Help! Designer's Block...Ugh.
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I have his lovely two tier piecrust table purchased on the cheap. I painted her with Behr "Smoked Oyster", which IMO, turned out great. I had intentions of distressing the details, but I think she needs a little Oomph...and now I am thinking I should kiss the details with a little color and then distress. My head hurts. Suggestions?
38 answers
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I would distress and then glaze with a brown glaze to bring out all the lovely details. Then I'd seal it with either wax or poly.
CC
on Jun 25, 2014
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details in a lovely turquoise or coral, then distress and glaze?
Angelique H
on Jun 25, 2014
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I would sand off some spot then wash with a water paint mix in a color that goes with your decor. then sand off spots of color then repete a few times till you get a worn layed look. The go back and hit all the tetails with a contrasting color and wipe it down so its just the crevess that have that color. lastly I would then stencile words in another laugage on the top. Oh, by the way I have doen this and it looks great!
Jackie
on Jun 25, 2014
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Use a dry brush method with a heavy bodied water based gold gilt paint. Golden Heavy Bodied Acrylics would have the right consistency and they have some beautiful metallic gold shades. Use a very light hand and remove most of the paint from brush before applying (blot on a paper towel.) You want to highlight the raised areas only. Once dry you could antique the hole piece with a dark wax finish, Once wax is semi-dry, buff lightly. Instant aging with a little gilt gold popping through.
GLHF
on Jun 25, 2014
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A little bit of wax gilding to highlight the details? I agree, the color your chose is wonderful and the table turned out great.
Cheryl
on Jun 25, 2014
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I think it would be great to add some metallic paint or something to the edges. See this article: http://drabtofabdesign.com/2013/07/faux-bamboo-coffee-table-reveal/
Becky Wood
on Jun 25, 2014
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Maybe a little dry brushed gold on the details? It would be sweet
Accentuations!
on Jun 25, 2014
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I agree dry brush all those lovely, yummy details . . Pick a color you love and add a pop to it then glaze. Kind of a fun play on the table would be to use red to dry brush then paint cherries here and there.
DeEtte Bruce
on Jun 26, 2014
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What about gold foil (foil leaving sheets) onto the edges? It is easy to apply and would make the detailing pop while staying true to the origins of the piece in a modern way!
Lavende
on Jun 26, 2014
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Though I personally wouldn't have chosen to paint it, now that you have, I think it's a perfect piece to paint in a MacKenzie Childs' style. http://www.mackenzie-childs.com/Furniture/
Z
on Jun 27, 2014
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Glazes work great... Beauti-Tone makes a great water-based glaze that can be mixed with any color pigment or water-based latex paint to bring out those details in the framing and legs. I'd choose my color, (I'd mix a gold metallic waterbased paint with the glaze, myself... but blues, greens, and warm browns would look wonderful too! ;) ) mix according to directions on the can (I think it's 8-1) brush it on, and wipe off with cheescloth, leaving the glaze in the cracks and crevices to bring out the detail. Follow up with a light sanding with 000 steel wool to remove any excess in areas you want more bare, then clear-coat, and maybe add a bit of specking with black or brown paint and a toothbrush. Flicking speckles randomly here and there dipping the toothbrush in the paint, and flicking the bristles with a popsicle stick.
Lucinda Ellis
on Jun 27, 2014
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I would only distress it in particular the edges. It's lovely. Your color will come when you adorn it with colorful pieces displayed on it. It will be wow! Plus you can always change what you put on it, but not so easy to change metallics or colors painted on it.
Shirley C
on Jun 27, 2014
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I would distress the edges and either dark wax entire table or use ASAP graphite color and dry brush on the details. Beautiful table!!
Barb
on Jun 27, 2014
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I would add a subtle stencil on top. Perhaps using a doily or words around the top edge to match you color décor.
MaryAnn B
on Jun 27, 2014
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Simply distress and then add dark wax to give it depth!
Nancy
on Jun 27, 2014
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I would maybe use a flowery, simple stencil on the top, distress the edges and then wax.
Dagmar's Home
on Jun 27, 2014
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I would paint the carvings on the legs a coral color. Then I would accent the edges of table tiers in the same color. Stenciling the tops with a delicate design in a light lavender would be beautiful.
Joanna Carrisal
on Jun 27, 2014
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I like the details just like you have them. I would paint only the flat parts of both table tops in a color. It would highlight the beautiful, irregular shape of the tops.
My Crappy House
on Jun 27, 2014
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Since this table is definitely "foo-foo", I would play that angle up. Go to http://thegraphicsfairy.com/ and find a/some vintage graphics you like and decoupage or paint them onto your table. She also has a gallery of readers' projects and tutorials to inspire you. Be sure to let us know what you finally decide! I would love to see photos of your completed project.
Marylou Johnson
on Jun 27, 2014
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I'm sort of tired of the light colored furniture. How about black with gilding to bring out the details on the edges? Maybe some interesting stencil in gold and then distress it.
Edith
on Jun 27, 2014
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Well, I would kiss the edges with gold, however, my daughter who loves color (real color) probably would paint the flat part of the top yellow and the flat bottom bright blue or green. If you like color, go for it...it's just paint..
Le'
on Jun 27, 2014
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The detail edges would look great rubbed with antiquing, then wiped off...sometimes less is better :)
Shari Veater
on Jun 27, 2014
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Paint all the details with gold and then distress.
Dorth
on Jun 27, 2014
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Oooh, I'm so jealous of this piece. I agree with the gold. Might be fun to repaint in a bright gloss color, too. Anyway, I just love it!
Rebecca Platt
on Jun 27, 2014
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My first thought would be to paint and distress with light sanding the edges, the decorative patterns on each leg, and even the toes of the feet an antique gold, leaving the rest white. The gold would bring out its artistic features. It's lovely.
Karlee
on Jun 27, 2014
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I would glam it up with gold paint or glaze on the 'pie crust' edges. Maybe a small stencil in the center of each tier?
Marcia Richards
on Jun 27, 2014
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I would paint it on VERY quickly (just bush, slap or dab it on reasonably even coated, but go fast) Don't worry too much about brush strokes, one section at a time, The faster you get it on, the more time you have to play with it. Do the legs first, then swipe and dab it OFF with the cheesecloth quickly before it dries to just a bit darker than you'd prefer, move it around, dabbing/blotting at it as you go to even it out... as long as it stays wet, or moist, you can play with the glaze for several minutes. then move onto the rim of the table, making sure lots of the glaze pools into the cracks and crevices, then wipe or dab it away until it is almost gone and dry, blending as you go. Do the entire table surface the same method, and allow the glaze to harden for a day. When glaze is hard, you can take the steel wool, and sand away the flat surfaces, taking care not to sand to hard or too much over the detailed work, until the under paint comes back through ... it will only be a shade or two darker, with the glaze remaining in the detailed work of your piece. You CAN leave some of the glaze if you choose to create a more marbling effect in specific areas, if you choose, or even thin the remaining glaze out further, and dab some on lightly in areas with a sponge or your cheesecloth rag. I usually do to add texture and depth to large surfaces and around edges. You can play with it all you want until you get the look you want. Just be sure to allow each stage to dry completely at least 24 hours before starting on the next. I recently did a mirror frame with this method... if you are interested, take a peek at the 13 pic progress in my facebook album, keep in mind that you are not limited to the colors I chose for my project... you can choose any combinations of colors, and go dark glaze over light... or visa versa. :) https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152486112540170.1073741844.692775169&type=3
Lucinda Ellis
on Jun 27, 2014
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Paint the wooden decisions areas with a dark gray like Annie Sloan graphite and then put some silver foiling over the graphite.
Mandy Loriot
on Jun 27, 2014
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*decorations. Not decisions. Stupid auto-correct.
Mandy Loriot
on Jun 27, 2014
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I would use bronze or copper instead of gol-just to be different or, how about silver?
Melinda Lockwood
on Jun 28, 2014
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I would then glaze it he pie crust rub it off so just the highlights and lowlights are the metallic shade. What a fun piece!
Melinda Lockwood
on Jun 28, 2014
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I would paint antiquing in whatever color you like on the detail and maybe distressing the flat surfaces
Debra Colburn
on Jun 28, 2014
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How about a broken china mosaic. There are some lovely vintage patterns (try Edwind Knowles). Check out pinterest for ideas. Or maybe a paint the table black and add a black and white vintage pattern.
Sharon Kavanagh
on Jun 28, 2014
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I like the idea of using a dark color base, and lightly touch the edges with a metalic finish. Benjimen Moore has some beautiful metalic paints, check them out.
Colleen
on Jun 28, 2014
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I would place the table where you plan to use it. Gather colorful decorative items and an appropriate size lamp. I have the feeling you may like the simplicity of the table without the need to embellish the trim.
Capemom8741
on Jun 28, 2014
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I would have to distress all those beautiful details. It would really high light them. If you still wanted more I wonder how it would look if you planted the flat surfaces (shelves) with a darker gray. It is a beautiful piece.
Sue Salley
on Jun 28, 2014
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I agree with Capemom8741. I would put it where you want to use it for a while. Maybe the inspiration will come from around it, ie. one of your accent colors in that area could be used to highlight the beautiful details. Or maybe simple gold, bronze or silver if that is in your color scheme.
Donna Arsenault
on Jun 28, 2014
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Well I have been busy these past few weeks and have just now gotten around to catching up to my online life. I went with GOLD! It looks BEAUTIFUL!! Thank you everyone for your suggestions and input. She is glamorous.
Rusted & Rescued by Diana Marvel
on Jul 25, 2014
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