The tea trolley is transformed …..

Hello all

Do you sometimes start things then change your mind half way? The dated tea trolley I shared in the last post needed a transformation.

I have very intention of using it in our lounge as a sewing trolley over winter so I wanted it to be traditional enough to fit in but also something that was lovely as well.

I started off with the intention of Annie Sloan's Emperor's Silk paint covered with Graphite to give it a deep colour.

However,  once I painted the Emperor's Silk over the trolley, it looked bright & vibrant.

I decided against painting it all in Graphite as I loved the Emperor's Silk colour. However, I decided to so the trim around the top edge, including the flaps, in Old White to give it some definition. I was sure that the white would wax to a softer colour.

I also added some white details to the turned legs as well as the drawer details to bring it to life. I was not sure how that would look but I know enough about the paint now to know that I could paint over it if I was not happy with the results.

GO BOLDLY was my mantra for this project!

The top was first given two coats of Emperor's Silk red paint, then I used a kebab skewer to draw the lines on the top before adding some random markings of Florence which is a bold green colour.

Once all was dried, I painted a coat of Graphite over the whole top. The Emperor's silk & Florence dabs gave a deep, light catching colour under the Graphite that improved with the dark wax. It shimmers in various light & gives depth to the top.

The dark carvings on the drawer & details were improved by the use of Old White. It waxed to an old wood type colour; the dark wax emphasised the shape of the details. Old White on the turned legs gave an interesting touch, a sort of distressed look even though it had been painted over the red.

Once dark waxed, Emperor Silk takes on a deep, aged look that is very pleasing ….

I always have a moment of panic when I first put the dark wax on because it comes on very dark until it is rubbed in & buffed. This is the look that panics me ….

 The dark wax really gave depth to the top of the table ….

I love how the dark wax aged the Old white & toned it down to a weathered colour

 This is the detail with wax on ….

The completed project - ready to be put into use as a sewing table over winter & smart enough to be used for drinks or anything else that is needed.

What do you think? Would you have gone as bold as I have? Thank you for stopping by & for taking the trouble to leave a comment.

Dee ~♥~