Wednesday 13 March 2013

French number planter...

Well, I have finally finished the planter.
First of all, the plant that I got for the planter:

...was £18.50 from our market or two for £35.I didn't think this was particularly bargainous until a few days later, we went up to the garden centre for lunch and I saw what they were charging. Theirs were £59! Each! That is a staggering difference! I've noticed before that you can pick up little plants from the market for a fraction of the price at the garden centre but that's incredible.

Hitchin market rocks.

Having said that, this hasn't been a cheap project as even the smallest tin of gloss paint isn't cheap.

It was painstakingly slow as I could only do one coat of paint a day of the primers and the gloss which needed two coats. I decided not to use a reverse stencil technique because of it needing two coats. I'd have had to peel it off whilst the paint was wet to avoid cracking the paint and then reposition it exactly in the same place. Nah.

We blew up a photo of our French house number and used that as the number, rather than trawling through number fonts for a match. I drew it onto the front of the box and painted around it.

I found a Dulux colour that was a good colour match too. Even though I painted in a nice smooth line, the paint bled over the line slightly which gave a slightly fuzzy look. You can really only see that up close though.

So let's look again at the before pictures...







and my inspiration...



  and the after...




 Wehey! A tad smarter. It would of course be much better with a matching blue wooden door...another thing for the endless list of home improvements! One day...



I normally like a bit of symmetry but with the down pipe and its stonking great aluminium cover right by the door, it never really worked having a pair of plants, and this way I think it looks better. Not a dead plant in sight.

But that pipe still needs painting...

Linking with Family Home and Life: Wow us Wednesdays

and Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesdays

27 comments:

  1. That is fabulous! Love it.
    I used to think the same as you when I saw bays and box plants on the car boot, until I went to B&Q and kicked myself.
    I've tried to explain my blog to the jumble sale lady, she's seen the book I was in but she's 83 and has never even heard of one! x

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  2. It looks fab, very professional. My house is labelled in ink marker on the white letter box, if it wasn't so cold out maybe I'd do something about it.

    If you were ok with losing some daylight, maybe dark blue curtains self stick velcro'd to the inside of the door panes? I'm on my 3rd wooden front door in 15 years and shabby is an understatement, they peel in hot sun.

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    1. Perhaps we'll think about composite doors that look like wood. I like painting, but I guess you have to stand guard while your front door is open for 24 hours!?!

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    2. our door #2 had 3 coats on all 6 sides of sadolin 24 hours apart (lucky we had 2 doors on the go) and still was warped and vile after a few years, This door has varnish on and is not too bad except a gap down one side where it swelled and I was trapped inside until hubs shaved it. The first door and original frame had paint, and my frame is beyond shabby chipped vintage. So much time wasted on it. The back door is also painted wood and is 30% wood filler now and 50% glass, 10% cat flap ....

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  3. Blimey, Emma Kate, that is brilliant. I'm sure if I tried something like that it would look rubbish. Good job missus. xx

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  4. Fabulous makeover! Love the way it now ties in with your house number - great idea!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  5. That came out great! Love the blue and the number, too.
    I found you today at Family Home Life's Linky. I hope you get a chance to stop by my blog and leave a comment, too!
    ~ Megin of VMG206
    www.vmg206.blogspot.com

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  6. That looks great. Love it.

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  7. Fabulous job well done. It looks great and draws the eye away from the down pipe.

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  8. That's brilliant :) What a gorgeous colour! xx

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  9. A great use for that bottomless crate, it looks great! I didn't mean for that to rhyme...
    You must have a very steady hand, your painting looks ever so neat to me! xxxx

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  10. I love that, what a great idea! Might have to steal that one for our door front, hope you don't mind ;-)

    Antonia x

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  11. I looks fabulous love the number idea :-) dee x

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  12. Looks GREAT! Loving the plant.

    Judi x

    PS We just had a composite front door fitted, and it looks beautiful even if I did have to wait about 6 years for it, lol.

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  13. It looks great! You did a great job on the painting. Not having a bottom in the box should help it to last longer. If it doesn't require scaffolding again you might consider painting the downspout the same colour as the exterior of your home to help it blend in. Thanks for stopping by my blog and for you kind comments on the fresh flowers.

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  14. It looks fantastic, what a wonderful idea. May have to borrow it! M x

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