All New Shabby Chic Thread!

PinkyPunky

This thread is amazing! I have spent a good few days reading through and admiring photos and I am completely inspired and now I wanna ask for some help, if that's ok!? I have found this old shelf unit thing, it looks like a double cd rack but without the slats, but I want to use it long ways as a wall shelf.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52007638@N07/4790443267/

Buuuut, how can I make it beautiful? The only thing I can think of it to paint it a nice whitey colour, but the flat I'm about to move into is all cream and I just think it will either look too dull or wrong because of white on cream. Any help or ideas would be fab!

bibbly

PinkyPunky wrote: »

This thread is amazing! I have spent a good few days reading through and admiring photos and I am completely inspired and now I wanna ask for some help, if that's ok!? I have found this old shelf unit thing, it looks like a double cd rack but without the slats, but I want to use it long ways as a wall shelf.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52007638@N07/4790443267/

Buuuut, how can I make it beautiful? The only thing I can think of it to paint it a nice whitey colour, but the flat I'm about to move into is all cream and I just think it will either look too dull or wrong because of white on cream. Any help or ideas would be fab!

I'd definitely paint it cream. By the time you've put it up and put some beautiful things on it it will look gorgeous Alternatively you could stain it a darker colour or even leave it as it is? With some pieces on it will look lovely anyway

debbsi

PinkyPunky wrote: »

This thread is amazing! I have spent a good few days reading through and admiring photos and I am completely inspired and now I wanna ask for some help, if that's ok!? I have found this old shelf unit thing, it looks like a double cd rack but without the slats, but I want to use it long ways as a wall shelf.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52007638@N07/4790443267/

Buuuut, how can I make it beautiful? The only thing I can think of it to paint it a nice whitey colour, but the flat I'm about to move into is all cream and I just think it will either look too dull or wrong because of white on cream. Any help or ideas would be fab!

Sand it, prime it, paint it, shabby it

Type shabby chic furniture into ebay and see the colours others have used, I bought farrow and ball old white which is a creamy off white - but I dont like it for my sideboard - so I looked on ebay and came up with f&b blue grey

PinkyPunky

bibbly wrote: »

I'd definitely paint it cream. By the time you've put it up and put some beautiful things on it it will look gorgeous Alternatively you could stain it a darker colour or even leave it as it is? With some pieces on it will look lovely anyway

Oh yeah, I guess it won't look plain with things on it, think I might go for the cream option then. I would leave it wood, but it's been outside in the garden for over a year - previous tenants must have left it out there, so it's not in great shape! Will let you know how I get on! Thanks

pennib

PinkyPunky; As your flat is cream you could either go with cream so it blends in, or, hows about painting a completly different colour.
OR.....cream on the inside and different colour on outside, decisions, decisions

Bibbity; A lovely haul of items there. Stop talking about car boots :rotfl:

Debbsi; that chair looks so comfy and that sideboard bargain, look forward to seeing it made over
Yes I did paint it meself.

PinkyPunky

Ooo, ideas! I like the idea of other colours like the blue grey, and maybe not all of the shelf the same colour - maybe I could paint the ends in a bluey colour and the rest cream, and could hang it in the bathroom with pretty things on it! Love it! Thanks I wanna get cracking now!

pennib

PinkyPunky; (love that name!) You go for it, the blue grey sounds just right.
Dont forget to prime first as the paint will just sink into the wood.
(ooh sound like me mum!!!)

PinkyPunky

pennib wrote: »

PinkyPunky; (love that name!) You go for it, the blue grey sounds just right.
Dont forget to prime first as the paint will just sink into the wood.
(ooh sound like me mum!!!)

Haha, thanks - my Dad nick-named it me when I was a baby! Do I just buy any wood primer? I'm a complete newbee! Actually, most of the sides are already varnished, should I leave that on instead of priming them, or should I sand it all off and start from scratch? Sorry for all the Qs!

pennib

This is my favourite, the inside even got painted bright red.
Hubs uses it to store paperwork
The yellowish band is supposed to be mock bamboo

pennib

Pinkypunky: aww thats sweet does he still call you that?
Get a waterbased primer (the brushes wash out in water)
You need to sand the varnish off, or, cheat and use a liquid sandpaper
which is soooo easy. You just put on with a cloth and then clean of
with damp cloth. I use it for most of my projects, unless its got flaky
paint and then definately sandpaper.