My Aunt Binky has been cleaning out the house she shared with my grandparents recently. She gave my mother an old pie safe with heart cut-outs that belonged to my grandmother. We lost my grandma seven years ago, so my mom was very happy to happy a piece of furniture that belonged to her. It is a very special piece. My mom decided to use it for sheet storage in her bedroom since she was running out of space in her linen closet. She asked me to paint the pie safe so it fit more into her style.
Here is what it looked like when she brought it home–basic oak:
I got my brother to take the doors off for me to make it easier to paint. Since it was bare wood, I didn’t need to prime it. My mom’s favorite color for decorating is gray, so I chose the color Mineral by Waverly Chalk Paint.
I gave the entire piece a coat of paint, including inside the shelves since they will be visible through the heart cut-outs.
Next, I dry brushed in the colors Ivory and Truffle also from Waverly Chalk Paint. Dry brushing is one of my favorite techniques to give furniture pizazz. I use a cheap chip brush and put a very small amount of paint on the ends. Then I push the brush into a paper plate to get most of the paint off before I actually even touch the furniture. With a very slight hand, I go over the entire piece of furniture. I hit the edges a little heavier to make them stand out. Dry brushing can bring a flat piece of furniture to life.
Last, I got my brother to add some wire to the backs of the heart cut-outs. All he did was cut some chicken wire and staple it in place.
This is the finished piece. I love the way it turned out! My mom was very happy with it.
This is a cute vignette I created on top with items purchased at Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx.
Petite Southern Belle 