Stencil Me

So, it has been about 5 weeks since Ashley and I started Little Yellow Barn and we are finally getting around to some real projects.  This dresser and nightstand are the first LYB pieces for sale. But of course if you are do-it-yourselfers like us, you can easily tackle a project like this too.  Well, maybe not easily, but we are here to help.  So gird up your loins because here we go!

SUPPLIES:

one dresser from Goodwill

one nightstand from Goodwill

oil paint in Almond

oil paint in Leather Brown

spray paint in Ivory

sandpaper (220 grit)

other supplies every woman should own:

electric sander 

air compressor 

paint sprayer

other supplies used:

paint roller stencil (see photos below)

THE BEFORE...

Step 1:  Lightly sand.  Because we were using an oil based paint we did not have to sand the furniture down to it's bones.  It is usually MOST important to sand all surfaces until they are rough.  If you don't sand enough your paint WILL NOT STICK.  This step is crucial, so don't wimp out when you get sick and tired of all the sanding. Which is what I usually do.

Step 2:  Tape and cover areas not to be painted (i.e inside of drawers)

Step 3:  Spray paint. Enter the man. We cheated a bit and skipped a coat of primer which is usually a big no-no, but oil based paint allows for more wiggle room because it is more adhesive than water based paints like latex.  We did have to use a couple of coats though.  Make sure the piece is dry before adding additional coats.

Step 4:  Mixing paint.  We added a smidge of Leather Brown to the Almond so the stencil would be subtle.

Step 5:  Sand again.  Sand the faces of the drawers before applying the stencil.  This prevents the rubber stencil from sliding across these surfaces.

Step 6:  Applying stencil.  The man and I have a special store we like to shop at, it called "grandpa's shop".  We found these stencils hidden away in grandpa's garage.  They are obviously a specialty item and I couldn't even begin to tell you if these are still made.  But there are several alternatives I would suggest to this step.  Look HERE or HERE for ideas.

Step 7:  Rough it up.  Sanding a newly painted piece always makes me want to cry as if I had just watched "The Notebook" for the first time.  Mostly because I go to all this hard work coloring inside the lines only to sand away the edges.  But the up side to the shabby chic technique is that you won't get angry at your children when they are dancing on the furniture and drinking juice in the living room.  If they mess up your new project, you can smile and say to yourself, "it's okay, they are just adding character".  Here at LYB, we like to encourage rough-housing as well as mischievous behavior from rotten children.

NOTE: DO NOT sand the stenciled areas, especially if you are using tone on tone colors.  Sanding will take away too much of the detail of the stencil.

Step 8:  Apply clear top coat. We will work on a tutorial for you guys on the basics of paint sprayers.

Step 9:  Paint hardware if you so desire.  I used Krylon dual paint and primer, this crap sticks to anything. I sprayed the backs of my handles first and then gave the front two good coats.  And then guess what I did... yes, I sanded the handles a bit because no one likes perfection.

You can do it, I know you can; get to work and email us if you have any questions.

FOR SALE:  DRESSER AND MATCHING NIGHTSTAND

$210 - DRESSER

$75 - NIGHTSTAND

Jourdan