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When painting furniture I only use mineral paints; sorry chalk paint fans but I never use this type of paint. Mineral paints are the next step on from chalk paints; environmentally friendly, emitting nearly zero VOCs, and toxic free like chalk paints, they are in addition exceptionally hard wearing, wipeable and waterproof. They have a built-in topcoat and so, unlike chalk paints, there is no need to apply a further protective layer. I may also use waxes, glazes, hemp oil, finishing oils and top coats or imitation precious metal leaf.
Whilst furniture is hand painted and will therefore show brush marks, mineral paint is self-levelling which means there are considerably fewer brush strokes in my work than if I used a traditional paint. It takes approximately 3 weeks for the paint to “cure” i.e. become fully hardened, and hence I do not recommend using a refurbished piece of furniture until this period has passed. The paints are available in a wide range of beautiful colours and have a mat feel. Using the paint I can create a modern sleek look, a shabby chic style or something in between. The furniture itself will always be vintage and preloved, and it may still carry some scars of life in its newly upcycled form. For me, this gives each piece its own character and warmth, a loved, lived in feel, rather than a stark new piece of furniture being added to your home. If you have a piece of furniture you would like to commission me to paint, I would love to hear from you! Please send a photo and details of the kind of style you are hoping to achieve to info@blueboyfurniture.co.uk. Prices are based upon each individual piece, its current state and the finished style to be achieved.
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If you are like me and sometimes get a little bit of paint on a piece of glass you are painting around, or the edge of a mirror, did you know it’s really easy to remove paint from glass using a paint scraper? Two fussy blokes sell a great glass scraper tool which not only is designed to prevent slippage and cutting yourself, but also comes with 2 spare blades stored in the handle so you always have a spare… and a spare for when you drop and loose the spare 🤩 You can buy these fantastic paint scrapers over on my online shop in paint accessories  This video shows the process behind a decoupage I carried out recently with the Grace on Design paper Classic Ride. I love using Grace on Design decoupage papers. They are amazing high quality yet thin and easily blend into your creation. They come as a set of 3 - one large picture of the main design, a smaller version of the same design and then a companion paper to enhance your creation. This toy box was completed using the smaller version of the main design. Let me know what you think! Have you ever wondered how to clean the handles on a vintage piece of furniture? Vintage furniture often has the original beautiful handles it was originally sold with but with time the lustre fades and they become dirty from the oils in our skin, dust and general everyday dirt. The great news is with a little it of elbow grease, some white vinegars and a nose peg (although the latter is optional), it is easy to bring back the shine to these vintage handles When you are painting your furniture, the most important thing to do before putting any paint onto a brush is to prep! In my video I explain the steps involved to preparing a piece of furniture for painting. To ensure maximum adhesion of your paints it’s really important to clean, sand and remove all traces of dust before you paint!  I’m often asked, “how did you get into refurbishing furniture?” and “did you go on a course?” but the truth is these are skills I have learnt through many years of painting furniture for my own home. It started when I was in my early twenties and I purchased my first property; we had enough money for a deposit and to pay for the mortgage, but there was very little money left to furnish it! I bought my first piece of furniture at an auction; a 1940s extending dining table. Scratched varnish but quality solid wood, we stripped, stained and waxed the top to reveal a beautiful table which was my pride and joy for many years!
If you google the meaning of refurbished it is to clean up again whilst upcycled means the reuse of objects and materials creating a new product in higher value than in its original state. And I do both, from large pieces of furniture to the tiniest little trinket boxes. All with the personal desire to keep quality vintage furniture away from the skips and landfill sites and bring them back into our homes to love again. I was really excited to launch Blue Boy Furniture in 2019, creating new original pieces of preloved, vintage, and sometimes totally shabby (but not chic) furniture. As each item carries the marks of its previous life, every piece is unique and has that lived in feel that only an old piece of furniture can have. I try to take the environmental ethos of recycling furniture into every area of my work; even the business cards are made from recycled paper. Please take a look at my website for furniture and household items for sale. I love to work with clients on a commission basis too, refurbishing their already owned furniture in a style to reflect their personality and existing home décor. A splash of paint is a great way to update a room without starting again with expensive pieces of furniture. I can help to source an item for your home too. If you would like to know any more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me at info@blueboyfurniture.co.uk. Tracy x |