It happened like a thunderbolt in my heart. I couldn't ignore it. Love like that just won't go away.
So even though the dining room is the most finished room our little house has...
I found myself with this.
The hearts aren't working. Forget them.
Forget the plywood back. It needs some tongue and groove. Forget the black parts, the ugly cornice and the fact that it doesn't quite fit the space. I can sort all that.
Look at the paint!
It has real, authentic dirt. And scabby paint. With rust on it. From like a skip or somewhere. I daren't tell you what I paid but I'm sure Mr Flea market Man had some champers that night. He saw me coming.
The old one just seems fake, twee and sanitised in comparison.
The new one is the real deal. I can pretend I live in a Checkoslovakian farmhouse. Obviously splitting my time between there and my imaginary dressing room.
It seems my facebook friends prefer the old one. Honestly! Am I the only one who likes this new one? I believe this look is called 'Rough Luxe.' It's part industrial rusty salvage, part uber shabby chic. It means you can rescue furniture from barns and garages and sell them for ridiculous money. Because it's achingly hip.
I must be achingly hip.
In the meantime, progress on the ceiling?
Er, that would be a ''no.''
Husband is getting a teensy bit fed up with 4 dresser parts and a wardrobe in the kitchen, dining room and hallway. Fortunately he doesn't seem to have noticed that things have ground to a halt in the bedroom. On the whole he just laughs at me.
I promised I would absoloutely finish the wardrobe this weekend to atone for my shopping sins. And make Spaghetti Bolognaise.
Have a lovely weekend.
 |
| Funky Junk |
 |
| Knick of Time |
 |
| Blackbird has Spoken |
 |
| Timewashed Blissful Whites Wednesday |
No, you did a good thing! May I suggest that you take an electric sander and sand all the crusty parts down to a wonderful melange of colors from preceding coats of paint? I did that on cabinet doors that are practically identical to yours, and love the effect. Then I did a coat of stain that stuck to the wood, but not to the paint and got a wonderful patina. If you'd like a photo, I would be happy to send one. Great piece.
ReplyDeleteOoh I'd LOVE to see Leslie! My email is paintedstyle@sky.com. Thank you!
DeleteOh you are naughty! I love the new one and I'm sure you'll make it even better! I'll look out for it :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to get stuck in! I need to sell the other one fast so we can move about first. x
DeleteI'd have bought it too. The wine rack has to go up in to the loft xxx
ReplyDeleteThat bloomin' wine rack. The husband can't part with it. We should put it in his office! xxx
DeleteI think you did THE RIGHT THING! You would be insane to leave it behind, the thought would drive you slowly mad over several years. It would always be there, mocking you with "You should have bought me's"
ReplyDeleteAnyone says otherwise isn't thinking of your mental well being!
Kate xx
Just Pirouette and Carry On...
Hooray hooray! This is why blogging is better than facebook! My mental well being certainly needs looking after what with my growing collection of imaginary rooms and abodes! xxx
DeleteI like this one too but not sure I'd like the price you paid for it though. I think you ought to do something with that peeling paintwork though otherwise it will be flaking off all over your immaculate dining room. Look forward to seeing what you do with it.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a tough decision deciding which one to keep. Now it'll be tough deciding how to improve this! If I sell the old one I'll be in profit so I'm not too concerned about the cost. I do wish I'd found it in a skip though!
Deleteoh yeah toss the old one to the curb....you def did a good thing!....what a beauty. nice trick with the wine rack....a hubby sweetener!.....ceiling??...what ceiling?. x
ReplyDeleteps....time to cull that friend list!!
Heheh! Just what I was thinking! x
DeleteThat is very cool, or rustic i should say, can't wait to see how you clean it up!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kerrie!
DeleteLOVE, LOVE, LOVE...I have serious chippy paint envy girl....out with the old and in with the new!
ReplyDeleteThanks Meg. This is why I never get anywhere with the house renovations!
DeleteI love this, I'd have bought it too, I adore old chippy furniture as one of a kind pieces. I agree with Leslie, it would look great sanded down, keeping the patina of the old paint. Looking forward to seeing the finished result.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gill!
DeleteSorry I like the previous one better. I like shabby chic but that is a step too far for me.
ReplyDeleteYour husband is a good sort. Wish mine was, even when things are no longer serving their purpose he won't get rid (or even sell). Our attic has furniture in it - victorian dining chairs, edwardian chaise longue etc etc, drives me crazy!!
Love your paining skills.
x
Ooh, contraversial! You seem to be the only one on here! Unless everyone else is being polite! I'm the hoarder in our family, only because selling things takes so much time. Your attic sounds like somewher I want to visit!
DeleteThanks Susan! x
I can see the potential. it has more 'bench' space. it just screams "I need wok, and lots of it" at me and make me feel like I need a lie down. but you're not afraid of work are you you crackers lass!
ReplyDeleteI like a challenge! Hope I don't ruin it! x
DeleteSince I am NOT achingly hip, not in the least, I must confess I am struggling a little to see the appeal! But you already know I can't quite handle the uber distressed look!
ReplyDeleteSo come on, get cracking on that wardrobe - and the spag bol! xxxx
I was wondering what you might say. I know you prefer your wood to be wood. I shall convert you into a grunge loving hipster by the time I'm done! The distressed look works very well with children. They can't wreck it as it's already wrecked. I think I'm winning you over already.... xxxx
ReplyDeleteMmmmm, I like it but not too sure about the "dirt", "scabby paint" and "rust! Looking forward to seeing what you're going to do with it. Ooooh, the thought of spag bol is making me very hungry. xx
ReplyDeleteSpag bol was delish! xx
DeleteI love it - authentic paint, scabby dirt 'n all :)
ReplyDeleteHooray! Me too!
DeleteHi Emma! I love them both!! I think my ideal piece would be somewhere in between your two, with just enough delightful chippiness to let you begin to imagine it's story!! It's a charming piece...that's for sure! Thank you for linking up to Blissful Whites Wednesday!!
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous week!
Becky
I'm with you Emma, I prefer the latest aquisition - so chippy, flaky and authentic - the real deal!
ReplyDeleteBless you, I think its fabulous the only thing I would do is to rub down the shelves on it to get rid of the damp on them. But no wonder it stole your heart it fab :-) dee x
ReplyDeleteHi Emma just found you via Miss Mustard Seed - I am lovin' the 'new' - right up my street! so great to find a fellow UK blogger with the same taste.
ReplyDeleteHi Emma - Wondering what you did with the New old beauty you found.. Here's an idea - take the back off entirely - let the color of your wall show (or paint just behind the shelves a different color)
ReplyDeleteKim
Hi Kim, It's still a work in progress! I got started on the kitchen...
DeleteI like your idea but I want to stand plates up on the back and as it's not tight to the wall they'd probably fall down the back! I cut and stained some tongue and groove to do on the back but I need to paint the unit before that goes on. One of these days...
Hi Emma, I hope you've not taken the advice of the person that suggests taking an electric sander to the dresser!
ReplyDeleteIt has 'the look' and deserves to be kept as close to original as possible. The world is over-run with people attempting to recreate distressed paint effects on furniture and the majority of people doing the shabby chic thing are ending up with pieces of furniture that look forced in style rather than naturally appealing or original.
It's getting harder and harder to come by pieces that are oozing with original character and a lot of old pieces of painted furniture are sadly being stripped and given the annie sloan treatment. (Quite ironic that people are stripping distressed furniture to then do their own distressed paint effect!).
I source and supply various antiques, vintage, reclamation, furniture, and oddities that I supply to private and trade clients in addition to having spent the past twenty years producing bespoke industrial and repurposed furniture and lighting at my blacksmiths workshop in Worcestershire. I've recently taken stock of a few exciting items that on that are along similar lines to your cabinet with original distressed paint and attractive textures. These type of worn items are so appealing and in demand with high end designers for home and high street decor at present. With a great deal of salvage stores dip stripping furniture back to the bare wood for resale it's definitely worth careful consideration prior to making a decision about what to do with it.
If people are saying to keep the glass fronted one, then they're mad.
If people are saying to strip the distressed one… do the opposite.
You'll have a very unique and attractive home by keeping the cabinet as is, and although people may comment that your furniture looks a bit grubby etc… you'll probably have more unforced style with one piece than most people have in their entire home.
I suggest lightly brushing the lifted flakey bits rather than sanding them and depending on your preferred finish you can either wax it or apply a lacquer/ varnish to stop further flakiness. Or, just leave as is and put up with a bit of flakiness from time to time.
Ditch the glass fronted one as you now have a piece of furniture that is perfect with its imperfections, and in the right interior is rough luxe - rustic chic without the obvious newly painted shabbiness.
I'll quit waffling now.
Stuart (Genuine Forgery)
Oh, and if you may require any further pieces for your home/ projects please feel free to look me up. :)
Thanks Stuart, I'm with you 100% there. I've been working on this piece recently and it should be finished in a week or so. I hope I've done it justice! Watch this space!
Delete