We ladies like to look at ourselves right (and some men do too…you know who you are!).  Wouldn’t we all love to have a gorgeous vanity to primp and fuss over ourselves, at least every once in a while?  I mean, if I manage to get a good look at myself at 6AM then it’s a miracle, and usually I’d just rather not look. ahem.

My projects over the last week and a half have been a couple of custom vanities, custom requests for my crib chalkboard easels, and a hand-painted sign (yep, I do those too!).  It is amazing how God has made each one of us different and it’s so fun to see what my clients different tastes are. 

Take a look at how these vanities evolved!  (I’ll share more on my other projects later, so become a follower!)

First was a gorgeous Queen Anne dressing table, or vanity, as some like to call it.  It wasn’t so gorgeous at first, even with the mismatched bench (obvious, eh?), but I was able to find a suitable replacement for my client.  It did need new mirrors, but we kept the lovely original brass pulls.

Who wouldn’t swoon over those curvy legs and the tri-fold mirror – perfect for viewing at all angles?

Here it is paired with the chair I found at a local man’s perpetual garage sale/antique shop.

My client wanted an espresso chalk paint to match her daughter’s bedroom furniture, particularly her mirror.  Can I tell you I wish I could teleport myself to a client’s house to get the exact color scheme?  It’s difficult to match or compliment using photos, but I believe we nailed it.

The best part of the whole redemption of this piece was that my client couldn’t decide on a fabric to compliment her daughter’s bedding, so she shipped my her extra throw pillow to use as the chair seat fabric. 

You should have seen me sitting on the floor wrestling with the chair seat and pillow cover to get it on.  My kids had a good laugh.  But…it fit like a glove…like it was made for that seat!  Woot!

Here is what my client had to say: “The vanity arrived in great condition and my daughter (name removed) loves it! As soon as we put it in her room, she immediately started putting all her little things in the drawers etc.  Her favorite thing about the piece is the chair that matches her bedding perfectly!!! Thank you! :)”

Next up, a 1930’s-1940’s Art Deco waterfall vanity.  I’ve gotta say those large round mirrors are just stunning on these pieces.  This particular one is similar to my Espresso & Chevron makeover. (this photo was taken by the previous owner)

At one point, this lovely lady had been painted white with the pulls still on.  Do you see the great potential?  My client is a west coast dweller and wanted a cool-colored lilac shade of chalk paint with an awesome jellyfish fabric for the matching bench. 

See what I mean?  Each person created to be an individual with their own tastes.  I love it!

Because of the previous paint job, I had to sand the table down to bare bones, to give myself a clean start. (no drip marks for me!)

Both my client and I thought the first color was too close to white, so I changed the color to the next darkest color in the sample choice and it was a perfect fit.

A little distressing here and there and leaving some paint on the pulls to give it a time-worn look, she’s all done. 

Don’t you love the fun fabric?  You can find it at spoonflower.com – awesome custom fabric store.

Here’s what my client had to say: “It is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!!  Thank you for doing an amazing job.  It is EXACTLY how I envisioned and BETTER!   I love EVERYTHING about it! From the distressed hardware to your call on the paint color. You are a PROFESSIONAL!”

Sometime soon I will show you some of my other transformations in detail, so become a follower to check out my handiwork. You can also view my Zinc Faux Finish Tutorial on another gorgeous dressing table.  

Let me just say that I used Websters Chalk Paint Powder on both of these pieces and it’s my new-found love.  It affords the widest selection of color choices (because you can pick any latex paint in any sheen up to semi-gloss and just add the powder) and it is a fraction of the cost of the retail chalk paints. (I love those too, but too pricey for my budget).  An added bonus is that it’s so much healthier for you than using homemade chalk paint made with Plaster of Paris or unsanded grout, etc. …psst!  read the warning labels!! 

I hope you’ve enjoyed these transformations.  Become a follower to see more!