Vintage Industrial Sideboard

While the kids played next to me making a cubby with a blanket over the saw-horses today I finished painting and distressing this old industrial piece. It's a beauty in it's vintage rustic-ness. If you get what I mean.  I painted the outside a teal/turquoise and the inside bright white. Then I've heavily distressed it and then applied dark brown wax.  I love how solid it is and it's simplicity.

I think it would be fabulous in a kitchen; great storage options.  The sideboard presents beautifully, with authentic rustic industrial character - including dints, variation, age wear, mild blemishes. It's sold and stable and the dovetailed drawers slide easily.

The wood was heavily marked with paint splatters and marks so I didn't think I could leave the top unpainted. Also this piece wasn't pretty in any way so I think leaving the wood dark and painting the rest wouldn't work.

And now:

 

Fiona xx

What I'm working on...

It's been a busy week - I've sold the turquoise long console, the rattan and glass coffee table, the vintage dining table and the bench chest. Thanks to all my lovely customers (and blog followers) for supporting me in this venture.

I have a lot of new things in progress, both nearly finished and not started.

Here's my carport currently - sorry to my husband as our car is still on the street instead of undercover.  I had a friend come over yesterday to sand and prime with me (I'm too much of a control freak to let her near the actual top coats! Sorry and thank you TA!)

In progress are:
Vintage Rustic Industrial Sideboard - turquoise and then heavily distressed.

Another Union Jack Oak chest of drawers - still about 3 coats of blue to go...

A white dressing table (will have pink and grey design on drawers)

A white framed chalk board

Not yet started are:
a heavily carved armoire -

and a lovely antique chest of drawers - I will paint it with a harlequin pattern on top.

....and I met a lady at the auction house last week who's GIVING me some furniture from her mother's deceased estate. How exciting. Picking it up next week.

I'd love to hear what projects you are working on.

cheers Fiona

French Provincial Dresser

I now have one less sideboard/dresser in my carport as this one below will be taken to my stall tonight. My husband has hopes of getting the carport back for the car but I'm off to a fantastic furniture auction tomorrow so then again, perhaps not!

Excuse the location of the photos as well as the lack of dressing but this was too heavy to move to a nicer location just to take photos for the blog!

A gorgeous antique oak dresser/sideboard. Handpainted in Dulux's Antique White USA, lightly distressed and waxed. There are 2 cupboards each with a shelf and 4 drawers. The top has been stripped and then waxed so that the oak grain gleams.  I added the moulding to the backboard as it was plain and I thought it needed something to tie it in with with intricate doors.

 all original hardware including key

gorgeous lion's head pulls

sturdy ball feet 

and the before photo:

Fiona xx

Mother always knows best???

My mum makes me laugh in that so often she prefers the before photo rather than the after photo.

For example, earlier this year I sent her some photos of the Fleur de lis Sideboard I painted and she rang to say how much she loved it and then, about an hour later, I got this email....

How is it going? 

I have to confess I really smiled to myself when I realised that your photos were after, then before, rather than the other way around.  To my old mind, I thought it looked very much in need of repainting in the white version than in the later version ( which I then realised was the 'before' photo).  No criticism at all, just comment on the old lady's view which is becoming more and more of a realisation to me.  Do you ever investigate what the original timber in these pieces is? For example, that sideboard looks quite old enough to have been cedar and would be worth a lot as it was.   These are just queries, not admonishments - I'm really interested.                                           

Much love , Mum

She makes me laugh - but on this occasion I might have to agree with her.

I recently bought this oak bench seat from eBay.

I felt very sad painting over the lovely oak grain but knew it needed a lift somehow.  So I painted it in Dulux's "Antique White USA" and lined the drawer with Damask paper. But I'm still unsure of the outcome...I think I should recover the taupe macroseude of the upholstered seat but it's only recently been done by the previous owner and so I'm just selling it as it is and if after a couple of weeks it isn't sold then I'll reconsider.

Any suggestions or opinions??

cheers Fiona

Rattan Coffee Table

Sometimes when I get a piece of furniture home, I wonder what the hell I was thinking.  This coffee table was one of those - it was in terrible shape, the varnish was very flaky, it wobbled and I cursed myself at wasting my money and time but I'm so happy with how this has been transformed. 

Ahh... the power of paint never ceases to amaze me.

For the before photo - just imagine something that most people would put on the side of the road...

And this is my next challenge. I love the details on this piece below and the lion's head pulls.

Kids are back to school tomorrow. I've got to still dig out their winter uniforms and hope they still fit. I'm looking forward to getting some uninterrupted painting time.

Fiona xx

Homemade Hot Cross Buns

My first attempt yesterday of making hot cross buns was thwarted by almost out of date yeast. They didn't rise and were more the consistency of scones. So I tried again today with new yeast (and a different recipe) and they turned out perfectly.

Straight out of the oven before glazing

and then glazed...(not quite straight, as I made 16, not 15 which would have fit better in this rectangular tray)

So light and fluffy! Delicious.

These are made with the recipe from the Women's Weekly "Bake" cookbook. Every recipe from that book turns out perfectly.

I'll definitely be making these again next year! (actually, on second thoughts, my husband will probably be asking me to make them again tomorrow as he LOVES hot cross buns).

Fiona xx

Little French Writing Desk and a Good Friday feast

My favourite quote from these school holidays has to be:

Me, driving in the car back from the Southern Highlands, with the 2 kids who'd been very well behaved that morning: "You two are just the best kids in the world"

A little voice (my 5 year old son) piped up from the back seat: "Well... that's not what you said yesterday, Mummy!"

He really makes me laugh.

Today my sisters-in-law and a friend came for lunch. My husband grew up Catholic and so never eats meat on Good Friday so we prepared a huge seafood lunch. An entree of scallops cooked in garlic and butter, followed by a stuffed baked fish (Bream), salt and pepper calamari, a rocket, pear and walnut salad and homemade baked chips.  Some champange and sauvignon blanc and lovely company. It sure was a Good Friday.

On the furniture front, my Damask dresser sold this week as well as a couple of other bits from my antiques stall so I had to finish some more furniture. 

Here's a little lovely french style desk I've restored.  I painted the gorgeous cabriole legs and base in Dulux Fair Bianca Half. I then stripped and restored the top with a dark walnut stain and then estapol. It has come up beautifully - really gleaming.

I was very happy to find this desk as I did one previously with a painted harlequin top and I really like this style. The guy selling it on eBay actually manages a storage place nearby.  The owners of the desk didn't want it anymore (some people!!) so he was selling it. He said he'd call me if any more lovely stuff was unwanted.  A good contact to have!

And the before photo below.  It was actually a dressing table but I'm selling the mirror and the desk seperately as I think they will sell better that way.

Happy Easter everyone!

Fiona xx

"Wedgewood" Sideboard

I'm very grateful to Christa from Stories of a House blog for the inspiration for this dresser.  I bought this sideboard from a lovely woman who was selling her house and a lot of belongings because of a divorce.  She was still very sad but I could feel her strength of character and I'm sure she'll find peace and happiness soon.

After a lot of painting,effort and worrying about small details, here is it now:

Colours are British Paints' Blue Cashmere and Porters Paint's White.

The wooden top surface has been stained walnut then waxed. The painted surfaces have also been waxed for protection. Original hardware.

For sale in my shop. Let me know if you are interested.

cheers Fiona xx