Last week I finished this project! A friend was throwing out this folding screen, and I had to swoop in and save it. I didn't know exactly what I'd use it for, but an idea occurred to me after I got the screen home. We didn't have much lighting in our living room, and I really wasn't that happy with the decor around our tv before (it was unbalanced and just kind of an afterthought). I thought, well I could use these as sort of architectural pieces on the wall.. and then I thought I need to do some sconces instead so we can actually see at night..... and then the two ideas kind of combined as I tossed and turned with insomnia one night. That's when I get most of my thinking done.
This is how the screens looked before hand. This is the back side, the front side has an intricate scrolling gold flower/dragon design carved into it.
I first did a thin coat of Annie Sloan cocoa. The secret to this paint is LAYERING! Using several colors and working your brush every which way will give you tons of interest and texture.
Once the first layer was dry, I added a few stokes of French Linen.
added in some Paris Gray....
and then added a Graphite wash over top. I like to mix this color with water to almost like a stain consistency. You can do a wash over top of natural wood even and wipe it away- to give you a weathered/reclaimed wood look. It's amazing!
I then added in pure white lighten it up some....
and more French Linen...
At the end, I sealed it with Annie Sloan dark wax. It brought out all of the colors and depth. Love this stuff! You can see how the layering of different colors and all the brush work really gives it that aged wood appearance. These were FLAT BLACK panels. Crazy right?
I unscrewed each panel so that there were 3 separate panels and painted every side well. Sealed those.
I then attached the swing arm sconces and hung the panels on the wall. Voila!
I like that they anchor the tv and the boat paddles and give symmetry. I'm all about symmetry.
The room just feels so much more put together now.
And now we can see at night! Much better!
The third panel is going to live at one of my client's houses. Yay!
Do you have any DIY plans this weekend?
