Sunday 4 September 2011

Going green

I know this looks as if it hasn't been painted properly - it looks better in real life, but short of everyone coming round to see it, you'll have to take my word that it actually looks quite nice; better than it looked last week
Last week it looked like this. This was after I'd sanded it down. A very orange and knotty piece of Ikea furniture from the late eighties, surprisingly solid, but in need of de-orangeing (I don't think that's a word)
I used an eggshell paint, with hindsight a water based paint would have been easier. Then I sanded it down in places to make it look shabby and stressed, which was how I looked by the time I'd finished. And then I put a thin coating of shellac over it. I used shellac flakes which took days to dissolve in methylated spirits and are used, apparently, in the restoration of bespoke and fine antique furniture - so just the thing then!
I had quite a lot of paint left over, so got stuck in, painting anything that was easy to take down off the wall. The discerning  of you will notice  we still haven't put skirting board up on the landing, though we do have floor now, and green shelves and boxes.
Whoops!  Sorry Mr President, it will come off with a dab of brush cleaner.
I like the green effect - which is just as well really 
In real life the patches don't look quite as patchy - somehow
And on a final 'green'note. These are too green. I'm not sure they'll ripen now. I found them growing in a shady bit of the garden
so, for the time being, I'll keep buying the ones Tesco have ripened for me.







9 comments:

ADRIAN said...

Glad I found your blog. Eyebright is a wonderful plant. Shellac! Wow!next time buy French Polish. it's already dissolved. Dilute to taste with pure Meths. Not the dyed stuff.
It looks fine to me.

Dan said...

Looks lovely Annie! It's a beautiful shade of green, and I love how you've used it on your little shelves. I'm still giggling about the drips on President Obama! What a piece of hilarious serendipity! And him with his hanky and all, as if he was expecting it!
Dan
-x-

Linda said...

If only IKEA still made this bench. We are looking for something like this to make corner seating in our kitchen. Easy to find in Austria, Germany, Scandinavia, but only sold in dubious pub/American diner versions in the UK, it seems. 80s IKEA did have some classic pieces.

ju-north said...

Love the colour of the paint and the effect - it must go so well with the rest of the house!

S. Etole said...

Looks like a very worthwhile project. Is that a watercolor painting you have done?

Mac n' Janet said...

I love that color, when it comes to painting anything but walls I turn it over to my husband.

Diane said...

It looks very good to me. You have done a great job! Keep up the good work & enjoy your summer pudding too! With love from, Di xx

annie hoff said...

Adrian - Next time I'll try French polish, but I was so taken with the shellac flakes and they've given it such a pretty silvery light finish

Dan - My husband said I'd get arrested for being disrespectful!

Linda - I remember Ikea back in the seventies when we lived in Denmark. I still love Ikea but the range almost seemed greater then than it does now...has it become anglicized I wonder

Susan - I did do the watercolour yes. Some years ago. I think it's somewhere on the river Thames.

Hello Di! How are you? Not heard from you for ages x

Ollie Hoffmann said...

Seems strange you'd post pictures of your furniture, unfinished, with undercoat on. You've even put some of it backup with things on? Are you feeling ok Mother?

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