Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Distressed Furniture

Hello everyone!
 
Since I have been repainting things around here, I've been looking at inspiration pics of things I like.  One thing I noticed was heavily distressed furniture.  Now, I don't want a house full of it, because then it might look like I furnished my entire home from a dump!  Ha!  But a piece here and there adds a lot of interest to a room, I think.
 
  Here are some inspiration pics of heavily distressed furniture that I like.
 
 
These are from the Southern Living Idea House, 2012.
 
 
 
 
 
 
And here is a dresser heavily distressed from Miss Mustard Seed.
 
 


These  pieces have been distressed using different techniques, I'm sure.  Miss Mustard Seed has her own line of milk paint which can create this look all by itself!  Love that!  Some of the other pieces may have been distressed from years of use.  Either way, I like the look!
 
So..............
 
Here is my version of a heavily distressed piece of furniture in my home. 

 



 
 
 

 
 
 

Mine isn't as distressed as the inspiration pics I shared, but it's enough for my room. 
 
My husband thought I had gone crazy, scraping away the paint.  At first, he liked it.  Then, he thought I had gone too far.  I promised him that this was "OK".  He seemed to understand once I showed him some of my inspiration pics.  I then reminded him of the heavily distressed chair that we already had in our foyer that I found at an antique store.  I told him that I wouldn't have given it a second look if it had been in pristine condition! 
 
 
 
 
When you think about it, it's a little odd that we purposely age our furniture now! 
 
Growing up in the 70's, it was not okay to have pieces of furniture like this on purpose.  Ha! But, I must admit, I'm glad that it's okay now!
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
~ Kelly ~
 
 
Linking to:  Open House Party Thursdays  
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 


32 comments:

Anne said...

Kelly I have a weakness for furniture like this.Although I agree I would not want every piece in my home to be chippy and worn I do like a few pieces like it here and there.It adds so much charm and character! My husband is used to the way I decorate.And it gets it most of the times.But there are times he thinks I have lost my mind LOL!
Your dresser looks great!The color and chips are perfect.What a sweet chair too.If I spotted that I would have brought it home too!
xx
Anne

ℳartina @ Northern Nesting said...

Kelly great job on distressing that dresser, I love that look!

Shenita @ Embellishments by SLR said...

Kelly, those are great inspiration photos! Your pieces are wonderful!

Linda said...

Ten years ago that's all we did was distress furniture. But the look went with our previous home. It was a Victorian Reproduction. Looked like an old farm house. Now that we have moved Mr.DH likes the more modern approach. Mind you I'm working on... Go to my take a sneak peak post and you will see.

Unknown said...

Kelly Love... I have been up to so much with NO time to blog everything I have been doing around the house.. But soon I will show what I have been up to.. hope all is well Your sister is a star now don't hear from her to much any more So tell her I said Hello...

Olive said...

As Goldilocks would have this piece of yours is distressed "just right."

Pamela said...

Kelly your piece is just as fabulous as the inspiration pics you shared. I love it!

Deserae said...

I just adore this look....the chippier and more crazing a piece has the better :o) Your chest looks just smashing newly disressed!!!! Love it!!!!!
~Des

Brenda Pruitt said...

That's just what I was thinking! Years ago we would have scoffed at this furniture and passed it right by. I like yours the best.
Brenda

Jennifer @ Town and Country Living said...

I've been lovin' the more heavily stressed stuff too. Funny what you said about the 70s. My mother's house always had to look like a pristine model home - all shiny and new. Ugh!

Judy said...

great job kelly....i love the distressed look, remember the distressed chest i recently bought for my den? it looks a lot that the one from MMS.

Sometimes I wonder what really goes through the minds of our husbands when they see all our brilliant ideas?!?!?!

Unknown said...

I think every room needs a distressed piece Kelly :-)
I luv the white dresser. Perfect!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Gee

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

That looks good, Kelly. Doug thought I was crazy at first, too making furniture look like it came from the trash. Now he doesn't care and likes the pieces.

Daniela @Frugal Aint Cheap said...

I like the distressed look on few things here and there, but I agree, too much would be too distracting and maybe not as appealing as a whole. I think your piece turned out great.

cynthia lee designs said...

Love the distressed dresser and the chair too!! I've been wanting to do a distressed finish on a wood trunk that my husband made for me when we were first married 33 years ago. I use it as the coffee table in our living room. Just been a little nervous to start working on it.
~Cindy

Shirley@Housepitality Designs said...

Kelly...love the distressed dresser...Who would have thought that heavily distressed furniture would be so in vogue today...Love the vignette too!

Anonymous said...

Your dresser looks great, not too much or too little, just right and in the right places. Patty/BC

AntiqueChase said...

I'll never forget when I got an armoire about 10 years ago. It was all chippy and wonderful and quite expensive from an antique store. My grandmother came over to visit and I showed her (with pride) my new piece of furniture.. is promptly asked "Did you pay money for that?"... LOL. to her it looked like junk... to me it was perfect :)

SImple and Serene Living said...

Love the inspiration pics, Kelly and I think you did a fabulous job on yours. I agree that I wouldn't want all of my furniture to be distressed, but I am sooo in love with the look.

Hugs,
Laura

Anonymous said...

Hi Kelly! Well, I like your distressed piece hands down better than the others. Yours has just the right amount of aging. Hubbies are funny, aren't they? :)
Thank you so much for your kind words and your advice is so right.
You are a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Debbiedoos said...

I love the distressed look to Kelly. The older looking the better. Makes it feel like it has personality.

This N That said...

Funny...Someone intentionally making furniture look like that..Looks good when the surrounding pieces are the same..The first piece is "beyond distressed" ??

Andrea said...

I love distressed furniture, although I have to admit, I prefer a lightly distressed piece. I have seen a few heavily distressed pieces that I love, but I'm too chicken to try it myself!

Something Nice and Pretty said...

I'm more for the lightly distressed furniture too Kelly. I love yours and you did a great job on it!

Kadee Willow said...

I totally agree... a whole room would be too much. But then again a whole room of one style, without mixing it up, would be too much! But what you did to the dresser is charming as well as that sweet little chair. Thanks for sharing!

Kelli said...

I love destressed furniture too!
I really like your chair.

Unknown said...

Distressed furnitures are not looking good and it is considered as totally waste. You have to repaint it again. So that it will match within your home decoration once again.
home office furniture

Anonymous said...

Thanks for popping in to see my Fallen suitcase, Kelly! Hope you have a wonderful weekend and be a sweetie
Shelia ;)

Babs said...

It's funny how changeable styles are. When I grew up, we polished and waxed our mahogany or cherry furniture and I guess I'm a product of that time period and even though I like the look of some distressed pieces, I have the greatest urge to paint over the chipped finish, or polish it. Crazy I know, but I think that back then chippy furniture meant you couldn't afford anything better. Thank goodness styles and tastes have changed.
Hugs and have a great weekend,
Babs

Amy Chalmers said...

I like one piece here or there~you showed great examples, and I like seeing you experiment with painting techniques in your own home decor! I guess you got bit by the bug!!

Unknown said...

I love your dresser Kelly! Of course I do! I've never met a beat up piece of furniture I didn't love:) great job!

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Hi Kelly! I love the look of your dresser and the comment about the dump made me laugh. Enjoy your week.