Hi friends! You may remember on the Reduce. Reuse. Re-wedding. post a photo of our monogram within a beautiful oval frame. Well, today is the day that I teach you how to antique everyday items into beautiful, homey treasures. This technique is incredibly easy and can turn an old, not so great item into your new favorite decor! Follow along :)
I had this oval frame in my closet for years and I knew I always wanted to use it, but I wasn't sure how. This frame is actually from the 50s and belonged to my Dad's mother who unfortunately passed away before I was born. As beautiful as it was, it needed a fresh coat of paint to hide the shade of yellow that its age had acquired.
I hung it on a shepherd's hook in the backyard and gave it a clean look using Krylon's "Almond" Spray paint in a Satin finish. ($4 with my coupon!)
A nice, fresh look to the frame.
{Nester Tip: Make sure to set up your item so that you are spraying in the same direction as the wind, not against it! Not that I did that or anything....}
The frame looked brand new with a quick coat of spray paint! But, that was too simple for me. I let the frame dry for about 30 minutes and then brought it inside to start antiquing it. I bought two different paint brands and colors at Hobby Lobby. Honestly, I think any acrylic paints will do. I simply browsed the aisle, found some pretty colors that meshed well with our already established color pallet in the house, and was on my way to the register.
The larger paint (Academy Acrylic) was in a deep brown shade called "Burnt Umber" and the smaller Metallic Acrylic paint was a bronze color named "Bronze"; how original! (All of the paint was on sale, per usual Hobby Lobby style, and I spent a measly $3 on the brown shades.)
{Nester Tip: If you want the object to be antiqued using dark colors (like I did), make sure to use a light color for your first coat. If you want to antique using light colors, make sure to use a darker color for your first coat. This color is what you will see popping through the sponged-antique technique around all of the details on your object. Trust me!}
Next, the important part. Drum roll please.... the SPONGES. I seriously spent at least 15 minutes deciding on sponges. I don't know if I was overly concerned I was going to ruin this 50 year old, vintage frame (No pressure, right?) or if I was just having an annoyingly indecisive day.. but, here is what I came home with.
These were bought in a pack for a whopping $2.99 and worked PERFECTLY! I cannot go on about how easy this project was and how surprised I was at the finished product.
So, I eagerly started with the Burnt Umber, dipped the round (the bottom sponge pictured) sponge in it and used a wiping motion across the frame. DO NOT: Squeeze. Blot. Dab. Etc. This will leave a pattern of the sponge texture that you are NOT looking for. I repeat... do NOT do anything but wipe it across the surface. It's almost as if you are oiling it or rubbing it into the wood grain.
Making sure to include all of the different areas of the frame, I continued wiping/rubbing the paint onto the frame catching all of the raised, ornate details. The best part is catching those details and watching where the paint settles on its own; it creates the "vintage" look you are looking for!
{Nester Tip: Use something to prop up the object to be able to get at all edges, sides, angles & so on for an even finish. I used a shoe box and it worked perfectly.}
Now, the hard part. Sit back and let the paint dry. It's true, there is nothing more boring than watching paint dry; especially when you are excited for the next step!
Once you have reached full boredom and your first paint coat is dry, repeat the steps above with your next color, which was bronze in my case. BUT, use the second sponge pictured (which looks like a sea sponge if you ask me.)
This sponge is smoother and doesn't give you the grainy look the first sponge does. It was perfect for the smooth top coat I was looking for. I chose the metallic color to finish the look with a slight sheen to it. I wanted it to have a little hint of shimmer when the light hit it.
See what I mean??
Let your new vintage inspired beauty dry and find the perfect place for it! I knew this was going straight into our master bedroom. Here we are arguing deciding if its at the right height.
J is obviously thinking, "I LOVE all of the DIY projects my wife does!"
{ Nester Tip: Love on your hubs extra on DIY days, they deserve it! :) }
The finished product...
Isn't she gorgeous?? It was truly the easiest project I have ever done and I couldn't be more excited about how it turned out. Not to mention, you would never be able to find a frame this size for $9.99 + tax. Paired with our monogram it completed the vintage look we wanted in our bedroom and the frame is no longer collecting dust in the closet.
So, Nesters, what are you going to antique?? Feel free to share and ask any questions! I hope you enjoy this DIY project and it works as well for you as it did for me!
Enjoy!
xoxo,
A
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