Mirror...my first attempted with dark wax

I have always loved the look of furniture antiqued with dark wax.  However I have always been a little scared to experiment with it.  Mainly because there is NO going back once it is on.  Well you can repaint it....AHHHH

I when I got my hands on this mirror it was actually gold.  I painted it with chalk paint so I didn't have to sand or prime anything.  I figured if the dark wax went terribly bad it wasn't too bad to repaint!  So I gave it a go and I actually liked it!  

I was going to sell it but I like it a little too much...so it is going in my house, I just don't know where, as to why it is sitting on the floor!

If you are wanting to experiment with dark wax you SHOULD, it was a lot of fun!  Just start with a small piece!

TTFN

Brooke

SOLD!!

My first table I refinished and put up for sale sold!!!  In 20 minutes to say the least!  You can imagine how happy I was!  Part of me was sad to see it go as this was my very first EVER furniture refinish....about 3 1/2 years ago.  Needless to say I have learned a lot since then so I did refinish it AGAIN to sell it!  I love the pedestal with the claw feet!  The black chairs were a gamble but I LOVE the contrast.

There were other people interested in the table which turned into some more sells for me!  Hooray!

This is the next table I refinished: 

(before)

Gotta love the 2 pedestals!!

After

I refinished this table with Annie Sloan's Old Orche chalk paint.  I love chalk paint it is such a predictable paint and it usually does just what you want!  So for a piece like this Chalk Paint is the WAY to go!

These chairs have such fun lines, which makes distressing them FUN, and I love the 2 captain chairs!

I am currently working on my 3rd table and hope to be done in the next week or so.  I am loving refinishing furniture!  Painting is so soothing to me, I often find myself lost in my thoughts (which never happens with children) and lose track of time.  There is just nothing like painting outside at midnight in the cool peaceful air!

TTFN

Brooke

Master Bedroom

I have had a few questions about my master bedroom...it isn't quite done...but here is a sneak peak!

I love the flooring in this room.  When we bought this home the carpet in this room was original to the house, so it had to go.  We wanted pine planks to continue to feel through out the house.  My wonderful Husband laid this floor (it was more work than we thought) I then stained it with Mini Waxes Early American stain, and waxed it for durability!  (post about flooring)

The color on the walls is Putty by Pratt and Lambert.  I wanted a darker color in this room so my furniture would really stand out!

I did refinished our bedroom set as well!  Surprise Surprise right??  The foot board and the head board used to have Rod Iron on it.  I didn't love the look of the rod iron with the new finish so we cut them off and filled the holes with wood doules.  My bedroom furniture was my first furniture project that got me HOOKED!!  It is actually a veneer, but it worked awesome.  I sanded it down lightly so the paint would have something to stick to, I then primed it with Kilz, I painted it with a creamy white (I forgot the color)  once everything was dry I sanded it and then glazed it.  For my glaze I used Burnt Umber Universal Tint from Sherwin Williams.  Fill a cup with water and add a little tint until you get the darkness desired.  I then painted it on and wiped it off IMMEDIATELY with baby wipes!  It sticks to the sanded areas and stays in the cracks!

But the Lamb Skin rug in my favorite.  My girls and dog, as well as myself all like to lay on it and play!  It is so so soft and fluffy!

TTFN

Brooke

Duck Egg Blue Hutch

   I love this hutch refinished!  My husband bought this hutch for me 5 years ago, it makes me sad to think I am selling it.  I have always loved the hardware and the fun little ruffle at the top.  Since we moved to this house I just don't have anywhere to put it, so it seems silly to store it in the basement.  

 I refinished it with Annie Sloan's Duck Egg Blue chalk paint.  I did a glaze over the top of the chalk paint.  I love how glaze sticks to chalk paint.  It is all waxed and ready for a new home.  

  

If you live in the Salt Lake City Utah area and are interested in this piece Send me an email!

Brooke.n.larsen@gmail.com

TTFN

Brooke

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!

You may know...I LOVE photography.  So, yes as you can imagine I have so many pictures of my girls!  I have debated whether to hang this many personal pictures in my home.  I watch design shows and they are always taking down personal photos and replacing them with artwork to appeal to the mass of people.  I got thinking the other day...am I selling my house to everyone else or myself??  I am designing my house to sell to me, so what better than to have the people I love on my wall?

These white frames I actually found at a garage sale!!  SCORE!  They hang in my family room over my couch! 

I actually made these frames out of pallets from our sod!  I LOVE how they turned out.  

They were fun to make.  I tried a new technique and I am super happy with the results!  After they were cut out, I stained them with a dark stain, painted over the stain with a cream latex paint and then sanded them down!  It really brought out all the details and imperfections in the wood!

TTFN

Brooke

Cedar Chest

I really needed something in my family room to hid all the TOYS!!  Problem solved.....

My wonderful Papa made this cedar chest for me when I was about 10.  It has been with me ever since, that is along time.  So it has been through a teenager and 6 moves, as you can image it needed a face lift.  I FORGOT to take a before picture.  I was just so excited to get it done I guess.

The blue is Annie Sloan's chalk paint, Duck Egg Blue.  I know there have been several questions as to whether or not latex paint can be painted over Chalk Paint....the answer is YES.  I painted the whole thing duck egg blue and decided it needed some personality.  I didn't have any white chalk paint so the white is Latex.  It worked great!  The best part is when my girls need to clean up...they just  place (who am I kidding it is more of a chuck) it in the chest!

TTFN

Brooke

Pedestal Table

I just listed my first piece of refinished furniture for sale.  I am so anxious!  

I love this table and chairs, I am kind of sad to see it go.  I get attached to things, can't you tell.

I had lots of fun refinishing this piece.  This table is solid oak, and it had a dark stain on it, which was perfect for what I had in mind.

I painted over the top of the dark stain with a cream latex paint and then sanded it down to add some character!  I then waxed it with a hard wax for a durable top coat!

I love the cute vintage feel of this table.  It is great for anywhere, without the leaf it is the perfect table for a small space!

Keep your fingers crossed!!  Hope it sells!!!

Brooke

A 1st Birthday & Table Redo

I can't believe my baby is 1!  Wow time flies!  I wanted to have a vintage feel to her birthday party!  I love how it turned out!  

 I made the picture frames, I Love the shape of them and the bright colors.  The pink lamp I bought at a garage sale for $5 and found the cute butterflies at the DOLLAR STORE!!  The frames and lamp are going to go in her room as decorations!

I  just finished refinishing this table to sell.  It will be my first piece of furniture I am going to put up for sale!  I am a little anxious and excited!  When I saw it sitting there all cute it made me sad that I was going to sell it.  I get attached to things easily, can you tell?  Lucky for my husband we don't have any room for it, so I have to sell it!  I just love this table!!!