I took this blanket chest to my live broadcast for crowd sourcing ideas for decoupage papers and paint colors.
The winning choice online was the Surfs Up decoupage paper.....and a soft vintage green for the overall color! These choices, together, made for a stunning coastal furniture makeover! I just love what my incredible online community helped create....let me talk you through the process.
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Before the Coastal Furniture Makeover
Matt thought I'd lost my mind when he arrived at the thrift store to pick this blanket chest up for me. He even sent a photo of it to double check he was picking up the correct item.
I'm not sure what it was that I was drawn to because it certainly wasn't the style or that heavy tweed 1970's fabric!
I think it was the size.....and possibly the nostalgia of a "hope chest"
.
Do girls still have hope chest today? I know Zadie doesn't.....and maybe I dropped the ball on that. I have one that was handmade by my bonus dad and I will treasure it always!
Regardless, I'm calling this a blanket chest!
Supplies Used: Surfs Up Blanket Chest
Fabric of Choice
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Coastal Furniture Makeover: Surf's Up Blanket Chest
So let's talk about my process and what I did to get from this.... to THIS!
Prepping for Paint & Paper
Matt removed the cushioned top.
I cleaned and primed the piece really well prior to priming with Bonding Boss White.
I removed the handles from the faux drawers.
I used Dixie Belle Mud in white to fill the holes from the removed hardware as I chose not to replace them.
The mud dries pretty fast...and once dry you should sand it smooth.
Applying the Decoupage Paper
I trimmed my Surfs Up decoupage papers to fit where I wanted to place them such as the VW Bus in the middle section and palm trees and surf boards for the left and right faux drawers.
Using Dixie Belle's Clear Coat in Satin for my decoupage adhesive I applied each trimmed sheet using the same technique I always use for decoupage:
brush on small section of top coat
apply paper starting at the top
smooth out that section using a ball of saran wrap
move down to next section and repeat above.
Check out these close ups!! Coastal Furniture Makeover perfection....
Paint Blending on Coastal Furniture Makeover
Once all papers were in place I began my paint on the body.
This finish is a blend of many colors....which was necessary to match well to this sepia finish of the decoupage paper.
You can see the sepia color I was trying to achieve on the left side of the chest below...
I will list them below and explain the order at which I applied them.
I painted the body in Sea Glass and let dry.
Once dry I added another light coat of Sea Glass....and while still wet I blended in Weeping Willow for the perfect green for this Surfs Up Paper.
I then used a dry brush technique in both horizontal and vertical strokes.... sort of imitating linen fabric.
I did this first with Pine Cone....allowed to dry....and followed with Drop Cloth.
For lasting protection, I coated the entire body with the same satin top coat that I used with the decoupage process!
Changing out the Legs Completed the Design!
When it was completely painted I decided I wanted the skirt removed!
The skirt is the bottom scalloped trim that just dated the piece....and I wanted a cool vibe!
So I had Matt pop that skirt off...which was SO easy....he basically hit it with a hammer from the underneath back side.
And THEN he added these adorable hair pin legs!
This changed the look of this piece instantly!
Replacing the Top Cushion
All that was left was the top cushion!
So we demonstrated this during another Wednesday night live broadcast!
So easy.....popped off all the old staples.
Trimmed the new fabric and stapled in place!
This mattress ticking was recommended by someone watching the live broadcast and I am SO glad they had that vision because it gives it such a beach camp vibe!!
The Finished Look: Surfs Up Blanket Chest
I think this is SO cute!
It makes me want a beach house!!
I would park this cutie right inside the front door to toss my beach bag on when I walked in...and even better I would store beach towels in it....making it easy to grab on the way out!
Matt loves it too! He thinks it would look great in a beach themed room at the foot of the bed!
I LOVE doing projects with you all!
We make the best choices as a group!
We could have taken this final finish in so many different directions....but I honestly believe this finish looks exactly as it should!
Bye bye 1970's hope chest....and hello recycled 2024 sustainable furniture art!!
More Inspiration:
I pulled a few blogs from past projects that came to mind when working on this piece! I hope you can use them to draw inspiration for your upcoming project. Here are the additional designs for your inspiration:
Sunset Inspired Blanket Chest - whimsical and bright! And just so fun!
Decoupage LIFE trunk - bold bright decoupage trunk...what a transformation!
Memory Trunk Restoration - a beautiful family heirloom
And of course, don't forget to get in-depth instruction on how to apply decoupage paper to just about any wood surface HERE and even on fabric HERE.
Click on any photo below for more up-close photos and all the design details
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