Before and After: Kitchen Cabinets

As I have said before, I love to share transformations from our customers! This kitchen was actually sent to us from one of our retailer's customers who bought the paint in Abingdon, Virginia at Lenhart Design Company. 

The customer decided to use the Amy Howard At Home One Step Paint in Cartouche Green!

Before

After

The kitchen looks absolutely fabulous...

Rescued, Restored, and Redecorated!

I was also told that she was so excited about the product and transformation that she brought in her elderly mother to Lenhart Design Company to choose a color to redo her mother's kitchen! I look forward to seeing the results of her mother's kitchen with using the One Step Paint in Charm School!

Featured Retailer: Lifa Home

Lifa Home is our Featured Retailer this week with 2 locations in Canada. 

Lifa means life in Icelandic. The new store is targeted at renovators, designers and people looking for extraordinary, affordable items

Lifa is the only outlet in Manitoba that sells Amy Howard at Home pre-mixed paints, powders, waxes, spray lacquers and other specialty finishes

Lisa and Leslie, the store owners

"There are other chalk-based paints on the market, but we've experimented with other products and found that the Amy Howard line has the most beautiful colour palette and the best one-coat finish," Lisa said.

Bed and Dresser painted with the Amy Howard At Home One Step Paint

Leslie, with sisters Lisa and Carol Magnusson, opened their store in August after renovating a former doctor's office built circa 1980 on Centre St., Gimli's main tourist drive.

Lifa Home in Gimli

The striking two-storey house has gables, a covered wrap-around veranda, fish-scale shingles on the north- and west-facing peaks, horizontal siding and a white picket fence.

Great Article from the Winnipeg Press about Lifa Home

Lifa Home

35 Centre St

Gimli, Manitoba R0C1B0

(204) 642-5020

info@lifahome.com

Lifa Home

1131 Sanford Street

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E3A1

Lifa Home's Website

Lifa Home's Facebook Page

Store Hours:

Tuesday - Saturday : 10am until 5pm

My trip to Bedford

One of my life long dreams has been to write a book. I can't tell you how many times I have hauled incredibly heavy books from Paris like a new born baby. Clutching them in my arms with excitement to get them home and devour them. I love Pinterest and hours can fly by while I am looking at the images. However, nothing will ever replace the glossy cool slick cover of a Rizolli book. The photography is mind blowing and the close up images of textured shutters or Fortuny fabrics and crusty European walls seem to feed a part of my soul that only a beautifully designed and printed book can do. 

Over the years, I noticed that there were several things in common with my favorite books. There was a magical collaboration of two amazing people : Jill Cohen being the publicist and Doug Tunsen, the graphic designer.

My trip to NY was two fold. A creative b-12 shot from the city and to meet and go over my book with the great Jill and Doug team. 

I am grateful to have Jill as a friend and have the ability to now work with her. Her talents and success from Conde Naste to QVC are very impressive. She is beautiful inside and out, on top of being uber brilliant. 

Jill so graciously entertained us at her home in Bedford. We drove over to her neighbors... Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren... really.... yes really. The homes are historically beautiful with even more amazing rolling manicured lawns. 

We sat down to discuss our plans of a hybrid book that teaches others to rescue and restore furniture while also being a beautiful cocktail table book. 

Doug brought out his layout and I have to be honest, I wept like a baby. A dream that I had always had...was coming true. It was almost too much to bear. Then to be working with two people that I respect and admire so much... we'll you get the magnitude of the day. 


After our meetings, we drove around the quaint town of Bedford and saw Martha's compound.

Then right around the corner was Ralph Lauren's home. He literally bought several magnificent homes and tore them down to have privacy. Acres and acres..... Needless to say the historical society was not happy. These are the beautiful hedges lining the entry to his home. 

We later went to the most quaint little restaurant that Bill and Hillary go to on Saturday nights when they are at their home in Bedford. 


Stay tuned to lots of wonderful new projects and amazing photography impeccably laid out on thick glossy paper......

Shelving and Bookcases

A room can feel more calm when everything has a place and there are not too many things sitting around.

Using a window as the doors makes this a major focal point of this European kitchen. I love that it has been made into a built in bookcase for the cookbooks.  It is so great being able to have a special place in the kitchen for cookbooks.

Keeping open storage spaces with no doors is also a great look.

What a fabulous open pantry.

Pantone Color of the Year: Radiant Orchid

I am so excited to share that we have just released three new Lacquer colors: Eggplant, Orchid, and Pink! This year, Pantone announced their color of the year to be Radiant Orchid so I am glad to say we are definitely on trend!

As said on www.pantone.com, “An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm.”

Radiant Orchid for Interiors Spruce up interior spaces by incorporating this eye-catching hue in paint, accent pieces and accessories. As adaptable as it is beautiful, Radiant Orchid complements olive and deeper hunter greens, and offers a gorgeous combination when paired with turquoise, teal and even light yellows. Likewise, the vibrant color is sure to liven up neutrals including gray, beige and taupe. Uplifting and bold without being overpowering, Radiant Orchid reenergizes almost any color palette and provides a unifying element for diverse spaces. Inspiration: Beautiful flowers Even appearing in macaroons! Great desk for an entryway Beautiful vanity in an eggplant What a fun way to add color to your kitchen! The new colors will be available on www.amyhowardathome.com in a few weeks!

Featured Retailer: The Paint Center

Our Featured Retailer this week is The Paint Center in Abilene, Texas. They have actually been in business for over 35 years.  They were founded in 1971 by Dean Hagler. We have been working with Chris Cummings who attended our workshop this past Fall and I am excited to share their display cabinets that they have rescued and restored.

Before

Before: Detail

After: Detail

After using the One Step Paint

The cabinet full of products!

As said on their website, "Our decorative painting showroom is unique, treating faux finishes like a work of art and then displaying them like real art. We feel that if you can see it, feel it, and learn how to do it--you'll want it!  Our staff is creative, knowledgeable and fun.  We try and build relationships with our customers, not just sell them something.  We are fortunate to have many third generation customers.  We invite you in to experience the difference a dedicated group of people can make in you painting and decorating projects."

Another Amy Howard At Home display

Display Cabinet Detail

All of the Amy Howard At Home products!

Inside their shop where their workshops are held

"We want our store to be your "destination" for all your painting and decorative treatment needs.  We are Abilene's recognized leader in faux finishes, speciality coating, and special flooring products.  As Abilene's only locally owned paint store, we work twice as hard to assure our customers success in all of their projects, and we've been doing it since 1971."

Be sure to go visit them if you are in the area and attend one of their workshops!!

The Paint Center 2821 South 1st Street Abilene, Texas  79605 325.677.1491 phone 800.588.2343 toll free 325.677.0162 fax ccummings@thepaintcenter.com

The Paint Center's Website

The Paint Center's Facebook page
Store Hours: 
Monday - Friday : 7:30 am - 5:30 pm

One Step Painted Chest

The One Step Paint is literally one step to rescue any piece of furniture! I love to share how easy it can be to completely transform any piece of furniture. We now have 38 colors available of the One Step Paint! Here is a before and after that was sent to us by one of our retailers, Belle Couleur, in Texas.

Before: The chest when she first found the piece

Before: The piece after she had degreased it in preparation for the One Step Paint

In Progress: Once the paint had been applied along with the Light Wax and Dark Wax

After: The chest is complete with the installed hardware!

Instructions are available here to see how to accomplish this finish!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Today is a day that remember what a remarkable man, Martin Luther King, Jr. was to our nation as a whole. It is amazing to see how he made such a difference in each one of our lives and stood for his beliefs. It took such courage and strength and he is one that we all honor today. 

Before and After : Lacquered Chairs

I do love all of the products in the Amy Howard At Home line but the lacquer is definitely one that is so different with the high gloss and the great smooth finish. I have used in so many different ways and love that contrast it gives with perhaps a great gold knob. 

Again, I am sharing with you a great before and after use of the Amy Howard At Home Lacquer in Vendome Gray. It really comes to show that the lacquer does not necessarily have to be used in one of the bright colors but looks great even in a neutral color.

Before: One of the Kitchen Chairs

Amanda used both the Primer and the Vendome Gray Lacquer

After: Chair

Final room Redecorated with the Lacquered Chairs!

I think she really accomplished a great look for her kitchen chairs!

You can find the details of Amanda's project on her blog!

Taylor's Bunk Bed and Nightstand

I love when customers share their stories about how they have taken an old piece of furniture that has meaning in their lives and completely transformed it so that it is up to date and back in their lives. 

With this, Taylor shared her story on her blog, where her husband had his childhood bunk beds and nightstand and they were not going to get rid of them. She clearly was not a huge fan of the pieces but came across the One Step Paint when stopping in one of our retailers, Lulu, in Franklin, TN. She was not familiar with painting furniture but decided to try out the One Step Paint!

Before: Nightstand

Before: Bunk Beds

She decided on the Java One Step Paint

Stirring it up!

After: Nightstand

She took the extra steps to wax and use the Dust of the Ages 

which really make the piece stand out.

In process: Bunk Beds

The Final After of the furniture pieces!! 

It is great to see how she completely took our tag line, 

Rescue, Restore, Redecorate and truly put it to use!