Restyled Refinished Vintage
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Tag Archives: paint
Christmas project-part one
BLEACHED, FADED PAINT FINISH At last, some time to work on our house!! Our kitchen and sitting room are on the first floor. Not unusual in village houses here, but it limits flooring options when your room is thirty feet … Continue reading
Posted in What we did, how we did it and what we used
Tagged BLEACHED, chalk, DRIFTWOOD, floor, kitchen, paint, varnish
10 Comments
Chairs
Comfortable but pig-ugly chairs. Wine Dralon seats. If you are familiar with that fabric, you will be sticking your fingers down your throat right now. After 13 years, paint colour and 19thc French fabric chosen. Probably…
Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Art, design and inspiration blog
Tagged 19thc, chair, dining, fabric, paint
3 Comments
Dusty Miller
Dusty Miller is this beautiful, very pale blue with a subtle grey undertone. One of those nuanced colours that seems to straddle more than one chromatic range. And, though I have only just noticed this, it matches the inside of … Continue reading
Post Paint View
Kitchen ceiling finished, this wall almost finished. Brackets to mount under the little white painted wall cabinet Trolley needs new feet to line up with other surfaces Art Nouveau tiled splashback to go up Smaller cupboard to paint Inside of … Continue reading
The clock case
So, now Trev has finished panelling in the new wiring in the kitchen, I can fill, paint and finish this wall and the ceiling. My Unfitted French Kitchen story continues on this, the Wall of Worry ( put that into … Continue reading
Looking slightly less like a hovel
I now treat you to an image viewed many times before by long suffering followers; the front of our French house in 2006. Although we still have some tidying up work to do and the walls to paint, it is … Continue reading
Thé vert olive
Time to reveal the colour for shutters and cave and garage doors We picked (Trev had slight input) this shade from the Mixing Machine Man in M. Bricolage, Limoux. Being a colourcoded mix-up, it has the highly unromantic title of … Continue reading
Pimp my hovel
Well, we finally nailed the colours for the outside render and the shutters. So, taking advantage of the late Autumn sunshine, the Trevoracle started sanding down the flaky doors. Aren’t those layers of colour beautiful? Yes they are . … Continue reading
Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Renovation and restoration diary- France
Tagged building, colour, house, paint, render, Roussillon, shutters, village
8 Comments
Episode 165: Bench Marks
Those of you who have stuck with this blog will know that the question of how we actually create the bench in the dining area has languished almost as long as the decision regarding the perfect off-white paint. The answer … Continue reading
Window seat made with reclaimed materials
Long term followers may remember that we rescued a 19thc side table from a chapel on the point of demolition. Would have ended up in the skip if my brother-in-law and sister hadn’t spotted that we could do something with … Continue reading
Three more old rooms
I have a need to gaze upon enticing old rooms; so here are three more. Just because. Laserow Blogspot mystery site (the link to which has been “deleted and purged”!) That sounds very terminal. michaelpaulphotography … Continue reading
Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Art, design and inspiration blog
Tagged old, paint, rooms
4 Comments
Renovating and Restoring in France, a broader view
As we walk around the village, I notice signs of renewal here and there. This is encouraging. I see new windows, new paintwork, a newly re-pointed little stone man-cave down by the river see below left. Houses that have stood empty … Continue reading
Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France
Tagged france, paint, renovation, restoration, stone, village, wood
14 Comments
Village houses in the Pyrénées-Orientales
More French village houses for your delectation in this lovely department bordering the Aude; we drive through these villages when we go down to the apartment at Argeles. We have found a new route down over the mountains and will … Continue reading
Episode 156 part two – waxing a painted door
So, by popular request (at least THREE readers) here is how we roll when we refinish doors here at the French house. This technique is based on our finishes developed for our painted furniture and gives a far tougher surface … Continue reading
Small steps and hot French finds
Little bits done this week. Finished laying terre cuite hearth in salon, edging next. Also finally decided on floor finish for wet/cooker wall in kitchen. Whilst loading said option, I spotted this chaux (lime) based natural paint in Brico-Depot in … Continue reading
Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Renovation and restoration diary- France
Tagged chaux, cuite, finish, floor, kitchen, lime, paint, terre
7 Comments
More paint ideas
Back on the subject of walls, here is an atypical French house I have seen featured in several interiors magazines in France. It has parallels with our project in that although the house is twice the size of our place, … Continue reading
The Romance of the Raw – mixing it up in the salon
If you have been following this blog you will know that I have been doing my best to preserve the old lime plaster walls and ceilings we still have at the French house .We have to accept that some walls … Continue reading
Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Renovation and restoration diary- France
Tagged artists, french, house, lime, original, paint, palette, plaster, renovation, restoration, walls, wax
12 Comments
Moroccan tables- tables marocaines
These are rather festive, a saturated red. Basically they are Annie Sloan Emperor’s silk over an ochre-ish base. The top has been rollered, which on this surface gives a slightly, dimpled finish; ideal for rubbing antique wax into. Layered with … Continue reading
Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Art, design and inspiration blog
Tagged Annie Sloan, antique, beeswax, chalk, chic, Emperor's silk, leather, moroccan, ochre, paint, riad, tables, vintage
10 Comments
Les couleurs pâles, poussiéreuses et fanées- Pale, Dusty, Faded
These subtle colours, in French they’re called “Les couleurs pâles, poussiéreuses et fanées”. My favourite shades, that faded, dirty, dusty,”washed “palette. Greyed pastels, warmed neutrals. They work so well Chez Nous The word “couleur” is feminine in French, suprisingly, I thought … Continue reading
Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Art, design and inspiration blog
Tagged antique, berlinwork, colour, embroidery, french, historical, house, needlepoint, oak, old, paint, shades, stool, vintage
15 Comments
Episode 144 – In which we muse upon time and chaos and order and how long it takes for paint to go out of date
So, a few of you might recall that, although we thought the roof was fixed, there was evidence of water ingress earlier this year , mainly in the form of some small damp patches on the ceiling lambris in the … Continue reading
Episode 143 – More decorative finishes- lambris wood panelling
There are a number of elements we see time and time again in humble French houses. One is lambris, or narrow wood panelling. It’s been popular here for centuries though the default finish seems to be dark treacly varnishes and … Continue reading
Les Chaises- repaired, restyled, refinished- Part 2
So you remember these four dining chairs posted a few days ago? Les Chaises -saving four special dining chairs for someone – Part 1 below is after photos- & if you want it, details of how we rescued these trashed pieces … Continue reading
Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Art, design and inspiration blog
Tagged chairs, chalk, dining, french, grey, Gustavian, leather, paint, painted, refinished, repaired, restyled, wax, wood
11 Comments
Woo-hoo! L’escalier is painted
In case you were all wondering whether my Refined-Rustic vision for the village house was edging dangerously toward just refined ( i. e the chandelier, or ” the shandAYhlia” as Trev now calls it in a lousy Cockney accent) I … Continue reading
It’s not all been doom and gloom this month
After many kind pep-talks via my blog visitors and followers, I am taking “Ellen A’s” sensible advice; she says that she is quite happy to read about our furniture rescuing activities whilst we collect our very scattered thoughts. These tables … Continue reading
Can you stucco stencil it? Yes you can!
Yes sir, we can stencil. And we can handpaint motifs on our French Country Walls and Ceilings etc . Above are two fine examples and some more here https://husifrankrike.com/2016/06/08/dag-5-sondagen-aterigen-en-vilodag/ Thank you JP! I … Continue reading
Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Renovation and restoration diary- France, What we did, how we did it and what we used
Tagged antique, artists, country, france, french, house, paint, pigment, plaster, renovation, restoration, salon, stencil, stencilled, stucco, village, vintage
22 Comments
Project B- Argeles again
Long term followers will know that our Project B was, after buying the village house in Campagne- sur- Aude, to find a second seaside bolthole. We had considered buying in UK, but that made no sense if we are relocating … Continue reading
Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France
Tagged apartment, argeles, beaches, france, french, house, mer, orientales, paint, project, pyrenees, renovation, restoration, seaside, sur, village
17 Comments
Flipping Furniture Finds with Fabulous French Finishes
I have posted about Trevor being bored since taking redundancy last year. “What” I asked him “do you want to do with yourself now, apart from driving me to distraction?” “Something completely different from what I was doing before; with … Continue reading
Episode 139- The perfect off-white, and it only took eight years to find it
It took a long time. OK, I was distracted by other renovation and restoration debates, decisions and doubts, but I ran out of prevarication time and when we marched down to the shops, this new option was on offer, details … Continue reading
Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France, What we did, how we did it and what we used
Tagged 3V3, effect, france, house, kaolin, off, paint, paints, panelling, renovation, restoration, village, white, wood
5 Comments
Episode 137 – Moody hues
So, Trev’s light finished floor , off white ceiling, and pale putty panelling have changed the way the light moves around this long room dramatically. The kitchen cabinetry , corner cupboard, chairs and bench will all be enrobed in off … Continue reading
Episode 136 – In which Trevor takes a well earned break
I’ ve tried and tried to get in the whole new floor but the room is too long and the sun at the back window makes it all look shinier than it is. So these pics are the Best I … Continue reading
Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France
Tagged dining, floor, furniture, paint, room
16 Comments
I dream about French murs, or, how walls are my new obsession
I am obsessed with looking at options for Our French Walls. If they are flat, I will capitalise on that and consider a little wallpaper or wonderful paint colours.I will judiciously introduce light and dark where aspect and proportions permit … Continue reading
In which I conclude that we will never be style icons
I took this as one of a series of shots trying to capture the sunlit, glittering fountain framed by the city walls. Carcassonne lower city is laid out in grid pattern like many other iconic cities worldwide. It is (architecturally) … Continue reading
Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France
Tagged Campagne, france, paint, style
14 Comments
Episode 126/2- In which I strip, Trevor slips and the grandson gets “hip”
This last French trip, we needed , or I needed to get to grips with some décapage ( paint stripping ) at last. I have been putting this off with various excuses, but the truth is I just hate strong … Continue reading
Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France, What we did, how we did it and what we used
Tagged bedroom, colours, finishes, france, french, house, interior, original, paint, painted, renovation, restoration, stain, styles, village, wood
11 Comments
Episode 126 part (1) – October progress, yes, we did a bit, quite a bit actually
Yes we did a bit in France, and here is the first instalment. I finished the painted skirtings in marmotte#3 and Liberon lime wax so if I swish a damp mop over the finished floors (not done yet) it won’t … Continue reading
Episode 116- back on the paper trail again
Yes, I am back pondering about wallpaper once more. This is odd, I haven’t included wallpaper in any of my decorative schemes for many years; paint is my go-to solution . France and this house are clearly steering my thoughts … Continue reading
Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France
Tagged antique, bedroom, birds, cave, chinoise, colours, france, house, light, paint, reflective, renovation, restoration, stone, traditional, village, wallpaper
10 Comments
Episode 113- recognisable renovation progress
First of all, apologies for quality of these shots and the last two posts from France. My phone camera is not focusing properly (they looked fine on my tiny screen) Shame as we achieved quite a lot in the salon. … Continue reading
Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France, What we did, how we did it and what we used
Tagged chalky, france, house, liberon, lime, paint, renovation, restoration, salon, stone, waxed
2 Comments
Episode 108- at last, some clues to support my ideas on paint effects and the answer to a vexatious question
Have a look at this link, number four “French country decor for walls”- http://www.dreamhomedecorating.com/french-country-decor.html I have seen this decorative paint treatment before, generally in French country interiors and specifically at this beautiful renovation job which has featured in numerous French, … Continue reading
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