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.
Antique French Plaques have become an obsession of mine.
Many of my friends have figured out that I know instantly if I love something and then immediately go on a mission to find whatever it is. My latest obsession is antique French plaster plaques.
Searching around the web here is what I have found. Now all I have to do is…. figure out which Efex to use to make some that are similar.
FromTone on Tone I found this beauty. Of course, I want his fabulous green secretary too but then again I usually want everything they have.
I found these simple flower medallions on faded worn wood and I guess I am having a green mood now as well. The aged green patina is wonderful.
Are you noticing how these simple works of art fit in any setting with all furniture styles? This wreath and bow is a classic design.
The I saw this plaque for sale at an Antique Store in New England.
Yes, it cam home to become Efex. I just love the cornucopia and the urn. In fact, I think it will become several different style of Efex. Which one to you like.
Do you lust after French Boiserie panels? You know the lovely ones we see in pictures of manors all over Europe. We even have a Pinterest board dedicated to them. As the lust became an obsession, I decided that one easy way was to design panels using our Efex.
We have chosen three easy designs mixing some of our 180 Efex patterns. They would be great on stand-alone panels, added to a raised door, or as designs on a piece of furniture.
The first one is a small panel that is so easy to make.
The inspiration came from an antique carving (French, of course) found on EBay. It’s easy to see the elements we used to mix and match They are an F15, 4 Fleur di Lis, and one small rosette R72.
Our frame measures 14” x x 8”. The FDL 1 measure 3.6” x 2.5” and the R 72 is 1.5 inches round. It would be perfect for a panel that was up to 18″ x 12 “. The bonus is you can set the design either way.
Our second inspiration is from a panel found on 1st dibs.
The recreation is easy, Just 1 SW8 swag and 2 D2 drops. Our example measures about 11″ in length and 7″ wide. You could stretch it to be a little longer, or a fix the swag to make it slightly deeper and shorter. It would fit perfectly on any panel between 12 and 14 inches.
Our final example is suited for a slightly smaller area.
B21 and R41 can be put together for a piece that is 7.5″ long. Remember, Efex are flexible so the tails of the bow could be bent at a different angle.
Or for one final idea for the day, look at the panel our dealer Paint Passion designed.
Our Efex video series shows off many of the different styles of Efex. Today we’re showing – “How To Dress Up A Dresser…Escutcheons”.
We have 4 different escutcheons. The little petite E1 is just perfect for small projects, and E2 has a little more curvy detail. E3 is tall and skinny, perfect for a taller piece or behind drawer pulls. And E5 is just an elegant lady. Where’s E4? We’ll you’ll just have to stick around to find out!
What’s that I hear you saying? What’s an escutcheon?
Simply put a fancy French word for key hole cover.
We used E2s to makeover this lovely navy blue highboy.
While E3 turned this IKEA hack from modern to classic.
Here is the original bronze of our fabulous French E5.
So whether you’re dressing up naked keyhole covers, or making faux ones, you just can’t go wrong with these escutcheons.
Visit a retailer near you online or in store to find these and more!
Architectural detail has always been an inspiration for us.We find for decorating everything from houses to lamps comes from so many old world carvers and artist.
This wall just grabbed our attention. The different textures and patinas makes for a compelling display. You can use Efex moldings to create similar pieces of small architectural art for your own home. Just grab your favorite pieces and a canvas, viola! Instant art!
While this facade is a little large to duplicate inside a normal home, the idea of mixing gothic and romantic is wonderful eye candy.
The same is true of this embellishment on an entryway door. However, if you just used a simple design like the bottom panel, it would become instantly a country style. We just love how these styles can work in so many settings.
This elegant door handle in a smaller form could be a marvelous escutcheon on a large bureau or sideboard. The curves are just wonderful.
Finally, the doors behind this bed suggest a fun panel that could easily be imitated on a pair of doors positioned behind any bed. It is such a great idea for a headboard.
What do you think? Should we make some of these designs as Efex?
