Latest pieces , welcome 2020

Happy new year and welcome to 2020. I was going to say I hope you had a wonderful Christmas break but I know some of you will have been greatly affected by the Australian bushfires and my heart goes to you all and all the wildlife. 

I have started working earlier than I was going to mainly to keep my mind busy instead of just uselessly stressing about the fires. 

I thought I’d pop in a few photos of my latest pieces. Some still available and a few sold. 

Michelle bought these lovely old drawers from my inventory and asked for them to be painted black and gently distressed. I gave them a good clean and light sand and then painted them with black chalk paint, gently distressed them and then sealed with a matte sealer. The hardest part of the whole process was putting the handles back on. So fiddly :)

I have also sold this little English vintage bookcase that I painted in a french grey (with green undertone). Just love these handy little pieces. 

 

Yesterday I finished a lovely and very old petite French armoire. I have painted this in an antique white and the interior is sea foam green/blue. Such a great piece for a nursery or bathroom. 

This is still available and details are:

Available: a very old petite French armoire, perfect for a child’s room or nursery. Really it’s just lovely storage for anywhere in your home.  Would be divine in a bathroom as well. Painted in a soft off white and gently distressed and sealed with a matte sealer.  Interior is painted in a satin enamel sea foam blue/green. The cupboard in lockable but the top drawer is missing its lock. Adjustable/removable shelf in cupboard. Four smooth sliding drawers with hand cut dovetail joints. A lovely old piece that’s needed some work but is now good for many, many years to come. 

87w x 47d x 157h cm

$750

Pickup Lilyfield or delivery available

I also have these pieces still available so drop me a line if you are interested in any details

I’ll update my for sale album tomorrow. I need more hours in the day :)  

Fiona xx

How to use Rub n Buff to paint furniture gold

Happy lazy Sunday afternoon, hope you are having a lovely weekend. My family all came home from their travels last night and are full of talk about their wonderful trips. Nice to have them home.

I did manage to get so much work done while they were away. I was asked by a lovely lady, Helen, to paint a huge conversation chair. It was a glossy black and she wanted it gold. I decided the best product to use is Rub n Buff as it is so durable, super easy to clean up if you get it in the wrong spot and  easy to apply especially with a fine brush. AND it looks amazing.

Above is the original finish of the piece and below is the completed piece. I did two coats leaving a full day in between coats. There were times when little flecks of the gilding wax flicked onto the leather but it is just so easy to remove with mineral turpentine on a cloth that I just didn’t even worry about being super neat. The first coat looked good but a little patchy in places but I think the second coat makes it look exactly like proper gold leaf. Helen is extremely happy with it. When the piece is in situ in the amazing room I will share photos.

Here are some other pieces I did this week using Rub n Buff. This time a slightly darker gold, Antique Gold. 

The tall mirror on the left is available for sale. Can hang portrait or landscape. Just email me for details. The other pieces have sold already. 

Personally I think Rub n Buff is way easier to apply than gold paint (you can use a small brush, your finger or cloth) and I think it gives a much more authentic finish. There are times I will use gold paint but I find myself reaching for the tube of Rub n Buff more frequently. Would love to hear what you think?

Fiona 

Antique painted pine linen press

Good afternoon, I’ve been working so hard lately I decided to take the afternoon off painting and I’m actually sitting in bed with the sun streaming in and a cool breeze, watching a movie on my iPad and I thought it was a good chance to update my blog. 

Phil and Jonty are hiking in New Zealand , a nice father and son trip and Sasha is in Spain on a school language tour. so I have been taking the opportunity to work hard and get loads done. I finished this stunning antique linen press last night and it’s available for purchase. Gosh I love it. I have painted the exterior in a limed white chalk paint and waxed finish and the interior I have left as it’s beautiful old scrubbed pine that has never been varnished so it looks gorgeous . 

These pieces are so highly practical as well as beautiful - ideal for storing linen obviously but also they work well as a bar or general storage. . 

Available : a stunning antique pine linen press. Exterior painted in a soft limed white and waxed finish. Interior is the beautiful waxed original timber. There are 4 large shelves and one small ledge shelf at the very top, two drawers with beautiful possibly ivory or bone carved handles. I just adore this piece and think it’s so practical for many uses in your home. Please note this is very old and there is slight old insect damage to the front feet but this has been treated a long time ago and timber is sturdy. 

102w x 45d x 185h cm

$1000  (Now sold)

Pickup Lilyfield or I can get you a delivery quote.

There are a few marks inside the drawers, easy to fix with some felt or paper.  

Do you love this as much as I do? It has me wishing I had a huge bathroom that I could place it in. It would look amazing!

Fiona xx

Vintage china cabinets from the 1920s

I love this old cabinet with all its details and old glass. Such a pretty piece to display your treasures. I have painted the interior in a sea foam green and the exterior in the warm pale grey I always use. It’s just the perfect neutral. 

Available: a stunning very old display cabinet from the 1920’s. Beautiful carved details and the trim around the glass on the doors is super pretty. Ball and Claw feet. Thick glass shelves (removable but not adjustable but you could always drill new holes to change shelf heights). Painted in a warm pale grey chalk paint with a sea glass green interior. Gently distressed and a waxed finish. lockable with original key 

A beautiful piece to showcase your treasures

98w x 33d x 121h cm 

(Now Sold )

Pickup Lilyfield or delivery available

I also did this lovely old cabinet last week - sources and painted for a lovely customer 

This was in the same grey with a pale pink interior. Katrina loves it. 

How beautiful is the backing board.

Hope you are having a great weekend 

Fiona xx

Beautiful vintage furniture from Denmark

I recently was able to buy some beautiful furniture that’s been imported from Denmark. It’s originally from France but has been collected and sent to Australia for sale by some guys in Denmark. It’s completely beautiful.

This ornate walnut cocktail cabinet is staying with me, for a few years at least I think. I am just completely in love with it and it looks amazing in the corner of my dining room. 

I was also thinking of keeping this French console table as I don’t currently have a console under this table but I thought oh I’ll list it and see what happens and if it doesn’t sell it can stay with me...well it sold in 10 minutes and Michelle had the money in my bank account before I could change my mind. 

Beautiful pieces making me so happy. I love the history and craftsmanship 

Fiona xx

Hello again: limed oak trunk and some recent pieces

Oh my goodness I have been so remiss on blogging and then it gets hard to start again...where do I start? What do I share? I have so many pieces I have been doing lately as well as a weekly vintage homewares sale that I am loving and so it seems are all my customers: I thought I’d share a little overview.

This beautiful old oak trunk bench that was made by Sydney master furniture makers, Beard Watson.  I hand sanded it all back whixhwas a great effort due to the detail and linenfolds. I then whitewashed and limed it for the most beautiful finish. 

I painted the interior a lovely sea foam green satin enamel. This piece sold straight away. Such a practical and lovely piece of furniture.

I have some other pieces not yet sold:

This lovely upholstered vintage bench. 

Available: a lovely vintage upholstered bench. Timber base painted in an ivory white chalk paint and waxed finish: top upholstered in black and white stripe (easy for you to change if you prefer another fabric). 112w x 50d x 50h cm

$245

Pickup Lilyfield

I also have this gorgeous vintage cedar secretaire 

Available: a beautiful vintage ladies writing desk / secretaire. The desk and top drawer are lockable with original key, all drawers dovetailed and smooth sliding, cute pigeon holes inside and a lovely shape all together. Sanded, primed and painted in @fusionmineralpaint Champlain, a lovely soft off white and sealed with wax. Interior painted in a low sheen enamel called Sorrento - a gorgeous duck egg blue. It goes so well with the little chair I also have available for sale. Please swipe for photos.

78w x 46d x 101h cm

$585

Pickup Lilyfield delivery available

Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be here more regularly and I hope you will Be also

Fiona xx