Chapter Four Design Ltd

Save you a seat...

Well these seats have been well and truly saved.
They have that classic, nostalgic shape that so many of us will recognise from growing up, and I can only imagine how many family meals, memorable conversations and Sunday roasts they have witnessed. Which is why I was so pleased to give them a new lease of life, and the little bit of love they so deserve.

The process was simple; scrub, sand, paint, protect! East right? Nope lol, those 4 stages done right take a long time so don't be fooled into thinking chairs are easy, as they definitely aren't.. but they are obviously well worth it ☺️.

The scrubbing with mineral spirits was probably the most important step as grease naturally builds up in a kitchen, and grease and paint do not go well. Nor do grease and sanding pads ha ha. So yes, a good scrub before attacking with the sander, going through different grits of paper and different heads.

Then the paint was applied in thin coats as always to build up the coverage and ensure no drips. I also sanded between each coat of paint. I used Coalblack by . The paint was sealed with Fusion Ultra Guard.

Then all that was left to do was re-upholster the seats with carefully chosen contrasting botanical fabrics, sticking with a colour pallette across all 4 so they compliment one another, rather than clash.

They were delivered to a happy client yesterday, ready to be part of an exciting kitchen makeover 👌.

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Pretty AND practical ☺️

I am a big fan of something as functional as a child's high chair also being a thing of beauty in the home. The design of these Tripp Trapp high chairs are fantastic - classic, streamlined and super aesthetic.

The client in this project knows what she wants, has extreme confidence in her own taste, and will absolutely tell you if it isn't to her liking - oh, and she's 5 years old and one of my favourite mini humans 🥰😂.

Of course I was keen to live up to expectations so I took extra care to make sure my preparation was spot on, making sure to sand back the old paint right back to the wood. I then created this bespoke colour by mixing a couple of pinky tones of Fusion, applying in thin coats and building up the colour.

On the seat and foot rest I decided to do a contrasting finish using Alconquin and Woodwick (also Fusion), blending loosely to give this textured finish.

All the paintwork was sealed with 2 coats of Fusion Ultra Guard so I am confident it will cope with life's ware and tear.

And hopefully it makes my youngest client smile ever time she sits at the dinner table 🫶.


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Timeless Elegance...

The brief here was to refinish this writing bureau in a way that celebrated its age and beauty, whilst repairing the damage and bringing it a little up to date. I think we nailed it, what do you reckon? 🫶

I am such a big fan of a writing bureau transformation; each one I have done has been so different and this one didn't disappoint.

The water damage and scratches were making this piece look past its best, so I set about sanding off the varnish to get back to the wood underneath. It is a veneered finish so I had to be super careful. Once it was stripped bare I went in with washes of paint (Algonquin by mixed with water).

Unfortunately the walnut veneer on the front didn't take well to being sanded back, but I really wanted to keep that edge detail - so it was time to get creative. I painted the panel with a more solid coat of Algonquin and then used frog tape to create a border. Using a mix of paint and wood stain I managed to manufacture a similar detail around the panel, which worked a treat!

The wash looked a little pale so I added a coat of medium oak woodstain on top, which just gave some nice depth and tones. This was all sealed with Fusion Stain and Finishing Oil in Natural.

Inside the bureau I painted and stained until I was happy with the look. After trying (and failing lol) to paint the leather, I decided to replace it. Much better! This was edged with brass tacks to add to the vintage feel of the piece.

This beauty will now live on for years and years in my clients stunning home.

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Who doesn't love a bougie cocktail cabinet?? 🍸

So fun to look back at some of my faves over the years ..

I have several 'befores' needing an 'after' (see previous posts) so get in touch if you would like to chat about potentially having your own bespoke drinks cabinet for your home.

Cheers 🍾x

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The best version... This dressing table has had a major GLOW-UP and gone from plastic to fantastic!! 👌

I really enjoy getting to work on these IKEA style, plastic coated pieces, as they are practical but not pretty, BUT they can be transformed into one of a kind treasures in your home.

This dressing table was perfect for my client's bedroom as it was the right size and not too chunky in its design, but it needed some magic. I have done several pieces for her (I think we are at about 17+ 🥰!) including the Narnia wardrobe in this very room, so she knew I would be able to match it up and make it perfect for the space.

Its all about the prep with a piece like this and it had to be scrubbed with a de-greaser before being carefully primed with Fusion Ultragrip. This worked on both the plastic surface and the metal legs 👌.

The paint colour is a mixed recipe of 50% Seaside and 50% Renfrew Blue, also by and it took 3-4 coats built up slowly to get the flawless finish you see here. The paint was sealed with Ultra Guard which is my new fave product for protecting painted finishes.

I decided to add an old vintage handle to elevate the piece and move it further away from that functional IKEA one it was before. I also lined the drawer just to finish off the look.

I am really proud of this one - and it goes to show that you really don't need new, anything in your home can be transformed for your space with a little bit of love (and Chapter Four Design obvs 😉) x

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