Project Personality: Coats of Paint

Project Personality

with Apple Box Boutique founder Leanne Playter Korsos

Hello!  Last week, On The Apple Box introduced me to all of you and I am excited about my first post for Project Personality.

Today is more of a rambling than a how-to (though there are plenty of those to come), but I just can't help myself.  I LOVE colour and fashion, and with all the blue skies, sunshine and occasional April showers we have been having it finally feels like spring and everyone is out in their new frocks.  When it comes to painting that's all it takes for me to start "dreaming in colour".  This week, the inspiration was spring coats!

 
Whenever I fall for something I start to create design boards that encompass the item, the colour or even just the 'feel' of it.  That's what happened over the last few days and I wanted to share my obsessiveness enthusiasm with you.  The idea was to take the gorgeous outerwear I've been seeing and build around it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP).  It's been a lot of fun looking through Apple Box Boutique's inventory of unfinished pieces and envisioning what could be!

I've been liking blue lately (probably due to the big skies of Alberta) and this coat tipped the scales to true love:

I've already selected a cute little foyer table that is destined to be this colour and I've decided on Provence.

Mixed with other ASCP paints there are SO many lovely shades, but I will go with 1 part Provence and 3 parts Old White:

If I ever find a stunning dressing table like this one from Mak and Jill, it will absolutely be my go-to colour!

This scrumptious confection is something  a modern day Marie Antoinette might wear, and of course I love all things "MA":

Emperor's Silk is referred to as "the perfect front door red", so it is suprising that it mixes to such a lovely candy-coloured pink.

With a little dark wax, it can look like this:

But add 3 parts Old White and I have just the right colour for my 'girl's room' dresser!

Stiltkskin Studios found the perfect piece to dress up with it.  This could have fit easily into MA's boudoir and they posted it on my birthday... How did they know?

Spring evenings always remind me of Vincent van Gogh paintings, and those incredible deep-blue night skys.  My next wardrobe addition will definitely be something like this:

No mixing required here!  Napoleonic Blue is a limited edition paint from Annie Sloan, but I hope it becomes a permanent part of the colour collection.

Especially when it makes a fairly ordinary dresser look like this:

Another bright (and versatile) shade that you generally see a lot of in fall is making an appearance and a statement this spring:

This is the signature colour associated to Van Gogh's muse, the city of Arles.

Appropriately, it is also the name given to the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint that has changed my mind on yellow.  I wasn't a huge fan until I saw this:

... and now I just can't get enough of it!  I've just finished painting a cabinet with Arles and it has become a coveted piece at Apple Box Boutique:

 But the really hot colour right now seems to be bright green:

Because of that, Antibes Green is flying off the shelves!

It doesn't hurt that layered with Aubusson Blue, it is reminiscent of colourful peacocks and the current decorating trend that borrows from their plumage.

Robyn Story Designs (for Michelle) + Oliveira Textiles = Lazi Daze Photography

Isn't this pretty?

I have a million more images from my boards to share (okay... maybe just hundreds) but sensory overload is a real condition and I wouldn't want to be the cause!

I love that you stopped in to spend some time with me (thank you!) and am looking forward to future Project Personality articles...  In the meantime, I'd be interested to know:

What is your current project and what inspired you?

My thanks to Ciruelo Interiors for the colour cards!

Reimagined Monday: Abi Roberts' "From Boring to Bold"

Early in February, a very lovely young woman named Abi stopped in at the boutique to see what we had to offer, and to enquire about this red sideboard we had displayed in the window:

We had a wonderful chat about interior design and decor, and it turned out that Abi had hired some decorators to transform her new home, but she felt they had not quite gotten it right.  After living for awhile in her very modern, very neutral decor, Abi wanted something different... something unique.  We agreed that the best way to go may be 'back in time' and find a nice character piece to refurbish and to bring in some colour and interest in the easiest and most economical way possible... Annie Sloan chalk paint.  Though tentative at first, Abi decided to go for it and hasn't looked back.

Knowing a lot of people have the same concerns about taking on a big paint project or going with a new, bolder look, we invited Abi to share her story.

Hi, my name is Abi. Leanne has asked me to be a guest on her blog this week. She wanted me to share my experience using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint ( ASCP ).  Not only was this my first time using ASCP; it was also the first time I have painted any piece of furniture.

 

Upon arriving at the Apple Box Boutique for the first time, I fell in love with all the beautifully painted furniture. When Leanne explained to me that she painted all the pieces herself, I was so surprised. She then showed me all the colours of the ASCP that she carried. I was struck with how pretty they were. Leanne then suggested that I should paint something. I immediately said “Yeah, right!” in disbelief. First of all, it would never turn out as nice as her furniture, and, secondly, I wouldn’t have enough spare time to take on a project like this.

Later that evening I did some research on-line about ASCP. Practically all the reviews I read said how wonderful the product is and how easy it was to use.  Between these reviews and the encouragement that Leanne had given me, I felt I should give furniture restoration a try.

Now the search was on to find a piece of furniture.  I recently moved and basically had to start refurnishing it from scratch. I hired a design group but their idea of design was to buy brand new pieces of furniture and place it in the space. After they were finished, I felt I had a very boring place with no personality.

One of the first pieces of furniture that I wanted my designers to buy was a china cabinet or a buffet table. I desperately needed something where I can put my china and silverware away in as they have been in boxes in my basement since I got married 9 years ago. The designers said that you had to spend major money in order to get a good quality cabinet, which unfortunately, could not be budgeted for at that time.

I wanted a buffet that was older. I needed a piece with good bones so to give my dining room more character. The best source for this was Kijiji.  If you have not heard about this website, let me explain it to you briefly. It is a basically a virtual classified ad website where you can buy and sell whatever your heart’s desire.  When using Kijiji to look for furniture I have found that you must be patient, as people place new ads on the site every other minute. So if you look long and hard enough you can find the piece you are looking for at the price you want.

Finally, after a few days I found a beautiful French provincial buffet hutch made from solid wood for 50 dollars. I was so excited with my find that I emailed Leanne immediately to tell her know that I found something that I would like to paint. I wanted a pop of colour to add into my boring beige dining room and knew that I was going to change the colour.  In my email to her I said that after I sand it I will come into the store to choose my paint colour. I checked my inbox and got an immediate reply from Leanne. She wrote in all caps – “DON’T SAND IT!!!

When I called back to confirm, she told me that no prep was required. Cool, I thought, I’ll be by this afternoon to get some ASCP and some supplies. Remember I said that I needed a POP of colour, well I chose Emperor's Silk which is a vibrant red colour. I basically decided to go for it! My space was already boring and beige. I wanted to do something bold and fun.

When I got home later, I was too excited to wait, so I got started on a Thursday evening. I applied the paint straight away seeing that I did not have to sand or prime. The paint dried so quickly that I was done painting in 2 hours. I let the piece dry overnight. The next day, I moved the buffet into the garage (I didn’t want to get red dust everywhere inside my house). I took an hour to distress it a little bit by sanding the corners and the edges.  After wiping the dust down, I wanted the paint to set so I applied clear wax and buffed it out.  I then got a dark brown paint pen and highlighted certain areas to add dimension. I took the handles off and spray painted them black. Literally in 6 hours spread out over the course of a weekend I had transformed my hutch. I think it turned out great.

I was so inspired by this transformation that it led me to continue with transforming my dining room. So I hired a contractor to paint, wallpaper and add wainscoting to the walls. I also hired a designer (a different one) to decorate it with pictures and accessories. Who knew that what started as a simple little project, has actually helped me finish decorating my first room in my house.

(Much appreciation and credit to contractor Mark Leithoff, and Nicole Nyenhuis, my 'new' interior decorator.)

To conclude, I guess I caught the refurbishing bug as I currently have 3 more pieces of furniture in my garage to refinish. I am planning on taking an Annie Sloan Chalk paint tutorial from Leanne so I can learn some really cool techniques. I already know that the next colour that I'm going to be using is Antibes Green. 

Antibes Green + mixed in various parts Old White

A BIG thank you to Abi for sharing her experience and enthusiasm!  We hope this inspires others as much as it has inspired us.

And if you need a little more encouragement, a class is a great way to learn painting techniques and gain confidence.  We've partnered with Tara Jamieson of Lauren Lane Decor (and Home Show fame) to offer monthly classes in Edmonton!

Happy Painting!

Here is how to share your reimagined paint project at On the Apple Box:

Send us a description of how you used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to get from your vision to the reimagined piece, before and after pictures, pictures of your project in progress or a couple of it in its finished state, and you may be highlighted on our blog!

Reimagined Monday: Hartwood Roses' From China Cabinet to TV Cabinet

Sometimes a reimagining is just plain genius.  I loved this one so much I could hardly wait to share it!

Connie is a Master Gardener; a certified Rosarian who specializes in antique Roses. Her business, Hartwood Roses is what she refers to as a "small nursery"... they carry 800 varieties!  If I make another trip to Virginia, I am absolutely going to Hartwood Roses.

She is also a very handy gal, indeed who falls into an array of categories:  Carpenter, Remodeler, Dreamer and her blog is continuously inspiring.  This offering is one of my favorites because it updates an old 70's cabinet for new yet practical use in today's world and even more so for its creative and beautiful colour combination.

Describing the process in her own words, here is Connie's China Cabinet makeover:

I knew from the moment I saw this hutch sitting on the sidewalk at Goodwill that it would be perfect for a TV cabinet ... but it's classic, 1970s style wasn't part of the picture.

The doors were the first thing to go.  I installed trim to cover where the hinges had been.  New wood panels fill the sides where glass was originally.

With these modifications made, now what color should it be?  I knew that I wanted to use two colors of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, so I stared at my handy color chart for inspiration.  (seen in THIS post)  Initially, I was drawn to Chateau Grey and Duck Egg ... but my new can of Olive was the winner.  I am continually amazed at how much I love the way ASCP colors combine with each other.  (I don't think I've found a bad combination yet.)

The original door pulls look like door knockers from a medieval castle ... they're gone now, too.  In their place, I found knobs at Hobby Lobby that are perfect!  Look how well they coordinate with the Duck Egg.

Inside those doors are two drawers and LOTS of storage space.  Everything in this hutch shows quality materials and construction ... dovetailed drawers!

At the shop, The Husband and I rearranged a few things to make this baby fit.  As tall as it is (7 feet!) the footprint is surprisingly small ... four feet wide.  That's a lot of function in a relatively small space.  The TV space is wide enough to easily fit a 42" television.

Why settle for ordinary television furniture?

I am so excited about the look of these two colours together that I have already started digging through my studio for just the right piece to use it on!  

Don't you love it?

Here is how to share your reimagined paint project at On the Apple Box:

Send us a description of how you used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to get from your vision to the reimagined piece, before and after pictures, pictures of your project in progress or a couple of it in its finished state, and you may be highlighted on our blog!