Inspired Projects

Inspired Upcycled Projects

'Chateau' Side table

This lovely side table was rescued from boredom!
Just look at those lovely accent details that disappeared in the dark...

How wonderful to actually see it with a little chalk paint and antiquing wax!

Before - straight from the rescue pile!

The top had these inlays of wood in diagonals that really dated the piece and challenges any decor to work with it.
So I decided to just not pay attention to the diagonals!

First coat of chalk paint all over... and I do mean all over. Even the undersides got a coat.

Then one more coat on the legs of an ivory color and the top gets a tan color I created.

TIP: The first coat of chalk paint is going to go over your wood as is in most cases, but I recommend a light sanding to remove the shine and give the paint a fighting chance to adhere!
The second coat of chalk paint should be slightly watered down so that the first VERY dry coat gets evened out a bit with the second coat. If you see that your first coat is a bit lumpy or streaky then go ahead and sand it lightly to take out the streaks. Give it a day to cure before sanding. You can paint the second coat usually within an hour if you aren't sanding.

A blank slate!
Sitting and waiting for inspiration... what to do... what to do?

FULL DISCLOSURE! This step failed miserably... because I wanted to make this step easy but I truly, and absolutely disliked the results and the next few pictures will show you why. This step is the reverse transfer step using printed paper, and a gel medium. You print it in reverse (so that it shows the right way) and then spritz the paper with water to peel it off around the lettering.

Then you can see what the lettering looks like when you peel the watered down paper back...

But.. ick... yuck... pooey... look at that raise edge around the gel medium aka gluey yuckiness. I just didn't think it looked right and would never sand flat or finish right.

So I sanded it all down, painted the tan top again, and hand painted (using graphite paper) I traced my image onto the tan painted surface. This made all the difference in the final product!

Once you use the chalk paint to hand paint the lettering, then let it dry. Then give it a quick sanding (in one direction ONLY). That takes the paint level down a bit and gives it an aged look.

Tools of the project...

Ready to seal that chalk paint. If you haven't ever used chalk paint before, just remember that because of the plaster of paris added to the acrylic paint, it is drier than other paint and will absorb anything that goes over it. This is where the paste finishing wax comes into play.
TIP: find a small scrubber at the dollar store that will fit in the can to get a bit of the wax out.

I used the cloth over the lettering so that it doesn't disturb the paint.

Wax the wood legs with a thin layer. Be sure and put on a coat of CLEAR WAX finish first before you add any darker antiquing wax like in this picture.

Half of the leg on the left has been distressed with sand paper. You can see the right part of the leg is still just white.
TIP: If the layer below the sanding is too light then I add a bit of the antique wax to darken it if needed.

Let it dry and cure at least 24 hours before you buff it or lightly sand it for your finish.

Waxed and buffed!
Buffing the wax layer is simple, and really just takes a bit of elbow grease (rubbing it down) or taking a fine sanding block to smooth the wax to a fine finish.

Use a little bit of dark antiquing wax in a darker shade to give it some depth along the carvings around the base.

Voila! C'est finis! Zee details are soooo much more interesting now that you can see them, wouldn't you say mon cherie!

Finally! I'm so happy with how it turned out!

Vintage Writing Desk
This lovely morsel of history reminds me of one that my own sweet mother used for decades (and still displays in her living room to this day!). It is a treasure that I just couldn't pass up to restore and upcycle to find a new home.
Above is the AFTER
Below is the BEFORE and DURING

The inside and back panel was covered in a unique ivy and green wallpaper that took a bit of scrubbing and scraping to remove...

After using chalk paint to cover the wood, I chose to put the French writing paper at the top and then I hand painted the entire graphics on the surface.
TIP: Use graphite paper once you decide on the graphics, enlarge them to size, and trace.

Savannah Lamp

This lovely 'Savannah Lamp' was custom made using Oyster Shells from the Savannah GA beaches. You can make this with just a few items and some patience!

This little morsel of nature came straight from the beaches on the coast of Georgia.

It was already molded together on one side which made it easy to position on the front, but I had to piece the back together by drilling holes through the shells, wiring them piece by piece, and gluing a few into position.

It all started with a lamp base that just HAPPENED to be the same shade as the shells... beautiful coincidence?

Wire it, glue it, shade it. DONE!

The inside required my attention and it got a coat of Chalk paint and wax to seal it.

The back panel was a natural wood but needed a paint job so I painted it with wood grain colors and texture.

Recent News

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi.