Thursday, March 29, 2012

My Secret to Glazing Cabinets etc...

I make rustic furniture for my small local business.  For several years I have used this simple recipe for beautifully antiqued looking wood. I have a secret "antiquing/glazing" technique that I am going to share with you.
I find that light color paints are especially hard to "glaze" so I've tried several methods to get the glazed and antiqued look just right.
This is what works best for me.


~~~My secret weapon~~~


Generic Baby Oil!

I recently glazed cream color cabinets for a client of mine.
Here's how:


Once the cabinets are painted I take my hand sander with 120 grit paper.
Carefully sand small areas where the cabinets might naturally wear over time.
Once the desired amount of wood is showing through use a tack cloth to clean the cabinets of dust.



Next - use a very small paint brush to apply ebony or walnut stain to the exposed wood and to the turned part of the cabinet creases (a little goes a long way). Only do one door or drawer at a time - otherwise this method won't work. You must work quickly.


After you apply the stain use baby oil on an old T-shirt and wipe (with pressure) the stained areas until the stain color is all blended. Practice your technique on a low drawer or door first so you can get a feel for how quickly you have to work and how much pressure you'll need to apply to get the stain to "move" around.



Once you have blended the stain your cabinet should look something like this:



Let the stain dry for a day or two before sealing with poly.  Make sure the cabinets are clean and free of oil before applying any sealer.

I have tried using glaze mixed with a small amount of stain and I always come up with a pink or purple hue. This "baby oil technique" is easier and leaves your cabinets the true color you wanted them - with a bit of rustic accent.

I use this technique for furniture and anything wood that I want to look aged or antiqued.
It's been my secret recipe for beautifully antiqued wood pieces...


Now it's yours.


Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Staging...


A few Realtors came this morning to take a little tour of our home.
Staging a home for the market is much different than decorating for actual living.
I positioned the couch and chairs to face each other as if people were sitting in them having a conversation. Smaller furniture pieces show off the floor and are more flexible to move around for traffic flow.
(A good rule of thumb... If you have a large room - bring furniture away from the walls and bring the seating close enough to hear the person in the seat across from you. It creates a cozy feel and actually makes the room feel larger.)

The fireplace is still the focal point in this room and the TV is sort of  - just there.


I removed the fluffy soft rug to show the painted floor. The rug was comfortable for the kids and the dog but I didn't want it to appear as if we were hiding the floor.
(plus - it smells better)

Here is a photo from before ....


The next room is our front music room.
I took off the white slipcover and let the blue sofa just be what it is...


All the family photos have been taken down. Less decor helps buyers focus on the room size and features like wainscoting and crown molding.

Here is this room from before...


I also removed items from the kitchen.


I removed the decor from above the cabinets so it looks clean and simple.

Here is a picture from before..

 
I left only white window panels up because that is what will stay with the house.
They are fresh and bright and not too "taste specific".

A simpler style for potential buyers.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Our Simple Master Bathroom


Our bathroom has been last on my list of improvements
since we moved here 6 years ago.

.

I framed out the mirror in 1x4 pine.


That little side mirror is attached with hinges on one side only. That way I can swing it out to see the side and back of my hair. (very important)



The vanity was cherry wood - I spray painted it and added feet.





That's about it...

I just switched out the decor to go with the rest of our house.

Pretty Simple

to see the bedroom GO HERE

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Restoration Hardware meets Beach House


Brent and Shannon's Home Tour




Den






Family Room









Breakfast Nook





A beautiful blend of old and new...

designed by:

Nicki Larson and Jennifer Palmer
of Kaysville, Utah.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Realtors are Coming....


We are moving!


Since our home is going up for sale I made a few changes.


My office is actually our formal dining room so I brought my picnic table out away from the wall and put a bench and a couple of slip covered chairs around it.  I bought some natural burlap for a table cloth (in the garden section at Ace) and lit a few candles in recycled jars.


This looks kind of like a shabby board room.....


A multi-purpose room.....

(drop your junk, work, craft, blog  and now even EAT & DRINK)


I'm trying to scale back my decor a bit but I just can't make it "generic"....
I'll take down those family photos soon.


(my dog looks dead but she is just really lazy)


 I took the big picture of my boys out and replaced it with a white framed mirror.


If you want this house...I will sell it to you -  =)
I will even leave it furnished & decorated so sweet for you!


We are moving to Virginia....
We are excited for the change.... new job for the hubby and looking forward to a fresh start!
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