Red Painted Furniture

Here's a couple more 'asian/Horchow' inspired pieced--a nightstand and a little jewelry box. Both match the chest of drawers below. I like the red, but I think most people preferred the light turquoise color previously used on the other painted furniture. Is it because our school colors are red? And people are tired of it? Too bold? Hmmm.

Red 'Chinese' Painted Dresser

Well, here is the faux ancient wood chest from the orient, bwa ha ha! This was an old dresser from the 70's or earlier--how do I know that? Because the inside bottoms of those 3 drawers were lined with old Holly Hobbie paper...remember that? There were even smock tops made from that fabric--I know, I had two in 6th grade! So what was that , 1973/74??--yikes!
White house paint had been slapped on this, so I just spray painted it with some deep red and the rest occurred by magic! (Not really, been painting the designs on and off for a couple months...but I do like it and if I had room, I'd keep it!)  Just waiting for the grunge coating and varnish to dry...and it is soooo  humid!  I am really glad I decided not to drill holes and add knobs.

Red 'Chinese' Painted Dresser

Just starting this project....I like it so far!  Later, I will spatter, sand, and stain it to appear old like me.

Patchwork Loveseat Furniture

Well, I just put some random fabrics together and made the cushion for my new, hideous loveseat. Not too bad--I didn't use a zipper, but utilized velcro instead--worked like a charm. Also used a 1/2" size piping instead of super-skinny like the previous upholstery--easier to work with and more apt to hide the overall imperfectness! Bad photo from my phone--more loveseat comments--scroll down a bit.

Painted Furniture

Some time ago, I saw a wonderful blue-ish Asian/Indian/Moroccan wardrobe featured on Horchow--for over a thousand dollars!...it looked crumbling, primitive, extremely lovely and textural. Not having a thousand dollars I painted one up 'faux-style' with swirls and flowers and couldn't part with it, despite the fact that it didn't quite look 'old enough'. I stashed it upstairs for future use.
I got the urge to create another one in a similar fashion, though I used silver paint rather than gold--it crackled beautifully and I am very pleased. The knobs are silvery glass, but burnished-looking, sort of like an old mirror that has tarnished over time. And now it is GONE--sold on Craig's List!

Patchwork Loveseat Idea

OK....I got this sturdy simple loveseat because I thought it might be fun to restore to an 'eclectic' look, but it doesn't look like something I want to attempt at the moment. Right now, laying on it's back in the entryway of my living room like a dead beetle, I've got to find a place to shove this little sucker to make room for some other projects in various stages of progress. (Progress--yeah, right!)

I have some brown swirly fabric, limey stuff, shades of orange circle shapes, and some retro-like large print bright florals that have some tones of fuschia and turquoise, gold and cream. I'll post a finished pic AFTER March/April/or May!

Big Chief Tablet Desk

When I got this little wobbly desk, I thought it might be a good project to work on,  wanting to save it from becoming one of those Pinterest aqua-painted shabby-chic furniture pieces that are becoming oh so common nowadays...
So, I thought I'd quickly scrape/strip off the multiple layers of paint, get it down to some nicely dark-stained, glowing wood with a single creamy white drawer. WRONG!
$on of a bitch, people! Three days of scraping with a variety of tools, steel wool, wire brushes and three different kinds of lame stripper and I remained far from my goal....why don't they bring back liquid Red Devil that ate off paint like the acid blood from the Alien movies!?? Gah!
Plus I cut my finger twice flying about the kitchen making Thanksgiving Dinner and being more creative by trying 'Sweet Potato Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce'--a bit too heavy handed w/ the nutmeg....but I digress.
Sore fingers do not handle sandpaper well so I GAVE UP and grabbed some thin black paint. (Sigh)  I rubbed the thin paint with Ebony stain to sorta stay within my goal, left the top a nice wood (retaining its nostalgic burn mark, scar, ink & bleach stain, added antique-looking 'mercury glass' knobs to the drawer and, completed the piece with (TA DAH!) BIG CHIEF!