Aug 5, 2016
Sprucing up Scandinavian style
If you’ve followed this blog for a while you know we are crazy in love with Scandinavian style. Done by our friends (and retailer) at TLC Vintage Collection in Iowa, this lovely bench may be the best Scandinavian remake ever! Janet Rowe Piller is a powerhouse when it comes to repurposing. Just looking at her Instagram page will show you so many great ideas.
The “before” was a straight forward brown bench. Good bones but, yawn…so boring.
But the addition of some off-white Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan, a little distressing, and some Efex…
Was all she needed to make this a stunner!
Janet used two D17 drops and a length of T55 trim to add detail and interest to an otherwise mundane bench into a real show stopper. Of course, there’s lots of different sizes and styles to choose from, so you can always customize your project to be exactly what you’d like it to be. You can see our entire catalog of products here.
Are you inspired? What will you create with Efex? Follow us on Instagram to get your daily dose of stylish ideas.
May 25, 2016
Amanda Peppard at Suite Pieces
Amanda Peppard at Suite Pieces recently did this great blog post on Efex. We love sharing what our clever dealers have done, and Amanda always hit’s it out of the park. So directly from the Suite Pieces site here is her post.
Have you ever looked at a piece of furniture or blank wall space and just know that some small detail is missing? One small detail taking it from just fine to OUTSTANDING?! Efex Mouldings are your solution! Efex are bendable latex moldings that easily apply to just about anything with simple contact cement.
Efex can update or transform any space. In our Massapequa location, we’re always looking for ways to display our awesome products & dress up our space. Massapequa is our girly store, so we have tons of fun finding new ways to glam her up. We decided to transform two of our steel doors going to our bathroom and office. We used Small Bead Trim and Greek Key Trim applied to make it look as if the door was paneled. We then added Tempaper® Removable Wallpaper in Damsel Textured-Bisque on the beaded door & Pearl Plaster inside the panels of the Greek Key door. (Don’t forget to read out blog about Tempaper®!) This is just one example of how efex can create depth and completely change a bland space!
Efex can be used in any room as well! They adhere simply to mirrors in bathrooms, kitchen cabinet doors, even outside on your terra-cotta pots. (Just make sure to bring them in durning extreme winter weather!) You can even use them to spice up your party decor! The Studios at Suite Pieces‘ Arndt’s & Crafts used Efex French Ribbon for this communion centerpiece. How fab is that?!
Efex can stretch up to 2% to fit your space and once you correctly glue it using Contact Cement, Efex can be painted, stained, or gilded! You can use anything from Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint to Chalk Paint® to General Finishes and even Gilding Wax! Just apply your favorite product to get any look your heart desires. From shabby chic, to elegant French…the possibilities are simply endless! If you want to learn more about Efex, or just have general question on apply check out our how to video!
Thanks for stopping by…we hope you’ll come visit us soon ; )
Thank You Amanda for allowing us to share your great designs.
May 11, 2016
Hemingways Cigar Box!
Do I have your attention?
Often when we see an antique we like to imagine what the story was that goes with the piece of furniture. Kind of a little history that tells where the piece was from and who owned it before. This little trunk box sent us to wondering…
The year is 1940, Martha and Ernest Hemingway have just arrived in Cuba. The city at night is a spectacle of sounds and lights with tourists flocking to the island for its weather, rum, and jazz. While the tropical is in full swing, down at La Floridita Hemingway is having a rum and a cigar. Contemplating what he called “the most beautiful women in the world.” As he reaches for another cigar, it comes out of a small box trunk.
The trunk was owned by the proprietor of the cafe. Music played at night and the socialites that flocked to the city partied the night away surrounded by stars and samba. Idyllic.
Enough of the fantasy, back to the present.
It’s not a trunk, it’s a cigar box.
Did we have you there for a second?
This little cigar box is the latest from Stacey Christensen from Faux Studio Designs in Alabama.
She took a simple cigar box and made it into a trunk. Using Efex and her latest Faux Finishing Recipe, in less than two hours she created a masterpiece. One look and we were dreaming of old Havana.
The way she used the Efex was just so darn clever.
The center is one of our escutcheons E5, but the rest of the straps are really pieces of a T14 trim.
She went from this elegant trim to straps on a trunk. Who would have thought?!
Then to add the authentic rustic, rust she used Modern Masters Metal Effects in Rust
Instead of a simple little box, she painted a story.
We think that we all have a story inside waiting to come out with our creativity. So if you want to tell your own story we highly recommend Stacey’s Paint Recipes for Furniture and Cabinets. Just grab her monthly subscription and start dreaming up your story. From Stockholm to Havana and everywhere in between she’s got you covered.
Don’t forget to add an Efex or two to really make your next project unique and customized!
Oops…gotta go, Havana is calling! Off to visit Hemingway’s home to see the trunk in full size.
For more fun project ideas sign up for our free catalog and weekly newsletter.
May 9, 2016
The Shabby Duck
The Shabby Duck Studio is a special place to visit. We are always excited and proud to showcase dealers and friends who do special work with our Efex bendable moldings. Today’s dealer project comes all the way from Monique of The Shabby Duck in Busselton, Australia.
Monique took this cute little side table and made it into a delightful night stand. It would work well in any room, from a bedroom to living room to mud room, adults and children would love to have this unique piece of furniture.
She started with Voodoo Molly Vintage Paints then applied Efex scrolls SC17 on each drawer using contact cement.
To add character she aged them with a burnishing paint, added dark wax to antique the piece, and distressed to give it that well-loved look. Finally, she sealed with carnauba wax and added a touch of silver leaf to enhance the details.
Adding scrolls to doors and drawers is a fantastic way to quickly add a bit of pizzaz to a plain piece of furniture. Whether they sit of either side of a knob, or in the middle of a long drawer, they add an architectural elegance to an otherwise lackluster front.
You can see all the scrolls in our catalog of bendable moldings here, or download our newest catalog to see what other pieces might suit your own style!
What do you think of Monique’s drab to fab makeover? Would you use this same scroll on your drawer fronts, or try something different?
Apr 21, 2016
Old World Makeover
Old World Makeover’s are not always easy. But this one seems to be the easiest one we’ve seen.
This old world makeover started when she found a lavender plant. Just the perfect size, full of the wonderful smell and ambiance that we are all looking for. One small issue though…the pot was bright pink.
Often when you think of lavender you think of the South of France, California, places with sun and breeze and a whole lot of old world patina. Definitely not thinking hot pink here.
At Rehab to Fab, Stephanie takes her tired and worn out treasures and truly makes them fabulous.
Using a bit of paint by Heirloom Traditions and a few other fun products like silver gilding wax from SIFF she turned this pink pot into old world glam. Of course the accent at the top, our Efex T9 trim was the icing on the cake. Don’t you just love this chunky old world finish?
Check out her full tutorial on Hometalk.
Ciao for now
All photo’s from Rehab to Fab.
Apr 19, 2016
Creative Furniture Restoration Using Efex
Last week was a banner week for creative furniture restoration projects using Efex. The first of three great projects came to us from Cindy at Edith and Evelyn.
Cindy has the perfect knack of making patina and creating stylish projects. When you read this post you will see how perfect this before and after is.
Cindy did such a great job on these two nightstands. Her talent is amazing.
These well-made French Provencial side tables were from the 1950’s. Sturdy but brown…
She added two Efex to each piece and then went to town painting and waxing. Cindy used Mia Colore Paint and layered it perfectly. She then glazed the Efex and other sections of the piece and finished with clear wax. Make certain you hope over to her blog for the full story of how she painted these beauties.
We fell in love the minute we saw the pictures. Hum…. I think we’re on a hunt for some French Provencial Furniture.
Read Cindy’s post Transforming French Nightstands to see her process of glazing, gilding, and dry-brushing to achieve this beautiful look.
Ciao for now; tomorrow we will share another amazing before and after.
