Average But Inspired

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September 8, 2020 by Bre

Small Secretary Desk Makeover

I absolutely love painting furniture, but now that I have enough furniture to fill my own house, I don’t paint as often as I’d like.  When I spot a great piece at a bargain price, however, I can’t pass it up.  That’s what happened with this small secretary desk that I got for $25 on a local resale site. This small secretary desk got a classic makeover with black chalk paint. It's the perfect work from home desk for a small spot.

With so many people working from home now, I knew this small-scale desk would be the perfect piece to fix up and re-sell!  This small secretary desk got a beautiful makeover in classic black chalk paint.

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Since I decided to paint it to sell, I did not do anything fancy to it.  I wanted to appeal to the masses!  So I gave this small secretary desk a makeover with classic black chalk paint.  This small secretary desk got a makeover with chalk paint. This is a progress shot of the makeover process.

I originally planned to give it a two-tone look by leaving the drawer the natural wood.  After I saw the desk like this I decided I didn’t like it.  At first, this small secretary desk was going to have a two-tone finish with wood and black paint, but the painter decided she did not like how this looked. So she painted the drawer black, too.

And so, I painted the drawer black, too.  This small secretary desk is getting a makeover in classic black.

I sealed the whole piece with my favorite furniture wax, and then I also used antique gold wax to shine up the visible hinges.  I also swapped the original plain drawer knobs for these cute white and brass knobs.

SC Johnson Paste Wax is an amazing wax for sealing chalk painted furniture.

Once it was finished, it looked fresh and ready for a new home office!  This small secretary desk got a makeover with classic black chalk paint and new hardware.

I listed it on Facebook Marketplace and sold it in less than an hour.  This small secretary desk makeover is so pretty! Painted in classic black, it's a desk that works in a small spot but provides a lot of storage with the drawer and internal desk area.

This small secretary desk makeover is so pretty in classic black.

On to the next furniture flip!

-Bre

June 18, 2020 by Bre

How to Antique a Mirror From the Front with Paint

My new house was built in the 1970’s and is overflowing with mirrored surfaces! I’ve already eliminated one reflective surface by wallpapering the mirrored bookcases next to the fireplace, but for my built-in china cabinet makeover I decided to antique the plate glass mirror that was part of the cabinet, instead of totally covering it. 

Here’s what the china cabinet looked like after I painted it, but before I antiqued the mirror. (Aren’t the construction debris piles you see in the background nice?  :-))

BEFORE: this plate glass mirror was a plain part of this built-in china cabinet. This blogger created a technique to antique the mirror from the front, and it resulted in a gorgeous finish.

Why Antique a Mirror From the Front?

Since the mirror is attached to china cabinet, I couldn’t follow one of the typical DIY mirror antiquing tutorials, because those all require you to remove the back layer of the mirror (the gray covering on the back of any mirror).  Because of that, I experimented a lot and came up with my own way to antique a mirror from the front with paint – no chemicals at all!

This method of antiquing a mirror is fantastic because it costs hardly any money at all, is actually very easy to do, and lets you antique ANY mirror!  It is not always possible to remove the back of a mirror (for example – if the mirror is glued in place, like mine, or if you don’t want to work with harsh chemicals, which are required for traditional antiquing methods), so this is an awesome alternative mirror antiquing technique for everyone.

Supplies Needed for This DIY Antique Mirror Finish

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

  • Black metallic multi-surface craft paint (any brand will work – just make sure it’s metallic and multi-surface)
  • Silver metallic multi-surface craft paint (any brand will work – just make sure it’s metallic and multi-surface)
  • Craft sea sponges
  • Windex made with vinegar
  • Paper towels
  • Clean, dry wash cloth or terry cloth towel
  • Paper plate or paint palette
  • Optional: small craft mirrors to test your technique prior to painting your mirror.  I purchased small mirrors at Dollar Tree to do my testing.)

How to Antique a Mirror From the Front With Paint

I took photos of each step of this process, but it may be a little difficult to understand with photos and text alone.  Don’t worry – I also made a video to help show you how to recreate this technique yourself.  You’ll find that near the bottom of this post!

Begin with a clean mirror surface.  Once the mirror is dry, you’re ready to go!  Begin by squirting a small amount of silver metallic multi-surface craft paint onto a paper plate or palette.  Take one sea sponge and run it through the paint.  Dab off excess paint and then begin stamping the mirror.  

Learn to antique a mirror from the front! Unlike typical antiqued mirror tutorials that require you to remove the mirror backing, this method uses only paint (no chemicals) and lets you antique from the front.

Notice that I did not cover the entire mirror with the silver craft paint – instead I made sure to leave some parts of the “regular” mirror showing.

Once you complete a small section of the mirror, and before the silver craft paint dries, lightly mist the mirror with a spray of the Windex with vinegar.  

Learn to antique a mirror from the front! Unlike typical antiqued mirror tutorials that require you to remove the mirror backing, this method uses only paint (no chemicals) and lets you antique from the front.

You’ll see some of the paint run down the mirror.  That is OK and what you want to happen!  Take a clean sea sponge (not one with paint on it), and start dabbing up the Windex with the sponge.  

Learn to antique a mirror from the front! Unlike typical antiqued mirror tutorials that require you to remove the mirror backing, this method uses only paint (no chemicals) and lets you antique from the front.

This creates a different texture than the original paint stamping.

Next, take a paper towel sheet and press it onto the painted surface.  This will remove more of the Windex and paint, and also cause a blurred imprint to transfer to the mirror surface.

Learn to antique a mirror from the front! Unlike typical antiqued mirror tutorials that require you to remove the mirror backing, this method uses only paint (no chemicals) and lets you antique from the front.

Repeat this paint, spray, dab, and press process until you cover the mirror with the silver craft paint.

Learn to antique a mirror from the front! Unlike typical antiqued mirror tutorials that require you to remove the mirror backing, this method uses only paint (no chemicals) and lets you antique from the front.

See how the reflection is blurred, but parts of “regular” mirror remain?  That’s how it is on authentically antiqued mirrors, too!

Next, it’s time to add the black metallic craft paint. This is what really takes the antique look to the next level.

For this part, you dab the black paint on the exact same way as you did the silver paint – apply it with the clean sea sponge.  

You don’t need to add as much black paint as you did silver paint.  The black is more of an accent whereas the silver paint formed the base of the antique mirror look.  So, just do this process in strategic areas to really give your mirror that old look.

Before the black paint dries, dab it with the clean, dry wash cloth or terry cloth towel.  You do not spray the black paint with Windex!  Just press and dab with the towel in order to give it a slightly different look than the silver paint.

Learn to antique a mirror from the front! Unlike typical antiqued mirror tutorials that require you to remove the mirror backing, this method uses only paint (no chemicals) and lets you antique from the front.

Let the paint dry and then you’ve successfully antiqued a mirror from the front instead of the back!

Learn to antique a mirror from the front! Unlike typical antiqued mirror tutorials that require you to remove the mirror backing, this method uses only paint (no chemicals) and lets you antique from the front.

Since this is a painted finish, it’s important to take care when cleaning a mirror you’ve antiqued in this manner.  I generally just dust the mirror with a soft cloth to clean it.  Since it doesn’t need the shiny finish of a regular mirror, there’s no need to spray it with window or glass cleaner!  

How to Antique a Mirror From the Front Video Tutorial

Now, as promised, here’s the video that shows you how I achieved this antiqued mirror look with paint.  I hope this helps you understand how easy this faux finish is to replicate!

This is great! Learn to antique a mirror from the front, instead of the back (which is the usual method of antiquing a mirror).  You don't have to remove the mirror backing and you can do it all with paint!
-Bre

June 8, 2020 by Bre

Dated Oak China Cabinet Makeover

Our new house came with some nice architectural features, but they were all pretty dated.  I already tackled a makeover of our 1970s stone fireplace, and most recently finished the built-in dated oak china cabinet makeover, which has made a HUGE difference in my dining room already!  

Here’s the built-in oak china cabinet a little over a month ago. Before it got a makeover, this dated oak china cabinet was an eyesore.

Notice that the dining room was being used as a temporary e-learning classroom for my kids (hence the folding tables), and that we have no “real” furniture.  This built-in china cabinet was useful but dated. See how it got a beautiful makeover.

We left our dining room furniture in Illinois for the new homeowners because we knew it wouldn’t fit in our new space.  (It makes me happy in a way to know the furniture is still there in the house.  It’s like a little piece of us is there.  :-))

My kids did not like doing their school work in the dining room, so they kept abandoning their work tables and infiltrating my living room and kitchen.  I decided that if they weren’t going to stay in their space, then I would take over “theirs” and start the makeover process!  

The first thing I did was refinish the oak countertop with gel stain.  I’ve previously used gel stain to refinish my front door and lots of other wood finishes in our new home (here are my best gel stain tips), so I knew it would work perfectly for this countertop.  The top of this built-in china cabinet was refinished with gel stain in walnut finish.

Next, I ordered new lower cabinet doors from The Cabinet Door Store and new hardware from D. Lawless Hardware.  I really wanted to modernize this cabinet, so I figured new lower doors (removing the arched top and paneled inlay), and new hardware (in a brass finish to mirror the brass on the leaded glass upper doors), would help do the trick.

The new cabinet doors were great quality, and the cabinet hardware was beautiful and priced right.  I recommend both of those vendors if you’re in the market for cabinet doors or hardware.

Next, I chose Benjamin Moore’s Waller Green for the paint color.  Waller Green is a gorgeous shade of dark green that is almost black.  I knew I wanted green for this china cabinet, but I also wanted a color that would be timeless because Heaven knows I do not want to repaint this beast again anytime soon.  Bre from Average But Inspired transformed a dated oak china cabinet in Waller Green paint.

Because I had a lot of interruptions, and because I was being a perfectionist, it took me about a month to paint this oak china cabinet using Benjamin Moore Advance paint (a perfect paint for cabinets).  I followed the kitchen cabinet painting process detailed in my DIY Cabinet Painting Pro guide, which is an incredibly helpful resource for anyone wanting to paint their wood or laminate kitchen cabinets!  This built-in oak china cabinet got a brand new look! With Waller Green paint from Benjamin Moore, new lower doors, new hardware, and an antique mirror accent, it is now a gorgeous addition to this dining room.

The finishing touch was applying a faux antique mirror finish to the plate glass mirror already on the china cabinet.  Because the mirror was already attached to the cabinet, I had to come up with a creative way to achieve this antique mirror finish, as antiquing is typically done by removing the back layer of the mirror.  I wrote blog post on how to antique a mirror from the front, so check that out if you’re interested in trying that technique!

This dated oak china cabinet got a fresh new look with dark green paint, new hardware, new doors, and an antique mirror finish.

The hard work was definitely worth it. 

I am in l-o-v-e with my built-in china cabinet now.  I feel like it’s an asset instead of an eyesore.  This built-in china cabinet got a brand new look with dark green paint and a stained oak countertop.

Next up, I will be painting the room, replacing the light fixture, getting furniture, and decorating! (P.S.you can see my son and dog crate in the door reflection – ha!)  (Wanna see the finished dining room makeover?  Check out my Modern Vintage Dining Room post!)

This built-in china cabinet shines in Waller Green paint from Benjamin Moore, and with a stained oak countertop and antique mirror back.

I can’t wait to be able to entertain in here . . . someday!  This faux antique mirror finish on a built-in china cabinet is a beautiful addition to this china cabinet makeover.

I’d love to know what you think of my dated oak china cabinet makeover.  This china cabinet got an extensive makeover! With new paint in Waller Green by Benjamin Moore, an antique mirror back, and new doors, it is looking good!Much better, don’t you think?  Please be sure to PIN this image to share the love! See how this blogger transformed a dated oak china cabinet from the 1970's to a beautiful piece that looks updated for the times. The paint color, Waller Green, is sophisticated and timeless. It's a gorgeous dark green that works with all decor styles.

-Bre

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April 23, 2020 by Bre

How to Soften a Hard Paint Brush Without Chemicals!

There is nothing worse than getting ready to start a painting project and finding your paint brush dried out and too hard to use!  Before you get frustrated and go buy a new brush, let me show you how to soften a hard paint brush without chemicals. 

This is so helpful! Learn how to soften a hard paint brush without using harsh chemicals. This easy method of softening hard paint brush bristles is something to remember for later!

It’s so easy and will have you painting again in no time!  In all of my time painting furniture, I’ve encountered the hard paint brush too often, but I promise this technique works to soften paint brush bristles!

What is the best way to clean paint brushes?

For future reference, as soon as you finish using a paint brush, make sure to clean it! This will help keep your paint brush soft and ready for use in the future!

If you used water-based or latex paint, you can wash the paint brush in the sink with warm water.  Keep rinsing and going through the brush bristles until the water runs totally clear.  If the paint is hard to remove, try adding a little dish soap and massaging it into the paint brush bristles.

If you used oil-based paint or stain, clean the brush by soaking it in mineral spirits or turpentine.  Plain old water will not help here!  Both mineral spirits and turpentine smell bad, so make sure to clean the paint brush in an area with good ventilation!

Why do paint brushes get hard?

No matter how carefully you clean your paint brushes, there are times that they will get hard.  This most often happens because even the smallest amount of paint left on the paint brush bristles can harden and cause bristles to stick together.

How to Soften a Hard Paint Brush Without Using Chemicals

Chances are you will have a paint brush that has hardened, despite your best efforts to clean it.  You’ll be happy to know that it is very easy to soften the paint brush, and no harsh chemicals are needed!

Step One: Heat Up Vinegar

First, pour vinegar into a pot and place it on the stove.  Heat the vinegar until it is just about boiling.

To help soften a paint brush that has gone hard, heat vinegar on the stove.

If you don’t have a stove, you could also heat the vinegar in the microwave.

Step Two: Pour the Hot Vinegar Into a Glass Jar

When the vinegar reaches the right temperature, pour it into a glass jar or some other container that you won’t be using for food storage in the future.

Step Three: Place the Hard Paint Brushes Into the Hot Vinegar

Now, place the dried paint brushes into the hot vinegar.  Make sure that all of the bristles are submerged in the vinegar solution.

Allow the dried and hard paint brushes to sit in the hot vinegar for at least twenty minutes.

Set a timer for twenty minutes and wait for the vinegar to begin softening the brushes.

After twenty minutes, check the paint brushes to see if they’re softened.  If not, wait another ten minutes.  

Step Four: Comb Through the Paint Brushes

Next, remove the paint brushes from the vinegar, and use a fork to comb through the bristles.  This will help remove any leftover dried paint within.

Comb through the softened paint brush with a fork.

Step Five: Rinse Out the Paint Brushes

Finally, rinse out the paint brushes to remove any vinegar and dried paint bits left in the paint brushes.  

When you have finished that, your paint brushes will be soft again and ready for another round of painting and DIY!

Test the paint brush prior to rinsing in the sink.

Don’t you love that there is such an easy way to soften hard paint brushes without chemicals?  I have a feeling you’ll be purchasing far fewer brushes now!

 

This is so helpful! Learn how to soften hard paint brushes with vinegar. No harsh chemicals needed! Your paint brushes will be soft and ready to use in around 30 minutes with this great method of softening paint brushes.

July 8, 2019 by Bre

Two-Tone Painted Dresser Makeover in Cypress Vine Green and Wood

Have you ever had a vision of how something would look in your home – and you were convinced it would be awesome?  That’s what happened to me when I purchased this antique tall dresser in a Facebook resale group recently.  I knew it would be gorgeous in my living room (to take the place of the changing table I turned into a console table)!

See how this tall antique dresser got a beautiful two-tone makeover.

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

It had some minor damage – like knicks, gouges, and missing hardware – but nothing that I couldn’t easily fix with wood filler and some paint in strategic places.

Wood filler can fix gouges and scratches in furniture that is going to be painted.

My vision told me I needed to paint this beauty a shade of mustard yellow or gold.  In my mind, the contrast of the yellow with the green walls in my living room was going to make a statement!  

So I got to work mixing up some homemade chalk paint using my favorite recipe: 8 oz. of flat latex paint, 4 tablespoons of calcium carbonate powder, and 2 tablespoons of water.  I used a yellow gold color from Behr and painted the front and sides of the dresser.

I put the drawers back in and knew it was ALL WRONG.

This tall dresser got a two-tone makeover with mustard yellow paint and natural wood.

This was definitely NOT the statement I wanted to make!  My daughter said it looked horrible and I knew she was right.

Back to the drawing board as they say.

I used this as an example to show my kids that if at first you don’t succeed, try again!  (And hey, maybe this will be an example for you, too.  You don’t always have to get it right on the first try.  If you mess up, so what.  Get a new color of paint and try again!  Don’t let fear stop you from picking up the paint brush!)

I went back to Home Depot and picked out a shade of green paint about three shades darker than the green on my walls – Cypress Vine green by Behr.  I mixed it up using that same chalk paint recipe and got to work.  With the first coat, it looked almost the same color of the walls.  I was nervous!  

The first coat of Cypress Vine paint by Behr looked almost sage green.

But after another coat and a topcoat of wax, it was just right!

Once another coat of Cypress Vine green by Behr and varnish were applied, the green darkened.

I then got to work replacing the drawer pulls on the top two drawers because one of the original four was missing.  I found these antique brass drawer pulls (pull pictured on the left) and think they work well with the original look of the piece!

This antique dresser got new hardware to look original.

I put the whole thing back together and was so happy that this tall dresser now looks right at home in my living room!

Gorgeous! This tall dresser looks right at home in this green living room. The two-tone look features natural wood and Cypress Vine green paint by Behr.

Gorgeous! This tall dresser looks right at home in this green living room. The two-tone look features natural wood and Cypress Vine green paint by Behr.

Gorgeous! This tall dresser looks right at home in this green living room. The two-tone look features natural wood and Cypress Vine green paint by Behr.

It took a bit of effort to get here, but it was worth it!  I love the character of the piece and how the colors work together beautifully!

Gorgeous! This tall dresser looks right at home in this green living room. The two-tone look features natural wood and Cypress Vine green paint by Behr.

I hope my color choice mistake inspires you to take a chance and paint something, too!  It really is no big deal if you pick the wrong color.  You’ll find the right one eventually!

-Bre

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Bre of Average But Inspired

Hi, I'm Bre! Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you'll find ideas to inspire your creativity and beautify your home here.

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