5 Ways to Update French Provincial Furniture
Painted Finishes on Vintage French Provincial Furniture Using An Overhead Projector – By Meranda S.
While French Provincial furniture is beautiful to look at just by itself, it can also become dingy and old looking over time. There are ways to make it more modern and artistic though. Here are a few ideas for ways to update your French Provincial furniture into a more modern style:
1. Update the Hardware – Paint the original hardware. Look to see how this French dresser painted in a cremy white has the original handles which are updated in a brushed bronze. If you end up painting your dresser black, consider painting the pulls black and distress them to show the beautiful metal in the ornate parts of the handle. This technique works with any paint color. To make the pulls stand out a bit, consider adding a brown glaze to the painted pulls or a dark brown wax to show off the details a bit more.
2. Go Pastel – Painting your furniture in pastel colors is a great way to keep the authentic feeling while still updating the look. Distress the paint finish with a hand sander. Even brighter paint colors look antiqued with a bit of brown glaze. Paint on the brown glaze and wipe it off. Consider painting with an eggshell finish as your basecoat, which gives the glaze something to grip on to. The glaze technique leaves residue giving you an aged appearance. If a paint finish doesn’t look right, add some glaze and you will love the finished look. Glaze makes everything look nicer, and is the trick many professionals use for brighter paint finishes.
3. Black, White or Red – If you want a really modern look, you can paint your furniture bold black ,white or red. Consider going glossy for a very rich French look. Rust-Oleum has a wonderful oil based line called “Enamels Spray” that produces a rich glossy lacquered appearance that doesn’t need any priming. Consider only using this brand in the warmer weathered months.
4. Bright Colors – Fun colors can bring new life to your furniture. Neon pink, bold blue, bright yellow and glossy green make it stand out and also give a great juxtaposition to the classic style of the furniture itself.
5. Cushion Crazy –If you have chairs whose cushions are looking a bit rangy, don’t reupholster them with the same old boring stuff.
Example of Tip 1- Look how the hardware is painted blue, and slightly distressed?
6. Patterns – Add bold stripes of color to boring furniture and liven them up. You can change the whole look of a piece with just a few stripes. Use tape to make sure your paint comes out crisp and clean
7. Frames – If you have a French Provincial mirror or picture frame, do not toss it away. Make it into a centerpiece by framing something unusual like a wreath of flowers or a chalkboard. It will stand out and make your home a talking point.
These are just a few ideas on how you can update your French Provincial furniture. There are so many opportunities to make the most of this beautiful style. Just take a few minutes to think about what you could do with it!
Author Bio: Paul and his wife Julie both spend quite a bit of time coming up with ideas, blogging, and researching all things related to childcare. They take care of all the necessary information related to “babysittingjobs.com/”. He personally thinks his blog will help with finding information on all things related to a babysitter.
Breathtaking French Provincial Office Furniture
French Secretary Tiered Desk – GBP 4,295.00 by Sweetpea & Willow
In many homes, space is at a premium so many home owners need to think strategically about how to best use the space they have available. The dining room is a great option for a space that can double as a home office, while at the same time functioning as an area to eat. In many modern homes, the dining room is left unused, so why not turn it into an area that functions for a secondary business? In some homes, space is very limited after the kids all get their own rooms, so family rooms need to be thought out.
If you’re thinking about using your dining room in this way, then consider investing in a secretary desk, which can hold a computer, keyboard, which can house all the computer equipment, leaving the dining room table left clean for dinners. Slant desks are perfect for dining room furniture as they often have additional cabinet space that could house extra books and binders for school or business. At the same time, they close up so you don’t need to see the computer keyboard, and all the mess that everyone has while they are working or studying. You may also want to get a sideboard that can double up as a filing cabinet.
An antique Louis XV desk of rosewood and fruitwood with marquetry inlay and original ormolu and hardware.
Painted open front Biblitheque with barooque bonnet
Rare 18th Louis Xv Century French Oak Desk, Vintage 1950 French Secretary Desk Louis XV
French Provincial Louis XV Painted Chestnut Bibliotheque – This white painted, display cabinet or bookcase displays a moulded cornice above a conforming, paneled case enclosing open shelves, on a plinth base. It offers great display space and storage. Eron Johnson Antiques
This large and impressive French writing desk is hand-painted in antique white and rubbed down considerably to achieve a heavily distressed vintage look. It features four small drawers below four classic pigeon holes. The shapely legs and scalloped underside make this a wonderfully sophisticated piece of French furniture
Louis XV Polychrome Painted Two Part Breakfronted Bibliotheque– A French Louis XV Polychrome Painted Two Part Walnut, Beech and Oak Breakfronted Bibliotheque C1780, the uppermost with molded conforming cornice above the paneled and scrolled sides with a pair of inset screened doors flanked by outer conforming screened doors, each with thumb molded decoration and with arched asymmetrical tops and center panels enclosing shelves, above a base section with four solid arched panel doors on a plinth base.
36 French Landscaping Looks For Your Back Yard
French style decorating has become so popular because of beauty of the the old world looks that are associated with the style. There are a couple of elements that you can incorporate into your landscaping and the type of furniture you choose which will give you the classic French looks found in Provence.
1. Consider replacing your lawn with gravel. It sounds like a bad idea right? Create texture using raised garden beds, and add in patio furniture, water gardens, which adds a lot more texture than just plain grass.
Consider showcasing the lawn that you do have. If you have rectangular backyard, consider cutting around your lawn, forming a circle shape in the center of your property. A circular or square pattern which you can edge with stone or coordinating greenery can give you more of a designer look.
2. Add In Rustic Container Gardens- Garden style urns can really capture the old world romance that you see in Versailles. Paint can do wonders to those new resin urns that you see at home depot. To get a rustic look, start with painting your urn an oil paint in flat black. After it dries, mix together sand and brown paint and apply it to the urn. When it is almost dry, take the hose, and spray water on the urn. The pressure of the water will create a natural distressed effect that doesn’t look like you painted it yourself. Consider using this picture as your inspiration.
3. Create Order In Your Backyard- Pair common elements together to create a landscape that looks like it was designed by the pros. Plant fruit trees, instead of regular trees that will mature and produce dozens of fruit from year to year. Line up urns, and patio chairs along the edges. Line up shrubs and hedges in a row to draw special attention to these selected areas.
4. Consider investing in metal furniture that you don’t have to shelter over the winter. Having a large yard is a lot of maintenance. Wood furniture over time can root if it is left in the snow, while metal furniture, does a lot better in winter conditions. If you can shelter your furniture, do! If you cannot, purchase clear plastic shower curtains at your local dollar store to drape over some of your furniture. Wood, and metal furniture can be touched up with paint from year to year.
5. Folding outdoor furniture is really popular in France. Consider investing in a set of folding chairs which you can paint. Any sort of metal furniture will create the French mood you are after. Don’t worry if the furniture you choose is vintage, as anything can be improved with paint. Metal garden pots, posts, fences, chairs are all elements that are commonly seen in the French countryside. You cannot go wrong with anything metal in your back yard if you are after the French look.
