2018 Design Challenge

This beautiful burl was hidden under layers of gross varnish & oils. We were excited to bring it to life.

Painted in GF Lamp Black & sealed with High Performance Satin, this Finch Fine Furniture Company buffets real focal point is the stunning drawers!

I love reading cool facts on woods & researching furniture history. Wood burls are like the diamonds of forests, so when we find veneer that is burled (typically, burled wood was made into thin sheets of veneer...

Oh I love the flame burl and the inlaid on this federal style buffet.  I loved it from the moment I saw it.  I picked it up from a woman who was moving out west to go work at our national parks.  She was emptying her townhome.  I told her I would give the buffet new life and a lot of love.

In prep I cleaned her up with dish soap and water to degrease then scrubbed with a 50/50 mixture of denatured alcohol and water.  The top and the drawers needed to have that beautiful wood grain...

6 Chairs: I painted an undertone of GF Driftwood, followed by a custom mix of GF Snow White and Antique White, then lightly distressed to bring through the Driftwood color. 

Table: The base of the table was done exactly like the chairs. As far as the table top goes, I stripped and sanded it down so you could see the beautiful herringbone pattern. I sealed the top with Oil and Wax by Old Barn Milk Paint to help bring out the natural raw beauty of the wood, but everything else is the...

I fell in love with this 1950s Beautility brand cocktail sideboard as soon as I saw it and marvelled at the hideaway drinks compartment that cleverly folded out of a seemingly much too small hole! However, even though I loved it on sight and it clearly had good grain going for it, it would only become a lot clearer what a beauty it was once it was fully stripped back using paint/varnish stripper and lots of elbow grease / wire wool too! 

The fronts of the doors are a Walnut Burl...

This unique oval desk with the burlwood top begged for the burlwood desktop to be the star of the show, and man o man, is it ever! To play up it's stunning beauty, I chose to downplay this uniquely-shaped desk's "body" with a 50/50 blend of General Finishes Bone White Chalk Paint and General Finishes Antique White Milk Paint...a perfect blend, in my humble opinion. The body is finished off in three coats of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin. But the real stunner of this...

This is a true rags to riches. This dresser was so broke that the free store for the homeless GAVE  it to me- not a joke! I used to work at the shelter, & the warehouse manager said "gurrrllll, do you want this?" I was planning to take the handles and burn the rest! Ha! My Man Friend said "we can fix that!"

I rolled my eyes but he did! Painted in GF Coastal Blue, with GF Copper Pearl Effects, this Cinderella is sealed in GF High Performance Satin & was quickly purchased by an...

Blingy little cedar chest in Lamp Black with a French script stencil in Copper effects with High performance flat topcoat. 

This lovely Linen cabinet was given a fresh new look. I stripped and primed first and then used Coastal Blue over the whole piece. The interiors were stained using Antique oak stain. I stenciled each top corner of the cabinet using Burnished Pearl and also used burnished pearl on each leg. The piece was then sealed with High Performance Top Coat, and she was ready to go. 

This antique cabinet was given a fresh new look. After stripping and priming, I painted it in a custom blend to create this lovely fresh light grey. The interiors were treated to a fresh stain using Antique oak. For the stencil I used Pearl Effects in Argentine pearl, on both sides of the cabinet, and also used Pearl Effects to highlight corners and edging. The handles were brightened using silver Run N buff. To finish off I sealed with High Performance Top Coat, and this lovely Lady was...

This petite antique writing has lovely proportions and a solid frame so just needed a visual update to make her more modern. After a full strip and prime, I painted her in Gf linen and used a Walnut stain for the interior. I replaced the leather writing top also. The golden sun rays was stenciled using GF Burnished pearl and then the whole piece sealed using High Performance Top Coat. The original drop handles were polished using gold Rub N buff. 

This lane cedar trunk was boooooring and orange. I knew I needed to add a simple appliqué and some trim to give it some character. I love how it came out. Painted in GF Driftwood grey with gold gilding wax on the details. 

First I removed all the wax and dirt with a good scrub of wash up liquid and water, and then cleaned with methylated spirits and water until all the wax was removed, then sanded smooth.

I primed the piece with shellac bin primer, then 3 coats of custom grey linen:lamp black 5:1, on the body and I then added a coat of the hptc and champagne pearl effects mix, 50:50. The drawer fronts were painted in linen 

I used efex and resin mouldings, both painted in the grey and pearl...

Once upon a time this piece probably served as a potato bin but when I caught sight of it I knew it was the perfect mail station just waiting to be transformed for my mom since it also just happened to be Mother's Day weekend. I worked quickly and finished this gem using GF Queenstown Gray, stunning appliques from D. Lawless Hardware and new crystal knobs.  My mom was and still is in love with it and it has quickly become the gorgeous front door staple in her house I knew it was always meant...

Her slender, curvy legs lead up to an elegant body. With a beautiful red body, black body wax and accented with gold knobs and a gold wax, she has great storage for her current home.

This antique, solid wood dresser was hand painted in a custom gray made from General Finishes milk paints using a blend of Linen and Driftwood with Pitch Black glaze effects over all those details and crevices. The piece is sealed with multiple layers of High Prformance Top Coat in satin for extra protection. Silver leaf gilding wax adds the final bit of sparkle to give this beauty all the drama it deserves. 

Elegant makes a comeback with this mirror that was transformed from boring bronze to something one woud find in France using Seagull Gray Milk Paint, a wash of French Vanilla and dry brushing as well with gilding wax applied along raised areas and details in Gold Leaf, Ebony and Silver. Sealed with High Performance Top Coat in Flat. 

PRODUCTS USED

• GF Seagull Gray
• GF French Vanilla
• Rub N Buff Ebony
• Rub N Buff Gold Leaf
• Rub N...

This set of nightstands were made from a antique 1930-1940’s vanity. It was almost completely taken apart, cut up by my husband and put back together by me. The set are not identical as some details had been lost over the years. With this set you are truly getting one of a kind nightstands or end tables.

The set was completely striped. Painted gold, then painted black wet distressed, dry distressed, painted gold again and sealed. The tops were stained General Finishes antique walnut...

This simple chest of drawers was transformed into a chest of drawers any fan of superheros would LOVE to have! First, the image and the knobs were purchased and then we waited patiently for the right piece to come in. This Mid Century Modern piece was it. Perfect simple lines and the legs were the perfect KA-POW to give this piece the perfect amount of character! Transformed into a Captain America masterpiece! WOW!

One of my favourite places for second hand hunting is the Old Fire Station. It's run by two hilarious guys, full of fabulous stories about their house clearance adventures. The whole place is filled with gorgeous goodies, mostly older antiques that wouldn't look out of place in a country manor house, but they often have little bits and bobs and I reckon they enjoy me and my mum popping in. We generally buy all the old tat - garden rakes, old posters, broken chairs. More often than not they...

I was drawn to this dresser because of the combination of drawers and doors. It was covered in layers of sloppily applied paint and I originally just planned to refresh the paint. However, as I was prepping and lightly sanding, I noticed these vertical lines on the drawer fronts coming through the paint. After sanding the drawers more heavily, the wood panels were revealed and my vision began to take shape. I started with a couple of fresh coats of Persian Blue Milk paint. I followed that...

These simple pieces are the best to get because with a little help from some great products, the possiblities are endless!  This pieces starts out boring, but after some TLC she shines! I sanded the frame of this piece, filled any imperfections, primed, sprayed with GF Black Enduro in satin and sealed with Clear Enduro in flat.  The drawers and legs were completely sanded bare.  Then I applied GF Wood Conditioner, GF Nutmeg gel stain, waited 24 hours and taped off the diamond design with...

This vintage secretary desk was in rough shape when we rescued her.  She was brought back to life with a major cleaning, sanding, and more cleaning and more sanding. She boasts a combination finish using General Finishes Milk Paint in Persian Blue, and General Finishes Gel Stain in Gray.  She is sealed up for protection using General Finishes HPTC in Satin.  New Hardware graces her exterior drawers, and a fresh glass panel has been inlaid to her cabinet door. Interior panels and shelves have...

Another one of Grandpa’s pieces that no one wanted. (Insert sad face.) He had started the process and just needed some help to get this beauty back to her glory. She was in pieces, with the mirror and doors detached, and just hoping everything was there. It was! 

Multiple layers of rich color make this antique beauty come to life! A base coat of GF Lamp Black peaks out from under two layers of GF Somerset Gold, showing off each curve and carved details on the drawers and doors of...

What was once a well loved and badly worn vanity, is now a charming pair of long legged nightstands. We began this project by separating the side portions of the vanity from the center to form two separate nightstands. Extensive repairs were completed to fix wood and veneer damage as well as molds being made to mimic missing trim on the draw fronts. Once this lovely pair was structurally solid, we cleaned and prepped our surface for paint and stain. The body of each was hand painted in...

A beautiful three-drawer dresser is done up in Antique white and Wise Owl Furniture Salve. She came with her beautiful wood stain in-tact so I kept it as is just adding the salve to condition the wood. Accented with the General Finishes Antique White to keep her fresh, she is smooth and beautiful for years to come.

I fell in love with this piece and wanted to give it a modern spin, but keep the natural beauty of the wood.

I painted the body stain blocker and snow white milk paint.  After sanding the wood I loved the natural wood and the different colors that showed with each drawers so I just sealed with with Gel poly and the ombre' wood colors came to life.  

How could you cover up that beautiful wood grain?  Their were some pieces of trim that were missing from the doors.  So, after careful reconstruction the doors and frame received two coats of General Finishes Milk Paint in Driftwood followed by Van Dyke Brown Glaze and High Performance Top Coat in Satin.  The wood grain drawer fronts and top surface were sanded down and stained with General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain followed by GF Arm-R- Seal.

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Anyone ready for the beach! I know these end tables are! Beach inspired end table are ready to take home. Finished with General Finishes Persian blue then dry brushed with gray and white accent.

Coastal Blue Milk Paint and Walnut Liquid Oil Based Stain

This fantastic vanity received a custom-mixed coat of deep blue-green, created by mixing General Finishes Klein Blue with Emerald Milk Paint. To add depth and tone down the color, a wash of thinned Lamp Black was brushed on in sections and wiped off, deeping the color and shadowing edges. The painted portions were protected with High Performance Topcoat in satin.  The top and upper drawers of the vanity were sanded down to the raw wood and given a coat of Nutmeg Gel stain then protected with...

Painted table with crackled General Finishes Lamp black milk paint and a General Finishes Snow White base layer. Decoupaged drawers in a black and white damask pattern. 

I wanted to do something bold and elegant with this vintage dresser.  The shell was painted in a rich black and the drawers in a bright white.  I added a beautiful transfer to the drawers adding to its elegance.  Some added details include the appliqués on the top door fronts, decoupaged paper on the drawer sides and inside doors, Black crystal drawer knobs and finally bold and bright flowered fabric for the drawer liners. It turned out beautifully. 

This beauty recieved a dramatic update in classic colors... but we added a bit of a twist by starting with a dark base then using the white glaze & silver accents to create a unique, regal finish!

Hand painted in General Finishes Queenstown Grey, lightly distressed, glazed with Winter White to accent those incredible details and sealed with High Performance Top Coat, she is ready for a whole new life!

Not going to lie- this little bathroom vanity is oh so vain. Who can blame her with such character and details? Glamorous gold flaunting and delicate wood moldings enhance the luxurious styling of this repurposed sewing cabinet. More chic than shabby, this modern twist to farmhouse decor is just what your powder room needs! Hand painted with General Finishes Snow White and Lamp Black, and sealed with their top coat. 

Blended from Snow White to lamp black with gold hardware. She is the perfect size for a small buffet or for a statement piece in your entry way

When I first saw Grandma's cedar chest I just knew I could breath new life into it. The poor thing was at an estate sale in the garage, full of musty blankets and the rear left leg was broken. I loved the faux  drawers on the front and was surprised to find an actual separate drawer on the bottom. After repairs were made and thoroughly cleaned inside & out, I used my Fuji Semi Pro 2 sprayer to lay a rich General Finishes Lamp Black basecoat. I love texture and depth so I felt a...

This dresser was painted to resemble a "locker" for my son's baseball bedroom. It has been painted with GF Lamp Black and the numbers were painted with GF Snow White. 

This white, black and maple dresser is for the modern-farmhouse lover! I know it sounds crazy but I got my inspiration from one of Joanna Gaines' door mats in her Hearth and Hand line at Target. My pattern is slightly different but it still resembles the design. Products used are Snow White, Lamp Black and HPTC in flat. 

This oak chest-of-drawers was brought back to life with a mixture of GF Snow White and Antique White. The handles were orginally rust/iron, but I dry brushed and sanded them with GF Lamp Black to give the piece some character. The whole thing was sealed with GF HPTC, flat. 

These were such a fun project! We originally bought the pair, but only one had the faux apothecary card catalog look. So we took a router to the other dresser drawers to create the same look! Can you tell which one?? Each dresser opens up to either 3 or 4 drawers with the stunning new label pulls. Painted in a rich cream with fresh wood tops! These dressers are ones that I just couldn't part with. 

**GF Chalk Style Paint has been discontinued. To replicate Bone White mix 3:1 Antique...

Wow!  Vintage transformed into modern!

You can’t go wrong with this weathered messanger dresser.  Perfect for your office or bedroom!

GF Driftwood 

1 oz each color dry brushed:

GF Antique White, Choc Brown, Snow White, Buttermilk Yellow

This Faux wood finish was created by a base coat of Seagull Gray milk paint, dry brushed on Antique Walnut Gel Stain, then a white and brown glaze! I literally made this finish up by getting out all my products out, giving them a good stare for about 30 minutes, then a little trial and error. End result was a happy client! 

Those curves just said “armour” to me, so I went with it! A fantastic faux finish to look like galvanized metal. Layers of Driftwood Gray, White Glaze Effects, and Van Dyke Brown bring this dirty, rustic metal feel to life. This end table became the center of attention in a modern farmhouse living room and completed the look with perfection!! 

With all of the details on this coffee table I knew I wanted to do something with lots of layers.  First I painted the base in Driftwood Gray, a nice medium gray color.  Next I added a topcoat preparing it for the glaze.  I used pitch black glaze effects to get in all the little areas and make them pop. For the final step I used the Argentine Pearl Effects along with the pitch black glaze to layer a texture on the entire piece.  I used a short stubby brush to pounce the products on the...

This beautiful Thomasville buffet did not sell in its original dated condition. The brass hardware was removed from the back and the top stripped and sanded down to remove all scratches and rings. The top was stained expresso and the body was painted in a rich custom mixed bright turqouise. It was then glazed with GF pitch black glaze and crumpled bags were used to get the faux effect. The entire piece was topcoated with GF High Performance Topcoat in flat. The result is an updated buffet/...

The elegant curves of these quaint end tables is contrasted by the rustic look of the faux barnwood tops, creating a versatile charm perfect for any decor.  

These "rustic" filing cabinets were recreated from a finish in a photograph, emailed to me online, and a small drawer face the client removed from her brand new desk.  The project took many layers to create such a worn, rustic finish.  These pieces make me wan to curl up with a book and a blanket next to a fire!

Cleaned with a DNA prep, these pieces were sanded and primed with BIN.  The base color coat is GF Linen, sprayed with an HVLP Titan Turbine Capspray 95.  I needed a glaze...

Stained shims really added some much needed texture to this boring flat front dresser.  A mixture of General Finishes Queenstown and Lamp Black with High performance flat topcoat. Shims stained in Antique walnut.

COLOR RECIPE

• 1 part Queenstown
• 1 part Lamp Black

The  Southern Hills coffee table features a two-tone white and weathered driftwood finish.

The top was custom made with new wood cut and attached in a herringbone pattern. 

The detailed cut-out apron and elegant turned legs were painted in Antique White. The herringbone top was given a wash with diluted driftwood paint. Antique white was then dry brushed over the top, creating a refined rustic look. 

This dresser was ugly, drab and boring. Can you imagine feeling ugly, drab and boring and then you add a little lipstick, mascara, gloss and Nars bronzer (gold leaf) and just be walking around looking sunkissed for all the world to see? Yup...calling this piece Nars. Clean, sleek and artsy fartsy.

2018 GF Design Challenge - Upcycling Merit Categories›Barnwood Chic›Runner Up