Reimagined Monday: Dedication To A Friend

As many of you know, last week was a tragic one.  We lost our dear friend and colleague, Tara Jamieson of Lauren Lane Decor in Calgary.

Tara described herself as "a daughter, a sister, a friend, and someone who loves to refinish old furniture! I love thrift stores, coffee, well worn jeans, red wine, sunday brunch, making lists and my dogs Bella and Winston."  She had an indomitable spirit and a love for all things vintage.

Tara left her job as an accountant in the oil industry to start her own business painting furniture and in a few short months her talent found her as a major Canadian stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, a much-sought-after contractor, a media doll, and a guest celebrity with The Home and Garden Show.

One of her happiest moments was opening her own studio Lauren Lane Decor, where she designed and sold refurbished vintage furniture, and lead classes sharing her knowledge with others.  She packed a lot of living into just 30 years.

It has been difficult to accept that we must move forward in this business and this blog when we feel Tara's loss so fully. There is much to say about Tara as a person, and never enough time or space to do her justice, but we've come to the resolution that continuing well is a dedication to her presence in our memories and our hearts.  

Today's Reimagined Monday is a tribute to Tara's work... a celebration of her talent and love of painting.  She will be missed.

Country cabinet in ASCP  Arles by Tara Jamieson

Antique sideboard in ASCP CoCo by Tara Jamieson

Antique vanity in ASCP Duck Egg Blue by Tara Jamieson

Dresser in ASCP Emperor's Silk by Tara Jamieson

Christmas Mantle with frame in ASCP Emperor's Silk by Tara Jamieson

Antique dresser in ASCP Pure White by Tara Jamieson

Antique butler in ASCP French Linen by Tara Jamieson for Uniquities
 (Tara is reflected in the mirror at the Calgary Home & Garden Show 2012)

Dining table in ASCP recipe by Tara Jamieson, one of her favourites
(she had it photographed by Brian Bookstrucker)

Antique dresser in ASCP Pure White by Tara Jamieson

Dresser in ASCP Olive by Tara Jamieson

Antique dresser - Before

Antique Dresser - After, in ASCP Pure White by Tara Jamieson

One of the set of side tables - Before

Side Table - After, in ASCP mix of Emperor's Silk, Old White, and Scandinavian Pink by Tara Jamieson

Antique table - Before

Antique table - After, in ASCP Old White by Tara Jamieson

Two Step Dresser - Before

Two Step Dresser - After, in ASCP Old Ochre by Tara Jamieson

Gold French dresser - Before

French dresser - After, in ASCP Graphite by Tara Jamieson

Dresser in ASCP Antibes Green by Tara Jamieson for Reworks Upcycle Shop

Dresser in ASCP Barcelona Orange by Tara Jamieson

♥,

Leanne 

Photo of Tara by Kristen Shima of Shima Photography

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: Maison Decor's Kitchen Makeover

For over 20 years, Amy Chalmers has been beautifying homes in Boston and area through her company Amy Chalmers Interiors.  Her blog Maison Decor is packed with great pics and design examples and led to Amy being featured several times in Romantic Homes magazine.

Last year she completed her own kitchen makeover and her go-to paint was Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White and Paris Grey.  But there is so much more to her kitchen re-do that I wanted to share it all (including the Home Depot beadboard wallpaper... one of my favourite things).

Here it is in all its glory... The Amy Chalmers Interiors kitchen makeover:

 The kitchen cabinets were done in Annie Sloan chalk paint.I went round the bend trying to decide if I was going to stick with the chalk paint or use a conventional paint. 

In the end, I decided to distress the cabinets and with that decision,the easy choice was to use the chalk paint.

 The upper cabinets are in Old White,

 the lower cabinets are in Old White with Paris Grey wash.

 I used a paint brush to do all the cabinets. 

They were painted in place as they have

 hidden hinges and it was easier that way.

I lightly distressed the cabinets on the top.

The bottom cabinets were distressed a little heavier.

 All were finished in clear wax.

 Bright and cheerful with a  farmhouse vintage appeal.

 

The island light fixture came from a swap shop at a dump.

It was the perfect solution for our off center island.

 The window brackets are also a vintage addition 

that holds a shelf for displaying items.

A kitchen with cabinets to the ceiling doesn't 

allow for any display space, so this works well.

The stainless bucket to the left of the window is a composter.

You put all your veggie clippings, eggshells and coffee grounds inside

and a week later it is mushy...then throw it in your garden.

It is amazing, and we love it. You can get one  at TJMaxx.

The bronze rabbit got a lot of interest the last time I posted on the kitchen.

We picked him up at the Chilmark Flea Market on Martha's Vineyard.

He is holding my sugar bowl, but at parties he sits on the island and holds nuts.

 

The floors are maple.

 The view from the dining room into the kitchen to the back door.

 Marble countertops would look quite nice with the grey and white~

someday...mmmm

 The kitchen is a small room that is like the spoke of the wheel in our house.

All rooms connect by halls to this space, except the living room.

The console table is a nice place to set up a bar or deserts when entertaining.

These tulips came from our garden.

The view towards the dining room. 

This wall is one I would like to remove.

The problem is finding a good spot to relocate the refrigerator.

When I figure that out, I can imagine my kitchen filled with sunshine.

I took pictures with the lights on and then all the lights off.

The pictures with the lights on make the kitchen look green.

Anyway, this view shows the dining room filled with sunshine.

Imagine this space all opened up...

 The difference white cabinets make in a dark space is just amazing and uplifting.

Our kitchen island is made by the John Boos company.

They specialize in wonderful butcher block islands.

One last look at what used to be our kitchen....

the total cost of this mini-reno was 

3 quarts of chalk paint and a can of wax.

The result is one lovely kitchen!

Amy also has an Etsy site, and though her wares are available for shipping in U.S. only, they are still fun for the rest of us to ogle and be inspired.

GREAT NEWS!

We are partnering with Tara Jamieson of Lauren Lane Decor to offer Kitchen Reinvention classes in Edmonton starting May 27th!  Click here to read more about this + other paint classes and get registered!

Happy Reimagined Monday!

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!