A Picture's Worth a Thousand... Bucks? ||Part 1||

T-Minus 2 days until the Sweet Clover Barn Sale!  Chelsea and I have been wishin' and hoping' and thinkin' and prayin' that we'll get to meet some new faces, sell a few pieces, and not shop too much ourselves over the weekend ;)

So a few of you may remember that back in April, Caleb and I put all our stuff in storage (including my go-to tools, DIY supplies, and staging accessories) and moved into a friend's basement AKA our "summer home."  Wanting to respect the space of our host, I haven't taken on many furniture flips.  But with the sale coming up, I found a few low-impact projects I couldn't resist - like copycatting this stunner of a bench:

 
Source: Zin Home

Source: Zin Home

 

But YIKES that price!  Who would have an extra grand lying around to spend on a bench?  I wanted to make a bench that would look like $1,000 bucks but not one that would actually cost someone that much!  I had scored a set of [free] chrome legs from another bench so that was a step in the right direction by keeping my expenses low.  After curating the perfect faux cowhide fabric I had this:

 
 

Not too shabby eh? 

So now I had this epic mid-century modern meets rustic meets eclectic bench to sell [a style mutt of it's own if you ask me] and I started thinking about the kind of customer I hoped it would attract.  In our line of work, pictures often make the sale so it was critical that I get some captivating shots.  The problem was we're living in a basement with butter yellow walls and mostly traditional decor.  It just didn't seem like the best set-up to sell a mid-century/modern/rustic/eclectic bench.  Fortunately, our summer home has a GLORIOUS view so I thought I'd try something I've always wanted to: do a furniture photoshoot al fresco.  Here's my best shot from the shoot:

So after I took this shot I couldn't help but feel like it wasn't really "selling" the bench.  Was it too artsy or the background too busy?  Stumped, I turned to Instagram for some help from the DIY community and got the following feedback:

  • "Needs something... not sure what.. hopefully you'll get some ideas today.."
  • "Really like the idea of outside staging but I think the background is a bit overwhelming."
  • "I love this piece and this shot! What if the bench wasn't facing the side with that house behind it, but rather where the view is a bit deeper and you see the lake in the background. Might be more monochromatic."
  • "Leave it! It lets the piece shine!"
  • "Ok right now I'm staring because the shot is so beautiful. But I think you need more focus on the bench. Maybe move the bench a little more in front of the tree and shoot with your focus on the bench"
  • "Absolutely love the pic, but I almost missed the bench at first glance, maybe if the background was blurred a little?"
  • "Stunning just how it is!"
  • "The bench caught my eye first thing"
  • "Stand along and let it speak for itself!!!"
  • "Stunning with nature's green as a backdrop"

Although it seems like I was getting mixed poll results, it totally helped me realize what was bugging me about this shot.  I realized that what I loved about this picture wasn't the bench, it was the tree.  I wasn't even looking at the bench for that sweeping tree - leaning out over the water like it just wants to go for a refreshing dip.  So I tried blurring the background to help focus on the bench [literally]. 

Better but would that really help a buyer put it in the context of their home?  I decided to try introducing a few of my decor pieces [that weren't in storage] in hopes that it would help:

Here's some of the feedback I got with this new shot:

  • "Wish I had an answer for you! Since I only sell my stuff online, I always have a white background. It is a pretty shot though! Maybe if you just cropped it with less background?"
  • "I love the props together, but personally I think a blank wall backdrop would work better with the look you have going on"
  • "I'll be completely honest with my opinion. Until I read that it was a styled shot I thought it was a behind the scenes of what you did before. I lost the fact that the bench was what I needed to be looking at. I appreciate the picture alone, but for me it didn't work to capture my attention as an ad for the bench."
  • "I think the bench and the books, by themselves against the backdrop would have been really cool!!
  • "Love the book idea..but maybe just one book laying open.... And a small very small tray with a tall glass of lemonade with a tall tall straw and lemon garnish! I would kill for your view! Love being near water...  the bench is marvelous!"
  • "This looks like a magazine ad! Love it"

Again, mixed poll results.  I liked the color scheme but the odds and ends made for a confusing vignette.  I mean who is this photo geared towards?  Someone who spends the day by the lake reading books with their upholstered coffee table bench, a terrarium, and blank canvases?  That's a pretty narrow market.  

I tried blurring the background again in hopes they wouldn't stand out as much.  Maybe it could be mistaken as a magazine ad, but not every buyer has editorial taste.  It was still missing that "$1,000 feeling" so what else could I do to help it sell?  It was at this point I was ready to throw in the towel but the encouraging IG community got me thinking again.  Maybe, with a little imagination and the help of our host's traditional decor, this style mutt could find a way to get the feel I was going for after all...  

I hope you'll come back tomorrow to find out how!

And don't forget!  You're invited to the Sweet Clover Barn Sale this weekend Aug 21-23 from 10am to 5pm at Sweet Clover 4051 Stanford Ct, Frederick, Maryland 21703.

Shop Talk: Qs and As on Chalk Paint + A Fresh Finished Pair

Hi Friends! Goodness me has summer sizzled and fizzled already?! I spent the end of last week and this past weekend getting all back to school shopping done! Our twins start kindergarten in a month so this was our first time in the back to school chaos. My. Word. No need to exercise after THAT task! I didn't realize it's like a contact sport!

On a brighter note, I got a sweet little pair refinished and ready for the Sweet Clover Barn sale that we're hoppin' in on August 21-23!

mcm graphite 4.jpg

The warm wood peeking through is the real diva here, isn't it!? SUCH a stunning contrast.

Not to be outdone by it's larger counterpart, this little nightstand / side table is lookin' pretty fly now, too!

For this piece I used Annie Sloan's 'Graphite' - her darkest chalk paint color and truly a top favorite. Since it's been a while since I've used chalk paint I wanted to answer some questions I've received recently on the product! Most of these questions came from Instagram, and a few more came in via Periscope, (I'm on @ChelseaStyleMuttHome if you want to catch my live demos on refinishing, styling and the like)! 

Q: Why do you prefer it, (chalk paint), and is it easier? Because I'm all about easier.
A. I only use chalk paint when I am going `for a very rustic, matte finish. It's a very flat, absorbent, 'loose' (like chalk), paint.  So, it adheres well to any surface, but can also be distressed beautifully. It's definitely my go-to product when I want to give a piece a really time-worn, weathered looking finish. Chalk paint has an old-world look to it because it is so flat and distresses so well. And it is easy! No need to prep a surface before hand; just make sure the surface is clean and you're ready to paint!

Q: I just bought a can of Annie Sloan Country Grey today to paint a nightstand. I have only painted 1 piece of furniture with AS chalk paint before, a dresser using Old White. Any tips you can offer? The nightsand is unfinished pine. I want to have a smooth look to it.
A: I love Country Grey! Just make sure the surface is clean and then you can get to painting! You will probably want to use 2-3 coats for solid coverage, especially if you do not want it to appear distressed. Chalk paint brush strokes tend to be really apparent because it's so thick, so if you desire a perfectly smooth texture, I would paint on two coats, sand it over using a fine grit sanding sponge, then seal it in clear wax. A fine grit sanding sponge won't take the finish off if you just rub it over lightly, but it will smooth out the brush strokes. 

You can see above that the left picture has really raised brush strokes. The right side shows the same section smoothed over with a sanding sponge. There's a little discoloration from the sanding dust, but once it's waxed, it's all evened out and one solid color. I apply wax with a staining pad, found next to the wood stains in the hardware store.

The photo below left is smoothing the finish out with a fine grit sanding sponge. The photo below right is using a staining pad to apply the clear wax. You can see that the color is 'reawakened' with the wax. :)

Q: I'm hoping to paint a wooden chest of drawers with chalk paint and would like a glossy finish - what should I use to finish it?
A: Chalk paint is very, very flat and matte in finish. NO shine, whatsoever. To get it to shine in the least with wax, you would want to use two coats of wax and buff, buff, buff. So if you truly want a high gloss you can either a) Choose a glossier paint that might make more sense for the particular finish you are looking for, (I LOVE Rustoleum's Clear Protective Enamel paints, but if you need a wider range of color, try Behr's Marquee paint line), then you can seal it in a Polycrylic clear satin sealer. OR b) If you'd prefer to use chalk paint, then I'd use the steps above to smooth it out once you're finished, then use a Polycrylic clear high-gloss sealer. It won't shine quite as much as a glossier paint, but it will shine more than if you seal it with wax.

Q: Why is 'Graphite' difficult to work with?
A: Graphite gets SO grey when you start distressing it or smoothing out the texture with sanding! It can be a bit alarming:

The right side of the photo above shows where I gently sanded over 'Graphite', the left side is untouched. To restore the color you will want to apply a liberal amount of wax. If you want to touch anything up with paint afterwards, the process, (gentle sand and wax), will need to be repeated over that spot to even out the tone. It's a color that needs a little more sweet talking than other colors, that's all. :) But it's so worth it!

I used to paint everything white. White and Duck Egg blue. I still love the softness of those colors, but I am totally crazy about the contrast of this deep color in a white room! What a show stopper.

It's really quite dangerous to stage a piece which you intend to sell in your own home. Especially a piece that fits right in. Oh forbidden love, it's torturous! 

Have a wonderful week, friends! Thank you so much for stopping by and making StyleMutt Home a part of your day. We are so grateful for you XO