I want I had extra studio progress to share with you at present, however I don’t. It’s not that progress hasn’t been made. I’ve been working diligently in there, however a few of these initiatives for that room simply take a very long time. And sooner or later, the progress turns into boring. Whenever you’ve already seen what I’m engaged on, I don’t need to share posts like, “I acquired 5 extra doorways and drawers gold leafed, and 4 extra cupboard doorways trimmed out!” That’s simply not fascinating. 😀
However I do have a small replace to share as a result of this was type of a bunch venture. A number of days in the past, I shared a little bit makeover that I had finished on the pendant lights on the mural wall of the studio. The lights began out wanting like this. (Please excuse the mud!)
However because the room progressed, and I acquired the mural up and the cupboards painted, the all black pendant lights began wanting too heavy and imposing to my eye. So I eliminated the shades, pulled out some gold and white spray paints, and gave them a quick makeover. They appeared like this…
I preferred them a lot better like that. The gold and white took away a few of that visible heaviness, however I wasn’t loopy in regards to the last shade of the gold spray paint. To me, the shade wanted precise gold leaf. Once more, I don’t use actual gold leaf. I use this imitation gold leaf (affiliate hyperlink).
Earlier than going the gold leaf route, I truly tried Rub N Buff first. I didn’t prefer it in any respect, and it made an enormous mess of my shade that I needed to spend approach an excessive amount of time cleansing up, which is why the shade within the image under seems like an entire mess. So after I acquired it cleaned up (together with fairly a little bit of sanding), I brushed on two coats of Speedball Mona Lisa Super Thick Adhesive Size (affiliate hyperlink) to the entire within the shade. I solely use the tremendous thick adhesive measurement as a result of it doesn’t run and drip just like the thinner stuff. When the adhesive is utilized, it seems a milky white shade.
it’s dry when it turns clear and glossy. Whenever you not see any milky white spots, it’s prepared for the steel leaf to be utilized.
Right here’s what the within of the shade appeared like after the within was utterly gold leafed.
There have been a few areas that appeared a little bit too darkish and cracked for my style, so I simply put one other layer of adhesive over these areas, let it dry, and utilized extra steel leaf to shiny it up a bit extra. I additionally taped off the underside fringe of the surface of the shade and utilized gold leaf to that backside edge throughout the shade. To me, that made an enormous distinction!
After letting these shades sit there for a few days, I lastly determined to take the advice that a number of of you made and provides the white a shinier clear coat. I preferred the flat white paint, however for the reason that shade is curvy, I knew a shinier end would exhibit the beautiful form even higher. So I gave the surface of the shade (together with the underside gold leaf accent) three coats of Rust-Oleum Painters Touch 2X in a clear glossy finish (affiliate hyperlink).
I then determined that I wished to take the gold all the way in which and canopy up the entire black on the lights. Since that is my room, and I could make issues as flowery and female as I would like, I proceeded to cowl the cover, wire, and no matter that different piece is named, within the Speedball adhesive and add gold leaf to all of these components as nicely.
To take action, I didn’t take it down utterly. I simply loosened the nuts that maintain the cover to the ceiling junction field sufficient in order that the cover was not touching the ceiling, after which I proceeded with brushing the adhesive onto all of these components.
After I utilized the gold leaf to all of these components, I reattached the shade and that is what the completed mild appeared like.
That’s fairly a 180-degree distinction from the way it began! 😀 And I completely LOVE it! It’s simply what I wished these lights to be — mild, ethereal, and female. I don’t assume that I may get away with having these anyplace else in the home, however I feel they’re excellent for my flowery, girly studio.
There’s merely no fake metallic end that may evaluate to actual steel leaf. I’ve tried so many spray paints, pens, acrylic paints, alcohol inks, and waxes, and whereas some come very shut, none of them look really metallic when in comparison with an precise metallic shine. And there’s simply one thing about gold leaf that I like a lot. I feel it’s the imperfection of it that offers it a fragile look that I like a lot.
You possibly can see what I’m speaking about on the within of the shade particularly. Whereas I did return and canopy over among the darker areas with extra gold leaf, my purpose wasn’t to attempt to make it look excellent. (I don’t even know if perfection is feasible with gold leaf!) I wished a few of that imperfection to remain as a result of that’s the fantastic thing about gold leaf.
I feel this new (and last) look is a lot better than the primary try. The primary one was a step in the suitable path, nevertheless it nonetheless appeared heavy and uninteresting. The present and last iteration seems a lot lighter and brighter. I feel it’s an ideal complement to my flowery, girly studio with the gold leafed pink cupboards.
Matt got here into my studio some time again to see my mural + pink cupboard + gold leaf combo for the primary time. He sat there taking a look at it for a minute, after which stated, “Wow. I find it irresistible!” That’s not fairly the response I used to be anticipating from him after seeing my flowery, pink, girly wall, and I’m certain the look on my face confirmed full shock after I turned to him and stated, “REALLY? You prefer it?” He stated, “I find it irresistible for you. It’s excellent for you. I’m very glad you’ve this for you.”
I swear, that man would assist me it doesn’t matter what I do. He’s simply so encouraging. Yesterday, after I wrote my publish about what I’d do with the breakfast room if I may do no matter I wished to, I requested him, “What would you assume if I stated that I wished to utterly transform the kitchen after we’re finished with the addition?” With out even skipping a beat, he stated, “Okay!” He’s significantly the perfect.
Anyway, I’m so near ending the mural wall within the studio. I can’t wait to get that completed and transfer on to the opposite sections! I actually slowed myself down after I determined to gold leaf the cupboard doorways and drawers. That’s a really gradual course of, nevertheless it’ll completely be price it (to me!) when it’s completed. I feel this studio goes to surpass my expectations when it’s completed, and I already had fairly excessive expectations earlier than I began. And I’m not in a race, so I’ll take the time I must take with a view to get it proper. I’ve been ready years for this room to be completed, so I would like it to be as near excellent (once more, for me!) as potential.
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and adorn the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
