Mid Century Modern in Lamp Black, Again!

 I struggled a bit with a decision about the color of this one. I really kind of wanted to do something bright and bold, but that's not always very practical when you are selling furniture. So I went tried and true with Lamp Black.

 

 

This one was in relatively good shape with just a few dings and nicks. I gave it a light overall sanding and cleaned it with TSP.

 

 

I had a similar piece last fall and it sold so fast that it never made it into the house where we have our tag sales.

 

 

So I decided to use the same paint treatment on this one  - General Finishes Milk Paint in Lamp Black. As I mentioned last time, this is not a powder or even a true milk paint, but a water based acrylic. I love the way it goes on smoothly and levels out nicely - perfect for furniture.

 

 

We loaded and delivered this one late in the evening, so the pictures are a little off, but I think you get the idea. I did a light distressing and finished up with two coats of  Minwax Wipe On Poly.

 

And here she is all ready for our summer tag sale next week!

I love these Mid Century Modern pieces. They mix well with other styles of furniture and are so versatile - perfect as a bedroom dresser, a dining room sideboard or a family room media cabinet. And don't you think they just look cool!

 

 

Hope you all have a great weekend!

I'll have a tag sale preview for you soon, I promise!

I'm sharing with ...
Dwellings
Three Mango Seeds

 

Emerald Green

I have wanted to paint something in a big bold green for the longest time!

So when the nice folks at General Finishes sent me this yummy Emerald Milk Paint I was thrilled. I've tried this paint before and I'm a big fan. Buttermilk Yellow, Lamp Black and Coastal Blue are three of my favorite colors. This milk paint is not a powder or even a true milk paint, but a water based acrylic. I love the way it goes on smoothly and levels out nicely - perfect for furniture.

 

I thought this sewing machine cabinet was the perfect candidate for a big bold color. With their long legs, these cabinets are so versatile. They work especially well as nightstands with today's higher mattresses.

Milk paint requires a minimum of prep work. You know the drill, a once over with a sanding sponge and a thorough cleaning with TSP. I also removed the sewing machine and glued down the lid to make the cabinet easier to handle. Those old sewing machines are really heavy!

I loved the little knobs, so they were keepers!

I finished this piece with a coat of Fiddes & Sons clear wax.

So there you have it, big bold emerald green!

Wouldn't this look great in a boy's room between twin beds with denim comforters and plaid sheets? Yes, as I'm painting I like to imagine where a piece might end up!

Have you painted anything in a big bold color?

I'm sharing with ...
My Repurposed Life
I'm Not A Trophy Wife
Mango Seed Designs
Finding Silver Pennies
Dwellings
Coastal Charm
Mod Vintage Life
Kammy's Korner

Little Black Cabinet

I think this little black cabinet is the furniture equivalent of the little black dress - classic, elegant and goes with everything!

 

 

Luckily, this one was in really great shape right from the start.

 

 

There was another round of painting in the house last week.

 

And don't let those peeks of sunshine fool you.

 

 It was another frigid week and the highlight was the two feet of snow that arrived on Thursday!

 

I know I said I was tired of snow, but this one was beautiful.

 

 

It took several rounds of this ...

to find the walks ...

 

and what Kevin affectionately called ... the driveway to nowhere!

But don't worry, the snow plows arrived eventually!

 

 

 Isn't snow especially magical at night?

It is so very quiet. I just love the peacefulness!

 

And as you can see, there were a few peeks of sunshine again today, so I shuffled the little black cabinet outside for a few quick shots.

 

I used General Finishes Milk Paint in Lamp Black (no priming required), distressed lightly and finished up with a coat of Minwax Wipe On Poly.

And I dressed her up a bit with some pretty yellow crystal knobs.

And there you have it.

A little black cabinet and a whole lot of snow!

I'm sharing with ...
Miss Mustard Seed
Domestically Speaking
Beyond The Picket Fence
From My Front Porch To Yours
Redoux
It All Started With Paint
 

Mid Century Modern in Lamp Black

It is much too cold around here to even think about painting at the moment. But I'm already getting the itch - new furniture, new colors - I can't wait! ... In the meantime, I have a few pieces to share that were completed before winter and this one immediately made my favorites list!

 

 So what do you think ... dresser, buffet, credenza, console, media cabinet? No matter what you call it, definitely a mid century modern beauty in perfect condition!

 

This one was going black and that can be a tricky color to get just right. So I went with a tried and true favorite - General Finishes Milk Paint in Lamp Black. This is not a powder or even a true milk paint, but a water based acrylic. I love the way it goes on smoothly and levels out nicely - perfect for furniture. I buy it at my local unfinished furniture store and it's the only paint they use.

I went with a light distressing and love the contrast of the brown showing through the black.

I didn't even consider changing the hardware, but I gave it a shine with a little Rub 'n Buff in Antique Gold.

 

I finished up with two coats on Wipe On Poly in a satin finish.

This one was done in time for our holiday sale, but it only made it as far as the driveway before it got carried away, literally.

 

I know these men are wondering why a crazy woman is taking pictures of them!

I was absolutely thrilled with the way this piece turned out and I hope it is enjoying life in it's happy new home!
 

 

And while I'm on the subject of General Finishes Milk Paint, I have another favorite color to share - Buttermilk Yellow. It is my favorite yellow for furniture and let me just tell you, it's just yummy!

 

Yellow is another color that is sometimes hard to get right and even harder to photograph. But here are a few blasts from the past (fuzzy pictures and all) in Buttermilk Yellow.

 

This dresser lives at Megan's house and she is a girl who definitely loves all things yellow!

I just couldn't part with this one in yellow and white. It really brightens up my guest room.

This pretty petite dresser has an ochre glaze.

My living room coffee table.

 

 

 

And a mellow yellow rocker.

The fine folks at General Finishes recently added fourteen new colors to their milk paint line and generously sent me a few samples to try. Wait until you see Persimmon!

Is it spring yet?

I'm sharing with ...
Three Mango Seeds
A Stroll Thru Life
Mod Vintage Life
Coastal Charm
Clean and Scentsible
Domestically Speaking
52 Mantels
French Country Cottage
I'm Not a Trophy Wife
My Repurposed Life
Redoux
504 Main
The Shabby Nest
Nifty Thrifty Things
Glitter, Glue and Paint