Shabby cottage chic desk and dresser

Found this little desk and three drawer chest at a recent estate sale.

Of course, it was the color that first caught my eye when I saw this little desk from across the room.  Alas, the top was a real MESS!  Cheap plywood that had cracked, stained and peeling paint, but not the kind that you can leave ‘as is’.  Still, the price was right so I bought it.  (and the drawer innards were nice and CLEAN!)

SCORE!!  Another piece in ‘my color’!?!  woo-hoo!  Ah, but wait!  Once I put my reading glasses on I could see that it had been very POORLY painted aqua over a medium green pain; which still showed in several places.  Still, it was nice and sturdy.  The backing was in good shape and the drawers were clean!

The chest was pretty ‘grimey’ and  required a good scrubbing; and those drawer pulls HAD to go.  The pulls were screwed on, which usually means an easy removal; but these had been painted over more than once, so simply removing the screws did not do the job.  I had to WHACK them really hard with a hammer to get them off.

Not all of the stain and grime came off when I washed it, so it was time for the orbital sander.  I was HOPING that I could ‘just sand it’ and leave it this color.  Nope.  This, and the desk were going to HAVE to be painted.  I opted to paint them both white.

The top to the desk turned out just perfect!  Just the right amount of each color, white, aqua and wood showing after I distressed it.

As I am in the habit of doing, I painted the backside also.  It really only takes a few more seconds to do this when you are repainting items; and it gives the purchaser a lot more flexibility on placement of the item, as they won’t HAVE to place it with the back to a wall.

Distressing brought out just the right amount of the original aqua paint along the edges and ‘here and there’.  I recycled some old metal drawer pulls that I had on hand.  The insides of the drawers were completely painted the same aqua as the desk, but the bottoms were a bit scratched up.  I glued some pretty wrapping paper to the bottom of the drawers.

Distressing the chest was a bit more difficult.  Usually I can just ‘sand away’ and not have to pay very close attention and it will turn out fine.  However, the aqua color was a very LIGHT coat of paint, and if I sanded too hard of too much, I went clear through to the green coat of paint.  A little bit of the green showing through wasn’t too bad, but I wanted more of the aqua to show.  At one point, I almost decided to just repaint the whole thing turquoise!  But then I decided to ‘give it a shot’ at selling with the bits of green showing, before I went to all the extra work of painting it a second time.  I used the same vintage metal drawer pulls for the dresser and I did for the desk.

You can really see the green around the edges of the top of the chest.  That little ‘reddish’ mark near the center of the top of the chest had been a ‘blob of paint’ that had to be sanded down.  Apparently the top had been RED at one time, and sanding went down to that coat on this one little spot.  SO, I may well have to paint this chest a second time.

But for now, it’s in my booth at Stars Antique Mall priced at $59.00.  The smaller size of this chest make it perfect for a child’s dresser and/or a bed-side chest for an adult’s room.

As is the desk; which is $49.00.  That aqua cute bow back chair is also $49.00.

While I had the white paint out, I painted up a couple of wood slat picnic baskets that I’ve had for a while.

The smaller square basket with the BEE on top is $24.00.

The bigger, dark brown one with EAT on the top is $29.00.

The shabby apple basket is $15.00.

White metal birdcage (decorative use only; it does NOT open!) is $ 25.00.

Upcycled candle chandelier is $29.00.  Made using old white metal garden edge fencing; with five frosted glass hanging jars for tea light candles or battery tea lights.

I’ve recently added a LOT more vintage milk glass dishes!  Look at that adorable little espresso cup and saucer!!  I’ve got LOTS of regular coffee’tea cups and saucers and creamers and sugar bowls.  Perfect for an elegant bridal shower.  Lots of vases too!

I also just took in a nice collection of vintage Taylor, Smith and Taylor ‘Boutonnier’ dishes.  I had been collecting these for myself for quite some time; and finally decided that I just didn’t have room for them.  It’s not a complete set.  But there are a lot of cups and saucers and dessert size plates.

Stop by soon and see what’s new!!  Don’t let the construction on the side street scare you away.  (they tore down the boys and girls club and are putting is a high rise condo building!)  There is still plenty of parking; actually MORE than what was available before on some days!!

Aqua painting binge

My first ‘binge painting’ in my new place is done, and everything is now stocked in my booth at Stars.

The three shelf spice rack.  I debated painting a design on the back, but nothing really ‘clicked’, so I painted it the same aqua as the shelf.  Lightly hand sanded along the edges to distress.

A reminder of how it looked originally.

In progress.  This is what it looked like after the first coat of paint.  You really don’t need ‘perfect’ coverage on the first coat.  As you can see, I removed the backing; originally because I was going to paint a design on it.  But even if I had initially planned to just paint it to match the rest of the shelf, I’d have removed it to make painting easier.

With the back removed you have far LESS little corners to paint and you can reach the shelved from the front and back.  And the backing takes about 15 seconds to paint with a roller.  SO, even accounting for the time involved in removing and replacing the backing; you have saved time overall.

The frame.

First I spray painted it flat black, then two coats of aqua brushed on.

I intentionally avoided getting the aqua paint down into all the carved details for some contrast.  Once dry, I hand sanded along the raised edges.

The little 3 drawer jewelry chest.  I gave it different knobs . . . thought about painting the knobs to match, but decided not to.  If it doesn’t sell like this I can always bring it home and paint them.  I used a turquoise spray paint on this one.

The before.

The ‘to paint or not to paint’ conundrum strikes again!  It was just TOO plain with nothing on the front.  These resin medallions were all I could find that would fit with the non-removable knobs.  Added them as an after thought . . .paint them?

After walking away from it and coming back later, I decided it was too much contrast o leave them ‘as is’.  Opted to dry brush paint them to allow some of the black show through.

Just what it needed!

The inside is fully painted too . . . .

Because it HAD to be!  If the inside had been white or any other complimentary color, I could have left it.  I actually PREFER the inside a different color . . . just not when it means MORE work for me.  (especially on such a small piece!)

This one ‘needs something’  . . . . but I failed to find that something.  We’ll see if it sells ‘as is’ and if not I’ll re-address the embellishment conundrum.

The top had a few flaws that were still visible after painting, so I stenciled a fleur design in a darker turquoise . . . and hated how it looked!  The contrast was TOO much.  Grabbed my paint roller and started painting over it and  . . . . . OH WAIT!!  It looks better partially painted over . . . kind of a faded look.  Old

Old dictionary pages glued to the bottom of the muddy brown drawers.

The before.  The designs on the front were ‘papered on’, but sanded of pretty easily.  The KNOBS were not removable unfortunately.  Had they been, I would have filled the holes and added new ones, centered on the drawers.

The doll clothes wardrobe;  just painted it, no embellishments.

Even though it was unfinished wood, it still required some ‘prep work’ before painting.  Raw wood will really absorb dirt and oils from usage, so if it looks dirty or grimey; give it a good sanding before you paint.  As with the spice rack, I painted the backing separately BEFORE attaching it.

The Cafe do Paris tray was a half-finished project from another time.  It had been base coated black, so all I had to do was paint it and stencil the design on.  The black ‘edging’ was done with the paint leftover on my stenciling sponge.

Not entirely sold on the color I used for the upcycled candle holder finial.  It’s one of those little free samples that Lowes has coupons for every so often.  It’s almost a periwinkle . . . we’ll see if it sells, if not I can always repaint it!

A quick rummaging through my stash of decorative curtain rod ends produced this piece which worked perfectly as a ‘topper’.

I just glued it on with tacky glue.  The candle well was deep enough that I didn’t need to remove the screw.

I typically try to put the ‘new stock’ at the front on my booth when I restock.  Reason being, most shoppers just ‘glance as they walk by’ as they walk up and down the aisles in the antique mall . . . until something ‘catches their eye’ and draws them in for a closer look.   And for those who come in on a regular basis, you want them to see NEW things every time they visit.

I’ve still got some white and cream color furniture pieces.  Some of those are grouped together down the back side of my booth.

I tired to ‘gradually’ phase into the new aqua pieces as you move around to the front of the booth.

Little gold grouping inside the doll wardrobe.

The little 3 drawer piece fit nicely tucked under a small table; the top piece in a stack of three.

I LOVE this little white shelf with a drawer!  I have not idea what it is.  My best guess is that it was used in the kitchen for cook books and the drawer for recipe cards.  It’s been in my booth for quite a while.  Might be time to bring it home and paint it aqua.

Layers!  I always display in layers!  So if the Cafe de Paris sign and little  cupboard with doors sells; there is more product behind it so it I don;t have too much bare space.

More layers.
Come on by and check out  the new stuff!