News / Commission Furniture Painting

This weekends work...

I was asked by a lovely lady to help transform her dining room furniture. These chairs had already been some upycling before getting to me. The chars originally had an open style back - the client has had this set for some time and wanted a complete new look. She had them re-upholstered locally with a gorgeous teal fabric, they filled in the back and added stud-work to finish off the look. They turned out fantastic. Time for a lick of paint to freshen them up - that is where I come in :)

Before

The client wanted a nice modern clean look with a bit of texture to the finish - Chalk Paint is the obvious choice for this type of finish. Handpainted using Antique White chalk paint by Annie Sloan for the chairs, table legs and surround, finished off with a high gloss varnish for the table top. This dining set has been completely transformed and re-loved to be enjoyed for many more years to come. Take a look at the after shots below.

After

Upcycles often present themselves in the strangest of places and ways when you least expect it! I bought this fab second hand farmhouse style table for my own dining room. I had big plans to paint the legs and stain the top to a classy dark  oak colour. I want to add different coloured painted chairs eventually (when I find the right ones!). 

I collected the table from a lovely guy who helped load it into the van too. When I got it home and lay the table top against the wall with the underneath facing up I couldn't believe it, the underneath of the table was even nicer than the actual table top!  The before pic below is the table top as it's meant to be - a varnished pine finish, and then assembled with the underneath now as the top.

I love the rustic look and this has it by the bucket load, and was completely unintentional! What a happy little accident. It took a LOT of sanding to get it to a level and useable finish but I have completely fallen in love with it.
After an intense sanding (that I'm still not the better for) and sealing with a matt varnish to protect it, it now has pride of place in my dining room. Now that is some looking at things differently!

I actually decided against painting the legs entirely - once the top was finished, the wood just looked so lovely all rustic and worn so I left it as is, for now at least! :)

Table top before (the lighting was terrible!!)

Table top after

Is it a drum? Is it a table? No, its a drum table!!!
Upcycled floor tom drum turned coffee/side table. It works great with one of my upcycled record stools too 

Perfect for the rock music lover in your life, or someone who just likes really cool furniture! This is now available in the online store for collection (local delivery may be available for a small fee, please get in touch for more info) - you can buy  it here

But be quick, I only have one!

*This is now sold! This was incredibly popular and sold way quicker than I thought, so watch this space as I hope to acquire more as soon as possible!

The Makery will be at this years Dublin Christmas Flea market from 9th-11th Dec in Point Village. Pop by and say hello and pick up some unique and handmade gifts for Christmas. There is a fantastic selection of Ireland's finest Makers, Artists, Designers and Entrepreneurs all under one roof - support local and support Irish creatives this year.  Check out The Makery's listing here. 

Full steam ahead with making in preparation for the weekend. Being a one woman show means lots of making to ensure enough stock for thee weekend. I love the buzz that comes with the build up to a big market, however long and sleepless the nights are beforehand! Being a Maker, this is what it is all about and what keeps spirits up at 4am while waiting for glue or paint to dry! Markets are a great chance to meet all my lovely customers, and get some feedback on new designs and crafts. Anyway, back to it, they aren't going to make themselves! See you there. 

Tis the season....for craft fairs! 72 frames, one boot! Lots of making going on in preparation. Delighted to announce The Makery will be at this years Dublin Christmas Flea from 9th-11th Dec in Point Village North Wall! Pop on down and say hello, and support local traders and crafter's.

I'll have some great upcycled and unique Christmas gifts available. I can also take orders before then for collection at the market. Pm for more details. It's going shaping up to be a great market, all indoors too in case the weather isn't great. 

Busy few weeks ahead! Game on  

It's been a while since I've posted, life has gotten in the way! Usually when my facebook & website pages are quiet, it means I've gotten a commissioned item that I'm working on.

I was asked to paint this beautiful monks bench, which has now gone off to its new home. As you can see from the before picture, it was originally pine in colour.

The client wanted a buttercream colour so I chose Annie Sloan Cream. Annie Sloan paints give a beautiful finish and can be used with a variety of different techniques. The client also asked for a vintage French themed stencil and so I chose the one I thought would suit the piece the best. I chose Annie Sloan Paloma, which is a lovely rich grey with slight purple tones. These colours are fab together. All finished in a clear wax for durability. This was the first time I have applied the wax using Annie's Sloan's wax brush and all I can say is that I wish I had bought one sooner! The application process using one is so much easier than using lint free cloths, makes for quicker working times  - which is always a plus in my book! Although a bit pricey, worth every penny.

As with all of my commissions, I try to add an element of surprise to for the client that enhances each piece. I love to use surprise colour pops and did so by painting the inside of the bench and the edges of the sides with Paloma also. The client was delighted with the the result and I've been told has received lots of compliments about it.

The bench has been completely transformed and been given a new lease of life, really happy with how it turned out. If you have something you'd like me to upcycle for you, please get in touch for more details and a quote.

Before


After
 

I was asked to make a bespoke blackboard for a client. The brief was for a blackboard that could be wall mounted, big enough to have lots of reminders and notes for herself and her boyfriend and something with geometric prints. The challenge was set!

Made using MDF which was measured and cut to size, I then handmade a frame using some beading from the local DIY shop (which has become my second home at this rate!). The mdf was then painted with blackboard paint and the frame painted in Annie Sloan white chalk paint, with a bespoke mixed teal colour used for the geometric detailing.

For the geometric shapes I made a bespoke design stamp motif from a school eraser and stamped it onto the frame and added some matching with matching blue hooks for hanging keys etc.

There was a little surprise with this one... as I opted for magnetic chalkboard paint, and so they are matching blue magnets attached!! Please excuse the mess of my house in the first few shots, and the pic in its final destination merely highlights the important of keep cheques safe also :) 

Delighted with how it turned out, and the client was too so a job well done! 

#LookAtThingsDifferently

Custom Blackboard: