The Painted Hive

The FREE Dining Room Reveal!

September 13, 2018 81 Comments

After lots of indecision, uncertainty, and sanding, it’s done!

I questioned myself A LOT throughout this project, and it really wasn’t until I pulled everything together that I realised I had actually pulled everything off!

In case you’ve missed my previous posts about this makeover, I was endeavoring to refresh my sister’s dining room for free by selling her old furniture then using nothing but the money gained to fund the overhaul.

Here’s how the room looked a month or so back…

And this was the true state of the dining setting…

I managed to sell the dining setting (following a quick spruce up) and pendant light on Gumtree for a total of $200. This gave me a modest, yet very workable, budget to acquire some ‘new’ pieces…

It was a ramshackle bunch, and, like I mentioned, I wasn’t quite sure how things were going to come together!

The new table, which I feared might be too large and disproportionate, is thankfully perfect.

Even though it’s bigger than the previous square table it makes the room look so much more spacious. The round top helps soften everything and really aids with the flow of the space whilst the geometric base adds a crisp, contemporary touch.

I completely refinished the pine top by sanding it back to raw before applying a mid-brown stain followed by a few coats of clear satin sealer.

So much nicer than the streaky red mess it was before!

My DIY table base (find the full how-to HERE) got a lick of fresh white floor paint which I had left-over from a previous project.

The dining chairs, which were never quite what I wanted, actually work really well.

The traditional Windsor style gives a timeless edge whilst the playful paint finish lends a youthful and relaxed vibe.

From the start I had envisioned a soft blue-grey colour for the dipped effect though was never convinced it was right. Thankfully it teams beautifully with all of the warm wood and gold. And it off-sets the white of the table base and neutral kitchen perfectly to create a bit of interest and vibrancy.

You can learn more about how I refinished the chairs in this post.

For the most part I love the light.

I’m sure some of you may think it’s out of place though I wanted that unexpected modern punch to cut through the predominately classic feel. To me, it elevates the room and adds a bit of oomph.

I must admit however that I’m a little disappointed with the gold finish. The eBay listing showed it as brilliant burnished brass whereas it’s actually quite flat paint. Of course, for the price I really can’t complain and when you buy things online there is always that element of risk. In all honestly though, it’s fine.

To finish the space I added a mix of vintage and modern artwork. The two landscapes were only a few dollars each from charity stores and the abstract is an Etsy download in a Kmart frame.

Yes, I realise they aren’t evenly spaced. I did that deliberately to give them a less formal feel.

I agonised for ages over the wall decor. For a while I was going to go full modern, though this room made me realise something: vintage art is basically my patronus – seriously, it’s a force not to be reckoned with!

All of the styling pieces are things we already owned.

So now, let’s see how I did budget-wise! Remember, in order to make this a free room makeover I can’t spend more than $200 – based on how much I was able to sell my sister’s original pieces for.

Below are all of my purchases for the space. This list excludes items and supplies I already had (such as paint and stain for the table and chairs and most of the decor).

TALLY

Pendant Light $72

Dining Chairs $40

Dining Table $8

Edison Bulbs $27

Paint Stripper $17

Clear Sealer $18

Artwork $23

TOTAL

$205

You can find out more about where I sourced the main items in this previous post.

Oh man, guess I need to start calling it “The $5 Dining Room Makeover”. In all honesty, I never tallied everything up to the exact dollar until just then. I don’t think my sis will begrudge me the slight overspend!

Hope you guys like it.

If you’d like to save this project you can pin the image below.

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Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, Most Popular, Room Makeovers Tagged With: Free Dining Room Makeover

How to Make Hat & Sock Seats (AKA Paint Dipped Chairs)

August 30, 2018 24 Comments

When I mentioned to my son that I was planning on painting just the tops and bases of these chairs, I described it to him as giving them all hats and socks. I thought that was kind of cute until he went on to add that “the hats will eat the socks and then the chairs will poo them out.” Five year olds are certainly hilarious.

Of course, these are the Windsor style chairs I picked up for my sister’s dining room.

Photo from the Gumtree listing.

Originally, they had a worn and dated two-tone stain complete with plenty of chipped, shiny varnish. The finish was so opaque you couldn’t even see the lovely timber grain beneath.

I had visions of a much more natural and contemporary look, using a simple mid-brown stain with some soft blue-grey accents.

Getting to this point wasn’t exactly simple!

Sometimes old varnish flakes off really easily – and, of course, that’s exactly what I imagined this old varnish would do when I optimistically decided to buy these chairs. Though the existing finish was incredibly stubborn! Each chair took two coats of stripper followed by copious amounts of electric sanding (I used a palm sander with medium grit paper) followed by lots of fiddly hand sanding (again, I used medium grit paper then fine paper to finish). All up, it probably took around six or seven hours to take the entire set of chairs back to raw timber.

I left some of the more obstinate stain and varnish around the tops because I knew I was going to be painting over it.

I know it probably seems like there must be a better way, though short of using a professional dipping or blasting service, there’s really no other option. I was so desperate at one point I even went out and bought a soda blaster! Sadly, it was no match for the gummy varnish. In case you’re interested, I did try it on some other old furniture and it worked okay, though it’s certainly no magic bullet. I found it left the timber very rough, plus it’s slow going, messy and the soda is pretty pricey.

Anyhoo, with the chairs finally ready, I gave them each one coat of stain (Feast Watson Prooftint in Oak – which I had left-over from a previous project). I chose to stain them, rather than leave them natural, because I wanted a nice contrast between the timber and the paint. Plus, although it’s hard to tell from the above pic, the natural timber has quite a bit of orange in it which I didn’t want clashing with my sister’s honey-toned floors.

Once the stain was fully cured I added the “hats and socks”.

Creating a paint dipped effect is a pretty straight forward process…

STEP 1 | TAPE

First I taped off the lines, ensuring the tape edges were smooth and well adhered. Getting the lines perfectly straight along the back rests was a little tricky due to the offset and angle of the spindles which creates a bit of a visual illusion.

STEP 2 | PRIME

Next, just to be safe, I used a stain blocking primer. I probably wouldn’t have bothered if I didn’t already have some in the shed.

Note: I’m sure most of you have heard about the “perfect line” trick which suggests using the base paint colour first to seal the tape and conceal any bleed. Of course, my base was stain, not paint, so I decided to experiment by using a similar toned brown craft paint. I actually found that it made no difference. My lines were all nice and crisp regardless, which I think can be attributed to the smoothness of the wood. I imagine on a more textured surface there would be more chance of bleed and this technique would be beneficial.

STEP 3 | PAINT

Once the primer was dry I applied two coats of paint. I created a custom colour using a variety of water-based paints I already had. The major component is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg Blue.

I went slightly deeper with the socks by adding a dash of charcoal to the paint. The difference is only subtle though creates a bit of interest.

STEP 4 | PEEL

With the paint still wet from the second coat I carefully peeled the tape away. It’s important not to let it dry as once it ‘bridges’ over the tape there is a high chance it will chip as the tape is removed.

To finish the chairs, I sealed them with a few light coats of clear spray poly.

Am loving the way they turned out! Here’s hoping they work in my sister’s dining space.

And speaking of my sister’s dining space, I now have everything needed! Will try to pull the room together and hopefully share next week.

PS I haven’t forgotten about the table base tutorial. Stay tuned for that too!

UPDATE
You can now find the completed dining room HERE.

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Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, Furniture Rehab, How To, Most Popular Tagged With: Free Dining Room Makeover, Tutorials

The New Furniture for the FREE Dining Room!

August 7, 2018 44 Comments

I’ve found stuff!

This pendant light on eBay for $72…

I knew I wanted something modern and gold and somewhat impactful and this seemed to fit the bill. Let’s hope it also fits the space!

On Gumtree I came across a set of four Windsor style chairs for $40 (listing states $50 however the price was negotiable)…

So glad I bought these to remind myself just how much “fun” stripping chairs back to raw can be. They’re not exactly what I wanted though will do just fine. I think the dated two-tone stain must have been putting buyers off because I’ve seen similar sets sell for lots more. I’m not totally sure yet however am thinking about a natural ashy stain with a blue-grey dipped effect. We’ll see.

Also on Gumtree I found this round dining table for only $1…

I know it’s not the prettiest specimen though I just need the top. Am planning on stripping it back to raw then refinishing it to coordinate with the chairs.

In addition I’ve made a table base using a $7 length of merch grade pine…

I totally surprised myself by knocking it up, all alone, in one afternoon. Obviously it still needs to be finished. I’m thinking simple white paint for a light, fresh feel and to contrast with my sister’s wooden floor.

Note: I haven’t created a tutorial for the table base because, well, I was just making things up as I went along! Be sure to let me know in the comments if you’d like to see one.

Remember, I have a grand total of $200 for this room makeover based on how much I was able to sell the original furniture for. As things stand I’ve spent $120. This leaves me $80 for a few DIY supplies, decor pieces and possibly some wall art. I think I may actually come in under budget!

UPDATE
Due to popular demand I have published a full tutorial for the DIY table base. Find it HERE.

Catch up on my previous posts about this room makeover HERE.

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Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: Free Dining Room Makeover

A Plan for the Free Dining Room

July 23, 2018 11 Comments

The furniture is sold!

The dining setting fetched $180 and the light went for $20. This gives me a grand total of $200 (I know, don’t be too impressed by my amazing math) to overhaul the space. What a nice round figure.

In all honestly, I was hoping for a tad more though this will absolutely suffice.

So now, onto the fun bit – decorating!

Like many people, my sister doesn’t really know her interior style. In fact, she’s not even sure she has one! In a way this offers an advantage as it provides lots of flexibility, though with flexibility comes indecision. And I think we all know how awesome I am at making decisions (insert sarcastic emoji here).

So, with no clear scheme to dictate the direction for the new design, I’ve taken some cues from the surrounding rooms and furnishings along with the general vibe of the house itself.

And I’ve landed on Transitional.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, Transitional is basically a blend of classic and contemporary.

This makes it sound like you can simply throw anything together, however Transitional is generally a considered collection resulting in something quite clean, fresh and understated. It can be a tricky balance to strike, though when done right is a lovely fusion of sophisticated and homey.

How you meld the old and new is entirely up to you. Here’s my vision…

PENDANT LIGHT

Lighting can set the tone for a room and make a real statement. I see something quite modern and geometric with exposed bulbs, probably finished in brass to help lift the space (there is lots of wood and a dark leather lounge in the adjoining living room). Given there is no defined dining room a substantial pendant will help anchor the table and define the zone.

Note: As here in Australia all electrical work must be certified, paying an electrician to install a pendant light is simply unavoidable. And in my case it’s an expense which would most certainly blow my tiny budget out! As there’s simply no way around the cost, ordinarily I would factor it in as additional, however we’re lucky to have a good friend who’s an electrician and will do the install for free.

DINING CHAIRS

I love a classic dining chair. Nice ones can be pricey, even second hand, so I’ll probably be looking for something a little neglected and unassuming I can elevate with a little bit of paint. My initial vision included Windsor or Bentwood style chairs though I’m doubtful I’ll be able to find a set within budget. So, I’m now also looking at more generic cottage style chairs, which seem abundant and affordable.

Given my sister has young kids she doesn’t want anything with fabric – who can blame her? I’m thinking of a two-tone dipped look though am still undecided on colour. I’m guessing that lovely coral will not get past her husband though :)

DINING TABLE

To off-set the traditional chairs I want a modern dining table. The problem with that being modern dining tables are expensive! Even the second hand ones get snapped up super quick for far from cheap. My solution at this stage is to make my own! Well, the base anyway. My sister wants a petite round table and I figure I should be able to find one for pretty cheap, remove the legs and add my own new stylish ones! I’ve been crushing on the angle braced style and think it shouldn’t be too hard (famous last words?) to DIY something.

I did consider simply using a cottage style table (which are abundant and affordable and would have looked quite sweet) though decided I want a bit more edge, and something which can “talk” to the light fitting. Again, I’m still undecided on colour for the table though am thinking a timber top with a painted base to provide some contrast against the wooden floor.

So, there you have it. Of course, all of the items in my inspo pics are waaaaaay over budget and probably much more fancy than any I’ll be able to find! Remember, I need to source comparable pieces for $200 collectively, and this includes the expense of any DIY materials and final styling decor too. That said, I’m all about the power of a well considered space and believe money should be no obstacle!

Still…wish me luck.

The good news is this should be a relatively quick makeover because at present my sister’s husband is less than impressed about having to eat dinner on their outdoor table!

UPDATE
You can now find the finished room HERE.

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Free Printable Blue & White Ceramic Wall Art

July 17, 2018 24 Comments

I’m a little ashamed to admit I started writing this post around four years ago.

At the time I had just finished refreshing my parent’s bedroom and was going to add some art to a remaining blank wall in the space. I decided on blue and white ceramic paintings (mum adores blue and white anything!), created several digital images and then changed my mind. I can’t recall for certain though think I must have concluded it was going to make things look too busy.

So with no good excuse to print, frame and hang the art (in order to give purpose to, and provide photos for, a blog post), these lovely free printables have been sitting in a folder on my computer… doing nothing…for four years!

Well, yesterday I stumbled across them again and realised that was just plain stupid! So here they are.

This set of free printables includes eight high resolution blue and white ceramic “paintings”. For your convenience I’m offering them in two different standard sizes: A3 and 11″ x 14″. Of course, you could always shrink them to fit smaller frames if desired, or matte them and use even larger frames. Additionally, the prints themselves can be somewhat enlarged (by around 30%) whilst still retaining decent quality.

Once you click a download button above you will be redirected to Google Drive to download the files. Files are saved in zipped folders. Download the entire folder via the arrow icon at the top right of the screen before extracting the individual files. If you’re unsure what to do or have any trouble, feel free to ask. I’m happy to help.

If you have a large format printer you could always print theses at home otherwise you can have them professionally printed through any good print store. Prices for standard document prints of this size generally start at around $2, whilst high quality photo prints may cost anywhere from $10 upwards.

I created these digital artworks by applying a painterly effect to some product photographs I found online (of course, I sought and gained permission to use each image first). You see, at the time I was looking for blue and white ceramic art I really struggled to find anything within my budget so figured there was nothing to lose by giving things a go myself! I’ve spoken before about the ease and awesomeness of converting photographs into paintings and if you’d like to learn more you can read my previous in-depth post HERE.

I’m thrilled with the results and am so excited to share them with you!

Here are a few different framing and configuration ideas…