Tuesday, January 17, 2012

How To: Vintage Mantel Gets a Makeover


I have owned a vintage fireplace mantel for over a decade.  I bought it at an outdoor flea market during the year we lived in Atlanta. Getting it home on the top of my SUV while driving the Perimeter Highway in Atlanta was a harrowing experience to say the least!  It's a miracle it made it home without flying off and causing a 50 car pile up!

U G L Y.  Oh the things you do for your kids!
I bought it for my daughter's then-vintage pink and white little girl bedroom. It had shabby, chippy white paint and looked sweet set up with a little table and tea set, baskets of books and a few blankets.  But, as she grew, her love affair with this mantel didn't grow and when we moved into this home 7 years ago, she would only keep it in her room if we painted it to match the crazy purple, pink and black decor of her room.  We painted it and added a cork board to the fireplace opening.  This past Spring when she decided she needed a more grown up teen room, she came to me and carefully let me know that the mantel was, well...too girly for her new sophisticated design sense.  Kids grow up and do things like having their ideas. Sigh.  We removed it from the wall and placed it in the garage.

This past summer, I completed a huge transformation on our master bedroom and I decided to bring this mantel back to it's good ole shabby, vintage condition.  The walls are white bead board and yellow paint, so I wanted to give the mantel a slight contrast to the white and add an accent of yellow that would help it make sense in the room.


I first clean and lightly sanded the surfaces, taking care not to sand too hard because I didn't want that rough, chippy surface to be sanded away.  I started by painting the turn leg portions of the mantel with a mustard yellow.  I used Americana Craft Paint in Mustard Seed. Yep, that's right...a craft paint.  I liked the shade and knew that two coats of this as an accent would be perfect.  Here is what it looked like at this point. Don't get too worried, this is all going to work out!!  (Sunglasses required)
Notice that I did a real messy job getting paint all over the background surface?  Well, I didn't spend a lot of time trying to be neat because I knew that I would be covering up those spots with the main paint color.  I let this surface cure for a few days and then came back with two coats of ASCP in Creme.  I chose Creme because I wanted that slight warm, cremey tone to create a little contrast to the stark white of the bead board.  I waited a full day between coats.  I then finished it off with a good smattering of Fiddles and Sons clear soft wax.  Here are the results.


Love how that yellow peeks through showing off the little details in the surface!

I haven't gotten a chance to get this monster set up into my Master Bedroom. I really wanted to show it to you finished.  When I get it in place, I promise to come back and show you what it looks like against the white bead board and  painted yellow wall!

Here's a little before and after...


What an improvement!  This mantel is finally made it's way back to yummy-ness!!  Hope you like it!  I haven't showed it to my daughter yet.  Wonder what her reaction will be?  Who cares...it's mine now! (wink)

-The End-
Linking this post:
WHISPER WOOD COTTAGE - 1st Project of the Year
504 Main

     
           
          

                  
                                                                                                                                        

39 comments:

Cassie Bustamante said...

oh, i was kinda diggin' the mardi gras vibe it had. ;) kidding- what an improvement!!!! it is SO much better- love the yellow peaking through!

Korrie@RedHenHome said...

It looks lovely! I know it will be perfect in your room. I truly admire the vision you have to layer paint and get the look that you do!

Full Circle Creations said...

Totally lovin' the new look. I would love a mantel like that. Very nice.

Holly

Carolyn@Sweet Chaos Home said...

Looks awesome!! It's going to be great in your room :)

KWalter said...

What vision you have! Love it!!! So shabby and soft...

Dee ⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️⚜️ said...

Hi Lesley,

Your bedroom is gorgeous!!!

I love the transformation of your mantel.

Dee

Twice Nice said...

It's awesome now, just think how much more awesome it will be in place against that beadboard! Another great finish Lesley!
Deb

Katie said...

This is awesome Lesley! I love the techniques you use to get layers of color! It looks so much nicer now - can't wait to see it in the room!

Vickie @ Ranger 911 said...

Love it! That is definitely a piece to hog all to yourself!

Are you sure you don't want some electric purple peeking through? :@

Karla Do More said...

It's beautiful. I want one!!!

Pamela said...

Great transformation.

Heaven's Walk said...

Oh my gosh....it's beautiful!!! One can not have too many frantels in the house! :)

xoxo laurie

KimMalk said...

I CANNOT believe it's even the same piece. You made it look so romantic. I totally adore the mustard seed color underneath, a perfect choice.

very merry vintage style said...

Oh I love this! I would've driven hours with it. Great makeover. I've been around but my feedburner account was messed up so my posts haven't been showing up on other people's blog rolls since November. Yikes!
Mary

Michele {The Scrap Shoppe} said...

Wow, Lesley! SUCH a transformation from the purple! If I were your daughter I would be snatching it back. ;) I love the mustard peeking through!

Deneen@dreaming-n-color said...

This is beautiful! I can't wait to see it in you bedroom!

Shortbread and Ginger said...

Fabulous transformation!
Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

Jessie said...

It looks wonderful!

Toni said...

It looks wonderful. As I was reading I was cringing thinking of it tied to the top of the SUV in ATL traffic any day of the week. It was suppose to be yours!

Unknown said...

I really like it a lot that color
the yellow peeks are like the sun peeking through the clouds

super job
-KAT

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

I love this makeover! It looks fabulous the way you've painted it. I bought a mantel years ago at the Lakewood Flea Market in Atlanta. Is that where you got yours?

Unknown said...

Beautiful! What a great find!

Leslie said...

Its beautiful!

Cheryl ~ ZanyMayd said...

Oh Lesley, I love the after... What an Amazing Transformation~ at first I didn't even recognize the before as being a Mantel~
Have a wonderful week
Cheryl

Karen said...

Who ever thought that beauty was under there, it looks gorgeous and will look great in your room.

Unknown said...

Hahaha, first of all, this post made me LOL. Darn kids and their own opinions!! ;-)

Second, your master bedroom is dreamy!! I love it and I ADORE this mantel!!! Have you placed it in your room yet?? I want to see it "in action"!

Thanks for linking up!!

Angie @ Knick of Time said...

Wowza!!! What an amazing transformation - I LOVE it!

Please drop by Knick of Time Tuesday and share this at the party!

Blessings,
Angie @ Knick of Time

gail@My Repurposed Life said...

lesley--it's hard to believe it is the same piece! You really outdid yourself this time!
LOVE the mantel!
gail

Grammy Goodwill said...

I can't believe the difference that paint made to that mantel. I actually inspected the "before" picture to be sure it was the same one - not that I didn't believe you! I just couldn't believe the difference. I can't wait to see it arranged.

I Play Outside The Box said...

That looks SOOOOOOO much better.

WhyCuzICan said...

Love the mantels new "dress". How I've dreamed of owning one for years! Envy here :)

Thanks for sharing :D

Visiting via Homemaker On A Dime's linky party,
~Suzanne in NW Illinois

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Great job on the mantel. I know all too well about the perimeter. That must have been some trip. Thanks for sharing at Wow.

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Lesley, I love how it turned out. It really does have that vintage feel again. Beautiful!

Honey at 2805 said...

Beautiful mantel makeover!

Ruthie said...

Looks great!

Katie said...

Oh my. THis is amazing! Great job!

Elegant Economies said...

What was wrong with the purple? {giggle}You did an awesome job!Gorgeous!

Dusty McRae said...

This is gorgeous!! I love the new color change. Can't wait to see it in its place.

Lisa Montsion said...

I love this. You did a great job.

lisa