Pretty White Bedsides and Post Renovations House

Good morning. I thought I'd share some photos from around the house after our renovations and some lovely white bedsides that I have painted and that are still available for purchase. 

Beautiful vintage bedsides painted in white chalk paint and waxed and lightly distressed. The drawers are on sliders and work well. 60w x 38d x 57h SOLD

After so many years of blogging about the process of furniture painting I don't know if you are still interest but these were very dirty when I picked them up and very dark timber. I removed the handles, gave them a very good clean with spray and wipe then a super light sand. I painted them with a coat of Zinsser BIN primer and then three coats of a mix of ASCP Pure and Old White.  I then waxed, sanded and distressed, and buffed them to a beautiful smooth finish. 

We are progressing with our post renovations to do list and hopefully the master bedroom roman blinds will arrive. They are now later than they told us and I haven't had an update on when they will be here despite asking a few times for one. I used a company that I didn't have a personal recommendation for which is not something I usually do and I hope I don't regret it :)

But it's all good. We will get there, and we are loving the house and how functional it is. It's very easy living here with so much space (for the inner west anyway). House size is all relative :)

This is the view from our bedroom window. So pretty especially with the jacaranda in bloom.

I have given up on ironing tablecloths. I love using them but who has time to iron them regularly so I just decided to go with the crumpled look. It's very liberating letting go of my mother's exacting standards :)

I am off to swim squad this morning then back to painting furniture. I'm finishing off two massive bedside tables in taupe and an antiqued grey sideboard.

Hope you also have a lovely day.
Fiona

Latest pieces for your bedroom

Good evening my lovelies, I'm hoping a few of you are keen to update your bedroom as I have some lovely pieces available.

Queen Bed Head

I have held on to this gorgeous caved timber bed head for a year now, sure that we would use it in our own house. It ended up being a bit wider than would fit between our windows either side of the bed so I bought another narrower one and am selling this. I finally finished painting it yesterday.

A beautiful French style ornate queen timber bed head. Painted in a pale version of ASCP Paris Grey and heavily distressed. The detail on this is amazing. 175w x 140h SOLD

You can see the before of the bedhead in the background of this photo below. If you are interested in the bedhead and want better photos let me know. The last couple of days have been a bit overcast and it was a bit dark taking photos of this.

Vintage Blanket Box

Beautiful large vintage blanket box available - also good as a toy box. Gorgeous little castors on the legs also. ASCP French Linen wash with Louis Blue interior. 97w x 50d x 72h $350

and before

Pair of Bedside Tables

I also have a pair of beautiful large bedside tables (or they would work equally well as lamp tables) that are available for custom painting.  SOLD

69w x 69d x 50h cm

Today I started back again at swim squad and even though I only swam 1500 m I am exhausted. An early night for me. Man I am unfit. A steep road back I think...

Fiona xx

White Painted Kitchen Hutch

Yesterday when I posted about Paige's hutch I realised that I never shared Marianne's finished hutch in white that I painted last year.  It's a beauty also.

Here it is below without hardware or glass.

From memory I'm pretty sure this was painted in Dulux Natural White to complement Marianne's kitchen.

and before:

painting these hutches is always a huge job but I think so worth it. If you are contemplating painting yours, don't be hesitant. Just take your time with it.

Fiona xx

A painted hutch for Paige

I was up very early this morning finishing off Paige's painted hutch. For this piece I used a mix of Annie Sloan Chalk Paints for a custom match to my kitchen. It's hard to colour match exactly but I think it's close enough, especially when it gets back to Paige's house and is in a different environment and light.

Beautiful hand embroidered cocktail napkins from an estate in Dover Heights given to me by a friend. The dinner set was my mother's. She won it in a competition and just loved it but never used it. She wasn't someone who saved special things , she liked to use her treasures so I'm not sure why she never used this set. Maybe I should start using it for her :)

Inside is painted a white water based enamel for easy use. I love the bead board backing. It makes it very interesting.

and before - a big difference. Paige is on her way now to see it so I hope she loves it.

What do you think? 

Much more elegant, isn't it?

To see other hutches that I've painted clink on the links below:

http://www.lilyfieldlife.com/2014/11/a-pine-hutch-gets-painted.html

http://www.lilyfieldlife.com/2013/01/white-paint-makeover-vintage-kitchen.html

Fiona xx

Friday florals

Happy Friday afternoon my white paint loving friends

and if you love white paint I'm sure you love white flowers.

Nothing like a little forage in the garden to make me happy.

I wish I could say I was about to relax with a glass of wine and some good company but Sasha plays basketball at 6:40 tonight in Crows Nest so I'm about to traipse over the Harbour Bridge. At least she loves playing, and I love watching her love playing. Her enjoyment is my joy.

Have a great evening

Fiona xx

New Bedhead

It's time for a new bed. I've had the current one since I left university many many years ago and while I painted the horrible orange Baltic pine white several years ago, I think it's time for an updated look. I mentioned it to one of my friends and she just looked at me and said "Fiona, it's definitely time!"

I am in the process of painting a fabulous carved timber bedhead but I have decided to sell it and opt for an upholstered bedhead instead.  I've ordered this one below.

I am so in love with it.

Beyond excited for it to arrive. It should go nicely with the linen roman blinds that are being made and installed in the room. I also will be reupholstering the beautiful old French bench at the end of our bed. I think I've found a good linen with a navy stripe for it. Just waiting for it to arrive also.  Lots of projects on the go in a big push to finish all my house to do list before Christmas. 

How bad is that fabric! Can't wait to be rid of it.

So if you are in the market for an amazing carved timber bed head painted in the softest grey let me know or stay tuned as I have an incredible piece up for sale soon.

Fiona xx

Unfinished renovations and it's okay

I thought I'd share a few snaps I took yesterday from around the house. We still have loads to do after the renovations but it's all progressing. I was talking to someone this week and mentioned that we still had a few projects to go (and that the builder's left at Easter time) and she said (a bit snootily) "Well when I renovate our house I want to be sure we have enough money to finish it all properly." I couldn't even be bothered to explain that it wasn't really a matter of money - more making decisions and making time. 

When the builders left this was my to do list. I've crossed off:

paint the shed, 
paint the pergola, 
paint the guest room
paint my new studio, 
rip the studio carpet up and decide on floor treatment,
paint the carport
lay carpet in the guest room, 
paint the fireplace and mantel
paint the entertainment cabinetry
hang pictures and mirrors
install shelving in the linen press
install the basketball ring and hoop for my basketball mad family,
find a bed for my daughter
decide on upstairs window coverings (romans or roller blinds?)
get a chandelier fixed and hung
level, top soil and turf the back yard,
blah blah blah the list goes on...

We've progressed a lot but for example I still have to paint the tv cabinetry - I did a great job priming it when it was first installed but couldn't decide if I wanted it grey or white so decided to just leave it primed until the answer came to me. Just recently I decided that I really do want it a very light grey to bring the best out of the marble slab on top. I'll start painting (and probably finish painting) it next week.  I have beautiful handles already bought and put aside for the doors.

I also need to sort out a BBQ table. I've found ones I would love but can't bring myself to spend the $2000 plus that they cost so I've decided to make one. I had some old pedestal bases that are really from an indoor table but they have sat out side in the garden acting as an orchid bench for a year now and are no worse for wear so I think they will be fine. I found an old door on the side of the road and plonked it on top. It all looks fantastic but it's too small for what we want so I priced up some reclaimed timber yesterday and I'm going to build a table top for it. I'll share my progress as I go.  

This old door I will turn into a desk / table and will be selling it so let me know if you are interested. It is such a beautiful shabby old door.

The benches I bought for $70. I was going to paint and sell them but Phil just loves them so I'll paint and keep them. I spent a lot of time sanding them as they were in a terrible state. Much better all smooth (on top at least, still more work to do on the legs).

We still need to re turf the back yard and lay a slab for the basketball court but we were waiting for spring (and for the concreter)  -  Phil's been doing heaps of gardening on the weekend. He loves his lawn and he thinks we might be able to salvage it and just top soil it. I'm not so hopeful - there's a lot of bare earth...but you know that's not my department so I'm just letting him do his thing. He always gets it right anyway. Clever man.

The jasmine on the fence has gone bonkers and is balancing the lack of grass :)

I bought this old cement urn below from my salvage friends and plan to paint it ASCP Graphite eventually...possibly. I don't mind it dirty old white so I may actually never do that. These are Jonty's flowers in the urn and they are loving it here.

Other updates - still have to sort out one of the chandeliers as it's not quite right, finish painting the front windows that at least now are well coated with Zinsser primer, I painted my studio door last weekend (YAY), I would love to paint my studio walls white and paint the skirtings but it's so low on my agenda it's not funny, the bedroom blinds have been ordered, new bed had been ordered, a few more little projects but we are very close to the finish line.

So there you have a few unfinished things  - I really don't mind. I am happy with taking this house slowly and doing a lot ourselves. I don't like outsourcing - we derive such pleasure in doing a lot ourselves and work well together as a team so it's okay that we haven't thrown money at it and got it all finished at once. But if someone doesn't get that DIY philosophy then it's hard to explain that there's a certain pleasure in a long to do list and an unfinished house.

What do you think?  Have you renovated - did you get it finished in one hit or is it still lingering on and on?
Fiona xx

White drawers

Just popping in today to share these Balinese drawers I finished painting yesterday. 9 drawers for all your bits and bobs. I don't always like Balinese furniture but I do like these chests of little drawers. Quite rustic but looks great all in white and distressed. I was thinking I should probably distress more but I can always do that if the buyer wants.

Rustic white washed chest of 9 drawers - great storage for a tight spot. (NOW SOLD)

and here they are before I painted them - bought from a  beautiful house in North Sydney on the Kirribilli side. They had just finished renovating and it all looked amazing. I wanted to ask for a full tour!

Busy morning here with three back to back appointments at my studio - I hope no one runs late and puts out my tight schedule :)

Fiona 

Tuesday

I'm tired today mainly because I stayed up way too late last night while Phil was out playing basketball. I did get a few pieces painted while he was out including a lovely old chest of drawers for Roseanna.

The drawers were quite lovely timber and didn't "need' painting but each to their own and Roseanna wanted a change so I painted them in a soft taupe chalk paint (custom mix). The handles are old porcelain ones and look beautiful against the taupe.

and before

I also finished a little chair on the weekend - painted in ASCP French Linen and very lightly distressed and upholstered in a taupe plaid. This is now sold.

I also did a little rearranging as my beautiful cupboard I had in my studio deserved a better life than having my tools dumped on it so I moved it into the lounge room against a big blank wall and love it there.  The ceilings are very high in the lounge room (around 3.8m) so the height of this cupboard balances it out.

Better than shoved into the corner of my studio anyway.

I am finishing up a tall balinese chest of drawers in white. It's one of those rustic ones with lots of little drawers. Hopefully I will be listing it on IG and Facebook later today for sale if you are interested.

While I was typing this the courier came and picked up Roseanna's drawers - delivered yesterday morning and back out of my studio again today. Good one.

Have a lovely afternoon

Fiona xx