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Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you find interesting ideas and inspiring images. Any feedback or suggestions would be appreciated! Check out my facebook page.

About Me

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My name is Gerrie Wydeven doing-business-as Wydeven Designs. I have been conducting this small GREEN business since 2004. Wydeven Designs, based in the Atlanta, Georgia area, sells CHAIRS, LOVESEATS, CHAISES, SETTEES and other fine, well-constructed refurbished upholstered pieces. I love to travel, cook, take photographs and generally follow style and decor topics as well!

Monday, September 30, 2013

Another Chalk Paint Adventure - Antique Settee

It has been quite a while since I posted on my blog - vacation and other distractions kept me away. Here is a quick posting about a recently finished (and listed) French settee that I refurbished with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint link to site. I have now been using this great paint for about two years and continue to discover new tricks and techniques.

This settee was purchased during a Saturday morning "estate and garage sale" run several months ago.  It was being sold (along with a caned sided chaise not yet finished) by a woman who had bought a number of pieces internationally including these pieces that came from a London auction.



I paid a little more than I wanted to - I am a horrible cheapskate!  I was drawn to the great brush motif which I have tried to "google" and otherwise learn more about with no success. I have thought any one of the following might in fact be what this motif is meant to signify - some have been suggested by others who have viewed the piece/carvings:

Artist Brushes
Barber Brushes
Harvest Sweepers (nearby pattern suggests wheat)
Torches

SO ... I really don't know what the pattern is supposed to be but do find it interesting. 

I was so taken by the carvings and the generally great condition of the woodwork as well as the finish close to the carvings that I did not do "due diligence" checking out other aspects of the piece AND paid too much!  The woodwork, other than the carvings, was in pretty bad condition with some repair work needed on the legs. It also required a totally new finish and I saw no way to save the original wood finish with pale gold gilding. 

I refinished the woodwork with Annie Sloan "Old Ochre" which is a little more mellow and aged looking that "Old White". I did a coat of clear wax and finished with a coat of dark wax (applied with tooth brush to get into crevices). Finally, the fabulous "Lees" of Sun's Upholstery in Norcross, GA, reupholstered the piece in a neutral linen-cotton blend with slight texture.

TA DA ... I am very happy with the outcome! What do you think of it and give me your impression of the "brush" motiff?!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Unusual Uses for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

It is now going on two years that I have been using (and loving) Annie Sloan Chalk Paint link to website. I have mostly used the very versatile chalk paint on refurbished upholstered pieces and have limited my finishes to regular (just paint and clear or dark wax), distressed (some sanding away of finish), and dry brushing of one color over the other. All of these have worked very well.


I have set up a pinterest board for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and have been collecting tips and techniques as well as images to inspire my work. I have been AMAZED by some of the more creative uses of this great product and this posting features some of those applications.  All of these images and explanations are available on my pinterest board - link to my board.

Love this "stone" look on lamp base. 
Clever !
Chalk paint plus gilding on brass fixtures - this really updates this look! 
WOW - perfect for upcoming halloween celebrations! 
Paint inside of these jars - what a nice look for simple and cheap glassware!
Snowman! 
This is a nice way to take different frames and create a coherent set for any decor. 
These are fabrics painted with chalk paint - I am still not sure about this!
Well on this labor day, this seemed like a nice topic for inspiration! It is raining outside (again), so I may just finish up my current ASCP projects and move onto something a little different!