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Friday, January 8, 2016

Creating Patina on this French Buffet

Everyday, my Facebook feed is filled with gorgeous images of French antiques, aged over time with lovely worn patinas.  When I acquired this very dated and tired looking buffet, I thought it was time to recreate the finishes I've admired for so long...



She had the structure and design that was practical for today's living, but that orange finish from the 50s needed to go!

I had some ideas on how I'd tackle this project, but it took some trial and error to the finish I was looking for.

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of my ongoing process, so I'll show you pictures of the finished product and explain my process with each pic...

I knew I wanted to remove the handles on the doors, and apply a shabby applique I got from DoItYourselfChic.


And I thought some additional detail on the outside corners would be a nice touch...


I knew I wanted a refinished top....but didn't want my usual Dark Walnut finish....I wanted it to look natural.  So I stripped it completely and nurtured the wood with a combination of Dark Wax and Hemp Oil.


Now, let's get to the crackled finish!  I started with a rough, thick coat of ASCP French Linen.  Slop it on, folks!  Texture is important!


Next I applied Easy Crackle. I let it dry and then mixed some Paris Gray and Pure White for the top coat.  


After the FP/PW coat has dried, you can see the most beautiful crackling, patina developing.  It's like magic!  Some light sanding to get the roughness out...then applied clear and dark wax.


I just love how the dark wax settles into the details!


Here she is in all her glory!


On another note, I live in Southeast Virginia and our nearest Annie Sloan Stockist is 45 minutes away.  When I first started painting, I read a lot of tutorials about products, techniques, etc.  It's at that stage when I discovered Trish at The Purple Painted Lady.  Her shipping rates are so reasonable and if I order something on Tuesday, UPS gets it to me on Thursday.  Her tutorials and information on her website are so informative.  I get all of my Annie Sloan and MissMustardseed products from her...And in case you are wondering, I have not been compensated for these comments.  I love dealing with The Purple Painted Lady and thought a shout out was in order!

Thank you so much for stopping by!  I hope sharing my experience with this technique will help you discover some new way to 'breathe new life into old treasures'!

If you like what you see here, you may want to consider following me on Facebook.  I don't always write blog posts on my reloves, but I do post every piece I transform on FB.  If you see something you like and have questions, please feel free to reach out to me..I'm always happy to help!

Robin

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14 comments:

  1. You made this a gorgeous piece Robin-so love it! I just had a client look at it to get great ideas!

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    1. Oh wow! I am so glad to hear it might be an inspiration for you and your client! You know, the top is your magic formula! It's really the perfect choice for creating a rustic, vintage feel. If I were really bold, I'd bang up the top a bit with some chains, nail heads, hammers to really give it an aged, authentic feel!

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  2. What a beautiful finish you created!

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    1. Thanks, Ann! What I didn't include in my post was there was quite a bit of trial and error....and I almost threw in the towel...was an hour away from sanding it all down and painting it in Old White. I'm so glad I hung in there.....I learned a lot and it's good for the soul when you persevere and prevail! :) ~ Thanks for commenting...I really do appreciate it! ~ Robin

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  3. Such a pretty, pretty transformation. Thanks so much for sharing!

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    1. Thank you! I like to share, as others have been so generous with me over the years....maybe I can return the kindness!

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  4. What a great transformation Robin. I love the changes you made with the appliqués and added textures.

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    1. Thanks, Mary! It's always a great feeling to try a new technique and have it work out as you planned...even though there may be a few hurdles in the way! :)

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  5. Gorgeous as always! I love a good crackle finish and this is fabulous. The appliques are lovely :) Such a beauty!

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    1. Thank you, Suzanne! I just finished a piece that had some natural crackling...and it was not a desired effect for the piece...Ug! Lol! So goes it!

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  6. Stunning! Absolutely beautiful finish and adding the appliques changed this piece to look like it came from another time. I'm a texture girl so am loving your layers. Great job! Pinning! XO - Wendi@H2OBungalow

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    1. HI, Wendi! I love layering finishes! It adds so much interest! Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. GORGEOUS!!! Did you apply crackle all over or just in the spots you wanted the cracks?

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    1. I just applied it where I thought crackling would take place naturally! :)

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