Rebecca Wrecks the Pantry

One thing I will say about our new home-it is true to the 70"s aesthetic. Too bad that works better for clothing then it does for interior design.  Although the slab golden oak does bring out the pattern in the contact paper wall covering.  Notice the tiny knobs for handles. 

The inside is not an improvement.

The shelves are built double depth right up to edge of the doors. And covered in dirty white contact paper.  There is a single light bulb with a pull chain. The linoleum is original to the home and the less said about it the better!

We basically just threw stuff in there and lived with the disorganization for 9months.  Wow! Most people at least get a baby after that much time.

Welcome to the Level 4 Hot Zone. Please burn your suit and shower after leaving.

We paid a crew to remove the popcorn and the wallpaper in the entire house. This is my 5th house rodeo and the biggest lesson is: Get the basics fixed first.  Start with a fresh palette as much as possible before moving on to the more fun decor stuff.  It is a really messy and dusty process.  But worth in the end.

So back to the pantry.  Unfortunately taking off the popcorn and wallpaper didn't magically change this into a reclaimed barn door with beautiful heavy metal fixtures.  The position of the door and available wall space made using a sliding door impossible.  I also learned about replacing doors from my previous fixer-uppers.  It is rare that a new standardized door will fit perfectly in an older opening with out some carpentry work.  Since my carpentry skills are just above not cutting my hand off, I decided to work with what I got!

I removed the doors and took them to the studio.  Since I am adding trim to the flat doors, I removed the side molding to allow for that extra relief.

  

I cleaned the doors and the trim surround with Paseo which is a strong de-glosser and degreaser. You can use TSP, Krud Kutter or Simple Green.  I use a clean rag and wipe the Paseo over the surface. You will see the "schmutz" coming off on the rag.  Keep turning the cloth and replacing for a clean one as you work. You don't want to reapply the junk you just took off. I wet my cloths before throwing them away. No rag fires please! When working with a degreaser/de-glosser make sure you wear gloves and the room has ventilation.  Safety first always.

The doors and frame are sanded with a medium grit sanding block. My doors are so old that the finish just came off in uneven patches. Use a damp cloth or denatured alcohol to remove the dust.

I painted my doors Royal Taupe Setcoat to give me an even well-sealed base.  See that faint hazing on the dried paint? That is Crème Activator from Faux Effects.  It's a great product even though it looks like snot in the bucket.  It is a barrier product that slows an above layer bonding to the sub straight.  Unlike Vaseline there is no petroleum in this product. The product will evaporate and the upper layer will dry and bond firmly over night. No sanding or mess. Plus you don't have to worry about getting all the petroleum jelly off! Crème Activator is a Gold label product intended for use by professional cabinet finishers. It is totally worth taking a Faux Effects cabinet class to learn how to use it. It is a staple product of  the cabinet classes I teach.

I used a small white fluffy roller to apply the Crème Activator in a thin even layer.  Fold a terry towel and wipe down the crème activator. For those of you trained in CA, this is the step you usually forget. You will think you are taking it off but don't worry. This just keeps you from applying too much! I let it set-up about 30 minutes.

I mixed Faux Effects' Sandstone with water (1 quart to 1 cup water) and whipped it into a paste. I troweled this over the surface covering 95% of my base.

My Sandstone dried to the leather stage in 30 minutes.  I used a wire brush to scrub the surface. The effect is similar to a Cerused Oak.

The wire brush removes lines of the Sandstone because of the Crème Activator.  To create more texture, I use an old chip brush to apply more Sandstone in a stria effect.  If you don't have access to Crème Activator, you can still do a version of this finish.  Just skip the troweled layer and brush on the Sandstone to create a rough wood texture. You may have to repeat this step to get the build and coverage you desire.

I also use the brush to apply the Sandstone to the sides of the doors.

The Sandstone layer needs to dry overnight. 

My motion shot hence the blur!

I mixed FX Thinner with Stain & Seal and brushed it over the surface.  This is a water-based stain and water-based glaze medium.  I spritzed the surface with water and used a damp cloth to move/remove the stain the length of the doors.

When the stain dried, I rolled FE Old World Finishing Paint in Coconut 100% over the surface.  This is a mineral paint that dries to an opaque matte finish.

When the Coconut is dry (a few hours), I sanded with a medium grit sanding block. This is a dusty process. As I sand, I wipe the surface with a damp cloth. This lets me know how much of the underneath layers will show.  The surface will feel amazing because the Old World Finishing Paint really fills in the low areas of the texture.  Old World Finishing Paint is a now available in a range of pre-tinted colors.

I sealed the surface with Aquaguard Satin which is a water-based poly.  I use a black foam roller like the one pictured above. This minimizes bubbling especially if you thin the topcoat with water (about 10% - 20% is enough). Let it dry an hour before recoating.

I measured the top and bottom of my bi-fold doors remembering there is the break where the door folds out.  That means that each panel has 2 narrow doors attached with a hinge.  Each panel needs 4 small molding pieces for a total of 8 pieces. I used paint grade popular strips from Home Depot and applied the Sandstone treatment and sealed. Then I cut the strips and painted the edges as needed.  To affix, I used Liquid Nails.

Since I couldn't get my barn door, I wanted to add a little rustic charm with metal tacks.  Now the tacks at the hardware store are usually smaller and not as decorative.  Sources include D.A.D.S Nails and Decotacks.  It is important to use a good tack. Less expensive one (and by that I mean cheap) will bend or break when you hammer them in.

Since these were a hammered metal using a hammer was not a problem. If you need to protect the tack finish, create a starter hole with a nail. Then place the tack in the hole and knock in with a rubber mallet.

I painted my trim in Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee. Because of Bruce's lung condition I won't use oil based paints in the house.  I have tried several water-born enamels with varying degrees of success. My most recent venture with a water-based version of a popular trim paint was not so great even though I've used it for years. It pilled and pulled back even after sanding the wood trim. The next day it rolled off when re-wet with a brush. I need 3-4 coats for coverage over a light wood. And after 2 months, it pulled off with low tack tape.  Of course I could prime the woodwork first. But many people use enamel to avoid priming and top-coating. And using stinky primer defeats my purpose of protecting Bruce.

After talking with my local rep, I used the Advance Water-Born Alkyd in a satin finish.  It took 2 coats over the cleaned and lightly sanded trim but it rolled well with a foam roller or a good paint brush. The finish dried to a true pretty low luster satin.  It costs about $79 a gallon but goes a really like way. In my opinion people are too cheap when it comes to paint.

I added these fun large vintage looking handles. The size easily covered the existing hole from the poor sad tiny knobs.

The kitchen paint color is Benjamin Moore Rockport Grey-more on the paint color and what happened with the walls in a later post.  As you can see, I've removed the baseboards around the entire kitchen in preparation for my biggest project to date-replacing the floor.

Now let's see what happened behind the doors!

A u-shaped  gives more room and accessibility to a small pantry.  The existing shelves were in great condition and the shelf paper came off easily.  It turned out that the deep shelves were two pieces, one in front of the other.  After removing the front shelf, I measured the sides.  Then I cut the wood I removed to make small side shelves for each side. I gained 6 additional storage spaces!

I painted the shelves in the same Royal Taupe Setcoat and top coated with Aquaguard Satin-just like the doors. Remember to paint and topcoat both sides so the shelves don't warp.

Most contact paper is really generic or ugly.  I made my own with wrapping paper. I Aquaguard on the wood and then decoupaged the paper using more top-coat on top. A brayer will roll out the air bubbles.

 I could have built out the wood brackets already in the pantry but honestly, I was ready for this project to be done!  I used 2 metal brackets and a corner brace from the hardware store for support.  Then I used wood screws and drilled down through the top of the shelf to the wood wall bracket. Very secure!

Since moving into a smaller space I've come to appreciate the power of organization. Even an unseen space can be more tidy and functional.

The hanging wire baskets and dog food bin is from IKEA.  The Lazy Susan's and can holders are from the Home Store.  I built this cart from IKEA to hold our baking goods.  Putting everything into glass jars makes for a nice and clean presentation.   I even cut out a shelf so the cart would slide easily into the back of the pantry!

That's it! It's crazy but a cluttered home created a cluttered life for me.

 Now I actually feel more settled in and calm.

The down side?  Since I can find the food again I have to start cooking.

If you would like to learn about Faux Effects Cabinet products join me for a class. I will be teaching May 5-6th at the Sarasota School of Faux & Architectural Finishes in Florida. Please call 941-921-6181 for more information. I also have cabinet classes listed on our Surfaces Website!.

Faux Fluenza

We all have hobbies, right? Things that interest us.  Look at a friend's bookshelf.  My friends have colorful books on art, design, and fashion.  Mine?

"Level 4. Virus Hunters of the CDC."

"The Black Death."

"And the Band Played On."

"The Stand."

"World War Z. An oral history of the Zombie War."

Yes. I am obsessed with disease hunting.  I even worked with the CDC and let me tell you nothing is more scary then reading the monthly World Health Organization updates. Unless you google search a medical term. All I can say is don't eat before you do it.

So what does this have to do with Faux? I read a recent article that asked, "Is Faux Dead?"  It got me thinking...

Fauxpocalypse? Or just a sniffle?

The answer is no but I can tell you that our profession is a bit ill. Not dead but more then a cold.  

How did we end up with Faux Fluenza?

All illness follows a pattern. In public health it's called Epidemiology. It begins with etiology or the origin of the disease.  Next is transmission or how is it spread.  Then there is an outbreak or sudden increase in occurrence.  We engage in screening, which facilitates diagnosis. And finally treatment.

THE ORIGINS.

Remember when you finished every room because the costs were folded into the mortgage? Builders included big allowances for decorative painting. Old World was hot. And then like Old World Pompeii-it all blew up.

THE TRANSMISSION.

First we lost the builders and designers unless your job was getting a house ready to sell. I did say something.

Then we lost the part-timers who pursued other part-time jobs that paid better and had some benefits. I again said something.

Then they came for the older finishers with faulty shoulders and bad backs.  Who needs it! I said something then too.

And then they came for me! Since everyone else was gone no-one said anything. And by this time I was horse from saying too much.

People don't take classes if they don't have money. They don't buy product if they can't get a job. The illness had spread up and down the decorative community.

 

THE OUTBREAK

While decorative artisans were facing fauxmageddon, the world of the DIY'er rose out of the ashes.  All of a sudden you didn't need a professional just a great pin board and you-tube video.  Access to information is unprecedented with a barrage of gurus and experts handy with Instagram filters.  Making over things yourself is fun, cheap, and satisfying. I do it myself!  But the un-intended side effect is the notion that "good-enough" is great, quality pricing is price gouging, and Internet learning is the same as hands on training and experience.

THE DIAGNOSIS

The defining symptom is Faux Fatigue. Those infected looked at their walls and cabinets and ceilings covered in chippy plasters and aged patinas.  Even when it is beautiful and well-done it make them tired and heavy.

The next symptom is a grey tinge that develops to a white on white pallor.

Finally, they begin hallucinating and repeating the words "Grieg" "Shiplap," "Vintage," "Upcycle" and in a final breath you hear the whisper, "grass cloth."

That's it. You have a full blown FAUX FLUENZA epidemic!

THE TREATMENT

The key to many treatments is giving people an altered version of the disease. Think of vaccinations. For finishers this means studying and offering finishes that mimic expensive wallpapers. Learn how to layer patterns effectively and render printing techniques on a vertical surface.

Work with the trends.

Take your favorite Old World Samples and update the colors to lighter greyer shades.  Think of all the potential sick people that won't pay to get the texture removed but do want it refreshed.

Learn the language of the trends like Rustic Modern, Farmhouse, and Bohemian Chic.  Make design boards of the trends and set aside time to interpret the looks in faux finishes. Those of us who teach have switched to more modern and sleek finishes with less steps.

Create mini portfolios that focus on how finishing pulls together a trend in a wall, ceiling, and cabinet designs.

Set yourself apart. Don't be afraid to include the unique. While everyone is offering the same thing you can offer the alternative. You need samples that set you apart and make people remember you!

Focus your efforts. You will never be cheap enough for some people.  Research the healthy markets that include custom builders, custom designers, and up-grading homeowners. As my friend Suzanne told me yesterday, "upper clientele want a turn-key job." You need to be a skilled finisher in walls and cabinets as well as a project manager.  The less the client has to coordinate, the better.

Go through your samples and let go of dated boards.  Assign a price per square foot to the samples you keep. You should have a range that starts at $2 a square foot and on up.  Make sure you have a low, medium and high offering for a finish.  For example, here are 3 different off-white cabinets at different price points.

And finally accept that you have to hustle harder to get your work out there. You are competing against an endless stream of information and visual stimulation. Web-sites, blogs, Instagram, Facebook, and Pintrest are major sources for information. Of those people, 80% are just shopping ideas. But you never know who is looking to buy.  I tagged a friend in a Facebook post and her older client saw it. He contacted her to do that finish!

Hopefully there will be a day when Faux Fluenza is no more. Until then, we will work on treatments that lead to a healthy, interesting, and profitable faux finishing world!

My new kitchen: The Plan

Call me crazy but contact paper is really not a viable wall covering!  When my Mom saw the kitchen for the first time she said, "I had that same cook top...in 1979."  She probably had the macramé plant holder as well.

There are some pluses to our "new" kitchen.  It is inside. 

OK...there are more things. It is a good size and very sunny.  It has a nice eat-in area. Storage space is good.  The Corian is new. It's not granite but I'm good with it. The color is nice and the stuff cleans/wears really well.

The tile is not subway but it's white and very clean.  I can work with it.

What doesn't work:

The wallpaper....Walmart special

Popcorn ceilings...of course

Heavy ugly ceiling fan

No task lighting

Poorly designed pantry

Old oak cabinets

Sheet linoleum floor in green squares

Now why is this list always longer then the things that work list?

Our friend Bailey came over to go over the lighting.  How do you cook when you have no lights? I believe people stayed married longer in the past because they really couldn't see each other.

Typical of my collaborations with Bailey.  We started with light bulbs....

and tore out a row of cabinets...

which caused the drywall to split and the ceiling to collapse releasing 4 bags of ceiling insulation. "I don't know why she swallowed a fly, I guess she'll die."  The chain reaction of home improvement.

As I noted in the previous post, Bruce is the only sane one is this relationship. He worked with Jon to get the wallpaper and popcorn removed. Everything is skimmed, primed, and ready to go. Like I said in my post about cabinets....hire a pro when you want it done right. This would have taken me at least 4-6 weeks on my own.

Bailey then installed my cook top lights. These are from IKEA in a charcoal metal. I love mixing IKEA pieces with unique finds...such as the light fixture replacing the brass ceiling fan. Bruce and I removed the old fan and installed this ourselves.

This wood and wire fixture is from Rensenhouse of Lights.  January is always their Bright Sale and I got this one At Cost.  It works well with my theme "Bohemian Chic" for the home. Bailey put in some pot lights and now I'm ready to work my magic.

I know painted plain walls are in-style but to me, an all white kitchen doesn't make me happy. It seems a little institutional. And hard to keep clean. I need texture and color.  Something with a little age that wears well.

When I walk in my kitchen I want to say "Wow, I love this" and not "Do you get Tater-tots with the meatloaf?"

The walls will be Aquawax mixed with Designer Metallic Setcoat. This is a very popular sample from our One Day Wax Class. It is a subtle palette with a bit of sheen that is amazingly durable.  I love pattern and have none on the walls so I want one in the kitchen. The above pattern is a favorite from Royal Design Studio rendered in Super Hide Metallic Silver and Rich Gold.  But I'm thinking of using this pattern from Melanie for the walls:

I love this delicate scroll work! These pictures are from the Royal Design Website.  Then I think I will add this pattern, also from Royal, on the soffit:

I want to finish the sunbursts in rusted etched foil! Wow...I'm already happy just thinking about it.

For my cabinets....let's face it, I've got some performance anxiety.  Is there a pill for that?

My pantry finish:

It's hard to retro-fit doors to an old opening and a barn door won't work in this space. I plan on adding Bomar or molding and some cool chunky handles. Then my finish will be our Indian Ivory which is a pale warm silver/gold with a slight grey texture and glazed cream.

Say goodbye to the blue table.

I need to use a beautiful round rug from our previous home and this color won't work. Oh well. Good thing I like to change things.  The new finish is a metallic olive bronze with a lightly cracked grey over the top. Then it's glazed and antiqued.

Where we removed the upper cabinets, I'm putting in chunky wood shelves. This will be a baking station with easy access to mixer, bowls, spices and such. Plus I have my grandmother's collection of milk glass. Guess I will have to cook....and clean more in the future. These cabinets will be a re-stain. I'm adapting the Setcoat I make to match Kendall Charcoal paint color into a re-stain formula. This way you will see the wood grain. I don't want all the wood to look painted.

The bulk of the cabinets will be in my Setcoat matched to Ben Moore Raccoon Hollow, which I will glaze lightly.

All I have left to do is select the floor and decide if I want to tackle it myself. Or hire out. The kitchen is the most important room of the kitchen so you want to pay for the best work possible. Even if it means walking on primed plywood for a while.

What do you think?