Annie does it again!

If you have not heard about Annie Sloan and her wonderful books and line of paints, waxes and lacquer.  Her paints hit the US market in July of 2010 and it is quite the rage amongst professional and DIY painters.  Everything that "they" say is true.  You don't have to prime before you use it.  It looks like real French(laden with lead) lime paint although it is completely green and low VOC, miraculous!  And the colors are perrr-fect.


For most people here the French look that Annie has made famous and attainable never gets tired.  New Orleans is a city FULL of Francophiles.  This chalky painted look works well with the architecture and the few pieces of furniture that you have inherited or acquired from your Mother In Law.  I would say about 80% of my clients come to me to get new furniture or built in cabinets to look old, flaky and crusty.  Needless to say since I found this paint last summer I have been using it way more than visiting my friends at Helm.  


Another wonderful little bit about the paint is that it is distributed through out Northern America from New Orleans by Jolie Designs! 


I have used this paint quite a bit since I have discovered it and have been guilty of NOT posting my before/after photos.


The most recent time that I used it was to make some improvements for a young family in a craftsman cottage.  They have outgrown their digs but they are making it work until they bust out of it completely.  The last project at their home to tackle was this fireplace, mantle and built in bookshelves around it.

Before

After

Annie saved the day once again!  

If you have taken a look at Annie's colors the backs of the bookcases are painted "Paris Grey."  This color just might be the world's most perfect grey, not to drab or industrial and perfect at any time of day.  The mantle, columns, cabinets and shelves are "Old White" with a little glaze faux dirt and some of Annie's signature Soft Wax(don't get me started on this stuff,  I could do a whole post on paste wax alone, an obsession sickness of mine).  

I even painted and marbled(with Annie's paint and some raw pigments) the ceramic tile surround and hearth surrounding the fireplace.  I wanted to offer the client a low-cost way to "live" with that tile since they spend a lot of time in this room and the hunter green ceramic tile wasn't cutting it.

I promise to be better about taking before/after pictures!  The power of paint is endless, I am confident that I can show you that!