Sunday, June 2, 2013

Dirty Dancing.......................Chateau Chic

Good morning all!!!

Another day - another dresser!  Nice lines - nice bowed drawers - nice carved details on the drawers -
Awful color ( in my world - I know I know - there are people who love wood out there - and I always feel a little bit of guilt - for about 30 seconds when I do this and this ridiculous urge to explain that


Again I'll take you through the process ( ok Danni and Rosey? ) for the rest of you that actually do this - you can skip down to the last photos lol

So - I know I've said this before but when I want to do a contrasting color in any carved detail - I do that before I paint the dresser - for me it's so much easier -
The handles are still in because I was actually working on the Red Dresser ( HERE ) when I did this........


Once that was totally dry - I lightly sanded all the top in case there were any ridges left from the Old White.

And then painted all the drawers Paris Grey - yeah - I'm back to my beloved Paris Grey again............
Waxed them all with clear wax - and then proceeded to " dirty " them up with dark wax - here's what I wanted to show you - because dark wax can be very intimidating the first time you use it - no matter what anyone tells you - trust me on that one - the very first time you apply it - you will most definitely panic lol

Here is a drawer with the dark wax applied to it ( PLEASE ALWAYS BE SURE YOU APPLY THE CLEAR WAX PRIOR TO DOING THIS - OTHERWISE THE DARK WAX WILL SEEP INTO THE PAINT AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE IT ) yes that's me screaming at you - because it's very very important that you follow this rule - GOT IT???????????????? ( I'm not really a screamer in real life )


scary looking right?
next step is to start rub a dub rubbing - until most of it has gone away................

and usually at that point It's still a little too much for me - so now you take your clear wax again - I use a scott towel dipped in - you do not want to use the brush you use for your clear wax because it'll become contaminated with dark wax...............


and then the rest of the dresser got the same treatment - it's recommended that you do small areas at a time
I don't necessarily follow that rule - but it would be best in the beginning to do so!


and the outcome is the most deliciously authentic dirty looking piece of furniture......................like it's aged gracefully in a corner of French Chateau, n'est pas? ( eh? in Canadian English )




I've never read this anywhere - so don't know if this is me just talking out of my foot - but for some reason whenever I use dark wax the shine seems to be far superior to clear wax - has anyone else ever noticed that?







Oh oh I have to go dirty wax the legs a little more - hold on I'll be right back
Here's for your internal listening pleasure...................


 Ok - I'm back


LMHO - I can't win - now the shadows from the chandeliers are showing - but it has to do - and the most important part of the post was showing you the dirty wax anyway!!!

It's not shabby chic - because there was no sanding involved ( or white paint )
It's not prairie chic - because there's no farmhouse style involved
So I think we'll call this Chateau Chic - what do you think?
It belongs in some kind of Chic category doesn't it?  DOESN'T IT?
( that's me screaming at  you again - just because )

Have a great Monday everyone :)

Ok scrap all that - it's me again - it's 12.30 at night - you have no idea what I DO for you guys - I just went and moved the dresser by myself and staged it again - in the hopes of getting a better photo for you
AND........................


it didn't work LMHO



Now I'm really signing off - see you tomorrow :)

Partying with!
Coastal Charm                                            Knick of Time                          A diamond in the stuff
Savvy Southern Style                                  No Mininalist Here                   Shabby Creek Cottage
French Country Cottage                             Craftionary                               My Turn ( for us )
One Artsy Mama                                       My Romantic Home                  Finding Fabulous
Miss Mustard Seed                                    The Shabby Nest                      One More Time
Knick of Time                                            Not Just a Housewife                Adorned from Above
Funky Junk Interiors                                  Glitter Glue & Paint

All in the family..................


Once upon a time T.V. was a family ritual 
Once supper had been made - and eaten
Once the dishes had been washed and dried
Once homework had been done
and darkness appeared
the drapes were drawn
the lamps were turned on
and
everyone gathered into one room 
Often the kids spread out on the floor laying on their stomachs
and parents sat in their favorite spots

No one argued about what they wanted to watch 
there was one t.v.
We laughed together
cried together
and rooted for teams together 

Thanks Edith
for the laughs
for the wisdom
for the insight
but mostly for the memories
of one particular family gathered around the t.v.
creating memories I sometimes forget about now.

Jean Stapleton
January 1923 - May 2013
RIP