Drawing table

As the house renovations progress outside, finally I feel as though I can start to dream about tackling the interior of this house. Redecorating, organising and finding places for things. Last weekend we had to clear out the spare bedroom for some work to be done there. It's where I'd been keeping all the artwork to go on the walls. I so miss having the paintings, prints, antique samplers and vintage mirrors up on the walls. The house seems so bare without it, but it'll have to wait a while longer.

The first room to be tackled is Amelie's bedroom and so I've been looking for ideas wherever I go. Just before Christmas we all went for coffee, hot chocolates and milkshakes at a nearby cafe. It's a retro, shabby-chic kind of place and brilliantly one of the tables we sat at had been painted with blackboard paint. There was a little pot of chalks and Amelie was happily entertained. She has been using an old Ikea coffee table as a drawing table in the studio. I thought this would be perfect for the blackboard treatment.


Here's my apprentice all ready with her apron. As you can tell from the background, it really is chaos here at the moment!

The little chair was to get the treatment too. First we had to wash off the paint that Amelie had added one day...

We used Annie Sloan chalk paint which is perfect for the lazy decorator as no prep is needed and it's waterbased so clean up is easy, luckily. We painted the legs and sides of the table and the frame of the chair.


It says on the tin that one coat is often enough, but we found that two was better. Once the white was dry, and Amelie was in bed, I painted the top with blackboard paint. It takes two coats with a light sand between, but it water based and really easy to use.


It dried overnight and was put to the test first thing the next day. It's going to be perfect up in her room! Like the idea, but don't have a small table to use? Why not frame a piece of MDF or hardboard painted with blackboard paint to make a funky drawing board for a child's bedroom? Or perhaps you could upcycle an old wooden tray, that'd be just perfect too.

Thanks for dropping by,
Laura
xx

Comments

  1. Lucky, lucky Amelie with her chalking table! Did you ever finish that lovely quilt for her bedroom - hand quilted with birds? So lovely, but I remember wondering how you would find the time to finish all that stitching with everything else you do!

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    1. Hi Cathy, I've done quite a bit, but it's not finished yet. It's in a pile of ongoing projects that's getting rather large. I better stop starting new stuff!

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  2. Amelie is so adorable in her apron. Her excitement at helping is present in the photos. Ages ago a pizza parlor in Seattle had tables like that. It was so much fun to draw and see what others had drawn as you waited for dinner. Wishing you all the best in 2015. I can hardly wait to see what you, Linda, and Amelie create.

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    1. Thanks so much Jeannie, I hope we can keep you inspired in 2015.

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  3. Brilliant idea. Could do that for my children!! But wait - they're 29 and 26. Think I've missed the boat!

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  4. Love the table idea. Grand babies would love. Your daughter is simply sweet!

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  5. Lov the table, what a great idea

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  6. It's a great idea!! I wish my daughter was your daughter's age, she's 4 and half and so it seems to be too late putting your tips to practice! But luckily we have a one year old son as well, so I think we'll be making chalkboard table soon!!!
    All the best this year, looking forward your great ideas!!

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