A reader wrote to me a few weeks ago asking about furniture makeovers and my favorite paints for those projects since I used to do a lot of those. I haven’t done so many in the past years but I did turn to an old go-to easy fix product to refurbish a bench. I’ve used spray paint before to give an old piece of furniture a new look (remember this chest and these nightstands) and it’s been almost five years since I revisited this topic so I’m back today with a refresher. The steps are still the same, and I think the products and colors have gotten even better. There’s a 5 x 5’ corner of my studio’s kitchen that fits a small table and chairs where I eat lunch and where I share coffee breaks with friends and family that stop by to visit me during the day. I’d love to have a cushioned corner bench in here someday but for now I don’t have the time or cash to invest in that so for now I decided to simply refurbished an old bench that was sitting on my balcony collecting dust.
I like to use spray paint on smaller pieces of furniture or light fixtures because I know I can get a smooth finish without brush strokes if I follow certain steps. It’s how I got this bench with chipping paint to look new again in a beautiful shade of olive green. Here’s a peek at its condition before I started, notice lots of chipped paint!
You’ll want to sand any piece with chipped paint which is what I did here: I used a coarse sanding wedge then followed it up with my orbital sander where there were stubborn spots that needed more advanced smoothing.
All spray painting needs to be done in a well ventilated area, I prefer outdoors on a semi cloudy day when the temperature is between 60 and 75 degrees. You need a totally clean surface too because moisture or debris can cause cracking or bubbling of the surface. I hosed off the bench, wiped it down, and let it dry outdoors for a few hours before I began.
The key to spray painting is thin coats! I used two cans of Krylon’s Satin Italian Olive, a thin coat all over the first round, a second thin coat in the second round, and a third light touch up, allowing an hour of drying time between coats. The spray paint guns are something I consider totally necessary, they eliminate finger cramping and help you guide the paint along the furniture for a smooth application.
If you encounter a drip here or there, use your finger to wipe it and come back later to touch it up with another light layer of spray. One of my favorite tips, any oil based paint can be easily cleaned off your hands using vegetable oil! No mineral spirits needed. :)
For an even more detailed step-by-step on spray painting furniture, see this post from five years ago, it’s the same process!
Meanwhile I’ll just enjoy my *almost free* olive green bench in my cute little breakfast nook space. Wanna come over for coffee? :) Via https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/easy-fix-spray-painting-furniture/
0 Comments
Thanks for the love on the office tour last week. Several of you wrote to me about the black and white rug, how did I like it? Where did I get it?
Here’s a closer look, it’s a black and white pattern printed on an ivory background with tiny silver threads woven into it. The silver threads are hardly noticeable in pictures or in the afternoon, but during the day in natural light the silver flecks add just a touch of sparkle, I love that.
I’ve only had it for a month but so far so good. It’s thin but perfect for my space in a 5×8’ size. I don’t like to spend a lot on rugs because I find I want to swap them out after a year or two, either because they get dirty or because I get tired of the look. I can’t imagine getting tired of this one though, I love simple geometric black and white rugs, they work in SO.MANY.SPACES so here’s a bunch more to choose from.
aztec diamond / cripe handwoven black stripe (also in reverse white) / nuloom vasiliki
moroccan fringe / diamond tassel moroccan cotton shag / tribal crosshatch southwest / diamond pinstripes
. Via https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/black-white-rug-roundup/ Happy Friday all! The weather has been incredible this week in Northern California, we’ve had sunny skies for days and there’s something so uplifting (and distracting!) about blue skies in the middle of winter. This weekend, I’m finishing up some DIY projects: a closet renovation for my daughter and a bench refurbish using one of my favorite tools – spray paint for the win. :) I’m getting ready to leave the country too, I’m flying to Sydney on Tuesday, my brother and I are doing a whirlwind tour of that amazing city and also the Gold Coast where our cousins live. I’ll share pictures on my Insta stores for sure! It’s summer down under so I’ll get to wear flip flops and tank tops for a week and feel some warm sunshine on my shoulders, can’t wait. Favorite links: So clever: this combination island & eat-in kitchen table, more images here. I’m totally crushing on the olive green cabinets in this home’s kitchen. Bedroom design “mistakes” – are you guilty? Renters: some suggestions for personalizing and adding style. Methods to assist you in starting a daily creative practice. Setouchi Islands, Frisian Island, and 50 more places to visit this year. Tips for finding the cheapest flights online. Cheap and chic: I’m using these makeup bags for gym and travel! Great advice on how to write a sympathy card. . Via https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/weekend-reading-180/ The need to identify various types of fabrics in your home normally arise when you want to either wash or dye. Washing and dyeing of flame resistant fabric requires special care and thus one should distinguish the various materials. There are numerous methods that you can use to determine whether your sofa or curtain fabric content is good for dying or washing. Among the methods is burning test. A burning test analyses how a fiber melts or burns, the smell it emits during burning as well as the residue or ash it leaves behind after burning so as to offer you with clues and ideas of your type of fabric. In this article, we shall look at burning tests for various fabric materials. First, we shall consider cellulose fabric materials such as linen, cotton, rayon, hemp and bamboo. They ignite and burn rapidly to leave a glowing amber after flame extinguishes (could flare). They produce a light colored or white smoke that has the smell of burnt leaves or paper. Leaves ash that is soft and light grey. As for protein fabric materials like cashmere, alpaca, silk and wool, they burn slowly while curling away from the flame and will extinguish when flame is removed. They emit very little smoke that has the smell of burnt feathers or hair and leaves a dark brittle ash. Synthetic fabric materials like nylon, acrylic and polyester ignites and burn quickly. They can continue burning even after flame is removed. Their fibers may curl from the flame, melt and drip to leave a bead that is plastic like. They emit black smoke and fumes that are hazardous. I bought the Sodermalm armless sofa from IKEA for my little studio for the dual purpose of lounging and for styling fabrics and other upcoming projects. My friend Ingrid (who I’ve traveled with) talked me into buying this sofa, she has owned the dark gray version for five years and loves its versatility. “It seats more people than a regular sofa,” she insists, noting that if you forego the optional arms, the sofa’s ends allow for people to sit on the edges. After two months of living with it, and hosting a few groups of visitors, I have to agree with her, the style does allow for an extra amount of seating :) Like a slipper chair, the armless sofa arguably lacks the coziness of being enveloped by an upholstered arm. An armrest does serve a purpose, it frames the sofa and also acts as a support to lean upon and a place to prop up a pillow. However, I do love the look of this armless loveseat and since mine is paired with a corner piece and slipper chair on the other end, I do have that option of propping up pillows and also my head in the corner, whenever I need an afternoon break. I like the depth of the Sodermalm, but it’s a bit low, so once you settle in, you better stay awhile. It’s firm but comfortable and is great for lounging.
via coco lapine Armless sofas so have the appearance of a slimmer profile so they’re unassuming in a room. Without arms they are nice for filling a space of wall that could benefit from temporary lounging, an office, a library, a sitting room, but without arms, some might argue they lack the settle-in-and-binge-watch-a-show type of comfort.
An armless sofa on a smaller scale is also referred to as a settee or a sofette. I bought a teal blue one years ago and still own it, it’s where my son sits and plays video games from time to time with all his buddies.
If you’re in the market: more options for armless sofas! naomi sofa / soderhamn loveseat armless sofabed / wood base settee . Via https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/armless-sofas/ In 2018 I was feeling stuck and distracted and lacking real focus. A feeling kept nagging at me, that I needed to be transplanted to a new space in order for my business and my designs to advance and grow. I’ve worked from home for ten years because I wanted to be close when my kids were little, but they’re not little anymore! They’re teenagers now so last year I started thinking about having a separate office space that belonged to only me, where I could focus and think without distraction, where I could grow and thrive in my own universe. Last November I found a studio space, took a risk, signed the lease, and decided to move forward into a new office space in 2019, one I could call my very own. I finally put the finishing touches on my new office, come on in!
I kept the palette simplified: white, black, green, and gold, I find this medley calming yet sophisticated too. There are a dozen plus plant babies in this space. Being surrounded by greenery is inspiring to me. I wanted to put a big yucca tree in the corner behind me but when I added the trio of work tables it wouldn’t fit so I settled on potted plants and wall hangers instead.
I’ve had the same desk for seven years, it’s worked well for me so there was no reason to upgrade! It proved to be the perfect size for floating in the center of the office. (I only have my laptop here for now, but in a few days I’m bringing over my desktop.)
My son helped me assemble this white leather office chair, it’s so affordable and had great reviews which is why I bought it. I agree, it’s very comfortable, the perfect desk chair for long hours sitting at a computer!
Behind the chair is my travel inspired artwork and do you spy my 2019 printable desk calendars?
I bought three of the same paulo bookshelves for the office space, they are shallow, great quality, and easy to assemble, and they’re the perfect style for this space! One hangs out on the left wall of the office, and other two on the right wall.
I’ve loved the saying, “she’s whiskey in a teacup” since I saw this framed print in a second hand shop years ago, long before Reese made if popular with her book. A woman who is classic and lovely on the outside but strong and sassy on the inside —> ha ha yep, that’s me. :)
The bamboo shades are Levolor from Lowes, cut to fit the window in the store, and much warmer than the dusty old mini blinds. I have a nice view from this space, and a lemon tree just outside!
I added a set of three Linnmon desks from IKEA to wrap around the back wall, which gives me plenty of room for office supplies, they also make great surfaces for small DIY craft projects. The gold wall grid is another new addition, it’s perfect for rotating photos or inspiration!
Remember when I wrote about my search for the perfect semi flush mount fixture? This gold space age fixture is the one I picked, I love it so much, a little bit retro but contemporary too.
You’ve seen this view before in my post about my quest for finding the perfect green. The rattan chair is a new accent, nice to have when visitors pop in during office hours.
This space was designed as a place for me to work but also to reflect the things I love, and honestly, its made me come alive again. This place stimulates my creativity, gives me greater clarity, and adds to my overall sense of happiness.
It would have been easier for me to stay in my comfort zone, to continue working from home but as previously expressed, I wasn’t growing, I wasn’t inspired, I needed something new, a fresh start!
I truly believe in life you’ve got to take risks, embrace new opportunities, and say yes to new adventures. It’s when you push yourself outside your comfort zone, that’s where the magic happens. That’s why I’m excited to be in this new space, I’ve got a feeling 2019 will be an amazing year!
I’ve listed as many sources as I can, if you have any questions for me, let me know! whitewashed wood bookshelf / x base desk / black & white rug executive office chair / rattan accent chair / semi flush mount fixture gold watering can /paint color / gold wall grid /marble stapler dry erase board / larger wall planter / small wall planters . Via https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/new-year-new-office/ |
Abegail Webb
Store Manager at Juliana's Furniture Archives
February 2019
Categories |