Booking custom painting orders for 2018

On December 3, 2017 By lindaIn custom painting, home decor, Painted Furniture, Uncategorized2 Comments

You know that piece of furniture that serves its function, but every time you walk by it you just wish it would go away or that you could somehow hide it? Maybe its the sturdy little side table that is just the right size to sit next to the sofa but the color is so off? Or the china cabinet that just looks so very dark? I can fix that!

I’m getting back into custom painting and scheduling orders for 2018. Can you believe 2018 is right around the corner! After the holidays is the perfect time to freshen your home furnishings. I can help you fall in love with your pieces again!

Let me break down what goes into custom painting your piece. We usually begin with you contacting and sending me photos and dimensions of the piece or pieces you want refurbished. We’ll go back and forth with a few questions so I can get an idea of what you’re looking to have done – Pinterest photos are great helpers for this step. I’ll then send a preliminary quote (this may change once I see the piece in person). Quotes can sometimes change due to repairs, finishes, etc.

When everything is agreed on, the furniture can be delivered to me and contracts gone over and signed.

console side table_greendoorstudio — This custom job begins with two dark side tables and one TV console.

This is where my fun begins! Before I begin any painting I thoroughly inspect the piece and fix any repairs that were agreed on. Each piece is then thoroughly cleaned and lightly sanded and left to dry overnight. Primer goes on it the next and its left to dry overnight, then lightly sanded and cleaned.

console primer_greendoorstudio — These pieces have been cleaned, sanded and primed.

The day after that the piece gets its first coat of paint. That coat also sits overnight to dry and is lightly sanded and cleaned the next day. Then the second coat gets applied and left to dry. I’ll add a third coat if need be the day after that.

first coat_greendoorstudio — This piece has its first coat of paint.

Once the paint is dry, any specialty finishes, such as white-wash, glazing, distressing, etc., go on next and its once again left to dry overnight. The final step in this process is to protect the piece with a wax or liquid sealer. I really prefer to keep the pieces for another few days before they’re picked up because I know as soon as you get the piece home you want to use and decorate it. Paint and sealers usually take about 28-30 days to fully cure to the point of them being able to be used, so its best to put the piece in its place and just sit and admire it for a few weeks before putting it to full use.

It should be noted that painted furniture is no different than unpainted. It can be prone to nicks and scratches, just like any other piece, from toys, pets, wet glasses, hot coffee cups and everyday life. I always recommend the use of coasters and placemats. But, mind you, a painted piece of furniture properly finished will hold up just fine and look pretty while doing it.

Contact me through a private message on our Facebook business page for a custom quote or to have your questions answered.

Making new paint look old

On July 1, 2017 By lindaIn custom painting, home decor, Painted Furniture, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I love the look of old, aged and worn. It shows in my scrapbooking and mixed-media projects and I’ve managed to carry it over to my furniture pieces that I redesign.

I’ve tried to do clean and neat – honest I have. It just doesn’t work for me. It never feels finished. So even though this vintage cabinet looked so dang cute once the paint was done I knew I was going to distress it and add some age to that new paint and stain.

This little guy was pretty darn sturdy but the back flap was loose and when I removed the door from the cubby the framing on that was loose as well so I realigned everything and glued, screwed and clamped all the pieces back together.

The next day everything was tight and good to go. After a good sanding and cleaning the piece was ready for paint. I used a mix of Behr and my Pixie Dust Paint Company additive to mix my own chalk-type paint.

I painted the entire cabinet in the green paint and used white stain on the drawers and door.

To get that aged, worn look on the new paint I apply Dark Umber furniture wax, which is a dark wax from Vintage Market & Design. I do not use clear wax first. I apply the dark wax directly to the new paint and you can see how in my video.

This vintage cabinet is solid and sturdy and has years of life to give to somebody. It’s available and you can find the info in our Etsy shop and on our Facebook page: facebook.com/gdoorstudio.

Picking violets for grandma

On May 15, 2017May 15, 2017 By lindaIn Uncategorized10 Comments

Can there be anything more beautiful and refreshing as the bloom of spring flowers in Michigan? At the same time, is there anything more daunting than a yard and garden full of weeds?

The older I get the more I appreciate the beautiful spring blooms and the memories that accompany them – like the violet. The lovely lavender and blue blooms of this beautiful wild flower seem to spring up everywhere this time of year, their delicate little faces nearly hidden from view by their green leaves.

As I was facing the daunting task of weeding and prepping my garden bed surrounding my little backyard pond I kept coming across these lovely little violets.

The violets bring back memories of my Grandma Root’s backyard in the spring. As a child of the 1950’s we were taught to entertain ourselves and play with each other and find something to do. I remember her backyard was just full of these little wild violets and I would just plop down in a section at a time and pick little bouquets that grandma would place in a little tin cup.

During summer months we would sit on the ground for hours hunting for the elusive four-leaf clover. And, oh the joy when you finally find one! Do kids still do this?

When my middle son was a toddler the very nice neighbor lady who lived next door would spend time with him outdoors and one day I watched them from the window as they sat and stared at a small patch of ground for quite some time. Later I had to ask her what they were doing and she told me they were watching ants. The two of them just sat on the ground and enjoyed the simple pleasure of nature while creating memories.

So even though I was out there tilling and weeding these memories made the experience bearable and enjoyable. I just can’t bring myself to pull those pretty little violet plants out so I’ll leave them until the blooms are gone and think of grandma Root’s little backyard in Livonia every time I walk past.

Is there a spring favorite that stirs wonderful childhood memories in you?

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