Author Archives: Linda

5 Things to Paint in a Day (or Less!)

 

I always need some instant gratification…how about you?  I thought I’d post some easy things to do when you want to update some items you already have in your home. Paint is the quickest, easiest and least expensive ways to transform just about anything!

Mirrors…

A Mirror Before

And after… (more…)

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2 Comments | Posted in Annie Sloan's chalk paint, Decorative Finishes, interior design, Makeovers, Paint, Tutorials

Fall Colors and Memories Tablescape

Bringing in Fall Color and Memories into Your Home

glass dome with fall foliage and hydrangeas

So today I thought I’d show you a tablescape I did that brings in the last bits of fall foliage from my garden and a few mementos.  I love to bring in memories and special items into any vignette that I do.   (more…)

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Leave a comment | Posted in Garden etc, interior design, Makeovers

Bringing More Color into the Dining Room

Bringing More Color into the Dining Room

For today’s post I am showing you my plans for revamping my dining room space. Some will say I have enough color there – but you can never have enough color really!  It just all has to blend. My dining rooms chairs really need an update, badly. So, here’s my revamp plans so far…

Rosenburg fabric from Robert Allen in Peony

(more…)

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Leave a comment | Posted in Annie Sloan's chalk paint, Decorative Finishes, interior design, Makeovers, Paint, Tutorials

Decorating My Fall Mantel

I had been meaning to do this post about my Fall Mantel a week or so ago, but I wasn’t 100% happy with how the photographs came out. After I finished decorating it, the days were either too sunny or too dreary (it’s fall in New York – weather is so unpredictable). But – everyone is blogging about their fall mantels, so here goes!

decorating a fall fireplace mantle

I absolutely love, love, love Fall colors, so bringing them into my mantel was pretty easy. The yellows, golds, greens, reds and oranges really speak to me. (more…)

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Leave a comment | Posted in Decorative Finishes, interior design, Makeovers, My Life, Tutorials

Sneak Peak of a Wood Valance Project

Just a quick post today to give you a peek of a project I have just finished.  I will post more pics as soon as this lovely wooden valance is installed in my client’s kitchen!  I will have a full tutorial on this very soon – so make sure you are signed up via email to receive my updates. Here’s a closeup…the stencil makes the wood look inlaid.

 a painted, stained, antiqued wood valance

 It started out as bare maple panels (more…)

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4 Comments | Posted in Decorative Finishes, interior design, Makeovers, Paint

Creating Art with Stencils, Plaster and Chalk Paint

 How to Create Some Dimensional Art Pieces with Stencils, Plaster and Chalk Paint

closeup of the Union Jack table

I had promised a tutorial on how to do this awhile back on the blog…so here it is (more…)

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Leave a comment | Posted in Annie Sloan's chalk paint, Decorative Finishes, interior design, Makeovers, Paint, Tutorials

Fixing a Tuscan Textured Finish for a Client After a Renovation

 After Putting in New Windows, a Client’s Tuscan Wall Finish in her Kitchen was Badly Damaged

a finished Tuscan plaster after renovation

I always enjoy a good challenge and one of my favorite ones is fixing a faux finish in someone’s house after a renovation. It happens so many times – I get called to help out because the person who did the finish can’t be reached or they are no longer in business. Their loss…my gain! Glazed finishes are tough to replicate but textures are a bit easier to do – but not when the texture that needs duplicating is no longer available. (more…)

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5 Comments | Posted in Decorative Finishes, interior design, Makeovers, Tutorials

A Revamped Chair and a Rescued Paint Job!

Revamping an Old Vintage Chair with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Just a little post this morning about a recent chair revamp that I did. I was late in getting this up because something was awry with WordPress or the server – I don’t know which!  But miraculously, all is well this morning. 

vintage caned chair revamped and antiqued with Annie Slaon Chalk Paints

 Here’s the chair after the restoration  (more…)

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2 Comments | Posted in Annie Sloan's chalk paint, Decorative Finishes, interior design, Makeovers, Paint, Tutorials

A Guest Blogpost: Painting and Antiquing an Old Swedish Mora Clock from Jo Lee of Swedish Interior Design

From time to time on the blog I will be highlighting some artisans around the globe whose work I love and admire. Today I am featuring Jo Lee from Swedish Interior Design in the UK, who will be showing us how he revamped, painted and antiqued a beautiful, old Swedish Mora clock (one of my favorite pieces of furniture).

Jo Lee from Swedish Interior Design

Jo Lee and his wife, Madeleine, who is the Creative Director

(more…)

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11 Comments | Posted in Decorative Finishes, interior design, Makeovers, Paint, Tutorials, View from Europe

The Union Jack Coffee Table: Part 2

As promised from yesterday’s post, here’s more detailed information on how I did this Union Jack design on an old coffee table. I did make some mistakes and I will point them out to you, so you will sail through this easily!

First, a little history of the Union Jack. It’s actually called the Union Flag (made up of the Saltires – heraldic symbols –  of the Cross of St. George for England, the Cross of St. Patrick for Ireland and the Cross of St. Andrew for Scotland). The correct use of the phrase “Union Jack” is only for when it’s on a ship. Didn’t know that til this morning!

Union Jack coffee table

(more…)

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6 Comments | Posted in Annie Sloan's chalk paint, Decorative Finishes, interior design, Makeovers, Paint, Tutorials