Mock Croc Decoupage

I have been going back and forth on what to do with this table I picked up for $50 from a hotel furnishings reseller. 

It's not intended to be a desk but a console table. (In the meantime, I'm still on the lookout for the perfect kidney shaped desk.)

My choices to date have been to paint or not to paint? I'd narrowed the selection to either glossy white or glossy black from Glidden's Trim & Door Paint. I've heard rave things about this product but, in the end, I wanted something more than just a paint or stain.

Enter decoupage. There are so many great examples of decoupaged furniture, both whimsical and haute design. Some designers use fabric, others paper, some a combination of both. Others incorporate paper and fabric with a painted finish. Here are some of my favorites:

Wallpaper Toile Decoupage

Byronie Porter bryonieporter.com 

Homes and Gardens, bhg.com

Origin Unknown, from Pinterest

Origin Unknown, from Pinterest

For several years, I've wanted to decoupage something larger than a jewelry box. I've come across some wonderful fabrics that I thought would be great, including a black/taupe houndstooth, from Hobby Lobby.

DEC- Black & Off White Houndstooth Decor Fabric

But it's rather heavy and I'm afraid it wouldn't lay flat against the vertical surfaces. 

In the meantime, I've been searching for a paper that would be stylish, eye catching and wouldn't cost a lot of money. There are a lot of beautiful papers out there and my usual go-to source is Binders off Piedmont in Atlanta. However, today at Joann's I found this terrific contemporary green mock croc paper for $1.99 per sheet. I got 10 sheets (their entire stock!) The paper is approximately 12x12 and as you can see, is highly textured and very, very shiny. The paper is made in Thailand.

To begin the process, I started by lightly wetting the paper to make it more maleable. See how it folds around the raised edges of the table. The Modge Podge is the key to making this work. And, it's great because the paper hasn't lost its texture or any of it's shine. I'll know when the Modge Podge dries and will keep you up to date.  I sure hope those abutment lines fade out when this dries.  I was afraid this would happen because the paper is not very wide or very long.

(What would the DIYer do without Modge Podge and chopsticks?!?)

*Pinterest photos do not link back to the original post so the origin of a couple of photos here remains unknown. If you know, please share the info with me and I'll update.

My New Favorite Thing!

Michaels is clearing out some of its products, including its shabby chic Ashland accessories. 

PhotoCredit: SanFranciscoDays.com

The Queen of shabby chic, Ms. Rachel Ashwell, is extremely talented and I loved visiting her Fillmore Street (San Francisco, CA), pictured here. The store was a cool and restful retreat from the hustle and bustle of the Fillmore Street shopping district. I visited here a couple of times and maybe it was me but I found the staff snobbish and not very helpful. However, on a recent visit to the City, I was saddened to see the store closed.

PhotoCredit: fillmoreshop.com

Mureta's Antiques is one of my favorite Fillmore St. stores. They have a wonderful selection of vintage and shabby chic tea cups, which you can see here in the window.

I can't afford to buy shabby chic. I guess it takes a lot of money for new furniture and accessories to look old, lived-in and comfortable. So it was time for my happy dance when I saw Michaels was having a clearance sale on the Ashland line.  They were already marked down 40%, BUT Michaels had a four hour sale going on and everything was marked down an additional 15%. 

I picked up a pair of these quatrefoil candle holders.  They are my new favorite thing. I don't know if you're supposed to use them for potpurri or for candles. I put a pair of jar candles in them, also from Michaels. Caveat: Yeah, don't put the top on when the candles are lit. (I'm not pleased with the silver leafed lamp here on the entry console but can't figure out where to put it or if I should craigslist it.)

P.S.: Here a couple more little pretties I picked up at the Michaels sale. Although I think the birds will have to go back. They stare at me all the time and it's starting to freak me out!

My Sweet Little Darling

One of the best things about living in a college town is when the semester changes and loads of new and used unwanted furniture turn up at local thrift stores.  Occasionally, little goodies can also be found sitting next to the dumpster in our apartment complex.  That's where I spied this wonderful little side table, neglected and dejected.  More importantly, FREE!

It was covered in black paint, which covered white paint, covering (ugly) green paint.

I used two kinds of stripper, steel wool, my little multi-purpose stripping tool, elbow grease, sweat and tears before it got down to this.  I finally used my handheld sander to clean up the rest.  

More hard work than changing a tire!

Then, it was time for the world-famous miracle in a can, Zinsser Cover Stain.

Oops, don't know what happened to the pictures.  Will have to reload.  But, here's one of her glamorous glams.  I used Rub & Buff to bring new life back to the feet and wipe on poly for a nice hard finish.  I think she's a beaut.  

I used two coats (sanding between) of Churchill Hotel Vanilla (spray) paint from Valspar.  It's a warm creamy color and is fast becoming one of my favorite colors. 

And, speaking of Rub & Buff here we are applying it to the foyer wall of my BFF's apartment.

The stencil is from Hobby Lobby. This was so easy and the result is (IMHO) stunning.

Another of my Favorite Things

I absolutely adore the style and craftsmanship of the old-school Duncan Phyfe cabinet and furniture makers.  But, not all DPs are real DPs.  Learn more about Duncan Phye here and here. To learn how to tell the real DPs from the fake, read here.

You can find Duncan Phyfe pieces (and reproductions) for sale just about anywhere including Ebay or craiglist. Interestingly the prices are higher in the North and on the East and West coasts!  I wonder ... is a couch more valuable because bottoms North, East and West have occupied the space?

I recently spied this Duncan Phyfe sofa on Craigslist (Atlanta). Here's the URL if you're interested: fwbkb-3565103693@sale.craigslist.org. BTW: I haven't seen this piece so I don't know if it's an original or a talented reproduction.  Caveat emptor!

At first glance, this looks like something to pass up particularly because the upholstery on this sofa is not my favorite. It's not even in the top 100 fabric choices for me. But, upholstery is a quick change. 

You might wonder what I could possibly like about this sofa. Well, look closely at those clean lines and that gorgeous, exquisite, extensive nailhead trim! And, just take a gander at the gams on this dame. Legs are to die for!

If I possessed the matching pair I covet I would: (a) darken the wood -- I'm thinking deep mahogany and (b) recover in a natural duck cloth.  I like the formality of the lines, but I want to be able to curl my feet up without worrying about destroying the fabric.

My favorite blogger -- renewredo.blogspot.com -- recently scored her own DP. I can't wait to see what she does with it.  Check out the rest of Sammi's blog when you can b/c she's got mad DIY decorating skills.

Sooner or later, I will own two of these darling little sofas. In the meantime, I'll keep searching craigslist for a matching set of these exquisite gems.

 

What Makes a House a Home?

A chair is still a chair
Even when there's no one sitting there
But a chair is not a house
And a house is not a home
When there's no one there to hold you tight,
And no one there you can kiss good night.

A room is still a room
Even when there's nothing there but gloom;
But a room is not a house,
And a house is not a home
When the two of us are far apart
And one of us has a broken heart.

...

Songwriter(s): Hal David, Burt Bacharach

Copyright: Sony/Atv Harmony, Casa David Music

I don't know who sang it best -- Dusty Springfield, Shirley Bassey, Dionne Warwick or Luther (no last name necessary). I simply love this song, although admittedly Luther's version remains my all-time favorite.

 

Often when I look at the rooms of professional designers, there's no indication that the space is a home.  Yes, there are beautiful houses created by very talented people.  But, where are the photos of family, the pets, the memorable occasions? Where are the grade school projects that remind us of how quickly the years pass?

Several times throughout the week, I get my e-copy of Traditional Home, showcasing some of the most beautiful rooms I've ever imagined.  Perusing the pages of Traditional Home is one of the things I look forward to each day.  Although a lot of folks are addicted to pinterest, I prefer to save copies of the photos on my desktop and savor them at leisure.

Earlier today, I ran across this room.  The designer is decorator and designer Joanna Poitier, wife of venerated actor and civil rights crusader Sidney Poitier.  It is IMHO, an unequivocally stunning room. 

Take a moment and look closely at Joanna Poitier's desk and what do you see?  There are photos of her family proudly displayed, yet this is a true working office, not a showroom to be ooh'd and ahh'd over.  There is proof here that you can have a stunning room with a bit of personality proudly displayed. 

Photograph: Edmund Barr
Designer: Joanna Poitier  

This house is truly a home!  The rest of the Poitier home is equally stunning, including an art collection that will likely blow your socks off.  See it all here in Traditional Home, including sources for the furnishings and fabrics.  

Add this home to the ever growing list of my favorite things!