I found a beautiful rustic piece of wood in my basement more than 10 years ago. I loved the patina and the greenish hue. I didn’t really know what to do with it until one day out of the blue, inspiration hit. I wanted to make a farmhouse style sign. And it had to be… View more
Color wash is a great technique that results in a unique, multidimensional look. A few years ago, I painted a sample board that is hands down the most popular display item at Blue Sky. It is a cabinet board with two colors of Chalk Paint – Duck Egg with a color wash of Aubusson Blue…. View more
The first time we posted this furniture painting technique on Facebook, Annie Sloan herself messaged and told us to use the proper name (I originally called it “smooshing”). It’s called “frottage” derived from the French word “frotter”, meaning to rub. There are also erotic connotations to the word. But we are talking about painting. Frottage… View more
Embellishing your painted furniture with stencils is a simple way to add excitement to the design. It’s also the perfect opportunity to add a textural element and make a unique statement. Adding a raised stencil (as opposed to just paint) is easy and fun. To create a raised stencil effect, all you need is plaster. Before you get started on… View more
Distressing paint gives a feeling of age and history. At Blue Sky we love to play with color and texture. For this sample board, we put away the sandpaper and crackle mediums and opted to simply use a putty knife to achieve a rustic look. The colors used are regularly associated with Gustavian style –muted, dusty grayish-blues,… View more
By H.M. Shaw We learn best by doing. When we do try our hand at something new, we are most likely going to make serious blunders. The mere thought of learning how to use a product that requires delicacy and patience makes you want to do anything but learn how to use that product that… View more
Look at any home décor blog and you will see design enthusiasts continue to love the distressed furniture look. We all love the character and depth distressing adds to painted furniture. Most often “distressing” is done with sandpaper or a sanding block. But sometimes sandpaper just won’t do. Perhaps you want to eliminate the flying… View more
Great interiors tell a story. You’re in a little French villa with divinely painted furniture and charming textured walls. Sweet lavender perfumes the air. You sip soothing tea while you gaze at the breathtaking landscape beyond. Oh wait, you’re not in a villa. But, you are enjoying your enticing living room. What’s the recipe for… View more
At Blue Sky we love experiment with color and texture. Lately I have been trying to come up with new ways of create the impression of depth. The strié (pronounced stree-AYE), French for “striated” or “scratched”, involves pulling a dry brush or a rubber comb through a wet coat to leave a subtle striping in… View more
