Awesome Aubusson

I wanted to do something a little different with this French Provincial side chest so I decided to paint it this lovely color called Aubusson by Annie Sloan. I decided to heavily distress this one to allow the oak finish to peek through. Then, I added dark wax for the finishing touch. I am in love with how it turned out! If I had a place in my house, I would definitely keep it. However, I just can't keep every piece so this one is currently for sale in the Blacklion (space 370). May it go to a good home!

Merry Christmas!!

It's on sale!

Since working in retail, I have noticed that some of the busiest shopping days are after Christmas with most shops discounting holiday decor. The Brushed Bureau is now offering 25% off all Christmas. The Red Tag Sale and 50% off will start on December 26. However, I will start marking a few furniture items down on Monday so drop by the store if you are interested in any furniture items. Happy shopping!

Viva la France!

I had to be French in a past life! Crystal chandeliers, velvet upholstery, gilded mirrors and rustic french interiors always grab my attention. Some of my favorite interiors that are timeless in my opinion.....

 Suzanne Sommer's California Home

 Annie Brahler

Annie Brahler

French Country Living

Getting into the spirit

I know I have been a slacker lately with new postings. So, here's a retail update... the Blacklion (Park Rd.) store is really decked out with holiday decor! The store is on Christmas OVERLOAD with all kinds of gifts, ornaments and Saturday Santa appearances (free Santa pics too!). If you need a little help getting into the holiday spirit, then stop by the store. It is impossible not to be humming a Christmas carol when shopping at the Blacklion!

On another note,  if you need a hostess gift, I have some pretty awesome trinkets for the "hostess with the mostess". Check out a few of my favorites below...

Pinecone votives that can be used all year long. Looks like the real thing too!

Tea towels by illustrator, Kate Brennen Hall. This is my favorite hostess gift!

Mercury glass pedestal dish that can be utilized as a candle holder or small candy dish.
Can't go wrong with mercury glass!

Design Inspiration on TDN

I just watched the Lettered Cottage kitchen renovation video clip on The Design Network and had to do a quick post. Wow! Love how they transformed a boring builder grade kitchen into a fabulous light, bright, farmhouse style kitchen. To see more, watch on TDN here. I am now inspired to paint my boring maple kitchen cabinet white! Stay tuned....

Decking the halls at BlackLion..

I have been in the store quite often these days decking out The Brushed Bureau in holiday decor. I am still working on a few things but this is how it is looking....

I've added pine garland, lights with tons of natural looking ornaments....

Also, a few gift items like tea towels...

Also, signage, tree and mercury glass candle holders...

Last but not least, check out these fill-able advent calendar containers...

Stop by the store and check us out. It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

New cabinet

I am so excited to post the latest new addition to the sales floor! This 1920's cabinet is hand-painted off white (old white/ASCP) on the exterior and a bright blue (aubusson/ASCP) on the interior. This girl was old so I had to do some major cleaning before giving her a new coat of paint. I also lined the drawer with washable wallpaper and kept the beautiful original hardware. Check out the photos below:

Island Envy!

I had to do a quick post showcasing this fantastic re-purposed vintage cabinet beautifully transformed into a kitchen island. For more info and to view the entire kitchen makeover, visit the DIY Showoff website here.

Friends and Family Discount

Come visit us this Thursday, Oct. 23 for Family and Friend's Day at Blacklion. I am offering 20% off of anything including furniture. Print this e-ticket and fill out for additional door prizes.

House crush

I stumbled upon this Swedish house tour on Pinterest yesterday. I was so impressed with the furnishings and neutral colors of this home that I had to do a post on it. This house is designed by Marie Delice Karlsson. She created a brilliant mixture of  classic antique furnishings along with a few new buys from Ikea (canopy bed, couch and accessories). The neutral colors and textures work together so well and bring a touch of elegance to this residence. For more info, check it out here.

Cooking up eclectic lighting

I have a friend that is looking for unique lighting for her kitchen. She also loves anything that is re-purposed so I decided to browse Etsy. I think I hit the jackpot as far as eclectic up-cycled lights. Here's what I found...

 BootsNGus

 WiresNJars

 Industrial Lightworks

 Lucent Lampworks

 LitforaQueen

Good things to come....

Besides painting furniture, I have been busy attending auctions. Today, I picked up some smaller tables that I won earlier this week. Check out my loot! Can't wait to paint these babies. They will be in storage for now until I finish a fabulous antique china cabinet that I am currently working on. I promise to post pics of newly painted pieces as I finish them. Stay tuned....

Fresh furniture from The Brushed Bureau

Newly added. I've been a busy bee... check it out in the Blacklion (space #370).

 Vintage long buffet/entry table...painted in off-white with updated glass knobs

Narrow book shelf painted in a gray wash finish.

A darker side

I realize that most people paint furniture to lighten up a dark wood finish. However, sometimes a piece just looks better with a painted darker color. For instance, check out some fantastic examples of darker pieces below:

 Love this idea! The drawers are left natural wood finish and stenciled. (Miss Mustard Seed)

This dark grayish blue color is a great update for the piece. Also, check out the fresh new knobs. (Oliver & Rust)

 Excellent paint job...looks like it was lightly painted and distressed so the natural wood peeks through. (Carters Cottage Interiors)

New kids on the block

I just added a few freshly painted furniture pieces to the store (BlackLion Space #370). Below is a large hand-painted gray work table desk and chair with a dual side drawer that can be utilized from both sides. 

 Also, I recently added this small two tier square side table with drawer. This one is hand-painted gray-green with a darker gray on top.

Vanity fair

I saw a bathroom renovation on TV last weekend where the homeowners converted a vintage dresser into a vanity sink. So, I felt inspired to search the internet for awesome vanity makeovers and I found several great examples! I love this idea of upcycling an "oldie", not only because of the environmental salvage but this also creates an original conversation piece. This will be a "must do" in our next house!!

Vibrant green french vanity from Old Country Colors

Gray English antique vanity from Postcards from the edge

Refinished walnut wood vanity with marble top from Pinterest

Double antique vanity sink with back splash from Platner & Co.

Tent Sale this weekend at Blacklion!

We are having THE Tent Sale at the Park Rd. BlackLion store this weekend. There are lots of furniture and rugs under the tent. I spotted a few fabulous marked down quality case-goods and upholstered pieces this morning in the tent. I would have purchased them if I had the room in my home! Inside the store, there are tables that are set up for smaller items...frames, pillows, etc. I have a table down the center aisle and also several pieces of furniture marked down in my space (370). Happy shopping!

Urban Oasis in the Peachtree City!

 Dining/Living area

 Kitchen

 Master Bedroom

 Master Bathroom

 Master Closet

 Guest Bedroom

 Balcony

HGTV's 2014 Urban Oasis is located in Atlanta this year. I'm especially excited because I adore Atlanta, a large city with a hometown feel! This 2,000 sq. ft. luxury apartment is part of the award-winning Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. This fabulous 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath residence has a large amount of storage including a huge master closet. I also love the large ceiling to floor windows which showcase great views of the city. The sleek modern interior was designed by Lindsay Pumpa. For more info, check out HGTV. (Photographer: Eric Perry, Scripps Network)