Personal touch in home always in style
There is a trend I mentioned in one of my columns that continues to grow. The interest in all things handmade — from hand-painted details on furniture and accessories to mosaics and needlework crafts — is enjoying a revival.
I’m not surprised; in fact, I don’t believe that these well-loved arts are ever out of fashion. The intrinsic beauty of any object that has been created or embellished with care by hand will always be cherished. Whether we make it ourselves or purchase it, items with the unique look and feel of hand-made take up a special place in our homes.
I am always on the lookout for clever methods to replicate the look of expensive décor items and decorating styles at a fraction of the cost. On my travels I have discovered many ways that leather can be used on furniture. In Spain, leather is often embossed with an intricate pattern and then buffed to a deep sheen. The look is stunning, and when I got home I figured out how to imitate the appearance of finely tooled leather. The faux-leather mirror frame shown here is actually painted embossed wallpaper.
This procedure is best suited to a flat surface. The frame is cut from a 1-inch-by-4-inch pine board. Corners can be mitered or flat. I used a piece of Anaglypta wallcovering that I had on hand from a previous decorating project, but any embossed paintable wallpaper will do. Choose one with a fairly detailed raised pattern for best effect.
Cut out strips slightly longer and wider than each side of the frame. Use wallpaper paste or a strong white glue to adhere the paper. Make diagonal cuts at the corners and fold the paper over the sides and back. Press down and hold for a minute or two and let dry.
Glue the frame together and secure at the back with corrugated metal joiners.
Brush on one coat of bronze paint, being sure to get into the nooks and crevices in the pattern and also around the edges to the back. Let dry overnight.
Brush on a solid coat of black paint, once again getting into the crevices. Then while the paint is still wet, take a soft rag and wipe across the surface to remove the black so that the bronze paint shows through but black is still left behind in the crevices. Work in small sections so that the black paint doesn’t dry before you have time to work it. This antiquing technique accentuates the pattern. Finish with a coat of varnish for sheen.
You can apply a decorative faux-leather accent to furniture. Why not dress up a chest of drawers or a desk? Glue the paper into position on the top or as an insert for the front of the drawers. Create the faux-leather effect shown above. The edges can be framed with thin sections of wood molding and painted. Or frame with a row of upholstery tacks (they come in strips).
Use this technique to transform a plain box into a special gift box or jewelry case. Paint colors can be adjusted. Try a tan-brown base coat highlighted with dark brown or a red base coat highlighted with brown.
Debbie Travis is a columnist for King Features Syndicate. E-mail questions to her at house2home@debbietravis.com. You can follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/debbie_travis and visit her Web site at www.debbietravis.com.