Bohemian Tickled Pink, that's what I'm calling this piece. I started it months ago. Then summer came and I haven't looked at it since. Until now.
But to truly appreciate this piece, you have to see the before. The before is like some English country cottage mess. I bought this entryway table from Ross about seven years ago for $40, the drawer was always missing. I didn't mind because I was using it in a guest room to put the TV on, and the cable box and DVD player fit perfectly in the empty drawer space. (See the cords hole I drilled in the back?)
I layered this piece in four different colors: Retro Rose, Polka Dot Pink, Temptation Rose and Fresh Salmon. (That's latex paint, straight up from Home Depot. I know all y'all chalk paint folk are rolling over in your paint cans out there, but I love latex.) Fresh Salmon went on first, then Pink Polka Dot. Then Retro Rose, and wow, was that sucker hot pink after that one. (I'm gonna be honest, I was scared I screwed this piece up.) Then I added on the Temptation Rose, which toned it back to the more salmon color I was going for.
My original plan was to use the four colors for a blended technique, but they didn't have enough contrast to properly blend. Once it was complete, it looked like a Pepto Bismol dresser with brush strokes. While that's a mighty pretty color, it just didn't have the depth I was looking for.
So I scuffed it up.
Now we're talking. That pretty golden yellow and tan from the previous life came through and the contrast was exactly what I was looking for. Some spots I scuffed up TOO much and it revealed those ugly roses on the previous piece, so I had to layer more paint on to fix my flub.
Then I found the perfect new handles for it. The brass squared bar handles compliment the rustic pink finish. It's a bit of modern mixed with bohemian, my two favorites.
Today I finally got around to putting several coats of water-based polyurethane in a satin finish. (Something that was so easy and quick to do, I don't know why it took me so long to get around to doing it.) When I was finishing up , I thought to myself, "Man, I need to get out in this garage more often and paint furniture. I miss this." There's a sense of pride when you accomplish something, especially when it turns out this beautiful.
