Visions of a bed frame dance in my head.

Wow it has been a really long time! There has been so much going on in our lives; we moved, took a month long vacation, unpacked a whole house, have been exploring a new city and I have a new job. But I’ll get to all of that later… Right now I am so excited to be back blogging and even more excited to share with you all a DIY that took me well over 6 months to complete. This DIY was also my first Annie Sloane Paint Project, so I will do a review of that product for you soon but first I just want to share the bed itself with you.




This was the bed when I bought it. I had great detail and was very pretty… but plane! Also please pay no attention to the ugly time stamp! some how my camera turned the feature on and wouldn’t allow me to remove it but I digress because well, that is a whole other story all together. Any way!….

Since high school I have been sleeping on a mattress set that only had a metal frame under it. I longed for a pretty head board but could not decide what exactly I wanted but I did know that I wanted it to be unique. Then, one day while watching TV, I saw the most beautiful black bed and fell in love. I searched craigslist and e-bay for months (9 to be exact!) and finally I found one! It wasn’t an exact match but it was darn close and the price was right at $150! At the time we were actually on vacation at my husband’s parents’ house and the bed was listed on their local craigslist. Now luckily for me I get along very well with my in-laws (weird I know!)  and they were willing to store it for me for 2 months until I could get my hands on it. A month later I finally took it home and was ready to get out the black paint! But I couldn’t… I kept thinking “black isn’t right.” The more I looked at the bed the more I hated the idea of painting it black.

(This is the bed I saw on TV. You may be thinking “I recognize that”…and to that I say “well that depends do you watch Gossip Girl?”)
I was at a standstill, a standstill that would take me another 2 months to figure out. Then it came to me like one of those inspirational visions we so often hear about and long to have. I was unpacking some old things and came across this fabric that I am in love with and have been since I bought it. I had purchased it about 4 years ago to make custom curtains for a very oddly shaped window we had in our old rental. During the move it had been tucked away in a garage box and when I came across it I fell in love all over again.
  
The fabric is beautiful and calming with a fun sophisticated feel. It reminds me of a romantic old French cottage for some reason. I’ve always been in love with old French furniture and the antique Swedish furniture. The muted tones and use of green and gold really speaks to me. This fabrics colors and pattern mimic those of old furniture and they spoke to me. Suddenly the idea for my bed was planted in my mind I couldn’t shake it. I knew I wanted the bed to reflect this fabric and the way it made me feel.

Once I knew what I was doing it was only a matter of time until I found the right colors and was on my way. I decided to give Annie Sloane Chalk Paint a try since I wanted a more muted and antiqued look. Plus I had heard to many people rave about it that I felt I had to see for myself. After many days of research on how to use the product I scouted out a local shop and bought what I needed. The trial and tribulations that came after the paint was bought are extensive and will require a whole other post! So in the mean time I will simply say this, it is all over and done with and I could not be happier with how it turned out!

The antiquing was a learning process all of its own but the subtle hints of age that I added give it an old family heirloom feel.

The gold beading I dabbed on so as not to over power the piece with bright gold. 

The swirled antique accents in the middle of the head and foot board remind me of an old mirror.
  
I wanted the gold carving on the head board to pop of the bed but not overwhelm the piece and take away from its other elegant tiny details.

I love the Chateau Grey paint color. Its a darker green in the calm evening light yet  a cheery sage when the morning light hits it. Its almost like it changes with sun and stars.

I’m so proud of this project. It is a beautiful place for my hubby and I to lay down each night and a beautiful cheery sight first thing in the morning. I worked diligently and tirelessly on every little  detail. I wanted it to look old and elegant and I feel I achieved that. It is certainly not an antique but I hope that in years to come it is a treasured family piece that my future children keep in their homes and pass on to their own children.
Creatively Yours,
Christina Marie