Welcome back, creative upcyclers! If you read our previous blog post, you’ll know we embarked on an exhilarating chest of drawers transformation journey. We prepped the surface, intricately adorned the front with WoodUbend WUB1261 appliqués and 119IE trim then finished with some sophisticated stencilling on the side panels.
Now, get ready for the grand finale! In this exciting second instalment, we’re diving into the final touches that truly elevate this furniture flip, creating a stunning, high-end look using more incredible WoodUbend mouldings and luxurious Posh Chalk products. Prepare to be amazed and inspired to unleash your own furniture artistry!
Symmetrical Splendour: Stencilling the Drawers
To ensure a truly consistent and rich finish across the entire front of the chest of drawers, I began by applying a second coat of Delice by Magic Paint. Using my trusted Posh Chalk Smooth & Blend Brush, I meticulously covered every inch, ensuring the colour was deep and even. This brush is essential for laying down paint flawlessly, ensuring smooth coverage that acts as the perfect canvas for subsequent embellishments. A second coat often deepens the colour and provides extra durability, which is key for a piece destined to be admired for years to come.
Next, it was time to bring symmetrical splendour to the drawer fronts. I carefully adhered my Posh Chalk Leafy Scroll Premium Stencil to the surface. Before this step, I had already experimented with various ways to orientate and arrange my stencil, ensuring the final placement would create a harmonious and balanced design around the centre of the drawers. This pre-planning is crucial for achieving a professional and aesthetically pleasing result.
Using a Posh Chalk Stencil Brush, I then began to stipple Soffio by Magic Paint through the stencil. Working on a curved surface presented a slight challenge, so I had to gently but firmly hold my stencil down in certain areas to ensure crisp lines and prevent any bleeding. A stencil brush, with its dense, flat bristles, is ideal for this dabbing motion, allowing for controlled paint application. To stencil effectively, remember to offload excess paint from your brush onto a paper towel before applying it to the stencil. This prevents paint from seeping under the stencil and ensures sharp, clean edges.
I repeated this stippling process with the Leafy Scroll Stencil three more times, each time reorienting and repositioning the stencil. My goal was to symmetrically arrange the beautiful leafy designs around the central point of the drawers, creating a sense of elegant balance and flow across the entire front. This meticulous process truly transformed the plain drawer fronts into a sophisticated focal point.
The Art of Texture: Creating a Faux Marble Finish with Athenian Plaster
Now for a truly transformative technique: creating a stunning faux marble finish on the top panel using Posh Chalk Athenian Plaster. This product is incredibly versatile, allowing for a range of textural effects.
I began by decanting some Posh Chalk Athenian Plaster into two separate small pots. In the first pot, I mixed in some Posh Chalk Arctic White Colour Kick. Colour Kicks are highly concentrated pigments, and just a small amount can transform the colour of your plaster. Into the second pot, I mixed a combination of Posh Chalk Rich Ochre, Arctic White, and Mocha Delight Colour Kicks. My aim was to create a custom shade that closely matched the Delice by Magic Paint I had used on the rest of the piece, ensuring a cohesive colour palette. Mixing Colour Kicks allows for endless customisation, letting you achieve the exact hue you envision.
With my two custom plaster colours ready, I began applying the Arctic White Athenian Plaster onto the top panel of the chest of drawers using a sea sponge. The sea sponge creates a wonderful, organic texture, perfect for mimicking the natural veining of marble. I dabbed the white plaster, leaving key areas empty so I could then also dab the other shade of Athenian Plaster onto the surface in streaks. This layering of colours, applied in an irregular fashion, is essential for achieving that authentic marble look.
Once both shades were applied, I used a Posh Chalk Premium Finishing Trowel to gently flatten the raised textures created by the sponge application. The trowel allows you to smooth out the peaks and valleys, creating a more cohesive surface while still maintaining the subtle variations in texture that are characteristic of natural stone. This smoothing process also helps to blend the colours seamlessly.
After the Athenian Plaster had completely dried – which can take a few hours depending on humidity and thickness – I moved on to the polishing stage. I used an orbital sander with a fine-grit sandpaper, carefully polishing the surface. This step is where the magic truly happens, transforming the textured plaster into a remarkably glossy, faux marble finish. The sanding smooths the surface further and brings out a beautiful sheen, mimicking the polished look of real marble. This technique is a fantastic way to add a touch of luxury and sophistication to any furniture piece.
The Final Touch: Protection with Patina Extending Wax
To complete this magnificent transformation and ensure its longevity, the final step was to add a protective layer. I applied Posh Chalk Patina Extending Wax to the entire surface of the chest of drawers. This wax not only adds a durable protective finish but can also deepen colours and enhance the overall aesthetic.
To apply the wax, I used a Posh Chalk Wax Extender Brush. This brush is designed to effectively work wax into all the crevices and details, ensuring comprehensive coverage. I applied the wax in a thin, even coat, working in sections. Once applied, I gently wiped away any excess wax with a soft, lint-free cloth. This buffing action helps to create a beautiful, subtle sheen and ensures the surface is smooth and non-tacky. Wax is an excellent choice for a protective finish, offering a resilient barrier against everyday wear and tear while enhancing the beauty of the underlying paint and plasterwork.
A Masterpiece Unveiled!
And there you have it – the breathtaking conclusion of our chest of drawers upcycling adventure! From its humble beginnings to a truly exquisite statement piece, this transformation showcases the incredible potential of combining WoodUbend mouldings with Posh Chalk paints, stencils, plasters, and waxes. We’ve created a unique, high-end furniture item that is both functional and a work of art.
We hope this two-part series has ignited your own creative spark and provided you with valuable insights into working with these fantastic products. The possibilities are truly endless when you embrace the versatility of WoodUbend and Posh Chalk!
What will you transform next? Share your projects with us – we can’t wait to see your own “From Drab to Fab” creations!
P.S If my blogs do inspire you, and you get round to trying some of these techniques and products, I would love to see them in the Creations community we have. There are over 25,000 members who post daily. You’ll also find lots of creators in there who have posted some wonderful projects. It’s an inspiring group with lots going on. You can join here, and best of all it’s free!
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