Shabby Chic Birdhouses...???

[James Combs]

Got an order for 20 ornamental birdhouses for next Christmas. The customer initially said she wanted them solid white but a few emails later she is asking for white but in "Shabby Chic". I got a vague idea of what SC is but typically it is done on a much larger scale and includes such things as stressing, antiquing etc. I told her I would send her some photos of a few samples, here is what I sent her.

Text of the email I included to her:
"Well here are 3 examples, I would say that they are pretty "shabby" but I am not so sure about the "chic" part. Actually Number 1
1-AsQuoted_SimplyPainted.jpg
is a shabby that I can hold the price on, it is simply a piece of branch wood that still has the bark on it. Also note the knot. Can't really say that it is very "chic" though.


Numbers 2 and 3
2-WithBluWashOvrWht.jpg3-PinkUndrCotWhtSanded.jpg
have two coats of paint and 2 has "stressing" dings all over the bottom although the photo doesn't do them justice. Number 2 has a blue "wash" after the white paint, turned out not too bad, number 3 has a pink under-coat then lightly/random sanding of some of the white away. I think it turned out the best. All of that is the good news, the bad news is I would need an extra $1.50 each for any done like number 2 or 3.

Number4 just shows a "pre-paint", I am going to do a blue under coat on it to verify number 3."

So what do you think, do any of them(except 4) make you think of shabby chic.

[Dan Valleskey]

Sorry, JD, I have been called 'shabby' enough that I should know a little about that. But no one ever calls me 'chic'! Matter of fact, you might have trouble with your question, you have a bunch of old dusty woodworkers here ya know!

I am glad I'm not in your shoes, you might be in a no-win situation here.

Good luck with it! hey- I might have to try some of that branch stuff. Gotta love free wood.

[Sam Whit]

Mrs. Whit uses Annie Sloan products to get the shabby chic look on her projects. It's all the rage these days.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Sam, I had to search for the Annie Sloan paint you referenced, and out here in the country I would call that product "whitewash!"

[Tom Collins]

James, I don't know anything about SC but was wondering if you might accomplish the look you are looking for if you used a whitewash over spalted wood or if you have a little tearout, work a darker color into the tearout then put the whitewash over it.

TomC

[Bruce Pratt]

Check out "milk paints". General Finishes has a whole line of them, as do several other manufacturers. Also check out "milk paint" on Youtube for examples of use.

[James Combs]

Sorry, JD, I have been called 'shabby' enough that I should know a little about that. But no one ever calls me 'chic'! Matter of fact, you might have trouble with your question, you have a bunch of old dusty woodworkers here ya know!
I am glad I'm not in your shoes, you might be in a no-win situation here.
Good luck with it! hey- I might have to try some of that branch stuff. Gotta love free wood.

Hi Dan, I am sure there is a high percentage of "more mature" folks that spin around in this vortex but I also am sure that there are some younger vortex riders as well. As for the branch stuff, I got an email from her yesterday and that is the style she chose, go figure.

Mrs. Whit uses Annie Sloan products to get the shabby chic look on her projects. It's all the rage these days.

Sam, thanks for the info. I checked it out and it looks like the way to go, if I get more requests for SC I will have to check further into it.

Sam, I had to search for the Annie Sloan paint you referenced, and out here in the country I would call that product "whitewash!"

Agree Jamie that yes it would appear to look a lot like white wash but the info did say it was paint.

James, I don't know anything about SC but was wondering if you might accomplish the look you are looking for if you used a whitewash over spalted wood or if you have a little tearout, work a darker color into the tearout then put the whitewash over it.
TomC

Thanks for the suggestion Tom. That's pretty much the same technique I used but with a different medium. I used what I had and that was wood stain and white acrylic paint.

Check out "milk paints". General Finishes has a whole line of them, as do several other manufacturers. Also check out "milk paint" on Youtube for examples of use.

Thanks Bruce for the advice, I was already familiar with milk paints, just don't have any. I think they would be a cheaper reverential to the Annie Sloan pains mentioned above.