Before and After - Annie Sloan Chalk Project - Two Settees

Annie Sloan Chalk Paints - I have Old White, Old Ochre, Duck Egg Blue, Cream, Paris Grey, Chateau Grey, Coco and Graphite. 

It has been some time since I have shown a "before" and "after" Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) link to her site. I have worked on just a few projects recently but am gearing up for quite a few more. This posting is about one of my favorites to date - a set of great French style settees manufactured by Henredon - a high-quality USA furniture maker.

I bought these two settees off of a craigslist add and was just lucky enough to be the first one to respond. The seller did get LOTS of inquiries but I encouraged him (barely) to stick with the first one here with the $$$ gets the pieces. He was getting offers for quite a bit more than he had listed them for but I was already at his doorstep by this time.

The finish was pretty badly scuffed and scarred and the fabric frayed but the bones on these pieces were exceptional. Solid wood frame and hand-tied coil springs with a high quality seat cushion. 

Fabrics

Before I make a decision on which color and type of finish I want to use, I select my fabric. I want the fabric to complement the finish and visa-versa.  In this case, I selected a creamish linen-blend and brass linen piping (mimics brass nail heads). I've done this combination before with a wood finish of old white with clear and dark wax over it - I knew it would look great on this set.

Once selected, I followed the following steps:

1. Removed piping around all exposed wood surfaces so that I can get good coverage.
2. Cleaned wood surfaces with Goof Off link to site which is a very strong product - I always use gloves and never use the product if I want to retain existing finish.
3. Turned the pieces upside down to start the painting processes on the bottom side - this method insures that all areas area adequately covered.

   

   Turning pieces upside down helps ensure good coverage - I generally only do this on the first coat.

   4.  Painted all areas with two coats of paint.
   5. Waited overnight to apply one coat of clear wax using clean t-shirt rag.
   6. Waited overnight to apply one coat of dark wax. To apply this wax, I used a combination of rag and old stiff toothbrush to make sure the wax gets into all crevices. I used the rag, sometimes with extra clear wax, to moderate the coverage and make sure it is consistent throughout.
   
   
   

   

   Two Settees after two coats of paint and one coat of clear wax.

   

   After reupholstering work by the great Lees at Sun's Upholstery in Norcross, GA, the pieces are ready for photographing. 

   

   
   

   I LOVED how these turned out! They are for sale on Etsy and eBay and one may already be sold. What do you think of this outcome?
   

Goodwill Shopping on Senior Citizen Tuesday

Interesting accent pot at Goodwill of North Georgia - new store on Holcomb Bridge

I have often written about my visits to the area Goodwill Industries stores - Goodwill of North Georgia has impeccable standards and excellent employees. AND, on top of all that, they give me a 25% discount (their senior citizen discount for everyone 55 and older) on Tuesdays - very generous. I have not been regular on these visits lately so decided to stop at just two shops yesterday - those closest to my home. I  ran into a neighbor and caught up with our busy summer activities and learned her daughter is pregnant (it will be grandchild number three - up to this point we have been neck and neck with two granddaughters each). But I digress - although not that much. I find the stores to be busy with lots of shoppers and not infrequently recognize some of those. It's a fun place to shop!

Here are some of the items I saw and briefly contemplated!

Nice enough chair - Decorating Den label - did not have coil springs in foundation. Probably would have bought if there had been a pair - nice styling. Cost was $29.97 before discount.

10 yard roll of fabric in a nice pattern. I was tempted but wasn't sure about popularity of color combo although if this works for someone, it would be great on a chair or set of smaller chairs or used in a shower curtain or bed duvet cover. Cost was $4.97 before discount. 

Loved this color combination.

Three sets of dining tables (one with chairs) at the Peachtree Parkway store - the round table which looked well made and in very good condition was $49.97 before discount. 

I am somewhat over the top in terms of current inventory which has challenged my storage requirements so am trying not to overbuy. I could not, however, resist the Highland House (Hickory, NC) club chair and picked it up to be redone.

I highly recommend these stores!

My purchase! 

Decorating Small Spaces - LOTS of Options

This House Beautiful article recommends using large-scale pieces in a small room to give it the appearance of spaciousness - an idea I found throughout my research. Source

There are challenges inherent in decorating any kind of space. In the Atlanta area, the average home is over-sized with large open spaces while in locations in New York and Los Angeles the cost per square foot is so prohibitive for many residential areas that room sizes tend to be much smaller. Personally, I think doing a larger space well is much more difficult than smaller spaces and I see many large spaces poorly decorated.

In researching this question, I found many recommendations and visual images to support my conclusion. Of course, as in any decorating style/trend discussion, some of the advise is directly the opposite of another idea. Here is the advise given by top designers/decorating magazines. Needless to say, this my passion is all about upholstered furniture, I am mostly emphasizing furniture selection and placement issues but have mixed in some other ideas.

These light colored pieces with tapered and light legs visually open up the space.  Source - article and photos

Choose Visually Lightweight Furniture

Pay attention to the visual weight of furniture, not just its actual size. Light-color furniture or pieces with legs appear lighter than dark or boxy upholstered pieces.

This neutral room with white walls is soothing and expands the views. I like the lack of draperies as well to create a clean background - see source above. The use of "leggy" furniture also helps.

Use Neutral Color Throughout

Using a neutral palette throughout a living room is one of the best ways to push back the walls. The eye can roam freely through a neutral palette, so the space feels more expansive.

Emphasizing the tall ceilings in this room creates the illusion of more space overall - the highly place and light fabric draperies add to the illusion even though the upholstered pieces themselves are somewhat boxy. Again, the neutral background and flooring help open up the space allowing for the infusion of some nice color. See source above.

Emphasize the Vertical

A room's space always includes more than just its horizontal dimensions. Invite the eye to move above and below eye level. In this living room, emphasis on the vertical comes by way of floor-to-ceiling draperies 

Enlarge Space with White

A small living room escapes feeling constrained thanks to white walls, pale floors, and white upholstery. The elements of the room are united by white, giving the space a cohesive feel.that hang just below the ceiling beams.

The ottoman does substitute for heavy furniture and provide additional seating. I also think the height of the room and lack of window treatments helps here.

Use an Ottoman for a Coffee Table

A large upholstered ottoman doubles as a coffee table when you add trays to provide a flat surface for drink glasses or a vase of flowers.

I found multiple articles that provided good advice - even if contradictory. This next discussion had some additional insights that made sense to me. Better Homes and Gardens

This designer recommended looking at upholstered furniture arms to find ways to maximize pieces in the room taking up the least amount of extra space. I also like the emphasis on the vertical, the use of white space and the use of "leggy" furniture to enlarge the visual effect of this room  - see source above - BHG.

Arms RaceSpace Savers: Use armless or slender-armed sofas.
Living rooms are called on to do a lot of entertaining, but finding spots for guests to sit isn't always easy. Despite its limited size, this one makes space for multiple seating options without sacrificing comfort, thanks to two plush but armless chairs, an armless love seat, and a slender-armed sofa.

White Done RightSpace Saver: Choosing cool colors will instantly make a room look larger.
Pale and cool colors reflect light, making a small space look bigger. Painting woodwork, trim, and doors the same color as walls also helps them "disappear." 

These low-scaled upholstered pieces in the tall room create a lot of light in this room. 

Lying LowSpace Saver: Choose lower furniture that will complement the size of the room.
The success of many small living rooms relies on smart furnishings. A pair of low chairs allows an uninterrupted view through this apartment while providing a chat-friendly seating arrangement. 

 Clean SchemeSpace Saver: Keeping your color palette simple will make the room look larger.
Sticking with a simple palette of one or two colors can deliver a look that's both streamlined and well coordinated. 

Well, this was just the beginning of this discussion. There are a lot of tricks that work. Editing was also discussed and I saw some great images of really dark spaces with pops of color - the emphasis was on similar or same colors - not a lot of change.

What do you think of these great ideas - have you tried any?

You Don't Have to Spend a Fortune - Starting Out!

Loveseat listed on Craigslist - Furniture by Owner Section - I plan to follow up on this one!

It is a rainy day (and week) here in the Atlanta area, and I thought I would troll the local craigslist - furniture by owner - listings to address an issue that has been the source of discussions with a good friend. The issue is creating great decor with high-quality furnishings at super low prices.

I have had this discussion several times. My friends children are just starting out with homes and have limited resources to splurge on furnishings. The inclination for many young people is to buy "cheap" which I define as buying the big, pivotal furniture pieces at places lkea and Rooms to Go and Costco. All can have some good deals on well made pieces but I haven't seen many and certainly not at great prices. The other inclination is not to think much about the furnishings and live in a less than "nice" and comfortable space.

My multiple years of shopping at garage sales, estate sales, craigslist sellers, consignment sales and all other venues where high quality pieces are sold at deep discounts have convinced me that there is a better way. Not everyone has the time or energy to pursue all possible venues but even a regular viewer of craigslist, particularly in larger metropolitan areas, can easily furnish most of their home with great pieces at great prices.

To illustrate, I spent a little time today reviewing ads for several living/family room settings using the craigslist listings for Atlanta. My criteria was as follows:

• Search for evidence of good quality. That can be description, name brand, original cost data and overall styling. 
• Search for evidence of reasonable discount. Some sellers think their items are worth WAY more than they are selling through this venue. One seller is trying to get $1600 for a pair of nice enough Henredon chairs that she paid $2200 for - it will not happen.
• Search for evidence that suggests they can be used as is - described as in very good to excellent condition.

Since this was just a mental exercise and not a buying spree, I didn't follow up with any of the items shown to ask additional questions; discuss possible discounts/flexibility in price; and, ask for more detailed photos.

Here are a few examples of what I found.

I think all these pieces could be bought for 15-20% off of the asking prices but a price-tag of about $1500 for all is not bad.

The board above provides for a nice, somewhat traditional living room with some eclectic touches. Here are the items:

• Loveseat - identified as "bench-made" and originally $2000 plus each for $950 for the pair.
• Rug - 8X10 wool - described as 6 months old and originally $1200 for $225.
• Table - iron and glass - described as vintage for $80.
• End table Drexel Heritage for $60.
• Unusual chairs (pair) - cushion can easily be recovered to better match other pieces - $250.

This grouping is organized around the somewhat pricey French sofa - I believe it could be put together with bargaining for about $2000.

The board above is an interesting look with continental flair. Here are the items:

• French carved wood frame with linen fabric - indicated they paid $2500 for $1300.
• French Industrial Table made with reclaimed wood - indicated they paid $1200 for  $399.
• Bombay bow-fronted chest - indicated they paid $1100 for $550.
• Chairs (pair) and Table - distressed and reupholstered for $285.

This was my challenge to do most of the room's pieces for less than $1000 - here it is!

This low cost option board includes quite a few pieces of furniture.  Here are the items.

• Hickory Hill (nice USA brand) sofa and loveseat - described as very clean for $350.
• Iron and glass coffee table for $70 (coordinating end table also available for $60).
• Beverly Hall Chair and Ottoman (high-end seller in the area) for $295.

Obviously, there is quite a bit more work involved than just sitting in front of the computer in order to check out these items, actually purchase and haul them home. Some, of course, won't be available by the time you respond to ad - others will not be what you want once you actually see them. But, this exercise does demonstrate the possibilities - what do you think?

In Honor of July 4th - Patriotic Decorating - REDS

Internet image - Celebrating the 4th

Since this is the week of the 4th of July, I thought I would do a series of postings about using the basic patriotic flag colors - red, white and blue - as a decorating theme. I started with my overall favorite color - red!

It is easy to find advice about how to use the color red in a decorating plan - whether as an accent or piece or furniture or more. I am always most inclined toward upholstered pieces and how to bring color into a room with fine furniture. These are the images and ideas that capture my attention but there are many other ways to incorporate red into a home.

I thought this article that highlighted bringing red into a home - both inside and outside - based on style was a fresh approach and emphasized choosing the right "hue" of red source .

Choose Your Style to Find the Right Red 

Contemporary design incorporates neutral elements with pops of bold color, often red.
 

On the door: Bold, bright red 

Inside: Bright red shades in a pillow, rug or throw 

Modern design calls for all kinds of reds: from primary hues to classic shades with burgundy or brown undertones.
 

On the door: Any red you love that makes a statement. 


Inside: Consider injecting red through a painting or piece of art. 

Traditional design stays away from primary reds and instead involves burgundy or black tones.
 

On the door: A deep, rich red. 


Inside: Decorate with Oriental rugs injected with darker reds.

Transitional design relies on a neutral palette, a perfect canvas for pops of red.
 

On the door: Match this red to hues you use 

Inside the home, or skip the red door entirely to keep a more neutral theme. 


Inside: Choose a softer and more indirect approach like a red lamp or piece of art. 

Country reds are chalkier and softer: Think barn or scarlet reds. Choose reds with pinkish and purplish hues, like the color of a ripening apple. 

On the door: Barn red. 

Inside: Accessorize with country reds in knickknacks and fabrics.

I found a lot of great ideas about how to incorporate red into any decor as well as inspiring images.  Here are a few sources - Country Living  and House Beautiful.

And here are some images that grabbed my attention - of course, many of them are of upholstered pieces - what else?  All are located on my pinterest page - Sources.

Love the lively mixture of patterns here although it is a bold traditional look with a hint of country! 

This could be my chair! 

This piece looks like it has be refurbished with a red chalk paint and dark wax overlay - I like it!

Sweet polka-dots - I would call this a transitional look.

Interesting variation on chairs - this looks very contemporary to me. 

A great transitional look against a very neutral palette.

This one looks modern to me - love those bright red chairs. 

Contemporary or modern - either way!

AI love these loveseat/sofas and their cheery pillows but am not sure about the background/drapes on this one - transitional, I guess! 

Great pattern mixing going on here although a little too much for me!

Since I already have a lot of deep reds in my traditional/transitional home including three Chinese red rugs, I naturally am drawn to these color palettes. What do you think about the liberal use of red in a home ?

Weekend Estate and Garage Sales - Oh So Tempting!

I usually only travel to far-out locations on Thursdays as was the case with this Marietta sale. The sale was well organized which I like. The French style cane chairs were very nice ($225 each) but not reasonable enough for me to buy and this sale was too far out for me to return or leave a bid. I did like the wooden horse - my dad used to carve horses like this as a hobby and I have one of his horses in my home.

Several of you have told me you like to see how my weekend(s) of sales go (living vicariously in some cases) - so here is a posting about this weekend's sales. Of course, my weekend starts as early as Thursday - quite a few of the estate sale organizers offer a "preview" day on Thursday. It is usually best to be there early and on the first day. You can always return later to see if that favorite piece is still available and for a better price or, in most cases, leave a bid for the amount you are willing to pay. I seldom return later unless it is convenient (e.g., in the Buckhead or Brookhaven areas which are my favorite haunts all days of the long selling weekend) or if there is something my Saturday sales partner, Ouida, might like since she is currently redecorating her living room.

Another Thursday sale although this one was a little closer to my house. I would have bid on three pieces shown here (chaise at $199, chair at $120 and settee at $150) but have so much inventory that these just did not tempt me enough.

I am still experiencing inventory and storage challenges, so have determined not to buy something to refurbish/sell unless I just can't walk away from it. There were nice pieces I would have considered at some of these sales - at least at a reduced price from asking - but they didn't excite me enough to add to my stock.

One of the Friday sales was on Riverview Drive in Buckhead in the lower level. There were several nice looking chairs but not at a price I was willing to pay. 

OK - now I am in trouble. This FABULOUS HOUSE on Tuxedo Road near Chastain Park in Buckhead was the locaiton of a sale in the four-car garage area. The owner and her decorator were handling the sale which had some very nice pieces that were being discarded because they did not fit into the decor of the new home. One of those items was this wonderful linen velvet bergere chair and a half in great condition. The owner told me she had had it redone by an exclusive shop in Buckhead less than a year earlier and placed it in a hallway - not really used.  I got it for a good price and am selling "as is".  Actually, it fits beautifully in my (red Chinese rug) living room - it may be hard to let go!

The location of this Saturday sale was the most exciting part. It is a horse farm that had been occupied by the current family for over 30 years in the heart of Buckhead. I cannot imagine how much this land is worth. The contents were old and tired and we thought the family may have been hoarders. 

One of our favorite sales was this artists. She is moving onto other artistic endeavors and is selling most of her stock at 10-20%  or less from previous prices. Ouida bought Isadora Duncan - a recycled sweater "creature" and I bought some jewelry. I would have liked to buy more of her charming creations for my granddaughters but they have so much stuff already, I just wasn't sure after carrying around several including the black and white guy in the top row and the orange bow-tied guy at the bottom. I know I will regret not buying some of these items.

This was another well organized sale. I was weak by this time and couldn't resist buying the two ottomans at the bottom for $45. I plan to redo wooden legs and replace fabric. I like them well enough that I would love to add to my lower level furnishings but I think I may be overdoing that already.

It was a great weekend for sales - looking forward to next weekend although the 4th of July will probably result in fewer sales!

Making a Striped Fabric Decision

Settee in need of refurbishing - I had a hard time deciding what to do with it!

Usually when buying well-constructed upholstered furniture for a redo, I know the fabric and the wood finish color (if part of the refurbishing project) I will use before I get the piece home. I have 100's of fabrics and at least eight Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) finishes to choose from so the coordination of these two critical design elements is fairly easy. Sometimes, however, I cannot make up my mind and I go through the angst of revisiting each choice I've make dozens of times. This is one of those occasions.

I picked up the nice settee above about three weeks ago thinking it would only need fabric but discovered that the woodwork was in pretty rough shape so it would need redoing as well. Of course, the fabric and finish need to work together so that started an effort to coordinate various fabric and finish looks. I had almost decided when I picked up a nice linen with velvet stripe fabric. For some reason, I got nervous about the idea of stripes on this piece even though I have used stripes extensively over the years - just not on wider pieces like this one. So, I plugged in "stripes on sofas and loveseats" to see internet images of striped pieces and also checked out various "decorating with stripes" articles just to get a better feeling for the look.

Here are some of the affirming images I saw and advice given on using stripes in home decor.

First of all, a push against conventional wisdom:

You know how designers and books and magazines always encourage you to buy the bigger pieces of furniture in a solid neutral color so they’ll last forever in case you change design styles?  Sometimes it’s good to fly in the face of convention.  link to full article

As well as an article about coordinating with stripes:

As prints go, stripes are relatively simple which makes them a great candidate for combining with other less versatile prints. For instance, florals or paisleys could be a lot of fun.  Use a striped blanket with floral pillows or a striped couch with a floral throw piece.  link to full article

So, then I looked at images (all of which are available on my pinterest board with some original source data - link.

How great are these (see source information above). I was particularly enlightened (and inspired) by the last piece since my fabric is a blue and cream stripe and I plan to use "old white" ASCP to refinish the woodwork - what a stunning piece!

So, at some future point, I will be showing the finished product - but here is the before preview - what do you think?

Stripe I plan to use on this piece - the woodwork will be redone in ASCP "Old White" which should blend nicely with the linen background. Now, I am enthusiastic to start the project!