Green Update for Furniture With Simple Flower Transfer

Rachel
by Rachel
4 Materials
$12
2 Hours
Easy

Something as easy as a simple flower transfer can give a whole new lease of life to furniture. Between that and a coat of paint, this piece was entirely transformed.


It cost £4.25 from a charity shop. I rarely say no to a piece like this.


It’s a fire screen but I don’t imagine many people have a use for these anymore. But it had the potential to be interesting, so I was sold.

With old pieces, it’s especially important to give them a good clean first. This had plenty of nooks and crannies for dust and dirt to settle in.


I cleaned it with Sugar Soap and a microfibre cloth and then rinsed it to get rid of any leftover soap.


Prime time


I knew that the bobble details around the edges would look great with some dark wax to make them stand out. But they did need a bit of elbow grease to clean and prime properly.

I primed the piece because it was dark wood and therefore had a good chance of the tannins in it bleeding back through the paint in the future.


I love Zinsser primer and used the Bulls Eye 123 on this piece.

I chose the green paint, Alberta, by Grace Mary simply because I liked the moody, earthy feel of it. I’ve had it in my paint stash for years as it was one of my first purchases when I was trying out chalk paint.

I did two coats of green and let it dry in the sunshine.

Wax is a sealer in its own right but it should always be the final coat. So it wouldn’t work in this case as I was putting a transfer on top.


I sealed this with Polyvine’s Decorator’s Varnish.

Flower transfer


I cut out a selection of flowers from the simple black options and tried out the placement with the backing still attached.


I ended up changing a couple of the flowers after starting because I wanted them to be more symmetrical.


I started by placing the two outer flowers and worked inwards to make sure that they were positioned evenly.

I cut into the transfer where the edges rose onto the frame. This gave them more flexibility to attach to the indentations.


Without this, if you looked at the piece from the sides, there would be a gap in the transfer between the layers of the frame.

After removing the protective backing, I attached the transfer by using a ruler to scratch it off. It takes a bit of time as you have to rub over every section but is otherwise as simple as it sounds.

To secure it in place well, I gently went over it with a microfibre cloth to press down any loose edges.


If you like this piece, you might also enjoy my other projects using transfers.


Wax on


Despite the piece already being sealed, I added wax to give it more depth.


I started with a coat of clear wax and let it sit for about half an hour.

With wax, it’s best to go back and buff it with a cloth (something that doesn’t leave fibres like a microfibre cloth) to take off any excess.


This is before buffing…

This is after buffing. What a difference!

I then added black wax, primarily to enhance the details of the bobbles. I also think it gives it a smokey look which works well as it is a fire screen.


I’m glad I changed one of the flowers as it made the pattern flow nicely with the varying heights.

From brown and classic to earthy, grungy and textured. I love it. It has character.


If you like floral projects, take a look at my  most beautiful one yet!


Not many people use fire screens these days but this could be a room divider or just a talking point in the right kind of space.

Thanks for reading.


Are you looking to make your upcycling and DIY life simpler? Take a look at the  5 tools under $20 to make your life easier!

Suggested materials:
  • Chalk paint   (Amazon)
  • Transfer   (Redesign with Prima)
  • Clear wax   (Rust oleum)
See all materials
Rachel
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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  1 question
  • Ramona Ramona on Oct 03, 2021

    Where do you get “transfers”????

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  • Linda Linda on Sep 16, 2023

    Natural wood never goes out of style.

  • Katen Katen on Sep 16, 2023

    Unusual piece. What is it? I’m drawn to the color(s) and the actual piece itself. I’m glad you didn’t go over the top with decorations and take away from either the colors and design and the actual piece. Less is more is a good point here.

    • Rachel Rachel on Sep 17, 2023

      Thanks so much. It’s a fire guard or fire screen. To place in front of a fireplace to stop the heat from being too intense for the people in the room.

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