The White Dresser

5 Darn Good Tips To Getting A Richer Looking Home

Admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:16:29 +0000

All White Dressing Room With French Antiques

House Beautiful is a very stylish home decor magazine, so it is not a shock to see such a captivating house appear in the May issue of House Beautiful. The house belongs to Annie Brahler whom is an obvious collector of fine French furniture. She shares a love like most of us for French furnishings, and it is so exciting to see what another collector has done with her home.

All White Interiors - Annie Brahler's home in House Beautiful May 2012

For all of you who want to decorate around white, this home will certainly inspire you.

Here is ten tips I can share that I see that she did with her home to make a high impact rich appearance.

1. The first thing that she did was she obviously collected furniture that she liked. In each of her rooms, I can see she loves Louis XVI styled furniture. A rich piece of furniture is NOT over looked. In her living room, you can see she choice Louis XVI tables for her end tables. Both have rich patina. Consider collecting only furniture that you adore, and design around those pieces.

2. You can see in one of the photos that Annie Brahler loves gilt wood mirrors. She didn't paint them white, ..... are you shocked? It seems as though many white based interiors also paint the mirrors. I am so glad she didn't. I honestly love the richness of gold, and these old world mirrors have incredible patina that are built over time. Trust me, I have painted over one Federal eagle mirror that I wished I never had touched. I ruined it!

3.Collecting is best done where you can display your collections together. Use wall sconces, use one big giant display cabinet, but keep them in one place. People are inspired by stories. They like to hear what you were eating when you bought the little tortoise shell trinket box. If you have too much, consider layering your collections. You can see she features two mirrors that are like one another together above a fireplace. Placing items in groups of three give you bigger impact than displaying them by themselves.

2. Closets contain lots of color, so consider basing your paint choices around white, gray black or beige. I have seen decor pictures that feature closets in red and purple, but if you notice, the closets are also cherry picked for the photography to capture the best image possible. You never see the closet looking as it were on a daily basis, so choose a color that would work with all your wardrobe colors.

Bright white does look rather nice, and with closets bright white always makes things appear bigger. Black is another choice, and one I have used in the past in many of my homes. Black can make your closets look very luxurious, but dark. Choose a color that you love, and if you do have a walk in closet, consider featuring a tall chest with a mirror to dress up the space. Shoe and accessory display will always make your closets appear more designer, so consider that into your plans and also factor in A LOT of storage for those bulky sweaters that never seem to look good on the hanger.

3. Gold is still rich today when paired with muted tones such as gray and beige. Gold is also the perfect accessory for bold colors such as Kelly green, and lemon. Gold is the perfect accessory in any interior. Don't underestimate the power of gold leafing. Gold leafing can really bring an accessory to appear like real metal. Spray paint doesn't even compare.

Gold Leafing Tips.... My best advice when gold leafing.

4. Look at the pictures of the incredible demi lune sideboard that is used as a island in the kitchen. Also in her closet, the island appears to be several dressers or french antique or vintage pieces pushed together. I would have to say this has to be one of the most inspiring aspect of the pictures of her home. Don't spend thousands on an island that you aren't excited about. Obviously she is a collector of French furniture, and having a demilune as an island is certainly something you never see. Don't be afraid of taking an exceptional piece of furniture and hiring a carpenter to build on to the piece for the room you wish to display it in. Many people take vintage french chests and dressers and turn them into sinks for their bathroom. Why not work with existing built furniture and transform it? If you are able to score big on an antique piece, why not work with it? If you find a fabulous vintage piece, work with it.... AND ON to my next point.

5. Marble makes everything richer. If you are considering a transformation on your home, and wish to work with white, consider spending the money in your counter tops. In one of the apartments we lived in, we made the mistake of exchanging out the cabinetry in exchange for Ikea "do it yourself" cabinetry. Although we didn't own the apartment, it taught my husband and I a good lesson. - Never ever rent out a home that you own! I have messed up so many apartments with plaster! - Detailed work is never overlooked. Our apartment turned to be a mess because we aren't professionals when it comes to wood working! If we did own the building, marble counter tops would have made the kitchen so much more elegant, while a good layer of white paint was all that was needed. Sometimes cabinets are still fashionable. After looking at the options in many stores such as IKEA, you don't get quality. Today you can hardly SOLID wood cabinets. AND, when you do, they cost a ton of money. Invest in marble counter tops for the bathroom and living room, and consider re-working the original cabinets. Switch out the doors. Removing the original cabinets can cost you dearly.

6. Great seating can make all the difference in a room. While you are shopping around you will always find furniture that you can paint, or mirrors that you can gold leaf, but good upholstered furniture is hard to find. Amazon has a number of inexpensive pieces that really give you a lot of bang for your buck. Consider investing in a exceptional couch that you can base your living room around. Consider keeping your eye out for a great looking bed. BIG pieces make an impact, so invest in great looking pieces that will end up taking up a lot of room. When you do bring it together, pair down your belongings. Keep things very organized so that you can appreciate your better items than the endless junk that everyone owns in their house. Invest in storage and make the most use out of your closets.

Designer Annie Brahler creates an old-world feeling in her Jacksonville house with a creamy palette, chandeliers and gilt wood mirrors in every room

All White Interiors White Furniture- Annie Brahlers Home House Beautiful May 2012

A French parlor's daybed sits in the living room with a gilt table with a white marble top used as a coffee table. On a mantel two gilt wood mirrors and an oversized empire chandelier are paired together to make a big impact. A massive empty picture frame, propped against the mirror, along with antlers her children collected on hikes. Glass domes shelter antique taxidermy.

Here she grouped linen-covered Belgian bergères and a Louis XVI side table with a 19th-century French gilt settee and Dutch footstools. A gilt neoclassical mirror hangs above a mantle with white washed antlers. A Belgian crystal chandelier and sconces sparkle against walls. A beautiful magnolia flower sits on Annie Brahler's coffee table adding to the white palette that her house is based around.

See more of Annie Brahler's home in House Beautiful.

The Best White Painted Rachel Ashwell Furniture

Admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:01:40 +0000

Peek Inside The Home Of Shabby Chic's Rachel Ashwell - Lonny Magazine

Everyone knows Rachel Ashwell for her shabby chic style, white furnishings and layed back approach to decorating.

Rachels new book The Shabby Chic Home by Rachel Ashwell will be released on Jun 5, 2012. In The Shabby Chic Home, Ashwell walks readers through the renovation of her own 1920s home, from the purchase of the originally dark and gloomy house through the repainting (using layers and layers of white paint) of the home and the rebirth of the garden, yard, and pool, to the final decorating of the home for herself and her two kids. Along the way, readers receive advice on how to choose from among the thousands of paint colors, how to decide whether to live with the old or buy new, and why remodeling an older home might not be such a good idea. The latter part of the book explains how to add touches of shabby chic style to every room of a home--old or new--for a finished look.

Rachel first started her home furnishings company and in 1989, and was a veteran flea market shopper in her teens. She would buy unique pieces of furniture, and home accessories from flea markets across the country which customers could find in her shop. Her success and fortune gained new heights as she caught a firestorm of fans after several books were published. In 2009, after 20 years in business, Ashwell's company filed bankruptcy, which caused her to reevaluate her brand. By mid-2011, Shabby Chic Brands expanded further into the United Kingdom, pairing the House of Fraser to offer the “Shabby Chic at House of Fraser” product line.

Simply Shabby Chic Classic 3-Drawer Chest Rachel Ashwell For Target

Simply Shabby Chic® Swedish Style Classic 3-Drawer Chest - Sour Cream $329

Shabby Chic Nightstand- Swedish Gustavian Style $179 Target

Simply Shabby Chic® Fluted Leg Demilune Table Target $144

Gustavian Fluted Leg Stool Target $45

Fluted Leg Computer Desk Target $289

Decor 8 was able to to have a personal interview with Rachel Ashwell in which she talks about her brand and what is next in the years to come.

"After filming my TV series, a total of 54 shows, writing five books over 10 years and launching The Simply Shabby Chic Line for Target, I felt it was a good time to redirect my focus. I have been busy expanding my infrastructure and focusing on design and product development to get ready for a major expansion of the Shabby Chic brand through new retail stores and an online store"

"We just opened our ninth store in Atlanta and are planning to have 50 stores across the country in the next few years. Our goal is to open ten or more new stores each year in cities across the country. We’re also introducing new bedding and furniture collections every season which will be distributed in our stores and wholesale accounts nation wide."

TOP Books By Rachel Ashwell:

Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic Inspirations by Rachel Ashwell (Hardcover - Sep 30, 2011- In this new book, Rachel takes us to homes in the US - from a shabby shack on
Malibu's oceanfront to a ranch on the wide, open spaces of Texas and to the
wooded hills of the Catskills - and in the UK - from a houseboat and a city
townhouse to a centuries-old manor house deep in the country, and Rachel's own
London apartment.

Shabby Chic Interiors: My Rooms, Treasures, and Trinkets by Rachel Ashwell and Amy Neunsinger (Hardcover - Sep 2009) This book begins with Rachel's breathtaking Los Angeles residence. Next, they wander into a minimalist mountain-top home in the Hollywood hills before heading to the coast and a beautiful Malibu beach cottage. A truly bohemian hideout in southern California is featured next, followed by a peek at
celebrity homes, including the house that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe.

Shabby Chic: Sumptuous Settings and Other Lovely Things by Rachel Ashwell (Hardcover - Nov 23, 2004) Travel with her to unique locations like a Chinese grocery store, local antique mall, a flower market, or a flea market to search for the perfect accents that will give your event unexpected charm without breaking the bank. Use the
treasures you find to jazz up average items.

Peek Inside The Home Of Shabby Chic's Rachel Ashwell - Lonny Magazine

Elegant Streamlined White Painted Tapered Leg Furniture

Admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:04:20 +0000

Primitive Decor Ideas

Consider tapered leg tables when hunting for your next white painted piece. Here a tapered leg Shaker table serves in the bathroom for towels and extra needed supplies. The shelf allows primitive decor to define the space.

Round Shaped Occasional Accent Table

This wonderful round accent table is perfect for those really tight rooms. Use it as an end table in a bedroom or living room. All In One Store on Ebay has these tables priced at $86

Gustavian Swedish Furniture

Tapered leg tables have always been a signature Gustavian style. The look is clean and simple. Here we have a light blue heavily natural distressed table.

Swedish Furniture Gustavian Vintage Blog

Gustavian Swedish Furniture Exceptional Polychrome Table Seller Fleur

This table features a light gray painted finish. - Seller Fleur

Chelsea Textiles Gustavian Console Console With Three Drawers

This classic, Swedish inspired Gustavian console is sleek enough for any wall. Place it behind your sofa or along a hallway wall. It's a perfect furniture piece. Shown in 'Gustavian Grey' finish. Size: 30" H x 59" W x 16" D.

Chelsea Textiles Gustavian Side Table with Shelf

This classic, Swedish inspired Gustavian side table will fit in just about any room. With a large shelf to store books, magazines, or any other decorative item, it's a perfect furniture piece. Shown in 'Seafoam' finish. This table sells for $787 Size: 29 1/2" H x 20 1/2" W x 16 1/2" D.

Antique Gustavian Swedish Night Stand with Shelf and Drawer

Melissa Edelman Antiques had listed a distressed antique Gustavian Swedish night stand that had a shelf and drawer that had beautiful streamlined features. They also had a coordinating Swedish table which featured a cabinet. The table as you can see has a distressed off white painted finish with distressing along the legs.

Swedish Styled Lynne Nesting Tables

Safavieh sells a lovely set of nesting tables that have a distinct Swedish design. The dimensions are 35" H x 20" D x 20" W. Safavieh sells this set for $179 Pair them together, or seperate them in different rooms. The top of these tables can always be painted to match the painted frame.

Tapered Leg Side Table

Cohasset Colonials produces a shaker table of the stylings found in the American Federal period (1790-1820). The tapered legs give a Swedish or Early American look. The delicately molded rim keeps objects from rolling off the top. Mortise-and-tenon joinery, with dovetailed drawer. Clear cherry, with drawer interior of pine. Shown in Oil Finish. Height is 26". Top measures 16" x 16". This table sells for $400. This table has so much potential. Leave the hardware for Colonial appearance, or change out the hardware to a Louis XVI drop pull, or fill in the holes, and paint the frame and add a pair of round Louis XVI pulls for a Swedish look

5 Ways To Make Your White Furniture Look EVEN More Expensive!

Admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:01:47 +0000

French Provencial Furniture Ideas From Photographer Bieke Claessen

French Provincial Furniture Ideas From Photographer Bieke Claessen

French Provence Provincial Cane Dining Chairs

The Noah Dining chair will fit gracefully in a home that has a classic and soft aesthetic. If features a cane back that has been brought back to life and a beautifully tufted seat cushions for comfort. This chair features a cane back, and a lose seat cushion - Sells for $429

French Provence - Provincial Dining Furniture- Distressed Rustic Gray French Painted Furniture

The Napoleon collection faithfully captures the romantic feel of vintage, painted furniture from the French countryside. Featuring gently curved frames made of solid hardwood, brightly colored then rubbed down on the edges. Adds a soft splash of vibrancy to any setting. The Louvre arm and dining chairs are accented with a cane back. The chair is made of kiln dried hardwoods , and constructed using Chinese Joinery . Webbing placed in the seat for support, and hand-painted and hand-distressed for that special French appeal. New, sells this Louvre dining chair for $299

French Provence Furniture- The Baltic Dining Room Table

The Baltic dining table features a natural rectangular surface and an elaborate based. It would make any dining area stand out because of it's beautiful natural elements. The table features a Kiln-dried hardwood frame. The finishes are hand applied and sanded repeatedly. The top of the table is coated with a lacquer top coat or wax. New sells this for $1,499

The trick to all white furniture is adding some natural raw elements. Decorating with white can make the days that you spend at home refreshing. Here are a few tips to consider when putting together a home based on all white decorating.

1. Pair Raw Wood Furniture, Bleached, or White Washed Furniture WITH White Painted Furniture.

If you plan on painting your furniture white, consider leaving some of the furniture in your home raw or white washed to give a balance to the white furniture.

If you have an old chest you don't mind re-finishing, consider stripping the wood. When the finish is removed, the wood looks raw, and takes on a primitive appearance.

Furniture Stripping Tips:

Stripping furniture can be very labor intensive, however for the right piece it can make all the difference in the world. I have used Klein Strip quite often. Often times if the paint is quite thick, I will pour quite a bit of the stripper on one area, which takes no time for the paint to lift. Then with a trowel, I will move the entire contents (stripper and removed paint) to another area of the chest, and continue until I have a large amount of paint remnants to throw out.

When you do strip furniture, wear industrial cleaning gloves, and eye protection. If you get just a bit of the stripper on the skin, it will burn, so do wear eye protection. It is not worth loosing your vision over a weekend project.

I use a plastic bag which I put all the contents of the paint that is removed from the furniture. Often times if you leave the bag open over night (in a secure area) it will be dried by morning.

Stripping furniture is very toxic, so be sure to wear a paint respirator. I have tried several paint masks, and the MSA Safety Works Mask I find pretty comfortable for the most part.

Kids and Animals should never be present because of the toxic fumes. The heat of the summer will NOT speed the stripping process, so try to strip furniture when the afternoon where the sun isn't so hot and bright. Be sure to have proper ventilation when stripping furniture.

When the furniture is almost stripped, I have found the spray-able Klein Strip allows the extra remnants of paint to be picked up with scrub pads. Have a bucket of water and some scrub pads handy (not green) and spray and wipe with water to get the last traces of paint and residue off the furniture.

After it has been left over night, finish it by rubbing in some tinted dark wax for an even more distressed appearance. Any wax can be (some what) removed with paint thinner.

-In this post I give my very best recommendations for white washed furniture stains. Instead of having a bright white, why not consider some of the olive, or muted beige tones for raw wood? (Staining only works with raw furniture. You cannot stain over waxed furniture)

-In this picture you see an antique white painted farmhouse table that has a beautiful worn appearance that were achieved naturally over years of wear. Here they combine it with Tolix chairs to give a balance to the painted table.

-Consider adding painted furniture with white accents into your home. White, off gray, beige, and any color works nicely with white. This piece by Juniper & Roses is exceptionally well done. You can see the white adds interest to the piece, while gray is the main paint color.

-This chest has a light blue pattern on a white painted surface. The blue hand painted designs give depth to this piece of furniture, while at the same time still gives a very white appearance.

-A white painted chair has mint green upholstery. As you can see they painted the detail of this chair in a darker green to draw attention to the ornate details.

2. Attach The Appropriate Hardware With The Style Of Furniture.

Mission or country furniture needs rustic styled hardware. Country furniture with wood knobs cab be painted the same color and lightly distressed for a worn appearance. French furniture can be either painted the same color of the chest or left in its brass or bronze state.

Rusto-leum produces an amazing spray paint that takes on the very looks of all the high end Oil Rubbed Bronze hardware. Ebay has some of the best selection of french
hardware lots, and if you find a lot that you love why not spray the hardware to
look like the high end oil rubbed bronze french hardware? If you like the look of the old rubbed bronze hardware, and have a dresser with good looking hardware that you want to update, consider purchasing the Rust-oleum Oil Rubbed Bronze. I have had great success with it through the years. It particularly looks great with rustic barn colors, natural woods, black and really primitive colors. I think you will enjoy it as much as I have. Look at the rest of our post.....29 Of The Best Rustic Iron Hardware For Your Provence Chests

3. Distress Your White Furniture

For furniture painters like myself, finding raw wood un-painted furniture feels as though you hit the jackpot, because distressing adds so much to a painted finish.

If you have a melamine dresser, or a dresser with layers of paint you don't wish to strip, consider starting off with a base color color before you paint your white furniture.

In these photos you can see a chest with a darker blue with a light blue wash over top. Further down the page you see a white chest with heavy distressing showing orange. In fact, orange is what I typically use for most of my furniture bases. When picking a shade of orange, it should be something very dulled down, and on the lighter side.

When I painted this chair, I started off with a dull orange paint. When the base color was dry, I painted on the blue, and before the paint was dry, I sanded off some of the paint using a foam hand sander. Once it was dry, I was able to soften the texture with my foam sander. As you can see it looks like wood!

-19th C. Swedish White Buffet -Distressed

-18th C. Armoire Heavily Distressed in Off White

-Heavily Distressed White Hooker Chairs

-Heavily Distressed White Nesting Tables
If it looks fake, the trick that I use is I tend to go over the chest with a white glaze to soften the effect. Ideally, when it comes to distressing, sanding down to the raw wood is ideal. In those rare cases where you cannot, this is an easy shortcut.

- In this post you can see how lovely the raw wood looks against the light blue. The distressing adds to this antique bench

4. Choose A TINTED Or OFF White Paint Shade For Your Furniture

One of the biggest secrets to beautiful white furniture is not choosing the brightest shade of white. In fact, if you choose a white paint color with a hue with green or beige tones, it will automatically make your chest appear as though it is worth more money.

Consider painting your furniture an off white, rather than a bright white. Bright white always reveals the fact that the piece has been newly painted.

Modern retro furniture looks terrific with bright white finishes, as so Hollywood Regency furniture. Glossy white lacquered finishes are typically seen with Hollywood Regency, but it tends to look out of place on most furniture, except the odd french chest or Empire furniture that has been painted white.

Antique furniture looks the best when it is off white, such as a light gray or even undertones of yellow or green.

-These chairs have beige undertones in the paint color which nicely work off the green upholstery

-This empire chair is one of my favorite chairs because the light gray paint color plays off the white upholstery nicely.

5. Glazing Always Adds Depth To Furniture-Don't Skip Glazing.

Consider adding a layer of diluted brown glaze to your white furniture.

You can add glaze two ways. With painted furniture with colors, I tend to use half glaze to half brown paint, which I paint on, and with a damp rag remove some of the paint leaving traces of it behind. The Shammy Wow rags are great for these types of projects.

With white painted chests, I tend to mix a glaze mixture which I simply paint on the furniture and let it dry. I use a lot more glaze when I am mixing the paint, because I just want a slight tint, not a brown chest. This Swedish Rococo Chest by Cote Jardin Antiques is an excellent example of what your white painted furniture should look like. It has natural dirt that you can replicate with glaze.

-These Neoclassical chests are great examples of white painted furniture. In the pictures you can see a slight glaze, or it might even be natural wear and dirt over the years. Your final look should make a person wonder if it is the original finish.

-Here is another example of what glazing can achieve, over off white painted finishes.

Reclaimed Dining Room Tables- Rustic French Country Provence Tables- Old World Decorating

Le Havre Dining Table-Elm Wood: W98.5 x H30 x D35.5 $2,949

Reclaimed Lumber Coffee Table $1,499

Distressed White Furniture

Admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:38:17 +0000

Distressed Chair From Hickory Chair

Beautifully Distressed White Chair From Hickory Chair

The best way to practice distressing techniques is on an old piece of furniture that is either a thrift store find, or something you don't mind donating if the end result is not what you expected. Don't begin your experiment with pieces that are valuable or antique furniture passed down in your family until you have tried this technique and are confident in the results.

Distressing adds a lot of interest and detail on painted furniture. It is the one technique that will improve a painted finish guaranteed! Over the years of selling white furniture, I have had more men love distressing than women. Distressing can look primitive, rustic and even masculine.

Your painted furniture should either have one coat or multiple coats of paint in the same color with bare wood under the paint. When distressing the piece of furniture, you should see the top color and the wood.

For a layered effect, use a neutral color as your base coat such as gray or black. When you distress the furniture, black will also show along side the natural wood color and your top coat paint color.

The worst thing you can do with distressing is have a white primer under a color. If your top color is white, then, it works just fine. Although you don't want a red dresser with white paint peeking through.

The way to get around this is to fully sand your furniture before painting so you will have one coat of paint and your natural wood color which shows through distressing.

1. Distressing can be very simple. The first way of distressing is with sandpaper. Start by sanding it with fine sandpaper in the direction of the wood grain. This will greatly improve the look of your finished piece. Sand in the areas which would get banged up over time. The edges of the chest, the feet, the areas around the handle. You want your distressing to look as natural as possible. Use a hand sander, or a foam sander for great results.

2. Heavy distressing involves more than just sandpaper. Metal chains whipped on to a wood chest can depressions to the piece. Be careful that your distressing is random, and not obvious such as a screw driver, or a hammer. Chains work quite well for heavy distressing because the indents will be random than purposeful.

A. Now you want to emphasize the marks you made. You can either use a wood stain in walnut, or brown glazing. Either of these two colors will give the impression of dirt. Both techniques are simply done by painting on a coat of glaze or stain, and wiping it off quickly. Be sure not to use flat white paint with either two approches, as both the glaze and stain will permanently stain the white.

Antique Walnut Polyshade in Satin, or Pecan Polyshade in Satin are great stains to use over white or a color. Apply it with a brush and paint thinner, and wipe it off with a rag.

Be sure to wear throw away Vinyl gloves through this process, as it will save the time getting the chemicals off your skin once you are finished. Vinyl gloves stay on your hands easier than latex and can be used many times before throwing them away through out your painting projects

Simply paint on the stain or the glaze, and within a couple minutes after it sets and dries, wipe the stain off the piece which should leave just enough stain to collect in the holes to emphasize the distressed wood. Often times after glazing I like to add a polycrylic sealant to the furniture. With stain no sealant is necessarily. Enjoy your new antique looking white furniture!

White Hand Painted Bird and Vine Chest

The Duchess Chest is hand finished in vintage cygne blanc aged and distressed antique white with a painted songbird motif. It is a 3 drawer chest featuring antiqued drawer pulls. Built from mahogany, a solid hardwood and a sustainable solution for eco effective design and construction. This artisan is committed to sustainability of global natural resources, another reason to love this product! They have implemented a 1 for 1 replanting program to replace every tree that is consumed to produce this product. Measures 46H x 21.5D x 66W

Stunning White Distressed Cabinet

White Distressed Painted Ornate Cabinet From Ultimate Accents

Credenza With Painted Birds

Crossroads Rosa with "Birds in the Park" artwork finished on solid wood large credenza. Side doors open to a single stationary shelf. Two drawers and two doors in center open for ample storage.

White Neo-classical Painted Credenza Commode

Admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:45:43 +0000

Neoclassical Painted Commode Credenza Finely Carved Guilded Green Marble Top

Dutch Valley has a stunning Neo-classical painted commode for sale on ebay. The commode is finely carved with extravagent gilt details and has a green veined marble top. The credenza was originally made by French Heritage, and has two deep center drawers flanked by half round side cabinets with shelf space on turned and fluted legs. Dutch Valley has this listed for $5,499

French Upholstered White Furniture

Admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:22:19 +0000

White Upholstered French Louis XV Settee

This absolutely classy settee shows you how stunning a white piece of furniture can be in your home. We have recently upholstered our Louis XV settee with a brown and cream ticking, and it turned out terrific! We finished the carved details in gold using a gold leaf pen, and our settee looks the very best it has ever looked before.

White upholstery can be daunting with pets and kids, but there are ways around having white furniture without having it ruined in a months time. One practical way of having lighter colored fabrics in your home is to create an additional seat cover with the same fabric. When guests come, or your kids, animals and guests sit on your furniture, there is no anxiety that your upholstery will get stained. Your seat cover can easily be thrown in the wash every two weeks for keeping it fresh. White also is a great choice, because it can be bleached where as other fabrics would be faded with so many washes over time. When you order, order enough for two slip covers. Louis XV and Louis XVI settees are timeless compared to our modern sofas. This stunning white upholstered French Louis XV Settee was featured on the Bastion & Lark Blog

Decorating In All White

Admin — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:44:17 +0000

White Decorating Ideas

Decorology featured some captivating interiors bathed in white. The home features outstanding architectural details such as ornate ceiling moldings, and wall molding details. This home is painted all in white, except for the plywood chairs, a wood chest and the bookshelves which give a pop of color in a home that is mostly bright whites. The sofas are upholstered in white and the kitchen features a beautiful white painted oval table.

White Decorating Ideas

Primitive White Decorating

Admin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:53:26 +0000

Decorating With A French Influence

Tine K Home Spring Summer 2012 line featured a wonderful presentation of all white decorating schemes using beautiful rustic french furniture. If you are looking for photos that work with all whites, this has been one of the best I have seen. The interior seems to have a primitive feel, and combines the look of painted wood with absolutely stunning furniture. French furniture is some of the most beautiful furniture in the world, and seems to have a timeless appeal that lasts years.

You can see this in the all wood paneled walls, ceilings and primitive looking wood flooring. If you want an antique appearance, consider working with the bare bones of your home. Work with wood that can be painted and distressed. Include other raw elements such as metals, brass, and stone. White marble can look terrific with this combination. Consider liming your wood, or even painting it.

Perhaps this building was at one time a barn because the ceilings are so high. Most homes don't have wood paneling up to the ceiling, but you can see in these photos how amazing it can look.

The cabinet is simply outstanding and uniquely tall with paned glass doors. The inside of the cabinet looks to be painted a darker shade of gray compared to the exterior white paint.

If you look at some of the photos the white suggests to be a off gray, instead of a stark white. Having an off gray as apposed to white suggests an aged look.

Antique finishes tend to have more of a beige tone, or a slightly off gray tone. Distressing also goes a long way to suggest age, and the slight showing of the raw wood gives a room a bit more warmth as apposed to perfect painting without ware.

All White Decorating Ideas Using Raw Limed Wood Beautiful Silver and Primitive Textiles From Tine K Home Spring Summer 2012

If you look closely at the interior contents of this cabinet, they have displayed all white plates and platters, and antique silver cutlery, and tableware. The antique books with leather covers add a bit of color to the all white display.

If you are considering painting your dresser white, consider painting the inside a shade or two darker than the exterior color. You can see here the gray inside the cabinet is just outstanding. Adding brass will give your dresser some warmth as the books do here.

A Closer Look At A French Bench From Tine K Home's 2012 Spring Summer Collection

A close up view shows the beautiful french bench displaying rustic leather books. The bench with unfinished upholstery gives it a very rustic appearance.

A Closer Look At A French Settee From Tine K Home's 2012 Spring Summer Collection

As you can see a closer view of the settee featured in one of their pictures. The settee looks to be Gustavian in nature, and has a very rustic appeal, with the unfinished sides, and very primitive looking upholstery. Lots of blue throws work well in this setting, keeping the color scheme to just a few colors.

All White Decorating Ideas Using Raw Limed Wood Beautiful Silver and Primitive Textiles From Tine K Home Spring Summer 2012

You have to love the display they have in this picture. A antique looking silver cloche is paired with white plates, and a white antique looking candle on a rustic wood table. The overall look is outstanding.

Decorating With White

Admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:40:17 +0000

Primitive Decorating Ideas- Kay Douglass via Atlanta Homes Magazines Featured on Twelve Chairs Boston Blog

Decorating using all white can be liberating for the mind. Having a crisp white palette to work with can open up a wide range of decorating possibilites. Living in Seattle where it rains the majority of the year, white decorating is almost essential in order to maintain a sane mind! Day after day, the sky is overcast, and having a dark interior makes everything that much more dark. In our log cabin, the wood walls would eat up all the light making lamps, and overhead lighting a priority.

Sometimes, white furniture isn't enough to bring in the light, that white walls are needed to maximize the light available. White walls can see very plain to most people, and there have been a few designers who have really rocked the look of white decorating. Atlanta Homes Magazines featured designer Kay Douglass Georgia who designed a lake house which included rustic white painted walls, and layered it with colors such as raspberry, plum canary yellow and pomegranate. Not only did the house look primitive, but it also had so many colorful modern elements.

What made her design so successful is the furniture maintained a country appearance in the rustwith modern upholstery colors. The house was based on white paint colors and white slip covers which really brought out a fresh crisp look. Of the entire home, in my opinion the white painted walls really was the best feature.

All White Decorating From Designer Kay Douglass via Atlanta Homes Magazines

Primitive Decorating Ideas- Kay Douglass via Atlanta Homes Magazines Featured on Belgian Pearls Blog

Here she worked with Primitive Architecture, and layered in neutral wing chairs, and sofas and added modern touches through throw pillows. The rustic wood doors and additional lighting gives this home a primitive touch. Again, like the picture above, she utilizes wood walls and wood flooring to get that primitive edge.

Crisp Modern Furniture From Klaussner

Klaussner has a few very beautiful white sofas, chairs and ottomans that would look lovely in an all white designed home.

Their white ottman has a very crisp clean appearance and is a terrific piece for a person who wants a modern look.

All White Decorating Ideas- Klaussner - Wilmington Cocktail Table

Klaussner - Wilmington Cocktail Table

Primitive Style Decorating -Kay Douglass via Atlanta Homes Magazines

White Furniture:Decorating With White

Admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:38:59 +0000

White Designed Rooms - Decorating With White - A Paris Apartment Via The Aestate Blog, Seen on The Greige Design Blog

A slight gray always looks excellent against a stark white. As you can see in this picture the walls are painted an off white, almost a gray tone and the trim or moldings are painted a white. The ornate wall ornaments give this room a french touch. This room is designed around white, as white slipcovers are seen covering the furniture, and the fireplace and wood furniture is painted a white. Raw wood really is the designers secret to the success of this look. The raw wood gives some depth to this room among the painted finishes and is also there to give the eye a rest from the boldness that the white provides. This room is an excellent example of great white decorating.

Louis XVI White Furniture

Admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:35:59 +0000

MBW's White Collection

MBW sells a stunning white collection called the Poplar collection in which they sell a stunning upright 5 drawer ornate dresser. In the collection a computer hutch, an 11 drawer white dresser, vanity and bed are available. This collection has a lot of beautiful french looks suitable for a young girls bedroom, but also just as nice for a women's bedroom. Some of the furniture has the lines of Louis XVI such as the vanity and vanity chair. Many of these pieces are simply stunning! The best thing about this furniture is the pieces are so high end, that it wouldn't be furniture that would have to be donated once the children leave the house. Many of these pieces look like very high end reproductions. Needless to say, this collection is very impressive.

MBW Furniture White Poplar Youth Twin Size Mansion Bed

Painted Reproduction Furniture

Admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:19:54 +0000

CHIC SHABBY FRENCH STYLE DISTRESSED OFF WHITE CHEST DRESSER,47''WIDE. From Marcia Treasures

Marcia Treasures sells a number of beautiful reproduction pieces with hand painted finishes and distressing. Consider buying some painted pieces to brighten up your home and to add some detail. Designing around antiques can be very rewarding as they offer interest and intrigue compared to our modern day furniture. The beauty of painted or limed wood is that it is very easy to match to existing furniture or future furniture for that matter. With many hardware stores able to match paint with their computer technology it is easy to add to furniture along the way and having everything work together seamlessly.

BEAUTIFUL DISTRESSED POPLAR PINE DEMILUNE WALL CONSOLE,53''WIDE From Marcia Treasures

CHIC SHABBY FRENCH STYLE DISTRESSED WHITE ELM WOOD CHEST DRESSER From Marcia Treasures

BEAUTIFUL FRENCH BIJOUX NESTING TABLES,SET OF 3! From Marcia Treasures

VINTAGE STYLE MAHOGANY FARM PARCHMENT TABLE 2 LEAVES! From Marcia Treasures

FABULOUS ELM SOLID WOOD BRUSSELS DINING TABLE,98 Long From Marcia Treasures

Painted White Dressers

Admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:19:15 +0000

BLUE WHITE STRIPED FRENCH COUNTRY CABINET CHEST DRESSER DRAWERS From Exceptional Deals on ebay

This lovely blue striped chest is a perfect accessory in a room that needs a bit more color. The white chest brings light into your room, and at the same time adds a punch of color. Dress up this chest by adding some additional ormolu. The gracefully curved legs create a unique, antique appeal. Consider checking out Low Prices on ebay for exceptional deals.

ANTIQUE WHITE FRENCH COUNTRY CHEST DRESSER DRAWERS UK POST MARK From Exceptional Deals Ebay

TIGER FRENCH COUNTRY CABINET CHEST $349 VALUE From Low Prices Ebay

British Campaign Furniture- White Campaign Dressers

Admin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:42:26 +0000

White Campaign Chest By Foley & Cox Home

Have you ever stumbled across fine fold-able furniture, caned, or featuring incredible brass accenting hardware? Chances are you might have run across reproduction campaign furniture. Campaign furniture was originally designed for the British army in the late 1700’s to take with them on the battle front.

In 1707 the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed, where both Scottish and English armies merged together to create the British Army. The Seven Years' War was a major military conflict that involved all of the major European powers at that time, and lasted from 1756 until 1763. The war between Prussia and Great Britain were pitted against each other with a smaller coalition consisting of Austria, France, Spain, Russia, Sweden, and Saxony. The British were spread quite thin, fighting on many fronts. At around the same time, the war The French and Indian War between Great Britain and France was fought in North America from 1754 to 1763.

The series of wars in the 17th and 18th centuries between the Netherlands and France left Britian the dominant colonial power in North America and India.

Concessions were made in 1763 which ended France's position as a major colonial power in the Americas. The French lost their claim to all land in North America east of the Mississippi River along with what is now Canada. Great Britain strengthened their position as the dominant colonial power in the eastern half of North America. Read more about the Seven Years war at Wikipedia. The map was found at Wikipedia as well.

Campaign furniture was used by the British army during the late 1700's through the early 1900's in military campaigns through Burma and India.

As a prideful symbol of glory of their newly claimed empire, the high ranking officers would set up tent life just as they would extravagantley decorate their homes.

They brought with them knock down furniture which could be easily transported by ship, which broke down to fit in tight spaces, and then could be brought with them on the battle front.

Campaign furniture was constructed with the intent of travel. The portable safari furniture was originally designed for the for use inside tents out on the range. Furniture was easily broken down into parts and packed up and transported to a new location and set up within a few minutes. British officers would often be accompanied by hundreds of horses, elephants and camels which would carry the elaborate tent decor.

Pictures- Heritage Campaign-Style End Tables FromStipe -Located North Miami Florida

Campaign pieces often have handles on the sides, recessed drawer handles, and flat surfaces so they are easily stacked like boxes for travel. Stacking chests were often made in 2 parts, which could fit into smaller spaces. Many of the chests were made quite well consisting of hand dove-tailed construction with solid wood drawer bottoms and sides reinforced by interior quarter round molding and hefty center struts. Chests were madewith brass-bound mountings on all corners and sides for beauty and strength.

Much of the British colonial furniture was made from teak, because if the woods durability in strength and its weather resistant qualities, and also because teak was widely available. British campaign antique reproductions can be seen in rosewood and leather. In the 60 and 70's modern companies reproduced some of the historical campaign furniture. Henredon for example made a line of chests with Asian influences called Artefacts which many people repaint to suit their decor.

Antique Campaign Dressers

You can see how this desk could easily be transported. From Mark Frisman Hudson, NY

Get the Campaign Look! Paint this set white or black and finish it with brass hardware.

Spray Paint this tri fold round side table that sells for 40 dollars in gold or silver.

These lovely foldable chairs can be easily painted and make good accent chairs

Vanessa de Vargas is an L.A. based interior designer Featuring a green campaign dresser seen in the December issue of Lonny Magazine

See my asian dresser painted green with asian brass brackets giving the look of campaign dressers

This table can easily fit into a home decorated in campaign furniture. For 200 dollars, this chest could be painted in black, green, red, or white, and accented with shiny gold brass to give it that regent look.

How To Add Appliques and Molds To Your White Dresser

Admin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 05:39:14 +0000

Furniture detail has been tremendously popular through the centuries. Dressing up your dresser and chests is almost like wallpapering your bedroom; it can be incredibly personal and customized. Wood appliques have been used on fine furniture since the 17th and 18th centuries, and are still widely used today. Before the invention of plastic in the early and mid 20th century, the only substances that could be molded were clay and glass. Today there is a wide variety of decorative molds that can be made with plaster that can simulate intricate carvings of the 17th and 18th centuries for just pennies of what they would retail in stores.

French and Italian furniture historically have been known for their attention to intricate detail. At the beginning of the 17th century France greatly prospered and French furniture moved in a new direction. Life became more grand and luxurious and the demand for fine home furnishings became more widespread.

Louis XIII at the age of age of eight began his reign in 1601, and it was at this time when new and exciting forms of furniture started appearing. Both the grand and luxurious furniture became available and also furniture for everyday use became was more accessible.

Styles of ornament in the 17th century became varied, and more ornate with much scroll designs and shell carving. Typical motifs included birds, vases, bouquets, garlands, branches of leaves and fruits. Baroque style peaked popularity in the 18th century, and originated around the 16th century in some areas around Europe. The style was excessive and the ornaments were grand. Oak, walnut, chestnut, and ebony were frequently used for the majority of furniture, while the ornamental portions were fashioned out of the exotic woods such as rosewood, sandalwood, and tulipwood.

White Rcoco Ornate Console By Karen Golden Russell

Guilding was excessive and utterly beautiful! Everything was gilded or accented in marquetry with mounts and inlay of onyx, porphyry and lapis-lazuli. Rococo styles closely followed after and was associated with Louis XV's reign but started at the beginning of Louis XVI's reign between 1720 and 1730. Rococo styles were as grand as Baroque styles but less imposing in scale.

Rococo ceiling stucco at the Neues Schloss, Tettnang

Decorative accents otherwise known as ormolu were made out of brass and colored woods. Exquisitely carved decorative accents adorned furniture with great use of of motifs consisting of shell decoration, plant and flower motifs, C scrolls and S scrolls. Rococo styled rooms featured many decorative moldings from the ornate furniture. It didn't end there, small sculptures featured ormolu details, ornamental mirrors were adorned, and complementing architecture featured substantial reliefs. The decorative impressions were seen everywhere during this time. Furniture has never been made the same since this point in history.

Our suggestions for TOP QUALITY Brass Ormolu:

Ari's Luxury- features authentic classical furniture ormolu for your french and Italian furniture.

Today, you can buy quality brass ormolu from Ari's Luxury on ebay. Their selection is simply the best on the market for neoclassical decorative mounts and appliques. The decorative designs are made from quality metals, and feature very rich detail. If you can afford it, and are investing in a quality antique, I do suggest to buy brass accents from them. You will find at Ari's Luxury authentic designs which you cannot find in wood, plaster or clay molds. I would imagine Ari's Luxury has spent years building up their authentic collection of decorative Ormolu.

Wood appliques have one distinct advantage over the rest of the appliques. - They can be stained, as they are real wood. If you are after an authentic carved look, wood appliques could be what you are after. Today decorative wood appliques can be purchased and hammered on to furniture. These appliques can be stained and are mentto replicate carved wood for a fraction of the cost and talent. Plaster motifs can also be painted to replicate wood with faux wood painting, but it does take some skill to make paint look like realistic wood.

Here are some of my faux wood painting projects. You can paint faux wood too!

Faux Burl Wood, Burl Wood Side Chests, White Crackle Furniture, Perfect White chests, Swedish White Chests

Wood will always be more durable than plaster.

Here are some of the best sites on ebay that feature decorative wood appliques:

Grand River Wood Products- Features a variety of decorative wood appliques as well as table legs and corbels

Wood N Shop- Features a generous amount of decorative embossed wood appliques which can be hammered on to any chest front, table leg or chair.

Habbys Sports And Collectables- has a small selection of wood carvings. They have some beautiful carved bell flowers and other neoclassical designs

Joslin Home Products- Features a small selection of beautiful embossed wood appliques

DesertRoses Designs Craft Shop- features a nice selection of finials, hardware and decorative accents

Painted Buffet-Sideboar d Ebay Seller Jwplus4

Plaster Molds

Plaster Molds have a benefit that they can be produced for a fraction of the cost and mass produced from your home for a wide variety of projects. A large wood relief can be purchased for 20 dollars, while a whole bag of plaster can be 9 dollars and could serve multiple projects. Working with plaster can be incredibly rewarding especially if you enjoy a wide variety of ornate decorative details. The draw back to using plaster on your drawers is plaster can be easily broken, compared to wood, or resin molds. If you have children who like to play, the plaster could be broken compared to wood appliques.

Our best suggestions for Plaster Molds:

Victoria Larsen- Has a very nice selection of hand picked architectural molds and stencils. Many of her stencils (such as her tree stencils) can be used with plaster to create a 3 d effect on your walls. She just features molds which could be used on cabinetry, drawer fronts, ceilings and walls. What I enjoy about her selection is her molds are typical designs which would be found in the 18th century homes.

Go Statue- Go Statue is highly recommended in my books. I have ordered a few of their molds, and I have been impressed with their service. They carry a variety of molds. The ones I have ordered are very durable and capable of producing thousands of molds without breaking. Their Tuscan molds are my favorite, and I have used them for a variety of projects.

Do it Yourself Chic - Sells ready made Furniture appliques. They carry a large selection of shabby chic large molds for drawer fronts and headboard frames. They have over 200 appliques to choose from.

Go Statue Embelishment Molds can be used for dresser drawer fronts and furniture. Some of their more delicate frieze or pediment molds can be used with polymer clay instead of plaster.

Simply Craft has a beautiful selection of molds which could be used INTEAD of keyholes. Although the purpose of the molds were intended to be used as soaps, the decorative portion of the mold can be used with Polymer Clay, and gold or silver leafed for a decorative accent on your dresser. They have some pretty shell molds perfect for a nautical themed dresser, and some horse molds that would look very nice in an equestrian girls room.

Making Molds From Plaster of Paris

1. Mix according to the directions on the Plaster of Paris bag or box. Use a plastic bucket and pour your water into the container. (We recommend using a plastic bucket or margarine plastic container to mix in. As you are finished your project, after a day, the concrete or plaster will dry and can be easily removed from the edges making an easy clean up) For example 1 cup water and two cups of plaster. A metal whisk makes mixing relatively quicker than a regular mixing spoon. Don't mix up more than you need, as any extras just go to waste. NEVER, ever rinse compound down your kitchen sink It can harden in your pipes.

2. Spray your mold with a release agent. While some sites recommend cooking spray, it has turned out disastrous for me. I have found a light coat of Vaseline works well, although this may not work with concrete because I have never tried it. Mud Art suggests that diesel oil has worked the best and doesn't cause adverse reactions with the concrete. Mold release sprays are designed to help release the cured concrete from the mold and eliminate air bubbles and pockets. Thicker oils such as baby oil, mineral oil and some vegetable oils actually cause air to be trapped in the concrete more than usual, which I can confirm happens with plaster of Paris also. They tend to create small indents in the plaster which ruins the plaster mold.

3. Pour the plaster mixture in to the center of the mold. Once the mold is filled to the top, tap the edge of the mold to bring any air bubbles to the surface. Level out your mold with the edge of a knife, paint mixing stick, squeegee, or any any other flat edged item to level off the plaster which will allow you to have a smooth backing to place on your dresser front, or walls.

4. Let your plaster cure for 1 to 2 days. My general rule is to leave the mold to set for thirty hours. This will allow the smaller delicate details of the mold adequate time to set and harden, eliminating breakage by removing it early. If you intend to "hang" your plaster pieces on the wall instead of mounting them to the walls or dresser fronts, simply fashion a "U" wire hanger and insert it in to the back of the plaster while it is still wet.

5. Releasing the mold should be done with careful patience. Turn the mold over and lightly press around the mold until you feel a release. As you use your mold over and over, the mold over time will extract the pieces easier.

6. Again with careful hands, round any rough edges with your fingers. If the mold is quite hard, you can use a finger nail file for the edges.

Applying your Mold to Your Dresser or Walls:

1. Before beginning, be sure your mold is absolutely dry. With Plaster of Paris, it should almost be lightweight. Let your molds dry for several days before adhering them to the wall. If you don't let them dry, the existing water in the mold will make the mold too heavy for the wall. Take the extra time for it to dry so it can adhere correctly.

2. Joint compound does a wonderful job of gluing your plaster ornaments on to dressers and walls with ease. Simply trowel the compound on the back of the piece where you wish to mount it on the wall or drawer front. Hold the ornament in place for a few minutes. Larger pieces may need extra time. Clean up any compound that has spilled over the sides. You want to create a seamless flush look between the wall and the ornaments. I leave my pieces to dry over night.

3. After it has dried over night, use water and compound and fill in the areas that are exposed between the ornament and the wall. Smooth it as you go. The overall effect should look part of the wall, not a decorative piece just stuck to the wall. A little bit of water on your fingers will create a seamless look. This step creates a more "professional" and "finished" look.

4. Once the compound has dried and you are pleased with the overall look of the dresser drawer or wall, you will want to paint your ornament. Plaster will not take paint well. Mix together a solution of 1/2 white glue such as "Elmer's" mixed with 1/2 water to seal the porous plaster so that it will accept paint evenly and smoothly.

How to Make Polymer Clay Molds:

1. Always slightly dust your mold with Baby Powder. Next, gently tap out the remaining excess power before pushing the clay into the impression. If it does get stuck, try putting the mold with the clay in it into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes this will help it release. I tend to use a very fine crafting knife to gently lift the mold from the back. As you lay your finished molds on a cookie sheet, trim around the mold for greater detail. Again, I tend to use a craft knife with a very fine point to do my altering. Bake according to the clay manufactures directions.

As you take your molds out of the oven, they are ready to be hammered into place.

I have found that withsmaller details, Polymer Clay is the very best choice to decorate a dresser with. It doesn't shatter to pieces like plaster of parisdoes, and it allows me to hammer the pieces in place compared to plaster of Paris. Although it doesn't work so well with very large castings, it can be used for decorative edging, and making key holes. Simply gold or silver leaf these castings and it replicates brass decorative ormolu.

Reccomended Stores on Ebay for Polymer Clay Molds

Premo Sculpey Polymer Clay stays plyable until you bake it in the oven. It is available in a number of colors, but gold seems to be a good base if you plan on gold leafing your molds later on. Black is the other color I use most often. Buy it by the pound, for a better value than any stores can offer.

Crow's Nest Studio Specializes in polymer clay molds. I recommend their Embellishment molds, Insect Molds. Their molds would be dynamite for jewelry.

Beauty & Craft has a large selection of Polymer Clay molds. I especially love the animal molds which can be used for both Jewelry and dresser ormolu. The swallows bird would look spectacular gold leafed and hammered on to a dresser. The decorative molds are especially beautiful for small accents. The sea life molds are very pretty for a nautical dresser.

How to Use Concrete Molds

1. First you want to lubercate your mold before using it. Oil the mold lightly with concrete form oil or light machine oil before pouring the concrete. There should be a light film on the mold, but not pooling amounts of oil.

2. Next mix your dry concrete in a plastic bucket and add water a little at a time while mixing. Using a plastic bucket will allow any remaining concrete to be easily removed and cleaned after it has dried for a day. The concrete mix should be thick, not thin. Powdered colorant can be added after both water and concrete are mixed together. Liquid colorant should be added before adding your water into your concrete mix.

3. Tap the edge of the mold to bring to the surface any air bubbles trapped in the concrete or plaster. Tap the edge of the mold until no new bubbles appear on the surface.

4. Let your mold dry for about 24 to 36 hours. One good indication that your mold is cured is when you can no longer scratch the concrete or plaster with your thumbnail or a toothpick. Removing the plaster or concrete before it is dry, will result in it breaking in half. To many times I have ruined a mold because I was too excited to see what it looked like. A general guideline is to leave the wet concrete in the mold for thirty hours. This will help elimate the breakage of delicate parts as you extract the mold.

5. To release the mold, place a support board on top of the mold, and gently turn the mold over. While holding the mold, be very gentle to push down around the mold to extract it. Additional drying time is needed for the mold to fully dry. Plaster when dry should be relatively light to lift. Leave it dry for several more days before using.

Mold Creations gives their instructions along with the recipes for different concrete molds. They also carry colorants which can be mixed into your concrete and plasters.

Recipe for Concrete

Concrete is made of up sand + gravel + cement. Cement is the glue that holds the sand and gravel together. The gravel or aggregate as it is referred to is what provides the strength in concrete.

Mortermix is just sand and cement. If there is no gravel, your molds will have no strength. Morter mix is generally used just to "glue" things together like bricks and stone.

It is highly suggested that if you are wanting to make wall hangings or fence art, and so forth morter mix is great. If you want to actually walk on your stones do only use concrete mix.

A Mix Recipe without Gravel:
- 1 3/4 - 2 quarts of water
- 5 quarts of sand
- 2 1/2 quarts of portland cement

Recipe for Concrete Mix with Gravel:
- 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 quarts of water
- 2 quarts of portland cement
- 3 quarts of rock
- 4 quarts of sand

In a mixing bucket, mix all dry ingredients together. Next in a seperate bucket add 3/4 of your water slowly into the mix of dry ingredients. Continue to add the rest of your water until you reach a pancake batter consistency. You may not need to use all of your water

Sand, Vermiculite and Perlite are all variations that will achieve looks that simulate granite. Vermiculite give a somewhat sparkly look. The overall look can duplicate smooth concrete than aged
stone.

Recipe 1
- 1 quart of water
- 3 quarts of portland cement
- 3 quarts of peatmoss
- 3 quarts of medium or fine perlite

Recipe 2
- 1 1/2 quarts of water
- 3 quarts portland cement
- 2 1/4 quarts sand
- 4 quarts peatmoss

Recipes for Lightweight Concrete

- 1 quart of water
- 2 quarts portland cement
- 3 quarts sand
- 3 quarts perlite

Variation for Lightweight Concrete

Recipe 2
- 1 quart of water
- 2 quarts portland cement
- 2 quarts sand
- 3 quarts vermiculite

We hope this guide will help you design the ultimate dresser of your dreams using decorative accents to kick it up a knotch!

Painting The Inside Of Your White Dresser

Admin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 01:39:08 +0000

While we all would love to have a peacock blue painted dresser in our home, it can incredibly hard to mix in a brightly colored piece of furniture into a contemporary setting. Pink can be a very calming color but most people would find it difficult to accessorize with it in their bedroom if their home wasn't all decorated in French or shabby chic. While cream, and neutral beige and gray colors can be calming, color can add some spice and fun. Why not have both? If your home is quite formal, but you long for some color, consider adding an unexpected color inside of a cabinet. Closets and cabinet drawers may be the perfect space to add a touch of color without disturbing the natural flow of neutrals through out your home.

The Secret Cabinet Sold By Anthropologie

The picture above is the Secret Cabinet being sold by Anthropologie which features a beautiful yellow interior

Painting inside your dresser and cabinets.

1. Clean inside your cabinets.

It is guaranteed that the inside of your cabinets and drawers have a bit of loose dust. Vacuum the inside of your dresser drawers. When cleaning inside of your kitchen cabinets, be sure the surfaces are completely free of all grease, grime, and residue. With kitchen cabinets, and china cabinets, take the extra time and take off the cabinet doors.

2. Sanding

Sanding can be one of the most tedious parts of painting, but it is well worth the time and effort. It is certainly not the most enjoyable part of the process, but through out the years your work will pay off.

Dressers:

A good primer is all that is needed most of the time for the inside of drawers in chests and dressers. Never never never cut corners and use a sticky drawer liner. Over time these liners have ruined so many drawers and I personally have spent hours scratching inch by inch to get them out of vintage dressers. A better alternative is felt or velvet lining cut to size. The outside of a dresser and top of the dresser are areas that would need to be sanded before painting, though because most drawers are not painted and are of wood, a primer usually does the job quite well. Cover Stain primer sticks to almost any surface without scratching off. Test one drawer and if the paint peels off, it would be likely you need to sand before painting.

White Painted Cabinets -Photo Credit Pink Wallpaper

Kitchen Cabinets, and China Cabinets

With kitchen or china cabinets it is necessarily that a slight sand will make the surface more porous to accepting paint. Fine grit sandpaper - 150 or finer is recommended. A slightly sanded surface will allow the primer to bite and hold onto the cabinet surface and will greatly increase longevity of the paint job. With china and kitchen cabinets that take a fair bit of abuse each day, this step is absolutely necessary. Please do not skip this step. I painted an interior of a china cabinet with black flat oil paint thinking it would do the job of a primer, only to come to know after it was completed that it didn't stick at all. It was disheartening to scrape off the paint and start over again all because I didn't sand first.

3. Apply a primer.

Over the years, I have found oil based primers more effective, than water based primers. I don't take chances on my furniture anymore by using water based. I have tried Behr Paint and Primer which is great, but on some projects this brand has failed to stick. Cover stain Primer can be tined in a wide range of lighter colors, and is a tremendous time saver because it sticks to almost every surface. Often times, I use just the tinted primer, and a polycrylic satin sealant on most of my furniture. Cover stain also is excellent to sand, so if you want to take your shelves out to distress after the paint has dried, this paint is very easy to sand.

Primer forms a better bond with the surface than paint alone would. A primed surface means that it is less likely to chip and peel if it gets bumped with dishes or pots and pans. If your cabinets are already painted and you are re-painting them the same color, you can skip this step and go ahead and apply the paint.

If your cabinets are a natural wood grain, you must prime them first. The paint will not stick a varnished surface. Shellac based primers, and oil based carry a very strong odor and caution should be used. It is imperative that you do wear a mask and great caution should be used if you plan on using them with a pneumatic sprayer. It is absolutely necessary that you wear a mask and have a lot of ventilation because respiratory problems can develop even when using a mask with a pneumatic sprayer.

4. Painting the cabinets

After sanding and priming, your cabinet doors probably look terrible. The foundation for a nice coat of paint is ready, and a coat of paint will bring your kitchen transformation to life. A Campbell Hausfeld DH3800 Pressure-Feed Spray Gun">pneumatic sprayer is the best way to get a smooth and glossy finish, though again, heavy precaution should be used to with an oxygen ventilator, or multiple fans and a heavy duty breathing mask should be used.

If you choose to paint by hand you still can achieve a professional finish by using a high quality paint brush or 10 pc Foam Brush Setfoam paint brush which will even out your strokes. The key to achieving a professional finish with a brush is to use very thin coats. It can be very tempting to paint on very thick coats to get the job done quicker especially after the hours of priming and sanding. Thick coats will mean a uneven finish. The best and most durable paint jobs are built up by consecutive thin layers of paint.

Lightly apply your first coat and let it dry completely. If you really want to achieve a professional finish, take some 400 grit sandpaper and very lightly sand between coats. Ideally you are not trying to remove the paint, but instead preparing a smooth surface for the next coat. In most cases two coats of paint will cover well, but occasionally three may give better results.

It is best that you take your time at your transformation. I know too many times I have rushed through projects because I was tired and wanted it done, I have regretted because my work has turned out sloppy. Work at your transformation every day or every couple of days. If you feel rushed or tired, it is very likely that you will try to take shortcuts. After your cabinets are hung, or drawers are in place you will enjoy the bright, clean and renewed space that you've worked so hard to achieve will look dynamite!

A pale blue backdrop sets off the monochromatic scheme From Country Living

Decorating in White From Cottage Living

Painted Chinoiserie Style Secretary From Greenwich Living Antiques & Design Centre

This lovely painted cabinet is from Greenwich Living Antiques

Decorative Ormolu For Your White Dresser

Admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:51:42 +0000

Antique Vintage Marble Italian Bronze French Chest Table Ormolu Shabby Chic From Welcome To Lighting Galleries Ebay

Key holes or otherwise known as escutcheons can be the perfect way of dressing up a white dresser. Escutheons were popular and served a function at one time when locks accompanied most chests and dressers. Today they are hardly seen except on antiques. Today you can find brass stampings off of the internet at most hardware internet sites for a dollar or less. You may also try the older vintage hardware stores, as they may carry stock of the vintage ornate hardware. I have found the fancier antique brass escutcheons can be found from salvage sellers off of ebay. They often sell lots (or sets of groups) of keyholes that you can hammer on to each drawer, which would otherwise be impossible to find. If you keep your eyes on ebay you can find some of the nicer french Louis escutcheons, or Victorian sets that once belonged to stately chests. Ormolu and decorative key holes is the number one way of revamping that ordinary chest to something with outstanding distinction.

FRENCH LOUIS PAINTED ANTIQUE BOMBE CHEST COMMODE ORMOLU From Antiqua Interiors

This stunning French Louis Bombe Chest Comes From Antiqua Interiors- One of the Best Antique Dealers on Ebay

FRENCH LOUIS PAINTED ANTIQUE BOMBE CHEST COMMODE ORMOLU

French White Dressers

Admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:08:06 +0000

French furniture accompanies shabby chic style as the two go hand in hand. True french furniture often is hand painted and well made. Different antiques either feature the wood bare and polished, while others have outstanding hand painted patina finishes. If you are anything like me, you get bored with modern clean lines that don't have much to capture your attention. Louis XV furniture is the most curvy of all the french period antiques. Demi Lune cabinets and bombe Chests are some of the best french furniture in the chests styles. These particular chests can be very expensive and hard to located. With ebay, you can find a reasonable price if you have the patience, the only challenge is usually figuring out shipping arrangements. You would be surprised what sells on ebay. I once saw an entire bombe bedroom set for $300. You certainly cannot beat that!

Early in the 20th century french provincial furniture became popular in America, and grew over the years as mass production during the 50's and 60's grew it to an all time high. French reproduction furniture was all the rage. Bedroom sets, living room sets and dining room sets were all styled in the french provincial looks, while at the same time the modern furniture was taking off as well. The white house during that time was decorated in french provincial pieces. Today this furniture is surfacing again at thrift stores, ebay, and local classifieds. It is extremely sought after as it goes hand in hand with chic, chippy, and English decors. In home decor magazines are glorifying antiques because they are hard to come by and rare to be seen. In particular, Veranda magazine is best known for featuring painted antiques worth thousands. One thing is true, french style will never go out of fashion. Other than Rococo furniture, it doesn't get as glamorous as that!

Myra Hoefer French Country Chest - White Dresser

Antique White Chest French Country - Myra Hoefer

Charles Faudree's French Country Living

Charles Faudree's Country French Living

Charles Faudree's French Country Signature

Charles Faudree Interiors

White Shabby Chic Upholstery

Admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:01:12 +0000

White Upholstery Featured on The Splendid Willow Blog

Upholstered furniture is a staple in any shabby chic room. A variety of fabrics that work together is one of the easiest way of pulling a room together for a professional look. Shabby decor often features white or very subtly colored fabrics. With slipcovers now available, you don't have to be an expert seamstress to update your furniture. Slipcovers can be the perfect solution as they are inexpensive to purchase, and it gives you the freedom to change your look with0ut investing in new furniture. Fabric slipcovers also can be easily removed for cleaning as white can get dirty with playful children. Shabby chic fabrics are usually cotton or linen and are usually featured in white or pastel colors. When patterns are used, they are floral patterns or lush romantic toile prints seen in English country or cottage style design.

Elegant Ribbed Ivory Furniture Slipcover Chair 633

Diamond Stretch Slipcover, Chair

Additional Slipcover for Maison Sofa - White

Ballard Designs - Baldwin Club Chair Slipcover - Ballard Essentials Fabrics - White Twill
Basket Creme Furniture Slipcover Sofa 604

Snowy White Faux Fur Rug

Bowron Single PELT RUG 24"x36" (Natural)

Bowron Octo Shape Pelt Rug
Bowron Double Pelt Gold Star Rug

Single Storage Dresser with Bun Legs White Finish

Pebble Beach Youth Matte White Finish Storage Chest