Friday, March 15, 2013

A painted White Country Sideboard that was an effort

As I sat down to type this post my husband just said that it's the things that you think are the simplest are always the hardest. This pine country style sideboard has definitely been one of those. Man oh man, this took me longer than I expected. Lucky I'm persistent.

white country sideboard painted french Sydney Lilyfield Life

I've even messed up the photos of it and taken them all at 6400 ISO for some reason and I didn't notice until I'd taken the heavy sideboard outside again to be picked up on the weekend. After pulling it/carrying it inside and then back outside all by myself I am not going to re-stage the photos and will just deal with the graininess. Lesson learnt - check settings on camera before taking photos and then check photos on the computer screen before dismantling a photo shoot!

white country sideboard painted french Sydney Lilyfield Life
ginger jar blue white shell

When I initially got the request for a quote to paint this sideboard I thought wow this will be lovely and hopefully quick to paint. I even offered to go pick it up for free as it was only about 15 minutes from my house. It was a very tight squeeze in my car but I managed ok. I was planning on my husband to help me unload it but he left for work early the next day before I asked him but a neighbour came to the rescue.  After wiping it down I realised that the pine was very distressed loaded with knots and divots. I filled in a lot of the holes with filler but not all of them as the whole sideboard would have needed a skim coat!  

white country sideboard painted french Sydney Lilyfield Life

The above photo shows how many holes I filled and the below photo is with the primer. This is often the stage people panic and think their paint job isn't turning out. My advice is to keep on going. Pieces almost never look good half painted.


I gave the sideboard two coats of Zinsser Primer and started painting it in a lovely bright white paint to coordinate with Mandy and Michael's Hamptons' style furniture.  I had some issues with hot weather and the paint drying too quickly but sorted them out with lots and lots of sanding and some Floetrol Paint Conditioner. I then purchased new black hardware that was not quite the same size but covered the old holes (which I hadn't filled as I thought I'd be able to find hardware the exact same size) but it all worked out perfectly with a few little new pilot holes drilled and the old holes covered by the hew hardware.  I then gave it all a coat of wax and was re assembling it all when I realised that the drawers looked to be a different white to the rest of the sideboard. ARGHH!!  I have no idea what happened or if it was just my eyes playing tricks...but I think I had some pine bleed through or something. I'm not sure how that happened with two coats of primer but I removed the handles, removed the wax, sanded, re-primed, re-painted, re-waxed and put the handled back on and yay! everything looked the same shade of white. Phew.

white country sideboard painted french Sydney Lilyfield Life
iron french handles
limes

I think Mandy is going to love the new hardware. 


white country sideboard painted french Sydney Lilyfield Life
pineapple lamps

I then dragged the sideboard in to my bedroom to photograph it for the blog (which means rearranging a lot of the furniture in my bedroom and using a lot of muscle) and I've stuffed up the photos.  As much as I like this sideboard I won't be sorry to see it picked up over the weekend!

white country sideboard painted french Sydney Lilyfield Life
white country sideboard painted french Sydney Lilyfield Life

What are you up to this weekend? We have a few things planned but some quiet time also. Maybe some more mojitos using our fresh limes!  I'm also hoping to get over to Manly early Sunday morning to do The Bold and The Beautiful again. It's a 1.5km swim from Manly Beach to Shelley beach return. It's an early start but so worth it for an amazing ocean swim. Here are some photos from last Saturday.

bold and beautiful sydney swim ocean
bold and beautiful sydney swim ocean
bold and beautiful sydney swim ocean
bold and beautiful sydney swim ocean

Even though I grew up on the far south coast and spent my childhood on the beach, this was my first major ocean swim and I found it quite tough even though it's quite a bit less distance than what we cover in squad but I was a bit panicky in the deep water especially when I swam over a plastic bag and I thought it was a massive jelly fish!  The swell and chop of the ocean also makes it much tougher than swimming in the pool.  Do any of you do oceans swims? Any tips for a beginner like me?

Do you think Michael and Mandy will like their sideboard? I hope so especially as Michael freaked me out a bit when I picked it up by saying "we have high expectations of you". Nothing like a little pressure...

What are you up to for the weekend? I'd love to hear a little about you and what you get up to. Thanks to all those who do comment - I love hearing from you.

Fiona xx

14 comments:

  1. Hi Fiona...firstly that sideboard looks stunning but isn't it always the way - the things that we think will be quick, easy and painless are always the ones that give us the most grief!!

    Your photos look fine to me but I am useless at photography anyway. Sounds like a good workout was had ;)

    You are keen doing the ocean swim, not something I'd ever consider, 1.5km is a long way, what if you get tired, is there a boat picking up worn out stragglers? I hope so!

    xx Karen

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  2. Replies
    1. thanks Donna, I am happy with how it turned out in the end!

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  3. Your job on the pine cupboard has given me an idea - I have an old pine dresser (80's style) which is no longer used - would look good white with some nice handles in black like yours. I'm sure my son and d-i-l would use it! Off to have a look at it....

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    1. ..so are you going to have a go and paint it? you can always sell it if it works out ok and they don't want it. I'd love to hear how you get on
      Fiona x

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  4. Looks beautiful, and I love the black handles.

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  5. Wow-looks amazing! My mum offered me a pine sideboard, and I said no, so it's just in her shed. Think I might have it brought upand paint it myself!!

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    1. Go grab it! pine is a great thing to paint (i think i say that because I really hate the look of pine)
      let me know how you get on , I would love to hear.
      Fiona

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  6. totally worth all the work! i LOVE it, fiona!

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  7. That's ToNS of work but what a great piece now! good job!

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  8. I enjoy reading your posts Fiona! I especially love the before and after photographs of your painting projects. Very inspiring! I have sanded my wooden plant stand and I plan to prime it over the weekend. A long process but have enjoyed each step so far! My husband recommends www.oceanswims.com for some good tips! Perhaps one Monday you could join Jackie H and I at Playgroup in Pymble? Regards, Christine

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    1. hi Christine, I would love to come to playgroup with you and Jacq. She said you have been painting in your garage. perhaps we should have a paint party?
      how did you get on with your priming? were you able to fit it in with your little one?
      Fiona x

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  9. Hi Fiona! That sideboard looks sensational! Good job! This weekend we've begun some 'pre work' on a bathroom renovation and tomorrow afternoon we are visiting friends who recently had a little girl! Hoe I don't get too clucky!

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  10. It's just gorgeous and I can understand why the owner had such high expectations, you do such a lovely job. Our weekend was not too bad, a might out, a 1st birthday party and an afternoon with a family of wonderful women celebrating my dear friend's baby which I hope will arrive soon so I can have lots of newborn cuddles.

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Thanks for taking the time to comment! Sorry if you have trouble commenting, you can always email me at lilyfieldlife@bigpond.com