Beautiful white furniture available

Good morning - I'm off to Jonty's high school orientation this morning. How can that be  - that my boy is finishing primary school already?  Because we started him early at the school I'm not sure that I will learn anything new at the parents talk but I said to my friend I have FOMO so will go. ha ha 

I wanted to share two lovely pieces of furniture with you this morning. Both are for sale and I'm hoping someone loves them as much as I do and has room for them.  The first is a huge sideboard I have painted in a lovely soft white chalk paint, not at all cream but not stark. This is such a pretty piece and would work well in a dining room or even under a TV. I've also had customers use sideboards in their bedrooms as a statement piece.

Stunning vintage sideboard

185w x 50d x 96h (+6cm backing board)
$1000

In the same paint colour I painted this pretty console table also. I love these pieces for some instant glamour to your hallway of lounge room.  Add an urn or large vase, candelabra and a mirror and wow you are transported to France.

Available: a charming and elegant French Provincial style console table that is sure to add some glamour to your hallway or lounge room. A serpentine front and lovely carved shell and acanthus motif adorning this piece and making it very special. All my favourite details in one pretty piece. 
102 x 56x 76h cm (max)
$500

Best I go get ready for the talk this morning but if you are interested in either piece, let me know. Pickup Lilyfield or delivery available.

Fiona xx

Weekend in Perth

I had a weekend escape in Perth recently. I actually flew over there for my business. I wanted to meet someone and learn a specific technique so I decided to invest in my business and my skills. So worthwhile. 

I stayed in a gorgeous B&B right near a beautiful lake in West Leederville (so close to the CBD).  I thought you might like to see some photos from there.

details of the B&B can be found below.  Jan is delightful and the accommodation divine. Say hi to her from me if you book.

https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/6179290?s=51

more French Provincial bedside tables

When I bought the french provincial bedside tables I painted in white recently I picked up a second pair from the same seller, they are similar but with 4 drawers. These were very grubby and needed a lot of sanding and timber putty so I did all the prep and primed them white so I had a good starting base to paint. It's so good to start with a clean slate.

My initial plan with these was to paint them white but then when I was about to start painting I changed my mind and painted them in this lovely warm putty grey.

These are sold pending payment but if you are interested in them if sale falls though let me know.

48w x 40d x 77h cm
$500 the pair

I used some black wax to gently antique these and make the details pop. Below is them before I added the black wax, so much flatter and less interesting.

I also finished these very old drawers for Jo. They were her grandmother's and were really grubby and the paint was damaged so I gave them a very good sand and clean and then primed and painted in the same putty grey. I also did some repairs to the drawers - regluing and nailing. Jo picked them up this morning and was really happy with them. A nice sentimental piece.

These bedside tables below are also part of an old sentimental set. Pat and Spencer asked to paint their old bedroom suite that they re giving to their daughter., There's a dressing table and stool to match that I'm almost finished. All painted in ASCP Paris Grey and waxed. Nice to see these old pieces given a new life. 

have a good day

Fiona xx

Secretaire bureau for Interior designer

Here's a piece I did recently for an interior designer and her client. It's an old oak bureau and they wanted it in a mid tone grey with lots of patina. I painted it just before we headed off to Italy and only grabbed these two photos.

With chalk paint you can paint and wax right over the metal hardware without using any special primer. To be honest I usually still take the handles off so I get a nice smooth run with my brush across the drawer front. I don't like all the messy little brush marks you get when painting around handles. But lots of people just paint them in situ, it's up to you.

Sometimes with old pieces like the hinges on this desk It can be almost impossible to remove the old hardware. The hinges had been nailed in and to remove the nails I would possibly have damaged the old metal hinges so I just did my best to ensure minimal brush marks and then gave it all a very good sand to finish.

Beautiful piece and very happy clients. 

Fiona xx

Weekend catchups

Good morning! hope you all had a good weekend. Yesterday I was lucky enough to have lunch with some of my closest friends from uni for a friend's 50th birthday.  My friend is a member of the gorgeous Rose Bay Surf club at the north end of Bondi. Lunch was a very low key relaxed affair but lots of laughs and a great view. Nice to catch up with everyone.

I ended up adding a little distressing to the long grey console that I have for sale as I felt it was a little "flat". To be honest I don't really understand why this piece didn't sell immediately. It's absolutely gorgeous and I've sold similar pieces for more money in the past. Somethings you just can't guess. Please let me know if you would like to come see this piece.

I do have one little piece I have decided to keep. I had sold a piece that I was "storing" in our lounge room and so needed something to replace it. I bought this little French side table from a lady who had bought it years and years ago but now is living in very modern apartments on the water's edge at Pyrmont. I have sold a few of these over the years and always a bit sad I don't keep them for myself so will have this table here for a while at least.

My Pierre de Ronsard rose is doing well. A new bunch of blooms have come. There were a few that were hanging very low to the ground so Phil but them and brought them inside for me. It's a climbing rose so i need to find some sort of structure for it to be trained across. The colour is deep dark pink but my photo makes it look more red than it actually is.

Last night I had a little sale on social media of some vintage pieces and most things sold but I do have this vintage Ceylon ceramics milk jug and sugar bowl available. These are so lovely and in beautiful condition.  $50 the set and postage available.

One of the other pieces I sold were these gorgeous little silver trays. Aren't they adorable.  Not sure what exactly they would be used for but I'm imagining petit fours. 

The other thing I wanted to share is we had a roast last night and I asked Jonty to set the table. He does such a gorgeous job. Look at the serviettes he used and how he folded them. He even put on the tablecloth (upside down but I didn't tell him that) and layered it up with a french style runner. So cute.  I need to hire this boy out for events :)

Hope you had a relaxing weekend filled with fun with family and friends. That's what life is all about in the end isn't it....

....and painted furniture.

Fiona xx

French Provincial bedsides and drawers

Well that serves me right for promising to be back the very next day, I well and truly jinxed myself. Jonty and I have been so sick with the vomiting virus Sasha had. I have a feeling Phil will succumb to it today as he's woken nauseous. I am feeling much better today, even walked up to our local coffee shop and ordered a coffee, only managed a sip of it so far as am a bit scared. Good for weight loss I suppose to be scared to consume any thing :)

I did do some work yesterday though. It was nice to feel productive, and to be able to get out of bed.... 

I was so happy to find these lovely bedside tables (and another similar pair which will be up next week) from a funny old but sweet house that the seller was using to store a stack of things in while they renovate a few other houses. There were chandeliers, candelabras, French sconces and beautiful furniture crammed in every room. A real treasure trove. I filled my car (and emptied my wallet) with lovely things. 

I painted these in a lovely bright white chalk paint and then used a variety of waxes to add patina.  I had to do a lot of prep to these to fill little dings and sand them perfectly smooth but the effort is always worth it. 

These have sold pending viewing but please let me know if you are interested as you never know your luck. Also I have a similar style pair up next week but with 4 drawers. 

details are:

Solid timber, dovetailed drawers, interior white washed, one shelf inside cupboard. Beautiful shape all around. Check comments to see more photos.
50w x 40d x 76 h cm plus backing board of 13cm
$500 the pair
Pickup Lilyfield or request a delivery quote.

I also styled up these divine French Provincial chests of drawers that I decided not to paint. They are so beautiful and lovely condition, there was no need to change them. If I had the energy I may have kept these for our bedroom to use as large bedside tables but the thought of carrying them upstairs, carrying the old ones down, changing over the contents of the drawers, repainting and selling our lovely current ones was more than I could handle yesterday and so I styled these up and listed them for sale. They sold immediately with about 15 people wanting them so it did make me second guess myself at parting them but I love a quick sale and it's good to be able to pass on beautiful furniture at a great price. So much better to buy second hand. 

How beautiful are they!

These are in pristine condition, as new and came from a divine house in Castle Cove where an elderly lady was moving into a nursing home and parting with many of her beautiful things. 

Dovetailed drawers on timber runners, little carved timber beading all the way around each drawer fascias and the side panels as well. Gorgeous hardware. Oh my!

Today I am hoping to finish a large sideboard I've been working on, It'll have the same white antiqued finish as the bedside tables. I'm enjoying playing with waxes and adding a little more patina that I usually do. 

Have a lovely day
Fiona xx

Latest pieces

Hello dearest strangers, I have to explain why I've been so absent. My old morning routine was get up, go for a walk with Phil and our dog Charlie in the park, a quick stop for coffee at our favourite cafe, Pane e Cipolla, then home and I would walk in sit down at my computer, drink the remainder of my coffee and write my blog then help the kids get ready for school and make lunches. Then as soon as they left I would start painting and on with my day. Because Jonty changed schools and now is in the city at school by 8am I've lost the time between our walk and making lunches so I haven't written anything for ages. I had it on my to do list to work out a new morning routine that includes writing my beloved blog. Anyway here I am, I have missed it :)

Thank you for the lovely messages wondering if things are okay and to check on me. So nice to know that I was missed.

I have just had a weekend in Perth and came home at 11pm last night to Sasha throwing up all night. Welcome home Mummy. Actually I was so pleased to be back to help her as you always want your mum when you are vomiting. I still want mine (even though she's been dead for years and would actually be the worst person to have around when you are sick as she wasn't all that sympathetic and was terrible around smells and gagged all the time. Oh dear mum, she was a tough cookie sometimes).

Anyway here are some pieces I have for sale at the moment. All prices and measurements are found on the linked For Sale Page. If you are interested in purchasing or viewing please let me know. 

Vintage bow front chest of drawers

stunning vintage console sideboard

Tall vintage chest of drawers

Vintage gilt mirror

French ottoman

Slimline cabinet

Stunning vintage mirror, very heavy and solid

American serpentine front single bedside, painted navy

 Antique English Pine cabinet

Lots of pieces available which is surprising, especially when so well priced for such lovely old pieces. Any questions just let me know,

I will be back tomorrow, I promise 

Fiona