Creating Copper Accents
I picked up this cute little table from marketplace. My original goal was to try to use some of my leftover paint colors instead of buying new ones and blend them together. And that’s what I did. However, when I finished or thought I was finished, it was missing something. Follow along as I share my process.
The Before:
Although my goal was to use up some of my paint, it amazed me how little paint I actually used for this project. Having said that, I did use a combination of 4 different paints to get the final look.
I began by cleaning and lightly sanding everything except the top. I completely sanded the top because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it and then taped it off with painter’s tape. As you can see from the pictures below, I didn’t prime this piece but instead painted the whole think black. My plan was to let the black show through in places. I then began with one of my favorite colors, Refurbished Gentleman by Wise Owl, and painted in random places around the table. Before it dried I added Amsterdam Green and blended the two using a brush and a rag, depending on the look that I wanted.
*Learning point - When blending paints there is no right way to do it. Experiment with different tools. A brush will leave the two paints more separated and you will be able to see the individual colors more. I find that a rag blends the paints together to created new colors. So I used a combination of tools.
If you look closely, in places you will see more blue and others, more green.
When it came to completing the top, I decided that staining was not the look I wanted. I ended up painting it using the Caviar but I wasn’t satisfied with that look either. Sometimes I find that it helps me to just stare at a piece for awhile before I can decide what I want to do. I may live with it and contemplate for days before I decide.
At some point, I made the decision to paint the hardware a copper color. I had recently purchased the Dixie Belle patina paints (used in another piece, look at the 1920’s dresser) and I decided to use the Copper patina paint to add highlights to complement the hardware. I finally decided, after staring at it for days, to add copper streaks on top of the Caviar for the top of the table. I also added highlights of copper in random places around the dresser. I then used clear wax all over (except the top) and black wax to emphasize the crevices and used Gator Hide on the top. I love the way it turned out!
