BIG RED - painting an antique buffet pt1

The Fort Pub needed a dress up

and I was asked for a helping hand.

This is the first of 2 antique buffets I’m doing in
 Emperor’s Silk Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

At this time of year this before shot reminds me of haunted
 houses and ghostly apparitions of Halloween more than
 the handsome fellow he really is. 

One of those ghosts kept making the 3 cabinet doors swing
 open, so the first thing I did was to install magnetic catches
 and plates.

A small support piece had broken off at some point in Red’s
 recent history. It wasn't going to take too much ghost 
busting for this fix, just some nails and glue.

A couple of screws were misappropriated so

I replaced them and tightened everything else up.

The original hardware was removed to make way for something different.

After all the finicky prep work was finished it was time to
 start laying some bright red paint on this big guy.
 Would you be as frightened as I was?

****************************************************************

I wanted the dark oak of the cabinet still seen as if it had been

 red wood stain that had been used. This meant gently spraying

 just the right amount of color evenly over the entire surface.

The top was sanded back to show more age,

and 5 coats of poly were applied to preserve it.

 

The hardware was chosen to repeat the other rectangular

shapes that already existed in the piece.

And look at these carved details in the center door.

It’s like something you would see on a mansion door.

The kind of ominous castle you dared your friends to approach first when you were out trick or treating.

The reality is no pictures taken of Big Red show the true color and magnificent look that Emperor’s Silk achieved on this project.

It’s one of those *you have to see it in person* so

look for BIG RED greeting you at the front door.