I am thrilled to share the creative process of this antique buffet with you! It was not a direct road to this whimsical finished Whimsical Latin Buffet with a Touch of Carnival …..but sometimes a crooked path is the best way to get where you are going!
I had full intentions of using the new Latin Floral design transfer on the buffet however my initial vision was an olive green solid color…..I mean…what was I even thinking? LOL!
I began by giving this piece a White Lightning shower….which sounds kind of amazing to me…..I wonder if there is a product similar for humans?
White Lightning is NOT meant for humans, but does a fabulous job cleaning off years of gunk and grease and grime….leaving you with a finish set up for perfect adhesion to whatever products you choose to use during your creative process.
I primed the entire piece in BOSS gray…..Dixie Belles primer that blocks odors, stains and stops bleed through! BOSS comes in clear, white and gray…..however GRAY is my go-to! Priming is not always necessary….however if you are in doubt at all….or you plan to have any white in your final finish….I ALWAYS recommend primer just to be safe!
I then painted the entire piece in a custom mix of greens for that olive green that I was after (Olive Green was 1:1 of Holy Guacamole and Evergreen). While I love the color that I created..... I knew within just a few short days of looking at the buffet that it was NOT meant to be green.
So…..time for a new plan!
RED! Red and plum and pink and turquoise……accented by my go-to whimsical black and white! I began by painting the top of the buffet in The Gulf…..which happens to be in my top five favorite colors……and trimming out the outer rim in Plum Crazy. I love using these two colors together because where they meet…you get the most amazing magenta!!
I then painted the majority of the body in Honky Tonk Red. A single coat is all it took to cover that custom Olive Green that needed to go bye bye! I decided to add plenty of water where the Plum Crazy meets the Honky Tonk Red…..and do a gradual blend of these two colors. I wish you could see it in person! Its an amazing color…which is why I love using pinks and reds together!
I painted the sides of the buffet….as well as the drawer and door insets in Drop Cloth. I usually use Fluff as my white…but I really felt that Drop Cloth was a better fit for this more “organic” blend of whimsy!
I then did a blend of the Honky Tonk Red and the Drop Cloth where the door and drawer in-sets were….to soften the contrast of colors and to age the piece a bit. The trick here is to use water….and a good blending brush. I used both the La Petite brush and the French Tip…..and found the La Petite to be the best blending brush for this project. It’s amazingly easy to do and you can watch me do this in the You Tube play list here.
Once all in-sets were blended and dry…I began to apply the Latin Floral transfer. Transfers are wonderful to work with but often need to be custom cut to fit your project. I share with you exactly how I do this in this You Tube videos here.
I used the new Dixie Belle Harlequin stencil on the side panels.....in black and white (Drop Cloth and Caviar). I've been painting the harlequin pattern for years.....and I'm so excited to share this stencil with those of you that struggle with the pattern! The stencil makes it soooooo easy and the final look is dramatic! You may also notice that I did the "white to red blend" on the side panels as well....right over the harlequin! I love this "ghost look" so much!
I chose to stripe the inner side support bars....which is a detail not seen by all....but it's a nice surprise when discovered. I also striped the center upper doors....and this can be seen on the You Tube play list as well! If you've never painted stripes....I've got a great tip fo crisp clean lines every single time!
As I stepped back for the 492,677,000th time and gazed at the buffet for what to do next.....I knew I needed to stripe the ornamental legs! It would require a lot of extra time and focus.....but once I saw it in my mind....I couldn't unsee it! It had to be done! I am beyond thrilled with this final decision! I believe it is what pulled the utmost Whimsy into the finish! This is when it became the Latin Whimsy Buffet with a side of carnival!
It was now time to add my touch of gold in all the right places. I use Dixie Belle's Mousse in Gold.... infuse it with a few drops of Clear Top Coat in gloss..... and just start adding it where I see fit.... which is usually all over!!!
Now for a few hidden details that will only be appreciated by the owner of this piece..... but I chose to fancy up the sides of the drawers and the inside of the cabinet doors! I know....it's EXTRA.....but I like EXTRA!
I used the new Delicate Lace silk screen stencil for the sides of the drawers and can say without hesitation it is my favorite silk screen stencil to date! Doesn't it look amazing over the raw wood?
I then used the Botanical silk screen stencil on the inside of the cabinet doors…..and I love the whimsical look it offers!
If you’ve never used a silk screen stencil let me just say they are so much fun!!! I encourage you to give them a try! If you’d like to see one in action…that is also available to see here.
Last but not least????
The top coat!
I chose Top coat in Satin just too keep with the boho-organic vibe that I was after…..and YES….you can turn color AND whimsy into organic if you try!
This Latin Whimsy Antique Buffet with a Touch of Carnival sold within hours of listing it online….and my heart could not have been happier!
I hope this piece makes you happy to look at….and I hope you are inspired to give the whimsical Latin Floral transfer a try!
XOXO,
Tracey