Lots of black painted furniture

When Michelle came to pickup the long chest of drawers I had painted black and she bought for her spare room, she asked me what other treasure did I have. What a question! 

She selected these gorgeous pieces and asked them to be painted black as well. I just love them all.

 

The chest on chest is from America and I bought it from a lady who brought it out from the Seattle. I couldn’t believe she was selling it as they are so hard to find in Australia. But she wanted space so I took it off her hands :) 

The bedside tables have been sitting in my

Carport unpainted for months. Good to have a turn over of inventory and get these sold and painted. I love the three drawer one with the serpentine front. So lovely and excellent craftsmanship.

I’m taking tomorrow off and taking the kids on a little road trip, or perhaps I should say Sasha is taking is as she has her Ls and will be driving! 

Fingers crossed for us :)

Fiona. X

Vintage table restored with Jolie Graphite

Some before and afters are just fantastic. Claire brought me this table and it was in a BAD way. Veneer peeling off and she had started painting it and there were brush marks everywhere and the tanins had bled through her paint. 

One of my furniture painting friends said oh Fiona, I would throw that in the bin :) 

I removed all the veneer as there was no saving it. I used a scraper, a razor blade and a heat gun to do it. A lot of of came off very easily and I was going great guns but then of course I hit the hard parts and it took me hours and I was regretting my life choices and wondering why I wasn’t sitting at a desk in a beautiful suit in a corporate career :) 

Once I had finally got all the veneer off I thoroughly sanded them entire piece. Ply wood can be very rough and I wanted it to be super smooth ready for my paint.  I also always remove the leaves (the bit that fold down) when painting these tables so you can properly paint all the edges and underneath. A bit of a pain but worth it. 

Three coats of Jolie Paints graphite and three coats of a clear sealer later and it looked so different. Ready for another 100 years. 

Claire and her family were thrilled with it. 

I know I always say it but how good is paint. 

Fiona xx

Vintage oak kitchen cabinet

Hello! Hope you had a wonderful weekend and weren’t battered by hail. Crazy wether we have been having. It seems to have completely missed Lilyfield and we only had a light rain.

This morning I finished a gorgeous old oak kitchen cabinet. Originally I wanted to restore the timber but there was a mark in the top that just wasn’t budging so out came the paint. 

I have used a beautiful French greenish grey with white in the inside of the upper cabinet. I love this colour, very similar to eucalyptus leaves, silvery green grey. A lovely neutral that isn’t beige :) 

One of my favourite parts of this piece (along with the amazing old lead light doors) is the pull out cutting board. Oh my beating heart. 

This piece is now for sale. Details are below:

Available: a beautiful old oak kitchen cabinet offering wonderful storage and display for your treasures. Painted in a lovely neutral French green-grey (eucalyptus gum leaves) with white inside the lead light cabinet. The lead light doors are in perfect condition and beautiful old glass. I love the simplicity of them. A pull out bread board, lockable cupboard with original key and three dovetailed smooth sliding drawers. Small gap on sides of base from age but structurally sound. 

Separates into two pieces for transport.

 Just love this one. 

119w x 54d x 173h cm

$625

Pickup Lilyfield or please ask for a delivery quote

Tomorrow I am working on a bedroom set for a lovely customer. She came recently to pick up a piece she bought and asked “what else do You have that I would like?”. What till you see what she chose. 

Have a wonderful day, hopefully less humid :)

Fiona xx

Around home lately

Thought I’d share a few snaps from around home and at the beach lately. 

New pet: Maverick , Sasha’s pet budgie 

 

New bedside lamps : so beautiful and so much better for our room than our old ones. 

We still love our renovations, 6 years on and so happy with what we did.  

Some beach shots from the last month...it’s not been fantastic obviously with bushfires, smoke and now rain but still a few nice days and who can complain really :) I really hope you are all safe and going okay xx

Hope you’re having a good weekend

Fiona xx

Pine bedsides in navy blue chalk paint

 I painted these modern pine bedside tables for Jenny. They are for her mother’s guest bedroom. She found them on gumtree and they are originally from Forty Winks so fairly modern. Below is the before photo so you can see what a big transformation the paint has given them. 

I also swapped over the modern silver handle to a crystal one. I gave these a good clean and gentle sand all over. I then primed and painted the interiors in a satin enamel in pale grey and the exterior I painted in three coats of a navy blue chalk paint for a nice opaque coverage, a good sand with super fine sandpaper and a wipe down and then two coats of a matte sealer. 

Such a smooth modern finish and they will look great in Jenny's mother’s house. Here’s the bedhead they are sitting next to. 

I love a simple makeover and seeing furniture reused and given a new life. So great for reducing landfill. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend and hope you get to enjoy some down time 

Fiona xx

Camping at The Basin, Pittwater

We recently needed a little escape but didn’t want to spend too much money so we went camping at The Basin, Pittwater for 3 nights. So good to get back to nature. 

Lots of people had huge set ups and stay for a month or so but we just had 3 tiny hiking tents, a small table, 4 chairs and an esky. Nice to travel lightly :) Especially when you can’t take cars to the Basin and have to cart everything there on the cute little ferry.  I wasn’t sure how my back would go camping but we had bought exped mattresses and they are brilliant. As comfortable as my bed at home to be honest. Not sponsored, we all just love them. Sasha has used the down one on snow camp and on the 20 day hike she did at the end of last year from mount kosciuszko to the Victorian coast. 

Stunning Bushland 

Funny how 3 days camping is more relaxing than a week at a holiday house. Maybe I just love a simple life :)

Have you been to the Basin? Are you a fan or camping or prefer 5 star ? 

Fiona xx