Today is an exciting day – we have Lotus Theory Designs guest blogging for us!
Bianca is a breath of fresh air to the furniture painting world and recently painted an amazing hutch with Velvet Finishes.
She brings BOLD, FUNKY, FRESH, and LIBERATED works of art back to life, in an otherwise monochromatic world.
Her furniture is all about expressing the evolution of her personal journey through the wonders of re-design.
So without further ado, get ready for Bianca…she’s a badass with a paintbrush friends!
Hi paint lovers, I’m Bianca!
I am a creature of habit. When I find a process I like, I tend to stick to it.
Deciding to try something new, I completed Lady Wisteria using products from the Velvet Finishes line from start to finish.
I couldn’t be happier with the results. Getting to the finish line was simple and fun!
Without further ado, let’s get into a step-by-step guide on how I achieved this look…
The Lady was created using the following products from Velvet Finishes:
• Ready (prep)
• Paint colors : Eloquent, Moody, and Stately
• Protect (Polycrylic Sealant)
I started by prepping my piece. I removed all hardware, masked off the glass, and sanded the areas in which needed smoothing.
Note: Velvet Finishes doesn’t require sanding for the paint to adhere, but this doesn’t mean dings and dents magically disappear. I am an avid believer in thorough prep work to get a smooth, consistent finished product!
Next, I used Velvet Finishes Ready to both clean and degloss the piece. I simply sprayed it on and boom! A shine-free, funk-free surface that was ready to be painted!
Here’s a video of the Ready process…it’s like taking candy from a baby easy.
After the prep work was finished, I started by painting the inside of the cabinet using the color Moody, a beautiful blue with a gray undertone. As I was applying the color, I was already looking forward to using it on another piece. I was getting all the feels with this hue! I used my sprayer, as briefly demonstrated in this video, to apply the paint. It went on smooth and consistent without having to add a thinning agent.
I allowed the piece to dry overnight (not that it was necessary, I was just done for the day). The next day, I came back and sanded the interior with fine grit. It was already smooth, but why settle for smooth when I can have a glass-like texture? Velvet Finishes paints sand extremely easily, which is a huge plus for someone like me who likes to sand everything, lol!
After I completed the inside, it was time to tackle the exterior. This was the part I was looking forward to most, as I wanted to give blending a shot.
I began by spraying on a base coat using Eloquent, as shown in this image. Gorgeous as she is, I am never known to stop there!
In this video, I will show you how I accomplished the final look using a blending technique. For this process, I used Eloquent, Moody, and Stately. I was amazed by how well the paint blended and how I was able to easily manipulate it until I got the effect I was going for!
I was happy with my blended results, but she was looking a little too new for my liking. So, a perfect way to age her up a bit was to use Velvet Finishes Dark Glaze. I focused my efforts solely along the edges and details, as I wasn’t going for an overall look so much as a highlighted one. I am a huge fan of glaze and have tried several brands, including making my own. I LOVE how easy this glaze is to use. I found it is more forgiving than other brands and doesn’t overpower the paint.
She still needed something, so I decided to accent the piece with gold trim, using VF Gold Metallic Enhance. Impressively, it went on easily without having to apply twenty-seven coats to achieve my desired results. One coat was sufficient, but I did go back and do a second touch-up coat where I overworked it in places. Incredible!! Sorry, I didn’t capture a video of this process. There was no way I could hold a camera steady AND stay inside the lines. I’m good, but I’m not that good! But, I do have some still imagery!
Lastly, it was time to seal. Polycrylics and Polyurethanes can be super finicky. They are easy to overwork and quick to streak, thus resulting in frustration. Velvet Finishes Protect takes all that away! Much like Kellie Smith’s tutorial, I just poured it on and leveled it out. I am convinced Jesus himself delivered this formula to Kellie for us to have!
And…. She’s done! Obviously I changed the back board and set her up fancy for the final shot. Such beauty and class this lady has! Of all of my creations, she is at the top of my list of favorites! Take a look at Lady Wisteria now in all of her purple, blue, and gold glory…
And there you have it: My guide from start to finish on how I recreated this gorgeous china cabinet using Velvet Finishes!
Would I recommend their product line? Absolutely! Will I be using it again in the future? You bet’cha!
To view more images of Lady Wisteria, or purchase: Click Here!
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