Tag: home decor

Booking custom painting orders for 2018

On 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.

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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.

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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.

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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 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.

cabinet door fix

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.

cabinet side detail

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

cabinet drawer front

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.

green and white cabinet w logo

cabinet door open logo

Through the years

On By RachelIn home decor, Painted Furniture, Uncategorized4 Comments

On September 7th, Green Door Studio will have officially been open for 3 years. We started out on this crazy adventure after I was laid off from my job. I had always dreamed of having my own business, and my mom was out of her mind enough to be a willing participant. Since then, I have gotten married, moved around, had other jobs, quit working, and became more involved again in the business. Mom has been the consistent face of the business, and has worked her butt off to make it what it is today.

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Mom and me on opening day, September 7, 2013.

We went from having a fairly empty shop:

to having a very crowded shop:

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in a brand new location:

This journey has been a whole lot of hard work, but luckily we’ve had wonderful friends and family helping us along the way, from one location to the next. The most amazing of all is my dad, who helps us with pretty much everything.

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(I’m a little surprised he hasn’t disowned us yet.)

While we do paint furniture in our own styles:

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we also do custom paint jobs with either your furniture or our unfinished furniture:

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and large variety artsy classes, which are always a great time:

and we have a great selection of home decor and accessories:

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We have also recently become a stockist for Pixie Dust Paint Company, carrying the company’s full line of mineral paint additives and all-natural, vegan-friendly finishing waxes.

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Our three-year celebration begins Wednesday, August 31st and ends Saturday, September 3rd. On Saturday, come enjoy light refreshments, creating a fall-themed tag, and discounts including 10% off purchases $50 or more or 15% off purchases of $150 or more. (Sale excludes custom-paint quotes, classes, and previous purchases.) Discounts are valid Wednesday-Saturday. We will be spilling out into the parking lot, weather permitting, with every piece – finished or unfinished – that we currently have at the shop, in storage, and at our houses.

Candy Scraps will also be a vendor on Saturday, so come check out her garden-themed pieces and more.

Green Door Studio is located at 6105 Grand River Ave, Brighton, MI 48114. Our phone number is (517)-618-7700. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.