Posted by frenchicfinland Admin
The garden gazebo changed from white to green
I’m Kirsi, a passionate upcycler and vintage enthusiast. My day job is in the interior design and furniture industry, and I spend much of my free time doing the same kind of thing. One of my Instagram friends even calls me the “project queen”.
I couldn’t live without my DIY projects. They’re also a form of therapy for me, helping me relax and disconnect from everything else around me. With “a hundred irons in the fire” and a couple of new projects on my mind, life never gets boring.
I’ve promised to show you some finished projects I’ve completed using Frenchic Paint products. I hope these inspire you to pick up a paintbrush and boldly try something completely new, too!...
A small gazebo was completed at the back of my garden seven years ago.
During construction, the interior was painted white to match the trends of the time and my own wishes.
Well, trends change, and my own mindset and taste have shifted toward much more color over the past few years.
I’ve always admired Swedish country homes and their ability to use muted colors to create a warm, cozy feel.
My home has had quite a color makeover over the past four years, and now it was finally the gazebo’s turn.
Looking for a pastel green
My biggest fear with the project was that the gazebo’s interior would turn out too gloomy and dark, rather than summery and fresh. I thought long and hard about the right color, and ultimately chose green.
After that, I spent a while longer considering the right shade of green. It shouldn’t be dull or too dark, but not too light either, as then the change wouldn’t be significant enough.
I compared different shades of green in the Frenchic Paint online store and eventually settled on the wall paint in “Apple Barn”. I tried searching online and on Instagram for pictures of walls painted this color, but without much luck. So the finished result was going to be a complete surprise.
Delightfully easy painting
The gazebo walls are made of rough, unfinished planks that were once painted with white oil paint. Chalk paint sticks to almost anything, so all the surface prep needed was washing with Frenchic Sugar Soap and a coarse root brush. I also used a brush for rinsing, as sponges and cleaning cloths got unpleasantly stuck to the rough plank surface.
Since Frenchic chalk paints already include primer, they save time and effort during application, and they're kind to your wallet too. And since the paint dries in just a few hours, it's easy to apply two coats for a finished surface in a single day.
After the first coat, the finish was quite patchy, but as soon as I brushed on the second coat, the true shade began to show through, and the more I painted, the more certain I was that I'd chosen just the right spring green!
Since I also painted the gazebo ceiling the same color, I used a total of one and a half tins of paint. A smooth wall surface would certainly have taken much less paint, but the rough plank walls have just the right rustic feel.
The best results came with Frenchic's oval brushes in sizes M and S. I also tried the XL brush, but it felt a little heavy when painting overhead.
Waxing the white ceiling beams
The gazebo also has two white-painted ceiling beams, and right at the start of the project I decided to give them a rustic finish using Frenchic's brown furniture wax.
After washing with sugar soap, I rubbed wax onto the beams with a round wax brush, following the wood's natural grain, and once the wax had dried, I brushed the surface with a soft root brush.
With just one coat, the beams developed a beautiful antique patina that goes beautifully with the green roof and walls.
I left the window frames white, and they now nicely brighten up the dim overall look. The shade of green changes in a fun way depending on the light; sometimes it's really bright with a hint of yellow, while at other times it's very soft and pastel.
Color sets the mood
My gazebo now has a lovely English garden shed feel. The light-colored wooden furniture and my collection of brown clay bottles go perfectly with the green walls.
And could there be a better name for this green than “Apple Barn,” since the four apple trees in my garden grow right next to the gazebo? The gazebo is now my “Happy place” for the summer.
I hope these tips inspire you too to pick up a paintbrush and bravely try something completely new!
Follow Kirsi on Instagram: @pieni_paivansade
