By Elizabeth Yeager Cross
WV Design Team
BEFORE: The dark purple paint, commercial carpet and tile had to go AFTER: YDI Grey and a custom shiplap wall with barn door set the tone for the new workshop space.
As a business owner, the idea of expansion is always one to approach with trepidation and caution as well as excitement. I have been told many times over the last few years that I need to take the empty space next door to my showroom. I always replied that I preferred to stay small and intimate rather than become some gigantic furniture, décor and design warehouse.
Well, I finally gave in, bit the bullet a few weeks ago and broke through the walls to make Yeager Design & Interiors double its original size. We’re now 4,000 square feet.
The new space had to tie in to our current feel. But that presented a few challenges from the start.
Dark purple walls and commercial blue carpet with tile underneath made for a difficult renovation. We tied in the wall color with our signature gray, and we had to rent a large piece of equipment to help us scrape up the glued down carpet and tile.
After hours of successful removal we decided we would not refinish the current concrete floors since our showroom has the same industrial concrete feel. Because the space needed multiple functions and purposes, we took the last quarter of the new room and made a divider wall out of shiplap with a large custom barn door that would create interest while serving as a separation between storage and our new Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Workshop.
The Chalk Paint Workshop would serve multiple purposes. Not only would this be a space to have our workshops for teaching others how to transform their furniture, it would also be used to house Yeager Design & Interiors accessories and our own pieces that have been transformed with Chalk Paint.
Found pieces like these window panes fit in perfectly our expanded workshop when paired with our gorgeous Paris Grey dining table.
We wanted to show how almost any surface can be finished with Chalk Paint, so we started by using Old White, one of the most popular colors, on the back shiplap wall. The barn door was gorgeous, and our trusted contractor, Anthony Harrah, built and stained it in a beautiful medium wood tone.
From there we started to fill the room with unique found pieces and some interesting pieces we’ve had through the years. We knew this room should be bright and show the full range of colors Annie Sloan offers, so we took a dive out of our comfort zone and began painting pieces in colors like English Yellow, Antibes Green, Florence and Duck Egg Blue paired with darker, more neutral colors like Paris Grey, French Linen and Graphite.
The first highlight of our new space is a very large, very heavy buffet we found in a client’s barn. It was chipped, scratched, and had missing hardware, but we knew after a few coats of Chalk Paint it would look good as new.
English Yellow, Antibes Green and Napoleonic Blue showcase the bright colors in the Annie Sloan repertoire
When earlier we referred to going outside our comfort zone and choosing bright colors, English Yellow is about as far out as we’ve gone on such a large piece. We chose not to distress the paint but rather tone down the color by using a custom Graphite Wax to create shade and depth in the intricate mouldings.
Once finished, it is a statement piece for any home that can be used in a dining area, or even as a media center.
We also transformed a very battered sun porch table into a fun cocktail table with an accent stool using Antibes Green and Napoleonic Blue paint. We hope the future owner of this piece embraces the bright colors and pairs it similarly as we have with fanciful art to bring a polished look together.
Another transformation we chose for the space was a very traditional columned mirror that started in a very bleak and washed out finish. Aubusson Blue was applied in a light and spotty manner to make the piece feel rustic and vintage yet still refined enough to be placed in any bedroom setting. We chose to pair it with a three-drawer chest and create a vanity scenario, fit for any queen.
A light brush of Aubusson Blue on what was once a bleak, washed out wooden mirror transforms it to a beautiful vintage-inspired piece
As anyone with a storefront knows, a good window display speaks volumes. More than a year ago, while hunting in a vintage stall at market, we found 16 relic paint brushes that had been used and abused. We bought them on the cheap and decided to dip them in the most colorful hues of Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan and hang them in our windows.
From the outside looking in, it seems as if the brushes are floating in mid air and add a bright pop of color while signifying what we do in our workshop.
Our next Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Workshop will be held at 3 p.m. April 24. These are events filled with creativity and laughter, and you walk away with a new set of skills, new friends and a sense of community you did not have beforehand.
Typically, we work on vintage pieces such as bread bowls, antique pedestals and large candle sticks. We teach the basics of Chalk Paint 101 and give an introduction to waxes and distressing techniques.
Yeager Design & Interiors is more than excited to share our new workshop space with the community. If you are interested in taking our classes, please call us at 304-760-8914 to make your reservation. Or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YeagerDesignandInteriors.
– To see more pictures of the projects featured in this article: Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan
– To read the full article: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/life
