A summer of commissions!

So with summer drawing to a close (I already have my winter duvet on my bed and just put the heating on for an hour in the mornings!), and the kids safely back at school, I am very much looking forward to the change of season... red wine, cosy fires and strictly on the TV! I am not looking forward to the cold of my workshop first thing in the morning until my electric radiator heats it up but... layers help... lots of layers!!

I spent the summer in the campervan in exploring Pembrokeshire and weekends camping with friends and family, lovely days out with the kids, all amidst a flurry of commissions!

• First of all a sideboard that was covered in thick dark varnish; it sanded up to reveal a pale white ash that was beautiful! The client wanted a green finish that she'd seen on a previous chest of drawers (Pompeian Ash by Little Greene) and I left the pale wood exposed on the top and insides.

• Secondly, I sourced a bedroom set of a antique pine wardrobe and chest of drawers for the customer, and the agreed finish was a whitewashed effects with a soft off white/linen paint detail to enhance the look, also adding shelves to the wardrobe to turn into a linen cupboard. The pieces were covered in a thick dark wax that took sooooo long to remove with my scraper and multiple applications of methylated spirits with wire wool before I could even think about sanding! Really pleased with the finished look, completely transformed!

• Next came a small dark wood Ethan Allen dresser that I found specifically to fit an awkward alcove space with the requirement of a mustard finish to contrast with the owners navy blue decor - I often do neutral pieces, so was lovely to do something in such a bright statement, and happen to love mustard yellow ( my sofa is this colour and so is my kitchen ceiling... yes you read that right!).

• Finally, a request to recreate my green 'pompeian ash' chest of drawers, but to finish with paisley details. After wax removal (grrrr!) I could get on with the fun but and a beautiful finish was achieved. Unfortunately, it ended up damaged by the couriers in transit... my worst nightmare as I hate to think of the new owners having their new piece and their joy at receiving it spoilt.... at least I always take out damage cover so was able to compensate the client and they were happy to touch up the scuffs with the care pack I provided, phew!

Pleased now to have a bit of time without a deadline now, to work on some pieces I have been collecting and waiting to have time to get on with! Also starting to think about Christmas and if there are some lovely little crafty bits I can create to add to my shop in time to go on peoples Christmas lists... ;-)

Victorian Mahogany Veneer Chest of Drawers

My new piece is a bit of a beast... I believe it is Victorian with Mahogany Veneer, in a beautiful symmetrical flame pattern. As a red wood, the tannins in the mahogany can seep through to the finish making it look redder, or even pink if a light pigment is used on top of it, so sealing with shellac is a must. This piece also needed airing, washing and treating to remove the smell of the the mothballs that must have been stored in here over the years...!

There were chips in the veneer, which I have successfully fixed with a strong wood filler to recreate the corners but due to the amount of damage I am opting to paint the carcass to show off the drawers, but have recreated the mahogany finish where it will be visible! I have been a little worried about sanding the veneer - veneer is a thin sheet of wood glued to the top of a more substantial plank of wood, so if you sand too much you can go through it, so I have been gentle and also used a scraper and varnish stripper where needed to remove the blackened build up of chipped polish. Not sure I like the handles it came with though - I don't think these are the original as there was evidence of larger circles, so hopefully no-one will mind if I replace them for something nicer and shinier.... watch this space for the finished result coming soon!

Feeling the subtle boho vibes...

So spring has just about sprung, which so invigorating - I feel like I am solar powered and am so ready to get going on my next designs! My last couple of pieces took inspiration from natural tones that could well be described as 'boho chic', with the neutral soft colours and textural detailing to the drawer sides - I love adding that hidden bit of personality!

The chest of drawers had a previously bad paint job that needed sanding off, and underneath was solid, but knotty orange pine. The drawers needed some attention as the dovetail joints were loose, so wood glue to the rescue to firm them up! I used a Valspar primer specifically designed for knotty bare wood, as sometimes the knots can weep or alter the colour, and the primer ensures a great finish for the paint to stick to. I love the colour Pompeian Ash by Little Greene (and have this in my own bathroom and hallway... embracing the dark side but is actually very cosy and luxurious on the walls!), and have been longing to do a piece of furniture in it. I used the Intelligent Eggshell as gives a stronger finish, and built up the depth of colour in multiple thin coats with a small roller to avoid brush strokes. Although it won't be seen often, the orange pine had to go so I watered down a lovely creamy taupe shade of chalk paint (Country Grey by Annie Sloan) and applied to the drawers. For the stencilled patterns at the side of the draws, I tossed up between using the same Pompeian Ash or a black acrylic, but in the end I wanted to keep it tonal and subtle so used same but unwatered chalk paint over the colour wash and I really like the result!

Finally I used a sponge brush to apply three thin coats of Polyvine Wax Finish Varnish in the satin finish to keep a sheen. Polyvine also do a flat finish but I feel the subtle sheen to reflect the light makes the colour pop a little more! The finish is so important to to keep the furniture in good condition and a little more 'life proof'!

The little side table was a sewing table that I have enjoyed owning myself, but the legs were wobbly and it was no longer needed. I had the idea of stenciling some mandala style patterns within the piece and to add wooden dowels to the front as a rib detailing as I felt it was a little plain looking, and wasn't sure whether to leave the dowels as natural wood or painted, but in the end the wood on the top and the dowels were too different in tone so painted it was. The top was interesting as the veneer was not in great condition, so I removed it to find a nice piece of solid wood underneath - bonus! The wobbly legs were mended and all was sanded back to smooth wood. The internal top hinged storage area had once had a piece of material glued in which left a poor surface at the bottom, so I did some decoupage in a matching tone to cover this for a better finish.

I love the colour of Country Grey Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan, and the versatility of using chalk paint means that I can adjust the colour - I added some additional burnt umber acrylic paint to give a little more warmth and depth to the paint which I felt was needed here. In this instance I finished the piece with clear wax for protection, and again felt it was a little plain so added some more dimension with black wax to the edges, which gives a slightly more aged vintage look which is perfect for this piece. Wax needs to cure for around 3 weeks to harden off to offer the best protection, so plenty of time to finish cleaning and renovating the brass hardware to make it shine as good as new!

What do you think of the finished results?