Shutter + Brushes

A friend from my grade school days asked me to update her rocker and create something special for rocking her future grandchildren. She gave me free rein to design something and told me to “just surprise her.” We share the love of vintage china patterns and our collections both include patterns in a rose motif. It was only fitting to add them to her rocker. I painted the piece with Dixie Belle Lemonade chalk paint, waxed it with Annie Sloan wax and adorned it with IOD Wondrous Floral II transfers. I can only imagine the joyous and memorable moments she will enjoy in this rocker.

I had the luxury of working with an interior designer to create a romantic, personalized and pretty French inspired vanity for her master bathroom sanctuary. Imagine this just as a flat beige piece of furniture. What makes this beautiful now is the layering of embellishments to create this glowing look. We used Benjamin Moore Advance paint for a white wash effect and added a Mohawk glaze with Rustoleum Metallic paint to top the finish off with a warm pearly glow. The hardware was repainted with champagne and silver metallic accents. It was a treat to work on this project. This bathroom certainly has style and grace to be appreciated by…

This small end table was found at Goodwill for $5.00 and I just had to grab it. It was very dirty but had a lot of style. I knew I wanted to experiment with it and just let myself go with water and chalk paint. This was my first attempt at using gold leafing and it ended up working out. I am used to creating a polished refined look but it was time to color outside the lines. You will see more of this from me!

This classic Hepplewhite desk found at Goodwill is now glamorous and sophisticated. The gold and black design creates a strong focal point for any room. Use it as a desk again or make it into a vanity by adding a small chair and a mirror. The waxed chalk paint has a soft sheen that looks like velvet! Hard to decide if I should keep this or sell it!

Do you have a dresser that is still functional but maybe not the right color or style for today’s design? This very simple dresser had a purple top and it was definitely time to give it a face lift. The sunny yellow exterior now gives off a cottage vibe. It exudes warmth and light and is certain to make any room a happy place.

This Bombay inspired chest has an elegant shiny new coat of high gloss black paint. The piece certainly looks dignified and sophisticated in the foyer of its owner. This was hard piece for me to take back because I wanted to use it in my own foyer!

Look what happens when you add some chalk paint, a few IOD molded clay bees and a wax glaze to a set of formal dining room chairs! These chairs were lovely as they were but the transformation made a huge impact on this dining room. Inspired Design by Geryl had the vision and I was fortunate enough to get to paint them!

This antique vanity set makes a statement wearing a gorgeous coat of salty dog blue paint. It was paired with a set of bright orange headboards and custom bedding by Inspired Design by Geryl. These items were painted with Sherwin Williams latex paint. Restyling existing pieces is an exciting and economical way to give a room a more modern look.

Vintage Shutters made a comeback in this dining room for a client of Inspired Design by Geryl. These were found at Tim & Julies Another Fine Mess Restoration Store. Sample boards were created for designers to consider finish options. After a good cleaning and fresh coat of paint these were enhanced with custom black and white waxing.

A co-worker asked me if I could recreate the look of a piece of furniture she found on Pinterest.   The antique dresser she showed me was one I had previously admired and crafted by Rehab2FabDesigns.  Immediately I was interested in attempting to recreate the look of this purple beauty.  The quest began to find the right chest of drawers, the perfect purple paint mix and the French rose transfers.   With a trip to a resale mall, a visit to one of my favorite paint stores, and some online shopping I was successful.  After a few weekends she was complete and delivered.  It was the perfect statement piece for her guest room!  www.shutterandbrushes.com @shutterandbrushes @fleamarketflip_ @beeseasonfloristry

My very favorite Union Jack Table was featured on the Annie Sloan America Facebook Page today. I could not have been more thrilled to see this when I was having breakfast. Special thanks to Pam And Lauren from Birds Gotta Fly Vintage in Elkhart. This is truly my favorite store and if you want to take a class in chalk painting this is the place to do it! Union Jack was the result of a creative brainstorm when I was trying to figure out how to use Emperor’s Silk Red and Napoleonic Blue together. Grabbed some painters tape and a ruler and away I went!

The Miller china cabinet was the most exciting piece of furniture I have restyled. The project was for South Bend Interior Decorator, Geryl Miller of Inspired Design by Geryl. The cabinet features products from Annie Sloan, Dixie Belle and Sherwin Williams. The piece was lightly distressed and the wax took on a beautiful sheen as it was polished. This is a stunning centerpiece for her home. What a difference a coat of paint can make! We will be working on her dining room chairs next. Stay tuned!

This vintage dresser came from my parents home. It was and antique when my mother picked it up over 50 years ago. She found it at a sale and still today it bears a tag from Leinhart Furniture in Wakarusa, IN. It has been sitting neglected in my basement for many years. My niece Hannah is embarking on a new adventure with her first apartment. This was to opportunity I was waiting for. Every marine biology major needs a mermaid chest and that was all the inspiration I needed. I kept part of the original finishes and embellished it with air dry clay mermaids. After many layers of paint and…

Frencie was another estate find from a home in Mishawaka, IN. It was the last day of the sale and I was surprised to see this remaining. Doesn’t everyone need a cute little golden table! It was a lucky day as I managed to buy several items at this sale for a bargain price. It was interesting to me to find the old price tag underneath and realize that I bought it for pennies of its original cost. After a careful cleaning Annie Sloan Provence Blue was applied and the piece was lightly wiped off and sprayed with water, this process allowed the golden finish underneath to show as a more…

Union Jack was found at a Goodwill Store in Fishers, IN. It was decorated with pink and green glued buttons and painted a creamy buttermilk color. I took one look at the beautiful legs and unique height and knew it was my next project. I picked it up and headed straight for the checkout! After staring at the table for several hours and scanning Pinterest, I decided to give it new life by painting it red and utilizing an old Union Jack pattern on the top. It would be the perfect transformation. The old buttons and glue were removed, and the finish sanded. Annie Sloan Emperor’s Silk Red was the…

This dresser, fondly referred to as the “Fulton Dresser” was found at a local estate sale on Fulton Street in Elkhart, IN. As I strolled through the home I found little to interest me. However, a tour of the garage produced this gem! Although a bit tattered with a few structural issues, it was sound and shined with glorious details. I quickly picked up the sale tab and as I returned to re-enter the house, two different people offered to pay me twice the asking price. I politely smiled, thanked them and declined their offers. I already had plans to bring new life to this exquisite piece.

Rosie was found in the basement of an estate sale house in Mishawaka. She had been spray painted gold and had a few spots of green mold on the top and legs. After a good sanding and some fresh stain I decided she needs a little pop. I reached for my collection of paper napkins to see what I could add. After a great deal of practicing with decoupage I have finally mastered a way to get them to lay flat. The red and pink flowers popped on the stained background!

Doesn’t everyone need a picnic table for their yard! This picnic table was another estate sale find and minute I saw it I knew it had to be red! The longer I looked at it the more I knew that it was going to have a bohemian flair. It is stained in a deep red weatherproof stain with golden stenciling on the top! It certainly is going to be a hard table to part with! I tossed in one of my favorite picnic baskets for the shoot!

This little gem came from my mother’s house and was ready for a refresh! I used Annie Sloan Antionette Pink Chalk Paint, added some decoupage and a few soft gold accents! It the perfect compliment to the vintage tile in my bathroom!