Wallpaper or Paint ?

Don't get me wrong I am a confirmed lover of an all white home but sometimes, just sometimes I have a yearning for a bright, patterned accent wall. 

Embracing the dark side

I love white, its a fact.  Always have , always will, but lately I have found myself in need of an injection of  colour into my home.  

Garden Makeover - Part One

A glimpse of the work so far - A lot of grey 

The Summer has been busy with school holidays and our wonderful once in a lifetime visit to Florida, so the garden makeover has not moved along as quickly as I might like.

Vintage Rocks Chalk Paint - Oars

I was recently asked to try out some rather cool looking chalk paint from an equally cool named company called Vintage Rocks.  

The White Bedroom

by Egger`s Einrichten

For me white is peaceful, its calm, its clean and fresh.  I can't think of a better room more suited to white than the bedroom.

Tips for Decorating with White

When people see my home for the first time they always exclaim "how do you keep it clean"  or "I could never have an all white home with my children" . 

Front Door Makeover

How long have I been married ? and blogging ?  and how often have I reminded my husband to PLEASE take before photographs if he is going to embark on some DIY when I am out !

The hall stand

I love 1930s hall stands, they are usually both well made and practical.

Painting and all that

 

I am asked almost on a daily basis what paint would I  recommend, how, why, what, when.  I always try to reply to all the emails, tweets, facebook comments etc but have to admit its a bit time consuming. So I thought it was about time I got around to a writing a few tips down.

NO 1 :  You do not need to invest your hard earned cash buying expensive designer paints.   I'm not saying don't buy them,we all like to splash the cash on luxury items from time to time.  Its just that to get a lovely paint finish you really don't have to buy blind just because you read somewhere its the must have paint.  It is possible to obtain the matt chalky finish popular at the moment by using a good quality matt emulsion paint.  I particularly love Dulux Trade Matt emulsions.  They are expensive but are top quality, cover really well, are hard waring and go a long, long way.  I also love Craig and Rose 1829 Chalk paint, it comes in a range of beautiful colours.  To be honest any good quality emulsion paint will do the job.  If you are unsure of colours buy the tester pots first.  I find most of the good quality brands go a long way.  I often manage to paint a whole chair from one tester pot. 

 

NO 2 :  It really is all in the preparation !  OK so some paints are marketed as one coat wonders with no preparation required but if you want you item to have longevity. You will need to prep it properly first.  

a.   Make sure the surface you are painting is clean from dirt, grease and grime. I usually wipe            down with sugar soap, but to be honest good old soap and water usually works just as well or white spirit.  Just make sure its completely dry before you continue.

b.   Gently rub down all surfaces you want to paint.  A light grade sand paper is best to ensure you don't scratch the surface wood.  You don't need to exert too much on this just enough to give the paint something to bond to.


c.  If you are planning to paint an old, dark piece of furniture or if the piece was previously painted with a gloss paint, was varnished or waxed it is best to also use a primer first.  I recommend Zinsser B I N Shellac based primer.  This will stop patches of bleed from the wood coming through with light coloured paint and acts as a great base coat.

 Pic from Pinterest

ok so now you are ready to paint :

NO 3 :  As I said you don't need to buy expensive designer paints but do buy the best brushes you can afford. Its really worth the investment.  Cheap brushes loose their bristles which can be very annoying when they fall into the paint or get stuck to the piece you are painting.  The best kind of brushes to buy are sable artists brushes for small areas or precise painting.  I am always on the lookout at bootsales and charity shops for any kind of artist brushes.  They are wonderful and give a great finish.  For large surface areas I use natural bristle brushes like Pioneer spirit which hold the paint really well and give great coverage over large items.  If you don't like to see brush strokes then foam rollers are good to cover large flat areas like the tops of tables etc. 


NO 4:    You can't rush !  If you want to have a lovely painted piece to be proud of you  need to take your time painting it.  Several light coats are a must.  Apply a light top coat all over the item, starting at the top and working your way down the piece, try to not get distracted !  Its very easy especially when painting a large piece or a chair to get bored and move to another area, try not to do this as you may cause a patchy look to the finished item.  Don't be put off by the look of the item when you have applied the first coat, it will look awful, we all have to start somewhere.   

After you have applied your first coat, let it dry properly.  Do not be tempted to start another coat otherwise you will cause drag and may even lift off the previous coat.  The beauty of using Matt emulsion paints is they dry really quickly so you should only have to wait less than an hour between coats.  When each coat has dried, give it a  gently rub down with a soft grade sand paper to lift and smooth any imperfections. 

 

NO 5 :  Final stage, once you have finished painting and your piece is dry. Time to apply either a wax or matt varnish.  I like to use wax which can be applied easily with a cloth or a brush and gives a soft sheen finish.  For a more durable finish, a matt varnish is recommended and can be quickly applied with a brush.  Once applied leave the piece overnight.  The following day give the item a light buff with a clean cloth ( I use old cotton tee shirts).

I hope this quick overview has helped, please don't hesitate to comment below if you have any questions.

Back to Grey (or thanks for the free paint Helen)

One of the perks of people knowing I upcycle and paint furniture is I am often offered items they are throwing out and on one occasion two massive pots of virtually unused paint !  The paint in question is not your ordinary everyday kind of paint.  Oh no!  Its the top of the range Dulux Trade Diamond Matt in the colour of the moment Dove Grey.  This paint has superior durability, covers like a dream, as hard wearing as they come, can be wiped clean and most  importantly has a matt finish. (so works well if you like a chalk paint kind of finish).

Normally out of my price range I was thrilled to receive the paint from the very lovely School mum friend and set to work immediately on dark wood items that needed a solid undercoat.  Just about to start a commission for a customer, it was also a perfect colour for the job!

Once I completed the commission and still only halfway down the pot of paint ! (goes a long way does quality paint) I looked around for more items in my own home requiring a lick of paint.  With the twins away at Grandma's and No 1 son away on his holiday in Turkey, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to do some decorating in the house.  Time to change the staircase (AGAIN).

AFTER

Newly painted staircase.  Intend to put the stencil back on them again and still toying with the idea of putting a white stripe up the centre but I'll wait until hubby finishes the new wallpaper before I decide.  Also think I might fill the very tall wall with bits and bobs I have collected on my thrifty travels.

Next I headed to the bedroom to start on the cupboard which houses my linens and has stared accusingly at me for the last few years.  A lovely piece of stag furniture in its day it just had to have a paint job I'm afraid.

                                                                               BEFORE

 AFTER

 Sorry about the dress dummy, I use her to display clothes I sell online and she wears this beautiful silk nightie and dressing gown to remind me to try and stick to a diet for my holidays !

 I even found these gorgeous grey candles on a recent (rare) trip to Ikea.

I am really pleased with the result.  It still needs a bit more wax and a buff, but thanks to Helen's paint it transformed this piece of furniture and really brings the rest of the bedroom furniture together.

 I picked this rocking chair up at a bootsale last year for £10.  I nearly passed out when I saw it and virtually ran over to the stall holder.  I have done nothing to it except clean it and absolutely LOVE it in all its chippy grey painted glory.

Found the grey slip ons in the Next sale for £14.  Not normally a shop I go into these days, but was pleased I did on this occasion.

Mirror found on Ebay about 6 years ago.  Paid very little for it.  Grey and white designer throw on the bed purchased for £30 from TKMaxx.  Silk (look) curtains purchased for a song in the sale at Dunelm mill.  Bedside cabinets found in the recycling centre, pair for £10 and painted in Helen's perfect Dulux paint.

There you go, amazing what one tin of paint can do.  Thank you again Helen ! 

One man's trash

 

I found this monster of a table at the bootsale.  It was dark, stained and very, very heavy solid wood.  The top was beyond redemption but I could immediately see the potential with all the detail to the underside and legs.

When I looked at the piece I imagined a wonderful ocean swept piece of furniture sitting perfectly in a beachside retreat.

After a LOT of sanding, several coats of white paint, a top coat of beautiful clouded sky from the Origins range by Dulux, some gently rubbing down and waxing I am really, really pleased with the result and if it doesn’t sell.  I’m keeping it !