Introductions

There are projects that come along, and even though I have purchased them because I love something about them..... I get stuck trying to decide how exactly I want to take them to the level of frabjous. I started painting this little armoire with one plan in mind...I was going to paint the entire thing with milk paint and leave it pretty plain....but for some reason I felt like I was just rushing to try to get the piece done and check it off my list. I want to fight against that mentality...so I literally put one coat of milk paint on the entire thing, rinsed out my brushes, and went back to the drawing board and spent a day drawing and planning out my design.I looked through magazines, fabric and wallpaper combinations, and stared out my front window mulling over colors and patterns....but the thing that finally got me going in the right direction was a beautiful mexican blanket that I  borrowed from a friend to use in a photo shoot. It was lying there just staring at me and the many different colors and different sized stripes totally caught my eye. Immediately the light bulb came on in my head. I knew the stripes would be hard, and a bit tedious but I had plenty of Frog Tape on hand and I crave a good tough furniture challenge. I knew if all went well, the pain would be so worth it! I went back to the studio the very next day, executed "my plan", and this is what came out! Meet Tallulah! I am telling you.... with the turquoise, purple, yellow, cream, red, pink, orange, blue and green stripes.....the turquoise insides, and the pistachio green knobs..... Tallulah is a party waiting to happen!I'm here to tell you it was indeed worth it to stand back and enjoy this little beauty!xo,Barb

Introductions

As I was telling you on Friday....I am so thrilled to be working on several really fun custom jobs for sweet clients over the next several weeks, and this chest of drawers is the first off the "assembly line"! This chest of drawers is as solid as they come and a real beauty with its bowed front drawers and carved detail. I love painting pieces like this!The Storm family is expecting their first little one, and his name is Sam. I wish I could show you the fantastic nursery that little Sam will grow up in...it is so clean, modern and very well done. I am stoked that a little piece of Knack will get to be a part of such a happy place!Congrats to the Storms! I can't wait to meet Sam! xo,Barb

Introductions

This piece was truly "my pleasure" to makeover. I purchased this little piece at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago and seriously had buyers remorse when I went to load her up. I was beating myself up for buying a piece with green linoleum on the top .....and a  "really nice" metal strip to secure that green linoleum mind you! It was a done dealio though and so I started coming up with design plans in my head, and trying to take the easy way out. I was going to cover the top with paper, use metal leaf to hide everything, etc. Then, I came to my senses and knew that I had to remove the linoleum and do this job the right knack way. I was totally prepared for a mess....and it is a good thing because this is what it looked like when I peeled the linoleum off:

...after over 24 hours of soaking with a thick coat of Citristrip {the best stripping agent out there in my book!}, and then lots of sanding, cleaning, painting, and papering.....This is what she looks like now!  Meet "Perley".

After all the work I did to expose the top, I thought it a crime to cover up the personality of the wood....so I gave it a good rub down with Danish oil and left it completely raw and unfinished....and for this piece, I totally dig it!

xo,

Barb

Introductions

Well.....today is a really, really exciting day for me! Not only do I have a brand spankin' new blog and web page to introduce to you all......but I am also thrilled to introduce you to miss "verla" !First, lets talk about miss verla. I purchased her at an estate sale and she was in really great shape with only a few scratches here and there. Because of this fact, I struggled with what to do with her since I really did not want to cover up the wood completely but at the same time knew that she needed a little updating and freshening up. I also knew from the get go there would be a stripe "situation".....I just wanted to be sure that the color and placement were exactly what my mind pictured or it could all go very wrong and then I would just be mad maddie maxwell ! I am here to say that design plans came together  and I love her, love her , love her....so much so, the little platform bed in my master bedroom is in a heap o' trouble.....I may just decide that verla belongs to me and never needs to leave my side. I am struggling with loading her in the etsy shop.... just struggling. I mean seriously....Ok, now that you have met miss verla..... lets talk about the new site a bit shall we?! It looks exactly like my current website, so for those of you who had already checked out the new website several months back you will see basically the same format with a few new updated pictures and such, but the main difference is that we combined the website and the blog and everything is all under one roof now. I am the proud owner of my very own wordpress site and I could not be any more excited. This has been a really long time coming and lots of hard work so I am super, super stoked about today! There will be additions and tweaks along the way so you may notice a few changes here and there as we learn the new layout and all of its possibilities and capabilities! What do you think so far? I hope you love it, and that you will continue to visit me regularly! I appreciate each one of you taking the time to make knack part of your day!xo,Barb 

Introductions

Meet "Ivella"......man oh man isn't she hot to trot with her dark and dusky finish? This pretty little number belongs to my client Ashley who inherited it from her grandmother. This armoire has always been loved, but there was not a plan for her until now!

"Ivella" will no longer be wasting away in storage....but instead she will be strutting her stuff in her newly remodeled and fabulous home!

Amen....and Amen.

GIVEAWAY WINNER: The fabulous Thomas Paul plates are going home with Anne! I think it is very fitting that her name was drawn.....here is her comment:

"Annesaid...

Okay, do count me in! (You know how to make an admirer go from lurking to commenting!) ;)" 

If you did not win these plates and you really would like to have some for your home I have two more sets available! Email me: barb@knackstudios.com .

xo,

Barb

Introductions

....today is a little different, because last week was spent acquiring, prepping, and planning.....so not a lot of actual painting was accomplished......

...but I thought you would like to see all of the up and coming goodness that I will be working on in the studio this week! 

The first two photos are custom pieces for a client {hey Ashley!} and the rest are all me baby! 

 ......As you can see there will be plenty of furniture makeover introductions to come........

xo,

Barb

Introductions

Well....here is the table and chairs job that I completed last week! I absolutely love them and want  to steal this set for my very own my eat in kitchen area! The colors are so beautiful and soft together!  The colors are by Sherwin Williams :Table- SW 7019 Gauntlet Gray and Chairs- SW 6485  Raindrop.

I have so enjoyed partnering with Lindsay Carmody of Lindsay Carmody Interiors  and Trey Sherman of Greystone Antiques on this job. I hope we can collaborate on many more projects to come. These two peeps are fantastic I tell you!

Today the table and chairs are headed out of the studio to get the final coatings of polyurethane applied with the sprayer and then they are headed to their new home! Woot!

{the lighting in the studio is a little moody today....so enjoy the mood of this fashion shoot! It is shadowy and edgy.....go with it!}

xo,

Barb

Introductions

This sweet little desk was such a treat to makeover! My client brought the desk down to the studio for me to start working on it...and as we were talking about the colors and design plan for the piece....she paused and said " I'm feeling a little embarassed about this piece! is it even worth it to do this? When we loaded it up, a drawer fell apart....etc." I assured her that even though it did not look like much and needed some wood filling, clamping, glue, and a few coats of paint....this is exactly why I do what I do......and love it so much. 

It is this type of challenge that gets my creative juices flowing and makes me even more determined to bring new painting converts on board!

Seeing potential. 

Made new.

xo,

Barb