset Bay's Painted Furniture Indian Key Chest

Big Pine Key Chest Painted Furniture

Somerset Bay's Painted Furniture Topsail Decorated

Many of us who sell painted furniture began by selling furniture out of our homes, then grew and expanded by adding to our businesses over the years as we matured in the art of painting furniture.  There are so many ways of painting furniture, and each artist can set themselves apart by developing their own style [...]]]>

Knack Studio's - Lilly

Many of us who sell painted furniture began by selling furniture out of our homes, then grew and expanded by adding to our businesses over the years as we matured in the art of painting furniture.  There are so many ways of painting furniture, and each artist can set themselves apart by developing their own style and approach to painting.  Barb Blair, the owner of Knack Studios, has had tremendous success with her painted furniture business.  She got her start by featuring her furniture in an antique mall.  Today her painted furniture is featured in her own custom studio where she takes clients by appointment.  Blair also showcases her furniture at Antiques on Augusta - an upscale antique shop in Greenville, South Carolina.  Today her distinctive style is known across the United States.  Custom finishes at Knack Studios start at $400, and they can range in price depending on size, finish, details and hardware.  One of the most impressive details that originally caught my eye was Blair's genius choice of color.  Knack Studio colors tend to be more muted when compared to colors often found in antique furniture.  Her style leans towards the gustavian and rococo gray and yellow tones.  The softer lines often seen in cottage and french furniture have become tremendously popular in recent years - often taking the place of the stiff lines seen in much of the modern furniture being produced these days.  Muted tones and clean traditional furniture lines have always had their place in American homes and will always remain in style as the fads come and go.

Even though almost everyone can paint furniture, it is often the choice of color which sets apart the amateur painters from the experienced professionals.  Careful choice of color and aging techniques can suggest that a piece of furniture is older than it looks.  Antique furniture is often much more expensive, and harder to find, which makes it highly coveted.  Everyone wants the expensive antique painted furniture promoted in magazines such as Veranda, but who can afford the price points that come along with antique furniture?   Painted furniture pieces can give you that antique look without breaking your budget.  When painting furniture, if you take the time to add additional steps such as distressing, glazing or adding extra faux finishes can add a lot of detail to painted furniture giving it that aged appearance.

If you run into color confusion as I do, one book I would highly suggest is Colors For Your Every Mood: Discover Your True Decorating Colors by Leatrice Eiseman which you can pick up from Amazon used for under $8 dollars.  She details a variety of antique color combinations found in various parts of the world which will aid any avid painter in determining the right color choices for period furniture.

Getting back to Knack Studios, we recently interviewed Barb Blair and I think that you will find what she shared with us to be very enlightening....

Meranda: How did you get started painting furniture?

Barb : I got hooked on painting when I painted my kitchen cabinets about ten years ago! the rest is history:)

Meranda: Every painter has a unique story of how they began painting. What was your story?

Barb : I started very small painting pieces and selling them out of my home, putting together a spring show and a fall show. Then I started selling at an antique mall , six months later opened up a second antique store location and then six months after that I opened knack studio. I have since stopped selling at the first antique location, but have maintained the second, and have just relocated into a larger studio that is perfect for the growing knack needs! I am proud to say that knack is a debt free business that has been built on a cash only business plan.....and it feels great!

Meranda: Why is it worth it to find an antique than to shop new?

Barb: While there may be some good to new pieces on the market...typically the antiques are built much better, with attention to detail and aesthetic appeal.... which makes painting those that have become cast off even more desirable.

Meranda : How has your style merged over time?

Barb: With time comes experience and with experience comes a level of comfort and confidence in who you are as an artist/designer. So, for me my style has stayed the same, just broader.

Meranda: What are your biggest design tips?

Barb: My biggest design tip is to live with what you love, and don't feel tied to a specific set of design rules! let your space be a description of who you are , what you love, and who you are loved by! make it comfortable, inviting, and a haven for yourself and your family.....that is what home is all about.

Meranda: How can your home be different than every other home?

Barb: Your home will be different if it is a reflection of who you are..... such as collections, children's art work , found treasures, character pieces, and a low amount of mass produced objects:) buy local and handmade!

Meranda: What are some of your tips for painting furniture?

Barb: Always work in a clean well ventilated environment. proper tools are absolutely essential, so do your research on what works best for your particular project. remember that it's just paint, and have fun with it!

Meranda: Where do people go wrong with painting furniture?

Barb: Maybe they become impatient or expect perfection? the whole painted furniture concept is to see the beauty of imperfection.....when you can grasp that , painting becomes an adventure!

Knack Studio's Painted Furniture

Knack Studio's Painted Furniture

Knack Studio's Painted Furniture

Knack Studio's Painted Furniture

Knack Studio's Painted Furniture

Apartment Therapy had a post featuring a designer from the Netherlands, who designed a home around frames of metallic color.  Designer Marcel Prins,who was designing the Berrington House in Munich, painted all the walls in metallic paint in blocks of different hues of green, bronze, and gold.  The Berrington-house features 24 colours metallic colors [...]]]>

Marcel Prins Metallic Painted Walls

Apartment Therapy had a post featuring a designer from the Netherlands, who designed a home around frames of metallic color.  Designer Marcel Prins,who was designing the Berrington House in Munich, painted all the walls in metallic paint in blocks of different hues of green, bronze, and gold.  The Berrington-house features 24 colours metallic colors that flow from one room to another in different shades.  Metallic paint has a glamorous feel to it that when decorating, you want to consider like objects with similar properties with glossy finishes such as marble, lacquered furniture, glass and mirrors.  Metallic paint will almost bring light into any room because of its over all shine.

Metallic paint also called polychromatic or "metal flake" paint, is used on the majority of new cars as metallic paint can show off the  contours of bodywork better than solid paint.  Small metal flakes in the paint create a sparkling effect.

Consider a Pattern in Metallic Paint, and combine it with complementary colors such as bronze with yellow, or Gold and brown.

Marcel Prins

Marcel Prins

Marcel Prins

Marcel Prins

Marcel Prins

Ralph Lauren Regant Metallic Collection

Ralph Lauren Metallic Paint Technique

Marble can be achieved by using a thick plastic garbage bag.   The finished look, gives a marble appearance, so when choosing your colors, look at authentic marble for a natural set of colors what would work in your home.

The following technique was gathered from  Susan Driggers Painted Finishes For Walls & Furniture

This technique involves 2 [...]]]>

Marble Techniques

Marble can be achieved by using a thick plastic garbage bag.   The finished look, gives a marble appearance, so when choosing your colors, look at authentic marble for a natural set of colors what would work in your home.

The following technique was gathered from  Susan Driggers Painted Finishes For Walls & Furniture

This technique involves 2 basic steps.  To achieve a greater depth in the finished product, take the second step and repeat it adding more glaze and less paint.  The key to this faux finish is the glaze which gives a transparent finish.

1. Paint your wall in a soft beige white.  Look at natural marble and pick the best color as your base coat.  Let the wall dry.

2.  The next step is adding the glazed paint which will be applyed on the wall using a garbage bag.

Take a pre-mixed glaze of a darker color of your original color.  Yellows or shades of white with a bit of brown work well.  Work again with colors you find in marble.  Work in small sections to make it look like big slabs of marble.  Tape off large squares on your wall to break up the pattern.

Take your paint roller, and roll on the glaze in a section of the square you are working in.  Let it dry a slight bit* Take your heavy weight garbage bag, and press it on to the wall.  Run your hands on the garbage bag, allowing the bag to be pressed into the paint.  Don't move the bag around, just simply roll your arm or hands on the bag, allowing the bag to stick to the wall.  Simply take off the garbage bag, and your left with a crinkled print on your walls.

Additional thoughts......

-Be sure to clean off the paint mess in the next square when you are done.

-To create the marble veins, you could simply take a small paint brush and use brown paint and mostly GLAZE, and paint in the small veins found in marble ON THE WALL.  Take your garbage bag, and roll the glaze on the garbage bag, and press it on the wall.

-Marble has milky layers to it.  So if you are adding additonal steps, allow your glaze  to be a bit of a milky white brown or yellow mixture.  Additonal steps should be more glaze and less paint, because you do not want the original pattern to be disturbed much.

Bryonie Porter creates outstanding wallpapered furniture from the most famous wallpaper companies such as Cole & Son, Osborne & Little, and Timorous Beasties. She does a wonderful job of matching up the paint with the colors in the wallpaper.  Do take a look at her wonderful website with many more of her wallpaper creations.   [...]]]>

Map Chest by Bryonie Porter

Bryonie Porter creates outstanding wallpapered furniture from the most famous wallpaper companies such as Cole & Son, Osborne & Little, and Timorous Beasties. She does a wonderful job of matching up the paint with the colors in the wallpaper.  Do take a look at her wonderful website with many more of her wallpaper creations.   Decoupage looks quite complicated, but it is much easier than it looks.  With a little patience, you can cover a lovely chest with beautiful wallpaper using some easy techniques that will allow you to have an ornatly detailed piece of furntiure without the laborous time painting the details.   We show you some simple tricks to creating the perfect decoupage wallpaper chest.

How to Decoupage Furniture 101

1.  Make sure that your object is dry, smooth, and free from any kind of imperfections. I would always suggest slighly sanding your piece of furniture so that the glue has something to grab on to.

2.  Cut out your image first.  This is the most tedious and important part of the whole process.  You want to be patient to get a great cut.

4.  Submerge your print in water which will allow you to manipulate the print on your furniture with ease

- Avoid decoupaging with thin paper because it overly wrinkles, and tears very easily.  Many copy stores now produce beautiful prints that can blown up to cover any large piece of furniture.  Do not use ink-jet photo copies as they will smear in water and with water based varish products.

4.Using a foam paint brush, and glue, apply glue all over the furniture area you are covering.   Work section by section.  Align the paper with the furniture edges, and carefully apply the cutout to the surface of the furniture.

Keep your hands wet or the paper will tear. Use a wet paint brush sponge and and work out excess glue, water, and air. Work  outward from the center using a foam roller to flatten the surface and even out the glue under neath your print.

-Avoid bending or crumpling the print, as it gives the finished product a bumpy, ugly look.

-Within the first hour after the application, check your furniture piece to smooth out any air bubbles with wet fingers.  Let your furniture dry overnight.

5.  The next day after your piece is dry you will need to apply a sealer.  It is extremely important that your first coat is a water based polycrylic.  If you use an oil based polyurethane, it will leave spots in your collage, and potentially ruin it.

Modge Podge is another option which seals collages which dries to a rock hard finish.  It can be used to glue your paper down and and seal your final piece.  Modge Podge is available in Gloss, Satin and Matte finishes.  Mod Podge also has an excellent line of fabric glue.

A water based polycrylic is always the very best option on white painted furniture, as an oil based polyurthane will always turn yellow over night and keep getting darker in color over time.  Polycrylic comes in a satin and semi gloss, and gloss finish.  It also comes in a beautiful spray, which makes it much easier to produce a clean even finish.  The polycrylic or Mod Podge are excellent products will seal your furniture, but if you wish to additionally add an oil based spray lacquer, use it after you have applied 2 layers of polycrylic. 

If your collage is lightly colored, I would caution you against using anything but water based.  For darker prints, a polyurthane spray  will yellow over time.  Acrylic lacquer avoids the yellowing problems associated with nitrocellulose lacquer.  Acrylic resins go on crystal-clear and stay that way over time.  The most widely used Acrylic lacquers is called CAB-acrylic lacquer, made with cellulose acetate butyrate and acrylic resins.

Pink Desk By Bryonie Porter Wallpaper by xxxx

Pink Toile Chest by Bryonie Porter Wallpaper by Timorous Beasties – London Toile

Bluewillow By Bryonie Porter Using Osborne & Little

Blue Toile By Bryonie Porter Wallpaper by Timorous Beasties

Sponging was such a popular faux finish pushed in the 80's that everyone gave it a try.  Bad sponging jobs from amateur painters have turned the majority of the public off from sponging faux finishes all together. I am an active buyer on craigslist, and way too often [...]]]>

Painting Texture Examples and Ideas By Tomoe89

Sponging was such a popular faux finish pushed in the 80's that everyone gave it a try.  Bad sponging jobs from amateur painters have turned the majority of the public off from sponging faux finishes all together. I am an active buyer on craigslist, and way too often have I seen very poor sponging finishes in homes that is no wonder that sponging has such a bad rap. Everyone has seen this finish done wrong. Sponge painting is one of the key tools in every professional faux artists tool kit that if it is done properly can be one of the most fantastic finishes around. We want to show you the main reasons this faux finish fails and what you can do to get it right.

1. Sponge Faux Finishes Fail When They Become Fantasy Finishes.

Paint applications are designed to replicate different materials found in nature. Have you ever heard of pink marble? Neither have I, so why would you paint it in your home? Faux finishes are created for the illusion of expensive materials or natural finishes found in nature without the cost of them.When Versailles was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, the Opéra was constructed entirely of wood. Some areas consisted of marble, but much was painted to resemble marble in a technique known as faux marble. The furniture was made of real gold, but I suppose money cannot buy everything they wanted, so painting gave the illusion of the material they hoped to buy to complete architecture in their design.

One example of fantasy painting mistakes is the faux wood designs in odd ball colors.Wood rockers (click on the rocker to see product details) used to create faux wood are one of the very best tools any decorative artist should own. When this simple tool is used with the right colors, it can re-create the most realistic expensive wood that would other wise retail for thousands.  Faux wood doors, cabinets and whole wood rooms can be re-created using a wood rocker. The trick again is color.

Woolie Wood Graining Tool

Stained wood in odd colors such as blue and green just do not work well, because blue wood cannot be found in nature. Painting wood is entirely different.  Staining wood in odd colors isn't wrong, it just isn't a high end look.

The point of faux finishes are to be illusions to the eye and realistic to some degree. An excellent example of this is by artist Jean Pronovost, where real marble is mixed with faux marble. Odd colors are a dead give away that the finish is artificial. As you can see in their design, you wouldn't have known the tub surround was fake marble unless they pointed it out.

An faux artist never wants a viewer to figure out what tool they used to complete a faux finish, but rather to guess if the work is real wood, marble, or stone. Today fantasy finishes are a fad of the past. 18th century finishes which resemble the high end natural finishes have always remained popular.

Sponging can be used to create the beautiful Tuscan wall finishes you would find in Italy and Spain.  Sponging can also create beautiful lime stone walls, and natural elements you just cannot buy at home depot. Choosing the right colors can really go along way in creating a natural looking stone wall.

2. Sponge Faux Finishes Fail When They Don't Have A Lighter Base Coat.

Many people think that the sponge does the work in the overall finish, which is not true. In fact, your base coat is one of the most important elements along side the glaze in this finish.

Most times an experienced painter doesn't have to tape off their walls, but in this finish, it is almost imperative to tape the corners and ceiling because you are forcing a sponge into corners which would create a mess without tape.   A base coat of paint in a solid color should be applied as your first step.

Great painters don't happen over night. I have had my fair share of bad sponging jobs! Oh ya!

One of the biggest mistakes I have made was working with dark colors as my base coat. I have noticed that the best sponging finishes are those with a lighter base color.  Working with a lighter base coat, allows your glaze be a shade darker than your base paint.  Working with slight shade differences gives you a more professional appearance, such as the natural stone range above.  Working from there, you can add in some additional toned colors using a entirely different tool to give it more of a natural look.

With a dark base color, the overall effect just looks like mud.  You then have no opportunity to add several layers of glaze.

Great painters need to learn from their mistakes.  I got interested in decorting in my 20's, and helped an ex boyfriend fix up his condo.  I suggested we paint the door frames in silver.  I think back to that design idea and shake my head.  What was I thinking?

I have made my fair share of bad sponging jobs, as every painter has.  I once used a burnt orange as my base color, and used the sponge to create an over all effect in brown. It was a disaster. Again, the choice of the base color was wrong, and unnatural. Lighter colors work the best which allow a lot of room to add more than one colored glaze.

3. Sponge Faux Finishes Fail When Glaze is not utilized as the second tool.

Almost everyone associates faux sponging with blotchy blemished effect which is what most people achieve with sponging.

Why does this happen?

A. The sponge is often overloaded with paint that it looks blotchy. One way or another you will have to pay for this mistake. I remember very well the days it took me to sand down the finish on our bedroom walls from applying too much paint instead of glaze.

B. Don't work on a faux finish if you don't have the energyto take it slow. Everyone wants quick results, but this is a finish that you want to take your time with.

A faux sponge roller allows you to get the finish on the wall, and use a different medium such as a hand broom, or rags to break up the patterned finish.  (Click on the picture to get to the product)

C. Get your paint pre-mixed with glaze. This prevents you from dipping your sponge right into the paint and then into the glaze, which always turns out saturated with paint than a translucent finish.

One of the most important secrets to sponging is to only have your base coat in straight paint. ALL the rest of the applications should be with glaze. Either using a trowel, or a rag, or a sponge, your application should be using glaze.

What is glaze exactly?

Glazes are binders which only minimal paint is added which makes the overall color more transparent. The more glaze that is added, the more transparent the finish. When working with glazes, be aware that they tend to dry quickly, so have some water in a pie pan easily available to make some corrections.

 Best Look Faux Finish Glaze

Blend & Glaze Decorative Painting Liquid

Ici Paints RL2420 04 QT Faux Int Ltx Glaze

There are two types of glazes: water-based and oil-based.

A. Latex or water-based glaze is very easily to work with and can be cleaned up with soap and water. If you are working with glaze for the first time, take a sample board and try out a couple techniques before attempting your walls.

B. Oil-based glazes are more durable, but they also need much more time to dry.  Oil based finishes will have been used with paint thinner in order to work with the glaze.

4. Sponge Faux Finishes Fail When ONLY The Sponge is used.

One application tool sometimes isn't enough when an artist is trying to re-create stone. Different methods are used to apply paints, glazes, and texture when an artist is trying to create faux stone, wood, and other natural surfaces. A variety of paintbrushes, sea sponges, putty knives, and rags can be used to create different textures.  In the past I have used plastic packing material to create texture.  At one point I was using my kitchen broom. Look around and see what you can use from what you have.  Take a bunch of rags and elastic bands, and attach them to your roller.

Don't be afraid of picking up a hand broom and moving your glaze around. Multiple tools are going to provide a more natural look than one simple application using your sponge.

Layering on colors are time-consuming, but well worth it. The most important part is to carefully choose colors that work well together. You want to work from lighter base coats to shades of the same color which are darker.

Floppy Faux Roller - Floppy Faux Roller
Wagner Spray WallMagic 4-Inch Rag Roll Dual Roller Covers

Purdy 031925-003 6-Inch Large Sea Sponges
Complete Faux Finish Kits - 14320 Rag Faux Kit
Wagner Spray Tech. 0510161J Wall Magic Dual Roller Kit

Woolie Glaze Donut Paint Tool

Another technique involves newspaper. Pressing paper into glaze and removing can create a beautiful finish.

5. Sponge Faux Finishes Fail When The Design Is Not Muted.

The biggest trick to sponging is to allow your overall finish to be muted, and subtle. Just like you began with an over all base coat of paint, you want to finish with an over all coat of glaze. A day after you have completed your overall sponged effect, use a roller and paint every area (ceiling to the baseboards) using a mixed glaze in the color you sponged with. It is amazing what this will do to tone down your obvious brush effects, making it much more subtle. You will not see the overall effect until the glaze dries. This step pushes amateur painting techniques into professional ones.

Painting Texture Examples and Ideas By Places By Pecchio

This bow-front French Louis XV Style "Coromandel" Commode features lacquered black paint and Chinoiserie motifs on ebonized mahogany. This chest found at Negrel Antiques in Austin Texas is a shining example of how beautiful Chinoiserie motifs can enhance the beauty of a chest. This particular chest has 2 drawers with cabriole legs with [...]]]>

This bow-front French Louis XV Style "Coromandel" Commode features lacquered black paint and Chinoiserie motifs on ebonized mahogany. This chest found at Negrel Antiques in Austin Texas is a shining example of how beautiful Chinoiserie motifs can enhance the beauty of a chest. This particular chest has 2 drawers with cabriole legs with bronze sabots. The white marble top gives this chest a beautiful contrast against the black lacquer and hand painted chinoiserie. The bronze hardware and acanthus leaf designs really stand out against the black lacquer, and complement the complexity of the chinoiserie designs. The keyhole escutcheons and rococo handles are original hardware during the Louis XV period.

Chinoiserie Painted Furniture Louis XV Chest

Chinoiserie Painted Furniture Louis XV Chest

When it comes to home decor, very few things are nicer than the crisp fresh looks of the coast. Nautical decorating has never gone out of style, and has in fact been an anchor in design for many years. For example, Ralph Lauren's 2010 spring and summer collection brings together the [...]]]>

Painted Chest Nautical Makeover

When it comes to home decor, very few things are nicer than the crisp fresh looks of the coast. Nautical decorating has never gone out of style, and has in fact been an anchor in design for many years. For example, Ralph Lauren's 2010 spring and summer collection brings together the richness of french furnishings combined with textiles borrowed from nautical looks. When decorating with nautical decor, furniture should be the first consideration and the major element of the theme. The furniture should be classic pieces and should be made from an attractive, solid wood such as burl wood, pine with lots of knots, or walnut (for a more upscale look). Good quality wood furnishings should be the focus of your room while the accessories will define the nautical feeling and give you the overall effect you are looking for.

Painted furniture is extremely popular in coastal decorating, and painted furniture pieces can be especially useful when combined with natural wood elements and a heavy use of metal. Brass is one of my favorite accessories on furniture, so I am always inclined to combine it with my painted furniture to some degree. With the particular dresser above, I felt the framed drawers happened to be the perfect design for a dramatic bold print. The natural wood was so spectacular on this chest, it would have been a sin to paint the entire dresser, so the classic nautical stripe seemed to be the perfect fit for this antique beauty.

How did I achieve this striped nautical look?

I started by slightly sanding the dresser, and then adding an extra wide tape to the dresser by starting in the middle of the dresser and working my way out. I would always suggest spraying your dresser when doing this technique, as brush painting will always create a raised paint line which you want to avoid. In addition, flat paint is always the best idea when buying a spray paint, but gloss or semi gloss may be all that is available and will work almost just the same.  After spraying your dresser, remove the tape an hour later, revealing the beautiful design.

Painted Furniture

Coastal Style: Home Decorating Ideas Inspired by Seaside Living

Coastal Living by Stanley Furniture Coastal Living Table Desk, Coastal Living by Stanley Furniture Reunion Console SetCoastal Living Wayfarer Side Chair - Multiple Colors & Fabrics

If you are considering other painted furniture, do consider white or cream painted furniture. If the piece has an upscale french feel to it, consider a white gloss combined with brass. If antique is your style, consider something painted with more of a distressed look to give it the feel of years of use on the beach or out at sea. Getting the right furniture pieces is really key if you are shooting for a nautical theme.

Outstanding Nautical Painted Furniture From Design Sponge

When choosing decorating elements, don't stray too far from your nautical decorating theme or it will become a confusing design. For an authentic nautical design, finding the best antique furniture and accessories is the key to creating the ultimate costal look. Nautical decor should include elements that you would naturally find on a boat such as metal anchors, paddles, oars and ship wheels. Other must haves are vintage glass, antique lanterns, old wooden chests and aged books. Consider a few luxuries to sit on table tops such as brass spyglasses, or transferware. Other appropriate touches for any nautical-themed room are model sailboats, lighthouses, and model ships encased in glass.

Coastal Seagrass Rug - Sage/Khaki, Cotton Binding
Upholsery and decorative pillows go a long way in any design, and could spice up your decor.  Canvas is a traditional material that can be used for draperies.  Try to buy patterns and fabrics that are all different with one matching element to tie together your nautical-themed room.

I wish the you best of luck as you try to bring together your own nautical-themed design!

Ralph Lauren Nautical Coastal Interior Design Spring Summer 2010

18" Ship Wheel Wooden: Pirate Boat Nautical Fishing

Brass Porthole Clock 11": Nautical Decor
Sextant Nautical Brass 4" With Wooden Box
38" Brass Telescope Harbormaster: Nautical Ship
Brass Triangle Sundial Compass 6"  Nautical Decor Desk Compasses

Ships Wheel Tide Clock - Nautical Boating
Nautical Solid Brass Porthole Quartz Clock Rope on Solid Wood
Nautical Solid Brass Thermometer & Hygrometer on Teak Wood
Table top clock 7" Nautical Decorative Solid Brass Home Nautical Decor

Most people are not naturally talented free hand artists.  If you love the look of detailed hand painting on furniture, but do not have the thousands to afford genuine antiques, you can achieve the look on your own with a little hard work, and some tracing paper.

One way of being able [...]]]>

Painted Drop Front Desk Seller Fireside Antiques

Most people are not naturally talented free hand artists.  If you love the look of detailed hand painting on furniture, but do not have the thousands to afford genuine antiques, you can achieve the look on your own with a little hard work, and some tracing paper.

One way of being able to transfer an image with precision is old fashioned  tracing paper.  Detailed hand sketching and  painting is quite a bit easier when tracing an image that is perfectly proportionate.  Using tracing paper and a pencil, an image can look quite stunning as a chest worth several thousand dollars.

(All these chests pictured in this post are quite a bit of money, because they are genuine antiques)   

Graphite TRANSFER PAPER-Tracing-Sketch-Drawing,  EXCEL Burnisher with 4 assorted tips

Depending on the style, your first step is to paint the overall background color on to your painted piece.

{It is always important to lightly sand your furniture piece before painting, which prevents peeling.  }

Consider using a flat or eggshell finish as your base paint, as it accepts drawn images on the surface than semigloss paints.  The finish is just like paper, so it will be much easier to use as a canvas with liquid pens.  Once the image is drawn on to the furniture piece, use a colored pen to go over the traced images.  From there, follow your inspiration pattern for color filling and additional colors.

Illuminated Initials in Full Color: 548 Designs features an archive of extraordinarily beautiful and decorative letters of the alphabet splendidly ornamented with geometric and curvilinear motifs interwoven with royal and saintly figures, mythical creatures, knights in battle, exquisite florals and much more. A wonderful glimpse of the ancient art of manuscript illumination.

Decorative Flower and Leaf Designs, 4000 Animal, Bird and Fish Motifs: A Sourcebook

The The World of Ornament brings together the two greatest encyclopedias of collections.   Illuminated manuscripts, textiles, ceramics and a wide range of designs are there to inspire you to design beautiful hand painted furniture.  The ornamental designs encompass a wide range classic Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Asian, European, Etruscan and medieval motifs as well as many designs through the 19th century.  The price is well worth the investiment as it also includes a DVD-ROM containing high-resolution scans of all individual ornaments for unrestricted use.

The Treasury of Floral Designs and Initials for Artists and Craftspeopleis an  archive of over 700 wonderful graceful and imaginative designs featuring flowers, leaves, and vines in delicate interlacements.

Fantastic Ornament: 110 Designs and Motifs , include cartouches, frames, doors, trophies, cabinets, friezes for textiles and wallpaper, decorative scutcheons, stone balustrades, arabesques, roof cornices, and much more.

3,000 Decorative Patterns of the Ancient World, Plants and Flowers: 1761 Illustrations for Artists , Chinese Flora and Fauna Designs

French Architectural Ornament: features designs from floor to ceiling, and spanning grand facades, supremely rich ornament and detail envelops the enduring landmarks of France.

French Baroque Ornament (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)

Early 19th Century French slant top painted desk Louis XV style By Jacqueline Adams

Hand Painted Italian Lacco Povera Commode Furniture Seller John Yaconetti Antiques

Italian Painted Commode Seller John Yaconetti Antiques

Stenciling can be one form of adding genius to your painted furniture. Forget the country craft stencils popular in the 80's, as todays modern stencils are more intricate, unique and timeless. Todays hottest painters are thinking outside the box when it comes to decorating [...]]]>

Great French Bombe Decorator Painted Commode Dresser Ebay Seller Lake view Style

Stenciling can be one form of adding genius to your painted furniture. Forget the country craft stencils popular in the 80's, as todays modern stencils are more intricate, unique and timeless. Todays hottest painters are thinking outside the box when it comes to decorating their furniture with stencils. Lauren author of InDecorous Taste is fabulous painter with an incredible amount of talent who uses stencils in a new direction combining the natural wood and layering different patterns and opposite colors to create pieces worthy of rich empire looks.   Here she combines hand painted leopard trim against a block pattern in white with gilt accents on a beautiful chest.  While some of us are really good at block patterns, she is really talented at adding multiple patterns to form one design which works fabulously together.  Here she shows a hand painted throw animal print rug, and a french chair whose upholstery is hand painted in an elaborate tiger print.  Again, the hand painted landscape and the animal printed chair mixed in with fabulous french antiques is a room designed for royalty.   Her attention to detail islayered from the stenciled french walls, to the florentine mirror and paintings all with their own exquisite colors.   Featured in this link is a  faux-marble accent table in orange marble with white which looks superb against black wood.   Empire decorating, is one of the only styles which incorporates the most richest elements, such as marble walls, beautiful lavish colors mixed with natural features such as marble,  fur throws, flame mahogany, and gilt wood.   Lauren's hand painted pieces show interesting ways of adding color and combining patterns that work together, and painting delicate detailswhich might be other wise overlooked.

Stenciled Wall Featured From Royal Design Studio

Designamour featured this outstanding picture of an entry way using Royal Design Studio's Moorish Trellis stencil using black on black.  This is a popular approach to using stencils, and one of the most elegant patterns and the easiest.  Not only does it look timeless, but it is fairly simple to accomplish using any color.

Using a suggested eggshell or flat paint as your base, and using the same color, stencil in your pattern in a gloss paint.    Lauren uses the same technique on a serpentine secretary and finishes the interior in a faux tortoise shell.

Don't discount the common patterns you find in your local retail stores.  Napkins often feature the newest designs, and are quite inexpensive to purchase.  Your local fabric store will also have an array of different geometrical patterns that can be large enough to trace on a blank stencil sheet.

How do you go about making your own stencil?

1.  Using a small tip permanent marker, transfer your pattern on to a Blank
Airbrush Stencil Template. Using a  Black Sharpie Permanent Marker, Ultra-Fine Point  copy the pattern you intend to use on to your blank template.  Sharpie pens are excellent pens for transferring patterns because most of them are permanent.   You can also find blank Stencil Templates at {most} craft stores.  They usually come in thick clear sheets without patterns.

2.  After your pattern is transfered, use a Cutlass Stencil Cutting Kit tool which heats up and with its fine point, cuts your designs as you trace away at your pattern.  Be sure to use a piece of glass under your transfer sheet.  Using an X-ACTO Stencil Knife Set can create sharp edges, but comes in handy for small details that are hard to get to.  Use the heated cutting tool for the majority of your cutting.  It will save you lots of energy and time in detailed stencils.  Stencil knives should also be available at your local craft store, or buy all your items at Amazon in one bulk purchase.

3.  Transferring the paint from your brush to your wall or furniture piece can be a little tricky.

A: One way of  transferring your stencil is to use spray paint.  Obviously you would have to dry off your stencil with a paper towel in between two or more uses.  This is a quick way of getting the stenciled image  done quickly.  This trick also only works with flat surfaces, so you may have to let your piece dry and do the curved parts by hand.  By spray painting, be sure to cover your furniture and floors with a old sheet.  The overspray from the paint will be very noticeable after you are finished.  Spray paint is ideally an outdoor solution than an indoor fix.

With any stenciling project, there is going to be mistakes with the color going outside the stenciled area.  After your piece is dry it will need to be touched up with the original color.

B.  Using a Wood Handle Stencil Brush, you can hammer in the paint with your stencil.  I have found in the past, that using a spray glue to keep the stencil in place only causes the finish to be messed up later as you use glaze and antiquing techniques.  ALTHOUGH, most people use spray adhesive, because it is very hard to keep the stencil in place. ( Use what is best for you. ) When I mention hammering,  you are apply the paint with your hand going vertically with slight force.

C.  You can use a Foam  Stencil Ink Fountain Roller to roll on your paint.  This might be one of the easiest ways to stencil.  Each of these ways are easier, and do have limitations.  Figure out what works best for you to finish your small or large stenciling  job.

If you have more than one color for a complex pattern using a number of colors, do not try to do it all at once.  Let your project dry, and add the next layer.

The biggest trick to stenciling is to remove most of your color on to a paper towel before applying your paint brush to the stencil and on to your surface.

Why?

When you apply too much paint, your color will bleed outside the stencil.

Stencil 101 Décor: Customize Walls, Floors, and Furniture with Oversized Stencil Art

Stencil 101 includes 10 reusable stencils.  1- Houndstooth 2- Butterflies
3- Polka dots, 4- Honeycomb hexagons, 5- Chain links (interlocking ovals)
6- Birds on a wire, 7- Lattice (interlocking squares) 8- 3-d Effect "stair steps"
9- Moroccan petals and 10- Quatrefoil
Each design is meant to be tiled simply line up each corner's registration marks to get a paint-your-own wallpaper effect.

The Encyclopedia of Monograms: Over 11,000 Motifs 

Geometric Patterns and Designs for Artists and Craftspeople

This chest is one of the most spectacular painted chests I have seen.  The designer Delphine Groult is known for her life size pop art and her brightly colored wooden furniture.  Delphine Groult was selected to represent France at the world fair in Aichi in Japan. Her beautiful furniture can be found here.  [...]]]>

This chest is one of the most spectacular painted chests I have seen.  The designer Delphine Groult is known for her life size pop art and her brightly colored wooden furniture.  Delphine Groult was selected to represent France at the world fair in Aichi in Japan. Her beautiful furniture can be found here.  Delphine Groult Coporation

Doing quick furniture makeovers is one of the most rewarding hobbies a person can have.  After all, who doesn't love looking at furniture before and after pictures.  I am always amazed at what a couple of coats of paint can do.  Painted furniture can really add that "wow factor" to a room.  Not only is it fun to see a dramatic transformation, but in many cases what was once a throw-away piece can become one of the most unique pieces in your home if you give it a different color scheme.

When I am all out of ideas to paint furniture, I look to silk scarves for inspiration because they often feature geometrical designs which can transfer to furniture.  Silk scarves feature carefully designed geometrical patterns or like-minded shapes which can give you ideas for painted furniture.

Whether you have a ranch home with contemporary-neutral colors, or have a rococo inspired home with pastels and high impact colors, there is a silk scarf that fits your style.  In fact there are hundreds of silk scarves all with different scenes and interests.

Gilt metal chair frames work elegantly with virtually any color.  Contrasting colors against gold have high impact.  Colors such as purple, mango,and apple green look outstanding with gold.   Adding ormolo hardware will go a long way to creating a statement chair.

If you do plan on working with silver or gold consider gold leafing.  Working with gold leaf can be tricky, but there are simpler methods of getting the finish to replicate real gold.  Gold leaf accents dark and bright silk colors beautifully.

If you choose to use a silk scarf to upholster an accent chair, be sure to use interfacing.

Silk is not recommended for upholstery, so in order to make your scarf durable to use on a chair, you will need to purchase iron-on interfacing.  Interfacing is a durable fabric with glue on one side which when heated will fuse together this durable fabric permanently with your scarf making your fabric much tougher.  Be sure to try it on an extra "throw away scarf"  before trying it with the fabric you intend to use.  I use interfacing on all my upholstery projects.  Below are examples of interfacing.

Fusible Non-Woven Interfacing- 15 Inch W x 3yds, Medium Weight Iron-On Fusible Interfacing- 20 Inch W x 1yd

Here are some additional patterns which would look outstanding painted on furniture.......

Silk Scarf Inspiration

Coach Silk Scarf, COACH Stripe Muli Legacy Colors Silk Scarf Ebay Seller Sassyamcouture, Gucci Bamboo Silk Scarf

Hermes Silk Scarf FAMOUS EX-LIBRIS PURPLE

Martha Stewart appeared on Squawk Box several months ago, (A stock market and currency business news program of CNN)  and spilled her feelings about Kmart who disappointed her greatly.  She was at that time looking for a new  home for her products, so it comes at no surprise that Home Depot [...]]]>

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart appeared on Squawk Box several months ago, (A stock market and currency business news program of CNN)  and spilled her feelings about Kmart who disappointed her greatly.  She was at that time looking for a new  home for her products, so it comes at no surprise that Home Depot will be carrying her paint line and cleaning products starting in March.

Sears and Kmart stores began selling the Martha Stewart Everyday home line in 1997, but in October of this year Sears and Martha Stewart did not extend the contract. Martha Stewart Living reported that 43 percent of its merchandising revenue in 2008 came from the Kmart line, but as Kmart lowered its royalty payments, so did MSL's revenue.  Martha Stewart Living's agreement with Lowe's ended Sept. 1 as well.

I'm thrilled to be working with The Home Depot to provide consumers with a beautiful paint palette inspired by nature and unique objects," said Martha Stewart, Founder of MSLO.

Talking with a home depot paint associate a few days ago, about the switch from Ralph Lauren to Martha Stewart was one which Home Depot was more on page with.  The associate commented that Ralph Lauren was a "clothing designer, not really a home improvement guru".  This was not an official statement of Home Depot, just the inside chatter of their associates.  Ralph Lauren was always the nicest paints in Home Depot, but many people by-passed their paints, for something less expensive.  Ralph Lauren's paints generally were 10 dollars more expensive, and after adding the savings up, no body blames the customer for saving a 60 dollars on average.

Ralph Lauren up to this point has been the best paint to be offered through Home Depot.  What has made Ralph Lauren's line special is they have carried the specialty products such as Faux glaze options, a wide range of metallics, and other finishes such as candlelight paint, swede finishes, and River Rock, which will no longer be available as they are clearing their shelves to make room for Martha Stewart.   They didn't offer a million choices like Behr, but rather hand picked great colors, than every shade under the sun.  Ralph Lauren also did an exceptional job of organizing their paint chips for their customers into several different categories which they called Lifestyle Colors, such as Thoroughbred, and Vintage masters which were among my favorite.   With Ralph Lauren, they offered something for every customer, such as colors for the bright California home, modern colors for the New York Formal Loft, and also classics for the Equestrian Connecticut Ranch.  I think we are all interested to see where they go next.

So what do we have to look forward to withMartha Stewart?

Martha Stewart has exceptional taste, who can deny that?  She knows how to pick the best colors for the greatest impact.  The Martha Stewart Living paint palette will consist of 280 handpicked colors created by Martha Stewart and the MSLO design team.  All their colors can be mixed for indoor and outdoor use.  Samples will be available in 8-ounce samples, enough to take home and test on the walls.  Interior paint will be available in 4 sheens, and exterior paint will be available in 2 sheens.  12 of "Martha's Picks" will be available pre-tinted paint.  The Martha Stewart paint line will be manufactured by Dutch conglomerate AkzoNobel, which has its U.S. headquarters in Strongsville.

"Partnering with Martha Stewart on a new brand of paint allows us to continue our efforts in enabling our customers to easily coordinate décor and design elements when taking on home improvement projects, all while staying true to our commitment to value and everyday low price," said Gordy Erickson, senior vice president of Merchandising, Decor. "We are also excited to announce the addition of Martha Stewart Clean to our cleaning category. Martha Stewart Clean will offer consumers an environmentally friendly yet effective option in cleaning."

"I don't paint window frames white anymore because the bright trim interrupts the view outside." Martha Stewart

This mudroom shows pastel colors using paint color Araucana Olive above, and Ameraucana Moss below. The floor is Araucana Teal.

Painted ceilings can open up spaces than close a space.  Many people are too frightened to paint the ceiling in a different color in fear that it will make their space smaller.  In this room, Araucana Turquoise was used on the ceiling, while a rich cream, Silkie White, is painted on to the trim work. The floor, in Crevecoeur, has the fine gloss of dinnerware. Hallway walls beyond are Araucana Green.  This is a perfect example of how beautiful a ceiling that is painted can look.

Green is a classic paint color for furniture.  This room works well, as the sheen is different on the furniture than on the walls.

Three different tones accentuate the paneling; the console is painted to match.  Martha Stewart also adds green in hanging lamp, glass vessels, and sconce's mirror which play off the walls.

Orange and Blue work well together if they are within the classic pastel colors.  The wood tones and the gold act as neutrals pulling the rooms together.

A black painted bamboo chest works perfectly with the dark gray walls.  A collection of silver platters line the walls and work perfectly with the paint color