Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Burlap & 2x4's

I have a very boring hallway and I finally decided it was time to do something about it.  I figured I had enough "junk" laying around that I could put something together that would make it a bit more appealing, so this is what I came up with...



I needed a table of some kind that would fit in the tiny space, but everything I had was either too wide length-wise or width-wise, so I went out into the shop to see what type of wood I could use to make a tabletop.   I new I wanted something "heavy" looking so I used 2 x 4's.  I cut three pieces 32" long, glued and screwed them together by attaching 1 x 2 underneath.   I gave it good sanding with 100-girt and then 220-grit sandpaper.  I applied a dark walnut stain, but it wasn't quite dark enough, so I sprayed some oil rubbed bronze (by Krylon) paint onto a damp cloth and rubbed it into the surface.  (this was a bit of an experiment, but it worked!)

Once dry, I need to attach the tabletop to the wall. I found two metal shelf brackets out in the shop and even though they were ugly, I knew you weren't going to see them once I was finished.



After attaching everything to the wall, I took some measurements and made a burlap skirt.  So far, so good.  (except for the pictures I've taken!)




I wanted to hang a mirror, but I didn't have anything large enough for the wall space so I decided to refinish this window.



The "pink" just wasn't going to work with my color scheme so I gave the frame a quick sanding to loosen any chipping paint and then stained the bare wood areas with a dark walnut stain.  I painted the "pink" areas with a dark brown paint and I wasn't going for "perfection".



Once it completely dried, I rubbed random areas with vaseline and then applied a topcoat in a creamy white.  Again, let it dry completely.  Next, I rubbed off the areas covered in vaseline to reveal the basecoat.



I then applied a tinted wax to give the window frame more of an "aged" feel.  I make my own tinted wax with Johnson's Floor Paste Wax and Winsor & Newton Oil paint in burnt umber (this comes in a 37ml tube available at art or stationary stores).  My recipe varies depending on how dark I want the wax so you might want to experiment with this on your own, however, I usually use about 1/2 cup wax to 1-2 tsp. oil paint.  Mix it in a container and apply with a rag.  Let dry and then buff off.

I added a few accessories and now the end of the hallway isn't so boring.





Now I need to get to work on the rest of the hallway!  Thank you for stopping by...hope you'll come back for another visit!

Lesa

9 comments:

  1. Love the floating table idea. Great space now. Fantastic little makeover.

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  2. Wow! How awesome. Who would've thought that this was a floating tabletop. Brilliant idea. Looks just like a table sitting there with a skirt. Love the makeover on the window. Thanks for sharing your recipe for the wax.Enjoy your day!

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  3. Love it - the floating table is really clever Lesa!
    Peggy

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  4. What a great idea. I just love the idea of a floating table. Thanks for sharing at DIYbyDesign.

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  5. You're such a clever girl! I'd never heard of the Vaseline idea... thanks for sharing :)

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  6. hi Lesa ... very clever floating table for the limited space. Looks very nice. I like using the Vaseline method too. Gives a realistic time-worn look.
    Blessings,
    Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures
    http://audreyzumwalt.blogspot.com/

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  7. I love this idea! So creative and I adore burlap! i'm your newest linky follower and I would love if you would link up to my little party: www.nutmegplace.com/2012/02/show-off-saturday-1.html

    Hope to see you there!

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  8. Stopping by from Nifty Thrifty! Your vignette is beyond pretty. I really like everything about it, the burlap of course, the window of course, and all of it. The floating table was a very creative idea that really works well in your space. I've got my fingers crossed that you'll share on Sunday's Best Party this evening!

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