Le Rerun again.  Or you can call it the best of Redouxinteriors!  Regardless, I will be back to work next week.  In the meantime, I am sharing some of my favorite projects.  Le French Baker is at the top of my list.  Enjoy.

Happy Monday friends.  This post is coming up late because I made a little promise to myself I would not write posts on Sunday.  I have to say, my fingers were itching, but I kept to my promise.  What I did have time for instead, was more time with my family after church.  Three games of Othello, watched half of Pirate’s of the Caribbean #3 with my son, and some sewing time to maybe, just maybe finish up my UFO by May 9th.  (Unidentified Furniture Object).  And!  I actually sat down to watch the first half of the last Amazing Race with my daughters.  It was definitely worth giving up putting together a post on my latest project.

So….here I am Monday morning….I had planned to put the post together Saturday night, but after two days at Paris Flea Market, and doing a really fun, but busy!  Paint demonstration with CeCe Caldwell paints, I was WORN OUT!

Here it is now, I can’t wait to share.  I bought this dresser several months ago, and have been waiting for the right moment to “redoux” it.  It had a beautiful, almost perfect Maple top, and mostly intact pieces everywhere else.  The wood on the piece was a thin veneer of Maple.  Some of it was peeling off, so staining the entire piece was out of the question.  After some repairs, she was ready for her makeup.

I sanded the entire piece down with a 220 grit.  The top I finished with a 320 grit to get a very smooth finish.  The wood was mostly in good condition.  Stripping and staining was not necessary.  Instead, I was able to use one of my favorite products.

I love this product for it’s ease, and instant gratification.  Just a little rubbed in with a fine steel wool pad brings lusterless wood back to life.  Let it dry for a few hours.  Then simply take a soft cloth to wipe of the excess.  There were a few small parts where I did have to fill in with some wood filler.  The Restore a finish doesn’t quite mask it, so I have a little trick I use from time to time to “fake” a grain.  I love this product from Modern Masters.  Applied very sparingly with a small artists brush, you have to look closely sometimes to see where the wood was touched up.

Before

After

Time to turn my attention the body of the piece.  I was in a major hurry.  I had already placed a gorgeous Grey Buffet in my space and it sold to another consignor before the sale opened.  I needed to replace it and fast.  I chose Vintage White from CeCe Caldwell’s paints.  I used one thin coat.  Let it dry for about an hour, sanded with a 320 grit sandpaper. Now it was super smooth.  I finished the piece off with a thin coat of CeCe Caldwell’s 100% all natural furniture wax.  After this dried, I only needed buff it, and it was on it’s way to the store.

I love the way the wood grain shows through slightly, and the paint sands off so beautifully that it feels silky smooth, yet allows all the natural beauty and the details of this piece to come through:

This is where the story gets really fun for me .  Sale opened at 5:00.  By 7:00, there was a Frenchman and his wife, buying not only the dresser, but many of my pieces.  The French Couple are opening an organic bakery soon, and my furniture will be used in their shop!!  How much more perfect could this be. My 100% natural paint and wax used on this piece, would end up in a 100% natural bakery, and for a darling French Couple!!!!!  Ah…..it was a “TRES MERVEILLEUX”  ending for me.