A new Face for your Bookshelf

Yesterday I started to re-do book shelves for one of my clients. Here are the step by step instructions to follow along, transforming  your book shelves and any  other wood work.

Supplies:
Latex eggshell paint
Water
Chip Brushes
Rags
Cardboard

Glaze consistency: Mix one quart of paint with one cup of water.


Colors: On a fan deck choose 2 colors of the same color range. Select 2 colors, medium and dark. I use the third; and fifth hue. For the highlight color mix the fifth color with white.


Aging glaze: I usually use a dark brown or dark grey depending what look I want to achieve. However, you may also use the last color on the fan deck.

Dry Brushing:
Submerge paint brush into paint. On a piece of cardboard work the paint into the brush. Do not work with a fully loaded brush. Remember " Dry Brushing".



When you are glazing make sure to retain some of the previous coat. You want to achieve an orderly distressed look with all  colors visible.

Step One:
Dismantle the bookshelves.


Step two:
Sand thoroughly and dust.


Step 4
Apply a very dark glaze ( I used a black green glaze). Let dry.

Step 5
Apply dark green glaze. Let dry.

Step 5 and 6

Step 6
Apply a medium green glaze. Let dry.

Step 7
Apply highlights with the lightest glaze. Let Dry.

Happy painting until next time 

Transform Your Kitchen -Tuscan Plaster For Kitchen Cabinets

Tuscan plaster- Kitchen Cabinets
An exclusive finish from the Faux Academy

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I developed this finish for one of my Italian clients. These clients traveled to Tuscany/Italy looking for distressed kitchen cabinets. They fell in love. However, shipping these cabinets to the USA was cost prohibitive. Due to  the operational difficulties, they called me to distress and create an authentic Italian "look" for their cabinets.

Their family in Italy owns a vineyard and true to their heritage, the couple built an authentic Tuscan home, here in my neck of the woods

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Tools and Supplies:

Mustard Yellow Latex eggshell paint
White Latex eggshell paint  (mix with yellow to obtain a light yellow hue)
Walnut Stain
Paint thinner (for clean up)
Whiting
Rags
6" Putty knife or Penguin Trowel
Brushes 

Base coat:

Any surface within reason. In my clients case I worked with raw wood cabinets.

Step by step instructions for yellow cabinets

1. "spot" stain the cabinets. Let  set (semi dry)

 2. Mix Whiting with the  yellow paint to a "pudding" consistency.

3. Trowel the mixture on to the surface. Making sure to create valley and peaks. Be sure to let the stain show through in some areas. Let dry overnight.

4. Mix white latex paint with some of the yellow paint to obtain a light yellow mix.

5. Dry Brush the surface with this mix

6. Dry brush until you get an somewhat orderly, distressed look

Good luck and all my best until next time

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