A Second Piece for the Same Client
This dressing table was the second piece I worked on for this client.
The first was a chest of drawers in soft green and cream tones, and she wanted the dressing table to be finished in the same style so the room felt pulled together.
The brief was very much shabby chic: aged, distressed, soft and a little bit worn in all the right places. It needed to work with her bedroom decor and sit beautifully alongside the chest of drawers I’d already painted for her.
Nothing too crisp or perfect. Just gentle, pretty and full of charm.
Soft Green and Cream Tones
For the colours, we used Fusion Mineral Paint in Upper Canada Green and Champlain.
Upper Canada Green gave the drawers, mirror supports and base areas that soft, leafy green tone, while Champlain brought in a warm cream contrast across the frame, desktop, mirror and stool.
Together, they created that lovely country-style feel without making the piece look too heavy or overly polished.
The green kept it fresh, the cream softened it, and the two shades tied everything back to the chest of drawers she already had.
Creating an Aged, Distressed Finish
Once the painting was done, I used a wet sanding technique to age the finish.
This means wetting a sanding sponge and gently rubbing back the paint in the places where wear would naturally happen: corners, edges, raised areas, legs and the little details that would get touched over time.
Then it’s wiped back so the distressing feels soft and natural, rather than scratchy or forced.
It’s a really lovely way to give a piece that lived-in shabby chic look. You still get the fresh painted finish, but with some of the warmth and age showing through underneath.
Pretty Details That Bring It Together
The dressing table already had some lovely shape to it, especially around the mirror, legs and drawer fronts.
The distressed edges helped bring those details out, while the green drawer fronts added just enough colour without overpowering the whole piece.
We also used pretty ceramic knobs with green floral details, which worked beautifully with the paint colours. They’re small, but they make such a difference to the overall feel.
The result is soft and feminine without being too fussy.
A Stool to Match
The stool was painted to match the dressing table, using the same cream tones and gently distressed finish.
For the seat, I outsourced the upholstery to my talented friend, who recovered it in a green fabric that tied in perfectly with the rest of the set.
It finished the piece off properly and made the whole dressing table set feel complete.
A Matching Set With a Soft Shabby Chic Feel
The final result was exactly what the room needed.
The dressing table now sits beautifully with the matching chest of drawers, sharing the same green and cream colour palette, distressed finish and gentle shabby chic style.
It feels pretty, practical and full of character, with just enough wear showing through to make it feel like it’s always belonged there.
That’s the lovely thing about commissioned furniture upcycling. Sometimes one piece leads to another, and before you know it, a whole room starts to come together.
Commissioned Furniture Upcycling and Matching Sets
Have a piece you’d like transformed to match furniture you already own?
Whether it’s a dressing table, chest of drawers, stool, mirror or bedside table, I can help create a finish that works with your room and brings the pieces together beautifully.
Get in touch and let’s make it happen.
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