{Before & After} Hot out of the Garage and available for sale!

Hi All! So happy to have at least one refinished piece to show you this week! Like so many of you, I am just itchin' for warmer days under the sun. It's been quite a long winter and I feel like Chelsea's Garage has been in a hibernation of sorts as far as furniture refinishing goes. Aside from the issues of frozen, crystallizing and crackling paint which have made refinishing chilly pieces a challenge, the majority of my attention has been called indoors with my babes. Coming up with new indoor activities to occupy my brood of energetic little ones has been a challenge I tell ya! But, Lord willing, soon are the days when we can all be outside together again, playing and painting.

So the piece I've got today, (and now available for sale), is one of my new favorites. If you're relatively new to my blog you should know that I'm always looking for versatile pieces to refinish. I love those pieces which can float around a home, moving from dining room buffet to bedroom dresser to living room media center. Versatility is what I look for to use in my own home, so that's what I typically feel compelled to offer to others. When I find a beautiful piece that is multi-functional, I feel like I'm getting that much more bang for my buck. And who doesn't want that?!

I refinished this beauty in Old White by Annie Sloan chalk Paint, and then gave the three drawers, (which open easily by a lower lip), two solid coats of Duck Egg Blue, (also by ASCP). I finished the drawers with a thin. dry-brushed coat of Old White and distressed along the edges with a medium grit sanding sponge. With previous pieces that I've painted this winter I've fixed and smoothed out the crackling before sealing. This piece, however, just became all the more beautiful in my eyes with the crackling, so I decided to let it be. The piece has been sealed in Minwax Polyurethane clear semi-gloss, so the crackling won't continue and chip away onto the floor. 

I'm completely enamored with chippy pieces and love what's going on with the sides of this one. It's so charming!

Before

After

48"L x 29.5"H x 19"D
SOLD

Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful weekend!

~Chelsea

This post was originally published on Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt.

Budding artist

This happened the other day. Oh, my heart.

I found the chair at a yard sale and scooped it up for my daughter, Shire, to paint. She has grown very curious about what I do in the garage and has her own little opinions about each piece once it's finished. I thought she'd love trying her hand at refinishing. When I showed her the chair she just couldn't wait to get started and picked the color herself, (Antibes Green by Annie Sloan chalk paint)

Interesting work ethic from this generation; Shire kept taking breaks to go run through the sprinkler with her brothers. She went back and forth, painting here then sprinkler there, for about an hour straight.

Oopsy daisy...

She sure has her own unique technique!

Job finished and so proud.

Posing with/enjoying her first piece :)

Shire has decided she wants to sell her chair rather than keep it so she can take Daddy out on a date. 

So, this piece is available for sale. Price $25 - SOLD

**I evened out some of the thick spots and smoothed the finish with a medium sanding sponge. Piece is lightly distressed.

**Update - since this post Shire's Pops, (my Dad), called to buy Shire's chair. No longer available :)

Thank you for reading!

~Chelsea

This post was originally featured under Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt.

Wardrobe given a fresh start!

A few days ago I mentioned a wardrobe that caught my eye - ironic since I've seen so many beautifully refinished wardrobes yet haven't had the slightest interest in giving one a try myself. I really can't tell you why this piece stood out to me. I just liked it. It's clearly seen lots of love over the years but I could tell it's got some life in it yet.

It's a miracle; I took a before picture.

After

I painted this piece in a thick coat of Paris Grey by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Then I used dark wax to bring out its age. Painting antiques seems to be a point of controversy, (trust me, I have grandparents. It's controversial). But paint doesn't necessarily mean disguising or devaluing an antique. It can bring one back to life so it can continue to be loved and functional. Better to give those old pieces a fresh look so you can actually enjoy them rather than....not. With true antique pieces I prefer a timeless look - neutral colors and lots of distressing. 

When I bought this piece there was a keyhole and lock - but no key. Sad! So, I removed the lock and used this key lookin' knob, (that I saved from a previously refinished piece), in it's place! I really wanted to maintain the integrity and history of this piece so it seemed like a good fit.:)

Love the panels on the sides and door!

Surprise! Super functional and adorable inside; what could be better? 

I had a fantastic plan to paint the inside white, but after I finished cleaning the piece, I just loved the inside as is. Not only is the grain of the wood beautiful, but it tells a story. There are markings and carvings all over and I just didn't want to erase all that history.

SOLD

Thank you for stopping by!

~Chelsea

This post was originally featured under Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt.