A Returning Client With a New Room in Mind
This commission was for a lovely returning client I’d worked with before. I’d previously created some beachy ombre bedroom furniture for her, and this time she was looking for a couple of tallboys for another room in her home.
One of the pieces came from my own stock. It was the narrower of the two, and she asked if she could commission that one as part of the project. The second piece was a larger Stag tallboy, which I helped source for her.
They were very different pieces, so the challenge wasn’t to make them match exactly. It was to make them feel like they belonged together.
The brief was French-inspired, pretty and a little bit boudoir, but still polished and grown-up.
Choosing Dusky Pink Instead of Blue
Because I’d already created blue-toned furniture for this client before, I thought we might end up going in that direction again. But she surprised me.
This time, she chose Fusion Mineral Paint in Damask, a soft pinkish shade with slightly peachy, dusky undertones. A stunning choice for the look she wanted!
It gave the pieces a warm, feminine feel without tipping into anything too sweet or sugary. More grown-up French boudoir than pink bedroom furniture.
Adding the French Details
The larger Stag tallboy wasn’t especially French-looking to begin with, so it needed a little extra help to get there.
I sourced decorative WoodUbend mouldings to add more carved detail and shape. I attached pediments across the top drawers, and corbels to the legs of the Stag. They really helped soften the shape of the furniture and gave it more of that ornate, French feel.
Once painted, those added details looked like they’d always belonged there. Exactly what you want from a good furniture makeover!
Damask, Stripes and Gold
The main drawer fronts were finished with a soft damask stencil design, then, to add a bit of contrast, I used gold striped detailing on the smaller central. It gave the piece a more decorative, layered feel without making it look too busy.
For the narrower tallboy, I went a slightly different route. Instead of covering the whole front, I used a gold damask-style transfer in an angled design, letting it fall across one side and down towards the lower corner.
That little off-centre detail worked beautifully. It stopped the two pieces from feeling too matchy-matchy, but still tied them together with the same colour palette and gold finish.
Bringing Out the Details
The handles on the Stag tallboy were changed to more French-inspired ones, then toned in with the rest of the gold detailing.
I also used Guild Lane gold metallics to pick out the raised details, mouldings, handles, trims and feet. It’s those little touches that make the shape of the furniture come alive, especially on pieces with curves and carved edges.
To soften the pink and give the finish a slightly aged feel, I applied Fusion Antiquing Glaze and rubbed it back. This helped tone everything down without making the pieces look too dark or grungy.
This is a fabulous option when you don't want a heavy shabby chic look. The finish is still clean, pretty and polished. Just with a bit more depth.
A Little Surprise Inside
The inside of the drawers got some attention too. (I do love a surprise!)
I added damask stag-patterned wallpaper decoupage inside the drawers (a little nod to its heritage), which gives that lovely hidden detail when they’re opened. It’s not something you see straight away, but it makes the pieces feel that bit more special.
And because these were bedroom pieces, it felt right to have something pretty tucked away inside too.
Different Pieces, Same Story
The final result was a pair of tallboys that worked together without pretending to be the same.
One was taller and narrower, the other wider and more decorative. One had angled gold damask detail, the other had stencilling and stripes. But together, they shared the same dusky pink finish, gold accents and French-inspired feel.
That’s often the loveliest thing about commissioned furniture upcycling. You don’t always need a perfect matching set. Sometimes, it’s much more interesting to bring different pieces together with colour, detail and a bit of imagination.
These two now feel like they were made for the same room, even though they started in completely different places.
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