As we begin winding down the days, and start checking off boxes on our to-do lists, I wanted to make sure to blog about a special project that broke a lot of barriers for me. It’s not lost on me that this color, “Texas Rose” is the next project in my Homestead House Series, and it comes just as we are about to say goodbye to Texas. Oh and I also read somewhere that pink is the color of universal love of one’s self and of others. Looking back on our time here in Texas, there was so many things that are surrounded by love; memories, friends, co-workers…even the birth of our brand and business started right here in the heart of Texas. Timing is everything I guess and blogging about this project sure gives me a few smiles when I think of how everything just came together.
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I owned this dresser personally for almost two years before I finally decided to paint it. My plan was always do something simple like a stained top with an antique white base, but with this piece being mahogany, I knew it would be a nightmare. Plus the curvy lines and slightly feminine carvings on this piece needed a pretty color to fuse into the perfect, pretty dresser. The second I saw Texas Rose, I knew it was meant to be.
And isn’t she a stunner?! I can’t believe how perfect this shade of pink turned out to be and it’s so fitting for this elegant dresser. It reminds me of the perfect shade of pink lipstick, blush with a huge punch of rose. This lady, although gorgeous and well put together, did not come without some high maintenance.
You could say the bleeding heart of this dresser was the mahogany. Mahogany is NOTORIOUS for bleeding through paint and causing headaches for furniture painters around the world. One of the most common questions any furniture painter has is usually, “what is the best way to fix bleed through?” And while some answers will differ, the most common response will be shellac. Shellac seals the surface of the wood, while still giving you a compatible base to paint over. The trick for not causing a flaking, chipping finish and still managing to use shellac, is a light sand between coats, and a 1/2 dose of bonding agent.
I applied three coats of Texas Rose to the base of the dresser. I wanted full coverage, but not so thick that I would have issues distressing. I had hoped for some chippy, but in this case it was best that the shellac do it’s thing and prevent the bleed through, so I opted to smooth out the dresser with 220 grit paper and apply a bit more pressure on the places I wanted to look worn. Distressing should look natural and not overdone, or harsh. Milk paint, in my opinion, is the best way to get an authentically distressed piece.
After the milk paint had been distressed, I wanted to give this dresser just a slightly deeper look. Lately I’ve been putting a lot of faith into the power of hemp oil and Fusion Mineral Paint’s Beeswax Finish. I have used this combo many times over milk painted pieces, some of which are my own and they have held up nicely. By nicely I mean, no dulling, no forever fingerprints, no chipping or flaking, and no water damage (I have been cautious about putting hot/cold drinks on the surface without coasters).
The top had been sanded to bare wood and given one…yes one coat of Homestead House Stain and Finishing Oil (SFO)in One in the color Cappuccino. This stain is amazing in so many ways, but just to name a couple: virtually no odor and safe to use indoors, highly pigmented, and no need for a sealer! Im so used to having a bit of sheen on my tops, so adding a few coats of the Natural SFO will help build that!
It’s also no coincidence that the only knobs I had on hand were these pretty, ceramic white roses that I got from Hobby Lobby on a 1/2 off week. And would you look at that crazing? I am becoming a huge fan of the crackled, crazed look and hoping to attempt recreating this finish on a few projects for the Homestead House series, but that will have to wait until after our move.
Are you surprised that I also had a pretty blush pink and gold painted rose paper for the drawers? I’m not. Everything on this dresser was meant to signify a rose in some sort of way. What kind of a coincidence would it be that the very lady who purchased this dresser and had it shipped all the way to Wisconsin for a nursery, named her baby Rose? No…it would be too perfect. But one can hope that fate came together in aligning the pretty pink stars for it’s new owner. What do you think? Can you see yourself painting with Texas Rose?
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