BAM!- Let's Kick It Up A Notch!

Sometimes, even though a piece of furniture is nice the way it is, you just need to spice it up a little. I decided that's exactly what I needed to do with this recent purchase, a Broyhill server.  "Let's kick it up a notch!"  That is the well known catchphrase of the famous chef from my hometown, Emeril Lagasse. Not only does his philosophy apply to food, it also applies to style.

BAM!  The addition of some Annie Sloan Napoleonic Blue paint, took this piece from ordinary to extraordinary!  When you add a pop of color to a space, it can bring it to life.  Here we are able to do that without changing the wall color, but instead by working with the more neutral tones of the foyer.  The color energizes an otherwise boring space. What a great way to greet your guests!

A little storage cabinet can serve a multitude of purposes.  Small enough to fit just about anywhere, it is perfect here as a foyer/entrance table, a great place to store keys, book bags, or purses. It would also work as a flat screen TV stand, with plenty of space to stash away your DVDs and gaming equipment.  It could provide extra storage in a bathroom, bedroom, living room or kitchen for just about anything.  Of course, you could always use it as it was intended, as a server in your dining room.  So why not spice up your life and "kick your style up a notch" with some painted furniture? 

A New Box of Crayons

These days, I'm either painting, or thinking about painting, or surfing the net for cool ideas (have you discovered Pinterest yet?), or shopping for furniture on Craigslist.  A recent purchase has given me the opportunity to paint my largest furniture piece so far.  It's a lovely hutch and buffet.  I think it's maple, but I know it's a well crafted piece of solid wood and boy, is it heavy!  

It took me about a week to get started, as I explored the color possibilities.  Choosing your vision for the furniture can be the most challenging, but also the most fun part of the process.  Remember when you were a kid and someone bought you a new 64 pack of crayons?  Remember the excitement you felt about the creation of your masterpiece?  What color will I use first?  What will I make?  Essentially, what is my vision?  When doing a piece of furniture, I like to let it "speak to me."  Does it lend itself well to a two-tone design?  Should the color be demure or vivid?  

I wanted this hutch to have some color variation, movement and a slightly distressed finish.  I decided to paint a Duck Egg Blue base coat.  That was followed by some hints of Paris Grey and a wash of Chateau Grey (a khaki green shade) over the entire piece.  Perhaps I was influenced by fond memories of my grandmother's home where a dark green hutch was a mainstay.  


 
My version of this hutch is a softer, watery blend of blues, greys and greens.  The subtle variations of color are evident as you move closer to the hutch, but from a distance it looks like a soft, mossy green.  
 


 

A pretty design on the sides of each drawer is revealed when you open them. 

Reminiscent of my childhood days, it is still so exciting when the creative work is done to stand back and admire my new "masterpiece!"  I am quite happy with the results.

Once designated as a kitchen or a dining room fixture, the hutch is now comfortable in many settings.  Consider using this type of furniture in a living space to display books, pictures, and memories of your travels.  In a bathroom, a hutch offers much needed storage solutions as well as a pretty way to display towels and toiletries.  

By the way, did I mention that this one is for sale?  If you are interested, contact me for the details.  Or perhaps you have a treasured furniture piece that could use a facelift, give me a call and we can look through my "crayon box" for your perfect color.